Semiconductor switching device having plural MOSFET's, GTO's or the like connected in series
First Claim
1. A semiconductor switching device including a row of a plurality of switching elements (Sl -Sn) connected in series between an input and an output terminal of said semiconductor switching device, an input terminal of the input-nearest switching element Sn and an output terminal of the output-nearest switching element Sl among said row being connected with said input terminal and said output terminal of said semiconductor switching device, respectively, and a control signal being applied to a control terminal of the output-nearest switching element, wherein said semiconductor switching device comprises a first plurality of capacitive elements each of which is connected between the output terminal of the output-nearer switching element and the control terminal of the input-nearer switching element of the adjacent switching elements among the switching element row, and a second capacitive element connected between the output terminal and input terminal of said input-nearest switching element, said switching elements (S2 -Sn) having insulating gates, respectively,wherein a constant voltage element is connected between a control terminal and one of the inpt and output terminals of at least each of said switching elements other than the output-nearest one, each said constant voltage element being arranged so that it will be in series with said first and second capacitive elements when said switching elements are turned-off.
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Abstract
A semiconductor switching device includes a row of a plurality of switching elements connected in series. The input terminal of the input-nearest switching element and the output terminal of the output-nearest switching element are connected with the input terminal and output terminal of the semiconductor switching device, respectively. A control signal is applied to the control terminal of the output-nearest switching element. The semiconductor switching device comprises a first plurality of capacitive elements each of which is connected between the output terminal of the output-nearer switching element and the control terminal of the input-nearer switching element of the adjacent switching elements among the switching element row; and a second capacitive element connected between the output terminal and input terminal of the input-nearest switching element. At least the switching elements (S2 -Sn) have insulating gates, respectively.
89 Citations
26 Claims
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1. A semiconductor switching device including a row of a plurality of switching elements (Sl -Sn) connected in series between an input and an output terminal of said semiconductor switching device, an input terminal of the input-nearest switching element Sn and an output terminal of the output-nearest switching element Sl among said row being connected with said input terminal and said output terminal of said semiconductor switching device, respectively, and a control signal being applied to a control terminal of the output-nearest switching element, wherein said semiconductor switching device comprises a first plurality of capacitive elements each of which is connected between the output terminal of the output-nearer switching element and the control terminal of the input-nearer switching element of the adjacent switching elements among the switching element row, and a second capacitive element connected between the output terminal and input terminal of said input-nearest switching element, said switching elements (S2 -Sn) having insulating gates, respectively,
wherein a constant voltage element is connected between a control terminal and one of the inpt and output terminals of at least each of said switching elements other than the output-nearest one, each said constant voltage element being arranged so that it will be in series with said first and second capacitive elements when said switching elements are turned-off.
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10. A semiconductor switching device including a row of a plurality of switching elements (Sl -Sn) connected in series between an input and an output terminal of said semiconductor switching device, an input terminal of the input-nearest switching element (Sn) and an output terminal of the output-nearest switching element (S1) among said row being connected with said input terminal and said output terminal of said semiconductor switching device, respectively, and a control signal being applied to a control terminal of the output-nearest switching element, wherein said semiconductor switching device comprises a first plurality of capacitive elements each of which is connected between the output terminal of the output-nearer switching element and the control terminal of the input-nearer switching element of the adjacent switching elements among the switching element row, and a second capacitive element connected between the output terminal and input terminal of said input-nearest switching element, at least said switching elements (S2 -Sn) having insulating gates, respectively,
wherein said first and second capacitive elements are connected in series with resistors, and wherein the device includes further resistors, connected in series with respective constant voltage elements, with the series connection of each of said first and second capacitive elements with said resistors being in parallel with the series connection of said further resistors and respective constant voltage elements.
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11. A semiconductor switching device including a row of a plurality of switching elements (S1 -Sn) connected in series between an input and an output terminal of said semiconductor switching device, an input terminal of the input-nearest switching element (Sn) and an output terminal of the output-nearest switching element (S1) among said row being connected with said input terminal and said output terminal of said semiconductor switching device, respectively, and a control signal being applied to a control terminal of the output-nearest switching element, wherein said semiconductor switching device comprises a first plurality of capacitive elements each of which is connected between the output terminal of the output-nearest switching element and the control terminal of the input-nearer switching element of the adjacent switching elements among the switching element row, and a second capacitive element connected between the output terminal and input terminal of said input-nearest switching element, at least said switching elements (S2 -Sn) having insulating gates, respectively,
wherein said first and second capacitive elements are connected in series with resistors, and wherein the switching device includes further resistors, connected in series with respective constant voltage elements, with said first and second capacitive elements being connected in parallel with the series connection of the further resistors and respective constant voltage elements.
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12. A semiconductor switching device including a row of a plurality of switching elements (S1 -Sn) connected in series between an input and an output terminal of said semiconductor switching device, an input terminal of the input-nearest switching element (Sn) and an output terminal of the output-nearest switching element (S1) among said row being connected with said input terminal and said output terminal of said semiconductor switching device, respectively, and a control signal being applied to a control terminal of said output-nearest switching element, wherein said semiconductor switching device comprises:
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MOSFET'"'"'s included in at least said switching elements (S2 -Sn), respectively; a first plurality of series connections each of which includes a capacitive element and a resistor, each connected between the output terminal of the output-nearer switching element and the control terminal of the input-nearer switching element of the adjacent switching elements among said switching element row; a second series connection of a capacitive element and a resistor connected between the input terminal and the output terminal of said input-nearest switching element; a rectifying element connected in forward direction between the input terminal of said input-nearest switching element and the input terminal of said semiconductor switching device; constant voltage elements connected between the respective gates and respective sources of said MOSFET'"'"'s; rectifying elements connected in parallel with said resistors, respectively and in the forward direction during the off-period of said semiconductor switching device; and series connections each of which includes each of said resistors and each of said constant voltage elements, connected in parallel with said first and second series connections. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14)
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15. A semiconductor switching device including a row of a plurality of switching elements connected in series between an input and an output terminal of said semiconductor switching device, an input terminal of the input-nearest switching element and an output terminal of the output-nearest switching element among said row being connected with said input terminal and said output terminal of said semiconductor switching device, respectively, and a control signal being applied to a control terminal of the output-nearest switching element, wherein said semiconductor switching device comprises:
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a first plurality of series connections each of which includes a capacitive element and a resistor, each connected between the output terminal of the output-nearer switching element and the control terminal of the input-nearer switching element of the adjacent switching elements among said switching element row; each of at least said switching elements other than the output-nearest one including a MOSFET having two electrodes defining a current path thereof and a control gate which acts as the control terminal of that switching element and a GTO having an anode and a gate connected, respectively, to the electrodes of said MOSFET; a second series connection of a capacitive element and a resistor connected between the input terminal and the output terminal of said input-nearest switching element; a rectifying element connected in forward direction between the input terminal of said input-nearest switching element and the input terminal of said semiconductor switching device; constant voltage elements connected between the respective gates and respective sources of said MOSFET'"'"'s; rectifying elements connected in parallel with said resistors, respectively and in the forward direction during the off-period of said semiconductor switching device; and series connections each of which includes each of said resistors and each of said constant voltage elements, connected in parallel with said first and second series connections. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17)
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18. A semiconductor switching device including a row of a plurality of switching elements S1 -Sn connected in series between an input and an output terminal of said semiconductor switching device, an input terminal of the input-nearest switching element (Sn) and an output terminal of the output-nearest switching element (S1) among said row being connected with said input terminal and said output terminal of said semiconductor switching device, respectively, and a control signal being applied to a control terminal of the output-nearest switching element, wherein, said semiconductor switching device comprises a first plurality of capacitive elements each of which is connected between the output terminal of the output-nearer switching element and the control terminal of the input-nearer switching element of the adjacent switching elements among the switching element row, and a second capacitive element connected between the output terminal and input terminal of said input-nearest switching element, said switching elements (S2 -Sn) having insulating gates, respectively,
wherein each of said switching elements other than the output-nearest one includes a MOSFET having two electrodes defining a current path thereof and a control gate which acts as the control terminal of that switching element and a GTO having an anode and a gate connected, respectively, to the electrodes of the MOSFET.
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24. A semiconductor switching device including a row of a plurality of switching elements S1 -Sn connected in series between an input and an output terminal of said semiconductor switching device, an input terminal of the input-nearest switching element (Sn) and an output terminal of the output-nearest switching element (S1) among said row being connected with said input terminal and said output terminal of said semiconductor switching device, respectively, and a control signal being applied to a control terminal of the output-nearest switching element, wherein said semiconductor switching device comprises a first plurality of capacitive elements each of which is connected between the output terminal of the output-nearer switching element and the control terminal of the input-nearer switching element of the adjacent switching elements among the switching element row, and a second capacitive element connected between the output terminal and input terminal of said input-nearest switching element, said switching elements (S2 -Sn) having insulating gates, respectively,
further comprising means for producing said control signal which is variable between two levels and applied to the control terminal of said output-nearest switching element thereby defining its ON-period when said control signal is at one of the two levels and means for periodically changing said control signal of the one level to the other level for a short period of time.
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25. A semiconductor switching device including a row of a plurality of switching elements S1 -Sn connected in series between an input and an output terminal of said semiconductor switching device, an input terminal of the input-nearest switching element (Sn) and an output terminal of the output-nearest switching element (S1) among said row being connected with said input terminal and said output terminal of said semiconductor switching device, respectively, and a control signal being applied to a control terminal of the output-nearest switching element, wherein said semiconductor switching device comprises a first plurality of capacitive elements each of which is connected between the output terminal of the output-nearer switching element and the control terminal of the input-nearer switching element of the adjacent switching elements among the switching element row, and a second capacitive element connected between the output terminal and input terminal of said input-nearest switching element, at least said switching elements (S2 -Sn) having insulating gates, respectively,
further comprising a series connection of voltage-dividing elements provided correspondingly to the respective switching elements other than said output-nearest one, and having opposite terminals of said series connection connected to the input and output terminals, respectively, of said switching device, while respective junctions of said voltage dividing elements are connected respectively to the control terminals of said switching elements other than said output-nearest one.
Specification