Power dimmer
First Claim
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1. A power dimmer for a load powered by an A.C. voltage comprising:
- a bidirectional switch associated in series with the load, the switch being normally closed and controllable to be opened upon each halfwave of the A.C. voltage, wherein the switch is made bidirectional by means of a rectifying bridge, two output terminals of which provide a rectified A.C. voltage and is formed by a first gate turn-off thyristor having an anode, a cathode, and a gate, and wherein the power dimmer includes only a first terminal and a second terminal; and
a capacitor electrically connected between the first and second terminal that damps switching peaks associated with the opening of the bidirectional switch;
wherein the power dimmer does not include an inductive element.
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Abstract
The present invention relates to a power dimmer of a load, powered by an a.c. voltage, of the type including a bidirectional switch associated in series with the load, the switch being normally closed and controllable to be opened upon each halfwave of the a.c. voltage.
57 Citations
23 Claims
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1. A power dimmer for a load powered by an A.C. voltage comprising:
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a bidirectional switch associated in series with the load, the switch being normally closed and controllable to be opened upon each halfwave of the A.C. voltage, wherein the switch is made bidirectional by means of a rectifying bridge, two output terminals of which provide a rectified A.C. voltage and is formed by a first gate turn-off thyristor having an anode, a cathode, and a gate, and wherein the power dimmer includes only a first terminal and a second terminal; and
a capacitor electrically connected between the first and second terminal that damps switching peaks associated with the opening of the bidirectional switch;
wherein the power dimmer does not include an inductive element. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A load power controller for controlling an A.C. voltage delivered to a load, the load being connected directly to the A.C. voltage, the load power controller comprising;
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a normally closed switch, said switch being formed by a first gate turn-off thyristor having a gate, an anode, and a cathode;
a rectifying bridge having two input terminals and two output terminals, the two input terminals being connected to the A.C. voltage and the two output terminals being connected to and in parallel with the switch to make the switch a bidirectional switch;
wherein the load power controller includes only a first terminal and a second terminal and does not include an inductive element; and
a capacitor electrically connected between the first and second terminal that damps switching peaks associated with the opening of the bidirectional switch. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A power dimmer for a load powered by an A.C. voltage comprising:
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a normally closed switch coupled in series with the load, the switch being controllable to be opened at the beginning of each halfwave of the A.C. voltage; and
means for controlling the switch such that it behaves as a bidirectional switch and such that the voltage across the switch follows the A.C. voltage at the beginning of each half wave;
wherein the switch is formed by a first gate turn-off thyristor;
wherein the power dimmer includes only a first terminal and a second terminal and does not include an inductive element; and
a capacitor electrically connected between the first and second terminal that damps switching peaks associated with the opening of the bidirectional switch. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23)
a bridge rectifier coupled in parallel with the switch for providing a rectified A.C. voltage to the switch;
a pulse generator that supplies a negative or null voltage to the switch; and
means for opening the switch in response to the negative or null voltage.
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22. The power dimmer of claim 21, wherein the means for opening includes a transistor, a control terminal of which is connected between a pair of serial connected resistors.
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23. The power dimmer of claim 20, wherein the first terminal is connected to the A.C. voltage and the second terminal is connected to the load.
Specification