The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
May. 26, 2015
Filed:
Aug. 13, 2012
Riccardo Viancino, Turin, IT;
Fabio Bernardi, Osaseo, IT;
Giovanni Giuffre', Turin, IT;
MAGNETI MARELLI S.P.A., Corbetta, IT;
Abstract
A discharge device actively discharges a main capacitor in an electric-power system of an electric-drive vehicle and comprises a discharge branch of a circuit connected in parallel to the capacitor and including a discharge transistor biased to 'conduction' mode when the capacitor must be discharged. A control device is connected to a 'gate/base' terminal of and controls the transistor, biasing the transistor to the mode when the capacitor is required to fee discharged. A control transistor maintains the discharge transistor in a “non-conductive” state when the control transistor is in the mode. The control transistor is in the state for the discharge transistor to be in the mode. A safety capacitor is interposed between the terminal and a power supply and charges when the discharge transistor is in the mode, causing a progressive decrease of current at the terminal, until the discharge transistor is biased to the state.