Self-powered gate driver board
First Claim
1. A circuit for turning on at least first and second thyristors, each thyristor having an anode, a cathode and a gate electrode, the anode and cathode of the first thyristor connected to the cathode and anode of the second thyristor, respectively, the first thyristor anode connected to a voltage source providing a substantially sinusoidal voltage and the first thyristor cathode connected to a load terminal, the circuit comprising:
- a driver linked to the thyristor gate electrodes for turning on the thyristors, the driver including a power lead for receiving power required to drive the driver;
a snubber voltage storer linked between the anode and the cathode of the first thyristor which charges when either of the thyristors is turned off and discharges when either of the thyristors is turned on; and
a rechargeable voltage storer linked to and chargeable by the snubber storer when either of the thyristors is turned on and chargeable by the voltage source when both of the thyristors are off or either of the thyristors is turned off, the rechargeable voltage storer linked to the driver to supply power thereto.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and/or apparatus used with a thyristor based AC-AC motor controller in a discontinuous current mode for providing power to thyristor gate drivers. The apparatus includes a snubber network and two rechargeable capacitors for storing input line voltage to an inversely connected pair of thyristors when both the thyristors are off. Stored voltage is provided via a power lead to each thyristor driver to provide power thereto and thus the circuit operates in a self-powered manner.
43 Citations
11 Claims
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1. A circuit for turning on at least first and second thyristors, each thyristor having an anode, a cathode and a gate electrode, the anode and cathode of the first thyristor connected to the cathode and anode of the second thyristor, respectively, the first thyristor anode connected to a voltage source providing a substantially sinusoidal voltage and the first thyristor cathode connected to a load terminal, the circuit comprising:
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a driver linked to the thyristor gate electrodes for turning on the thyristors, the driver including a power lead for receiving power required to drive the driver; a snubber voltage storer linked between the anode and the cathode of the first thyristor which charges when either of the thyristors is turned off and discharges when either of the thyristors is turned on; and a rechargeable voltage storer linked to and chargeable by the snubber storer when either of the thyristors is turned on and chargeable by the voltage source when both of the thyristors are off or either of the thyristors is turned off, the rechargeable voltage storer linked to the driver to supply power thereto. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A circuit for turning on first and second thyristors, each thyristor having an anode, a cathode and a gate electrode, the anode and cathode of the first thyristor connected to the cathode and anode of the second thyristor, respectively, the first thyristor anode connected to a voltage source providing a substantially sinusoidal voltage and the first thyristor cathode connected to a load terminal, the circuit comprising:
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first and second drivers, the first driver connected to the second thyristor gate electrode for turning on the second thyristor and the second driver connected to the first thyristor gate electrode for turning on the first thyristor each of the first and second drivers including a separate power lead for receiving power required to drive the drivers; a snubber voltage storer including a capacitor in series with a resistor linked between the anode and the cathode of the first thyristor which charges when either of the thyristor is turned off and discharges when either of the thyristors is turned on; and first and second rechargeable voltage storers linked to and chargeable by the snubber storer, the first rechargeable storer linked to the first driver to supply power thereto and the second rechargeable storer linked to the second driver to supply power thereto, wherein; the first rechargeable storer is chargeable by the snubber storer when the first thyristor is turned on and chargeable by the voltage source when the first thyristor is off and the voltage at the first thyristor anode is negative; and the second rechargeable storer is chargeable by the snubber storer when the second thyristor is turned on and chargeable by the voltage source when the second thyristor is off and the voltage at the first thyristor anode is positive. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9)
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10. A method for providing power to drivers for turning on two inversely connected thyristors, each thyristor having an anode, a cathode and a gate electrode, the anode and cathode of the first thyristor connected to the cathode and anode of the second thyristor, respectively, the first thyristor anode connected to a voltage source providing a substantially sinusoidal voltage and the first thyristor cathode connected to a load terminal, the method to be used with a circuit including a first driver connected to the second thyristor gate electrode for turning on the second thyristor and a second driver connected to the second thyristor gate electrode for turning on the first thyristor, each of the first and second drivers including a power lead for receiving power required to drive the drivers, a snubber voltage storer that is linked between the first thyristor'"'"'s anode and cathode and first and second rechargeable voltage storers that are linked to the snubber storer, the first rechargeable storer also linked to the first driver power lead and the second rechargeable storer also linked to the second driver power lead, the method comprising the steps of:
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when the first thyristor turns off, charging both the snubber storer and the first rechargeable storer using the voltage source; when the second thyristor turns on discharging the snubber storer charge into the second rechargeable storer; when the second thyristor is turned off, charging both the snubber storer and the second rechargeable storer using the voltage source; and when the first thyristor turns on discharging the snubber storer charge into the second rechargeable storer; wherein the first and second rechargeable storers are recharged during every cycle of the sinusoidal voltage. - View Dependent Claims (11)
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Specification