Inverter apparatus with improved gate drive for power MOSFET

• US 7,551,004 B2
• Filed: 01/24/2006
• Issued: 06/23/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi Nichiyu Forklift Co., Ltd. (Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.
• Inventors: Mori, Kiyoshi, Yamazaki, Hiroyuki, Okazaki, Yoshimi
• Primary Examiner(s): Lam; Tuan T
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen; Hiep
• Application Number:
  US11/337,595
• Publication Number:
  US 20060192589A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,246 Days
• Field of Search: 327108-112
• US Class Current: 327/108
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/08122 in field-effect transistor switches
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/163 Soft switching

Abstract

An inverter apparatus is composed of a power MOSFET having a source/drain connected to an output terminal, and a gate drive circuit driving a gate of the power MOSFET. The gate drive circuit includes a discharging path connected with the gate of the power MOSFET. The discharging path includes a set of serially-connected diodes which are forward-connected in a direction of a discharge current from the gate of the power MOSFET.

Claims

1. An inverter apparatus, comprising:

a first power MOSFET having a source/drain connected to an output terminal;

a second power MOSFET having a source/drain connected to said output terminal;

a first gate drive circuit driving a gate of said first power MOSFET; and

a second gate drive circuit driving a gate of said second power MOSFET;

wherein, said first gate drive circuit includes,

a first discharging path connected with said gate of said first power MOSFET, said first discharging path including a set of first serially-connected diodes which are forward-connected in a direction of a first discharge current from said gate of said first power MOSFET,

said second gate drive circuit includes,

a second discharging path connected with said gate of said second power MOSFET, said second discharging path comprising a set of second serially-connected diodes which are forward-connected in a direction of a second discharge current from said gate of said second power MOSFET, and

during pull-down of said gate of said first power MOSFET followed by pull-up of said gate of said second power MOSFET, said first gate drive circuit drives said gate of said first power MOSFET so that when said second gate drive circuit drives a gate-source voltage of said second power MOSFET to a threshold voltage of said second power MOSFET, a gate-source voltage of said first power MOSFET is always higher than 0V and lower than a threshold voltage of said first power MOSFET.

2. The inverter apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said gate-source voltage of said first power MOSFET ranges from 30% to 70% of said threshold voltage of said first power MOSFET at said timing when said second gate drive circuit drives said gate-source voltage of said second power MOSFET to said threshold voltage of said second power MOSFET.

4. The inverter apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said gate-source voltage of said first power MOSFET ranges from 40% to 60% of said threshold voltage of said first power MOSFET at said timing when said second gate drive circuit drives said gate-source voltage of said second power MOSFET to said threshold voltage of said second power MOSFET.

6. The operating method according to claim 1 wherein the gate-source voltage of said first power MOSFET is maintained higher than 0V and lower than said threshold voltage of said first power MOSFET even after said second power MOSFET is turned on.

7. The inverter apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

said first power MOSFET is connected between a positive electrode terminal and said output terminal, and said second power MOSFET is connected between a negative electrode terminal and said output terminal, and

said gate-source voltage of said first power MOSFET is maintained higher than 0V and lower than said threshold voltage of said first power MOSFET by said first serially-connected diodes even after said second power MOSFET is turned on.

3. An operating method of an inverter apparatus including:

a first power MOSFET having a first source/drain connected with a first power terminal, and a second source/drain connected wit an output terminal; and

a second power MOSFET having a first source/drain connected with a second power terminal, and a second source/drain connected with said output terminal,

said method comprising;

pulling down a gate of said first power MOSFET to turn off said first power MOSFET; and

pulling up a gate of said second power MOSFET to turn on said second power MOSFET, wherein

a first discharging pat connects with said gate of said first power MOSFET and includes a set of first serially-connected diodes which are forward-connected in a direction of a first discharge current from said gate of said first power MOSFET,

a second discharging path connects with said gate of said second power MOSFET and includes a set of second serially-connected diodes which are forward-connected in a direction of a second discharge current from said gate of said second power MOSFET, and

when a gate-source voltage of said second power MOSFET is driven to a threshold voltage of said second power MOSFET during said pulling up of said gate of said second power MOSFET, a gate-source voltage of said first power MOSFET is always higher than 0V and lower than a threshold voltage of said first power MOSFET.

5. The operating method according to claim 3, wherein said gate-source voltage of said first power MOSFET ranges from 30% to 70% of said threshold voltage of said first power MOSFET at said timing when said gate-source voltage of said second power MOSFET is driven to said threshold voltage of said second power MOSFET during said pulling up of said gate of said second power MOSFET.