Gate driving circuit and switching power supply device

• US 10,469,067 B2
• Filed: 10/25/2017
• Issued: 11/05/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 11/09/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fuji Electric Company Limited (Fuji Electric Systems Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: Fuji Electric Company Limited (Fuji Electric Systems Company Limited)
• Inventors: Kaneda, Hirotoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Houston, Adam D
• Application Number:
  US15/792,914
• Publication Number:
  US 20180131364A1
• Time in Patent Office: 741 Days
• Field of Search: 327427
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/08122 in field-effect transistor switches
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/08142 in field-effect transistor switches
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/166 Soft switching
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/302 in field-effect transistor switches

Abstract

A gate driving circuit is connected to a main switching element. The gate driving circuit includes a gate resistor. The gate resistor includes a voltage controlled resistor of which a resistance value is able to be continuously changed. A switching power supply device includes a gate driving circuit, a main switching element, and a freewheeling diode connected in reverse parallel to the main switching element.

Claims

1. A gate driving circuit that is connected to a main switching element, the gate driving circuit comprising:

a first switching element;

a second switching element; and

a gate resistor,

wherein the gate resistor includes a first voltage controlled resistor of which a resistance value is able to be continuously changed, and a second voltage controlled resistor of which a resistance value is able to be continuously changed,

an end on one side of the first voltage controlled resistor is connected to a high potential, and an end on the other side of the first voltage controlled resistor is connected to the main switching element via the first switching element,

the main switching element is connected to an end on one side of the second voltage controlled resistor via the second switching element,

an end on the other side of the second voltage controlled resistor is connected to a low potential.

2. The gate driving circuit according to claim 1, further comprising a control circuit configured to set a voltage value that is input to the first voltage controlled resistor and the second voltage controlled resistor on the basis of an output current value of the main switching element.

3. The gate driving circuit according to claim 1, further comprising a control circuit configured to set a voltage value that is input to the voltage controlled resistor on the basis of a signal that is output from a signal source that drives the main switching element.

4. The gate driving circuit according to claim 1, wherein the first voltage controlled resistor and the second voltage controller resistor include a field effect transistor.

5. A switching power supply device comprising the gate driving circuit according to claim 1, and further comprising:

a freewheeling diode connected in reverse parallel to the main switching element,

wherein at least one of;

(1) a part of the main switching element and the freewheeling diode, and (2) all of the main switching element and the freewheeling diode,

are formed of a wide bandgap semiconductor.

6. The switching power supply device according to claim 5,

wherein the wide bandgap semiconductor is formed of silicon carbide, a gallium nitride-based material, a gallium oxide-based material, or diamond.