Switching module including switching element controlled to be turned off when conduction failure is detected

• US 9,300,130 B2
• Filed: 08/21/2013
• Issued: 03/29/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/21/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Tsunekawa, Toyokazu
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Thienvu
• Assistant Examiner(s): BROOKS, ANGELA D
• Application Number:
  US13/972,266
• Publication Number:
  US 20140055897A1
• Time in Patent Office: 951 Days
• Field of Search: 361/18, 361/19, 361/20
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H02H 3/20 responsive to excess voltage
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/007 Plural converter units in cascade push-pull DC/DC converters with pre-regulator H02M3/3374; DC-AC converters following a DC-DC stage including a high frequency transformer H02M7/4807; DC-AC converters following a DC-DC conversion stage generating periodically varying voltages H02M7/4826
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/08 Circuits specially adapted for the generation of control voltages for semiconductor devices incorporated in static converters
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/32 Means for protecting converters other than automatic disconnection
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/1588 comprising at least one synchronous rectifier element H02M3/1582, H02M3/1584 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 7/003 Constructional details, e.g. physical layout, assembly, wiring or busbar connections
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 7/5387 in a bridge configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/0828 in composite switches
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/14 Modifications for compensating variations of physical values, e.g. of temperature
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 70/10 Technologies improving the efficiency by using switched-mode power supplies [SMPS], i.e. efficient power electronics conversion e.g. power factor correction or reduction of losses in power supplies or efficient standby modes

Abstract

A switching module includes a switching element having a control terminal, electrically connected to a first conduction path including a reference terminal, to be opened and closed by controlling the switching element to be ON and OFF. The switching element is controlled in response to a voltage difference between the reference terminal and the control terminal. Moreover, the switching module includes determining unit that determines whether or not a conduction failure has been occurred between the control terminal and an outside the switching module; and reducing unit that reduces an absolute value of the voltage difference when the determining unit determines that the conduction failure has occurred, so as to forcibly turn OFF the switching element.

Claims

1. A switching module comprising:

a switching element having a control terminal, electrically connected to a first conduction path including a reference terminal, the first conduction path being opened and closed by controlling the switching element to be ON and OFF, the switching element being controlled in response to a voltage difference between the reference terminal and the control terminal;

determining means for determining whether or not a conduction failure has occurred between the control terminal and an outside the switching module; and

reducing means for reducing an absolute value of the voltage, difference when the determining means determines that the conduction failure has occurrectso as to forcibly turn OFF the switching element, wherein;

the switching module includes a second conduction path that electrically connects the control terminal and a chive circuit disposed on a semiconductor substrate which is outside the switching module; and

the determining means is configured to determine whether or not a conduction failure has been occurred based on whether or not voltage is applied to a second conduction path externally, and the determining means includes;

a pull down resistor used to pull down the second conduction path to be pulled down to a voltage potential of the reference terminal;

a potential stored resistor disposed in the second conduction path to be closer to the control terminal than a connection point between the pull down resistor and the second conduction path; and

comparing means for comparing an absolute value of a voltage drop at the pull down resistor with an absolute value of a voltage between the potential stored resistor and the control terminal with respect to the reference terminal,

the reducing means is configured to reduce the absolute value of the voltage difference when the comparing means determines that the absolute value of a voltage between the potential stored resistor and the control terminal with respect to the reference terminal is larger than the absolute value of a voltage drop at the pull down resistor.

2. The switching module according to claim 1, wherein the switching means includes operation resume means for resuming an operation of the switching module such that after the determining means determines a conduction failure has been occurred and determines the conduction failure does not exist anymore, the operation resuming means stops the reducing means to reduce the absolute value of the voltage difference.

3. The switching module according to claim 2, wherein

the switching module is connected to a drive circuit disposed on a substrate which is outside the switching module, and

switching module includes control means for controlling the determining means and the reducing means so as to restrict reducing of the absolute value of the voltage difference when the control terminal and the reference terminal are connected by the drive circuit.

4. The switching module according to claim 1, wherein the switching means includes operation resume means for resuming an operation of the switching module such that after the determining means determines a conduction failure has been occurred and determines the conduction failure does not exist anymore, the operation resuming means stops the reducing means to reduce the absolute value of the voltage difference.

5. The switching module according to claim 1, wherein the switching means includes operation resume means for resuming an operation of the switching module such that after the determining means determines a conduction failure has been occurred and determines the conduction failure does not exist anymore, the operation resuming means stops the reducing means to reduce the absolute value of the voltage difference.

6. The switching module according to claim 1, wherein

the switching module is connected to a drive circuit disposed on a substrate which is outside the switching module, and

switching module includes control means for controlling the determining means and the reducing means so as to restrict reducing of the absolute value of the voltage difference when the control terminal and the reference terminal are connected by the drive circuit.

7. The switching module according to claim 1, wherein

the switching module is connected to a drive circuit disposed on a substrate which is outside the switching module, and

switching module includes control means for controlling the determining means and the reducing means so as to restrict reducing of the absolute value of the voltage difference when the control terminal and the reference terminal are connected by the drive circuit.

8. The switching module according to claim 1, wherein

the switching module is connected to a drive circuit disposed on a substrate which is outside the switching module, and

switching module includes control means for controlling the determining means and the reducing means so as to restrict reducing of the absolute value of the voltage difference when the control terminal and the reference terminal are connected by the drive circuit.

9. The switching module according to claim 1, wherein

the switching module includes a capacitor to be charged in response to a voltage drop at the pull down resistor,

the comparing means is configured to receive a charge voltage of the capacitor as a voltage drop at the pull down resistor, and

a decreasing rate of the absolute value of the voltage difference when the drive circuit turns the switching element OFF in response to a control signal of the switching element is larger than a decreasing rate of an absolute value of the charge voltage of the capacitor when the capacitor is discharged via the pull down resistor.

10. The switching module according to claim 1, wherein the switching module is electrically connected to a drive circuit disposed on a substrate provided with connecting means including a conductor, the connecting means is configured to connect the control terminal and the conductor such that the conductor applies force towards a normal line of a contact surface of the control terminal so as to electrically connect the switching module and the drive circuit.