Drive circuit for SCR device

• US 5,654,661 A
• Filed: 12/05/1995
• Issued: 08/05/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 12/05/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Emerson Network Power Energy Systems North America Incorporated (Emerson Electric Company)
• Original Assignee: Reltec Corporation (GEC, Inc.)
• Inventors: Kammiller, Neil A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Callahan, Timothy P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): ZWEIZIG, JEFFERY SHAWN
• Application Number:
  US08/567,299
• Time in Patent Office: 609 Days
• Field of Search: 327/79, 327/447, 327/451, 327/453, 327/468, 327/582, 327/438, 327/448
• US Class Current: 327/438
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/136 in thyristor switches
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/725 for ac voltages or currents H03K17/722, H03K17/735 take precedence

Abstract

An SCR control circuit which drives the SCR between conduction and non-conduction states in accordance with values sensed by a polarity sensing circuit. The control circuit generating a signal for the gate which is of a constant value, at different temperatures.

Claims

1. A drive circuit for controlling operation of an SCR comprising:

a switching power source connected to a gate of the SCR, which delivers a signal to the gate at predetermined time periods;

a switching reverse bias voltage source connected to the gate of the SCR; and

a polarity sensing circuit connected to an anode of the SCR, to the switching power source and to the switching reverse bias voltage source, to sense when the anode of the SCR is in one of a positive and negative state, wherein the switching power source delivers a signal to the gate sufficient to place the SCR in a conduction state while the polarity sensing circuit senses a positive voltage on the anode and wherein a reverse bias voltage for the gate of the SCR is applied when the polarity sensing circuit senses a reverse anode voltage.

2. The drive circuit according to claim 1 wherein the switching power source is a temperature dependent current source which generates a current whose value is altered dependent upon ambient temperature, and whose current is supplied to the gate of the SCR.

3. The drive circuit according to claim 2 wherein the current from the temperature dependent current source, supplied to the gate of the SCR, whose value changes based on the ambient temperature, is otherwise a constant current.

4. The drive circuit according to claim 3 wherein the current supplied to the gate of the SCR remains constant regardless of changes in supply voltages, gate voltages and gate parameters.

5. The drive circuit according to claim 2 wherein the temperature dependent current source includes a first transistor with its emitter connected to a cathode of a diode which has its anode connected to a positive voltage source;

and

a resistor with one end connected to both the base of the first transistor and to the collector of another transistor, whose emitter is tied to the gate of the SCR.

6. The drive circuit according to claim 5 wherein the first transistor is a bipolar PNP transistor and the transistor with its emitter connected to the gate of the SCR is a bipolar NPN transistor.

7. The drive circuit according to claim 1 wherein the polarity sensing circuit includes a JFET transistor with its gate connected to the anode of the SCR.

8. The drive circuit according to claim 1 wherein the SCR is maintained in an on state for 1/2 of an AC input.

9. The drive circuit according to claim 2 wherein the temperature dependent current source is configured to generally follow the signal requirements of the SCR which vary in accordance with temperature changes.

10. The drive circuit according to claim 5 wherein the first transistor operates as a current comparator.

11. A drive circuit for controlling operation of an SCR comprising:

a supply;

a current sensor resistor connected at a first end to a positive supply voltage, V_cc ;

a diode having an anode connected to positive V_cc ;

a first transistor whose base is connected to a second end of the current sensor resistor and whose emitter is connected to a cathode of the diode;

a second transistor having its base connected to the collector of the first transistor, and its emitter connected to positive V_cc ;

a third transistor whose base is connected to the collector of the second transistor, whose collector is connected to the base of the first transistor, and whose emitter is connected to the gate of the SCR;

a fourth transistor having its drain connected to the base of the second transistor, whose source is connected to the cathode of the SCR, and whose gate is connected through a resistance, to the anode of the SCR;

a second diode whose anode is connected to the source of the fourth transistor, and whose cathode is connected to negative V_cc ; and

a second resistance whose first end is connected to the cathode of the second diode and to the negative V_cc, and whose second end is connected to the emitter of the third transistor and the gate of the SCR.

12. A drive circuit for controlling operation of an SCR used in an inrush clamp circuit comprising:

a switching power source connected to a gate of the SCR, which delivers a signal to the gate at predetermined time periods;

a switching reverse bias voltage source connected to the gate of the SCR; and

a polarity sensing circuit connected to an anode of the SCR, to the switching power source and to the switching reverse bias voltage source, to sense when the anode of the SCR is in one of a positive and negative state, wherein the switching power source delivers a signal to the gate sufficient to place the SCR in a conduction state while the polarity sensing circuit senses a positive voltage on the anode and wherein a reverse bias voltage for the gate of the SCR is applied when the polarity sensing circuit senses a reverse anode voltage.

13. The drive circuit according to claim 12 wherein the switching power source is a temperature dependent current source which generates a current whose value is altered dependent upon ambient temperature, and whose current is supplied to the gate of the SCR.

14. The drive circuit according to claim 13 wherein the current from the temperature dependent current source, whose value changes based on the ambient temperature, is otherwise a constant current.

15. The drive circuit according to claim 14 wherein the current supplied to the gate of the SCR remains constant regardless of changes in supply voltages, gate voltages and gate parameters.

16. The drive circuit according to claim 12 wherein the temperature dependent current source includes a first transistor with its emitter connected to a cathode of a diode which has its anode connected to a positive voltage source;

and

a resistor with one end connected to both the base of the first transistor and to the collector of another transistor, whose emitter is tied to the gate of the SCR.

17. The drive circuit according to claim 16 wherein the first transistor is a bipolar PNP transistor and the transistor with its emitter connected to the gate of the SCR is a bipolar NPN transistor.

18. The drive circuit according to claim 12 wherein the SCR is maintained in an on state for 1/2 of an AC input.

19. The drive circuit according to claim 16 wherein the first transistor operates as a current comparator.