Voltage surge and overvoltage protection using prestored voltage-time profiles
First Claim
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1. A system, comprising:
- at least one first voltage clamping device configured to clamp a voltage of an input power voltage applied to an electrical load;
at least one second voltage clamping device configured to clamp the voltage applied to the electrical load;
an inductance arranged between the first and second voltage clamping devices;
a switching element employed to selectively establish a coupling of the input power voltage to the electrical load; and
a processor circuit that controls the operation of the switching element, the processor circuit operative to;
store a plurality of predefined voltage-time thresholds in a memory;
monitor the input power voltage to identify an overvoltage experienced in the power voltage among the first clamping device and the second clamping device; and
time a duration of the overvoltage by controlling the switching element to selectively establish a coupling of the input power voltage to the electrical load such that, when the input power voltage experiences an overvoltage that extends beyond one or more of the voltage-time thresholds, the processor circuit manipulates the switching element to at least partially isolate the electrical load and the second voltage clamping device from the power voltage until the overvoltage has abated.
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Abstract
Disclosed are various embodiments of voltage protectors that include a first voltage clamping device configured to clamp a voltage of an input power applied to an electrical load, and a second voltage clamping device configured to clamp the voltage applied to the electrical load. A series inductance separates the first and second voltage clamping devices. Also, a switching element is employed to selectively establish a direct coupling of the input power to the electrical load, where a circuit is employed to control the operation of the switching element.
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Citations
13 Claims
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1. A system, comprising:
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at least one first voltage clamping device configured to clamp a voltage of an input power voltage applied to an electrical load; at least one second voltage clamping device configured to clamp the voltage applied to the electrical load; an inductance arranged between the first and second voltage clamping devices; a switching element employed to selectively establish a coupling of the input power voltage to the electrical load; and a processor circuit that controls the operation of the switching element, the processor circuit operative to; store a plurality of predefined voltage-time thresholds in a memory; monitor the input power voltage to identify an overvoltage experienced in the power voltage among the first clamping device and the second clamping device; and time a duration of the overvoltage by controlling the switching element to selectively establish a coupling of the input power voltage to the electrical load such that, when the input power voltage experiences an overvoltage that extends beyond one or more of the voltage-time thresholds, the processor circuit manipulates the switching element to at least partially isolate the electrical load and the second voltage clamping device from the power voltage until the overvoltage has abated. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method, comprising the steps of:
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applying an input power voltage to an electrical load; distributing a dissipation of an overvoltage experienced in the input power voltage among a first clamping device and a second clamping device by arranging an inductance between the first and second clamping devices, the first and second clamping devices being arranged in parallel; storing a plurality of predefined voltage-time thresholds in a memory; monitoring the input power voltage to identify an overvoltage experienced in the input power voltage among the first clamping device and the second clamping device; and timing a duration of the overvoltage by controlling a switching element to selectively establish a coupling of the input power voltage to the electrical load such that, when the input power voltage experiences an overvoltage that extends beyond one or more of the voltage-time thresholds, a processor circuit manipulates the switching element to at least partially isolate the electrical load and the second voltage clamping device from the input power voltage until the overvoltage has abated. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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Specification