Inverter circuits utilizing minority carrier injection in a semiconductor deivce

Claim 2

An inverter circuit comprising first and second semiconductor devices each having at least base, collector and emitter regions, first and second circuit means coupled for permitting injection of minority carriers from said base region into said collector region of said first and second semiconductor devices, respectively, means for applying potential across the collector-emitter region of a said semiconductor device for initially injecting minority carriers into the said collector region thereof and for subsequently causing normal forward collector-emitter current flow as a result of said injection, said potential applying means being operable for alternatively effecting said injection and forward conduction into said first and second semiconductor devices, and utilization means for receiving the cyclic output pulses from said devices.

Claim 3

An inverter in accordance with claim 1 wherein said first and second circuit means are diodes coupled between the base and emitters of said first and second semiconductor devices, respectively, and said potential applying means includes a center-tapped transformer, a power source and inductive means, said power source being connected between the center tap of said transformer and a common connection of the said emitters of said semiconductor devices, said transformer having separate primary connections to respective said collectors of said semiconductive devices for providing forward conduction potential across the collector-emitter circuits of said devices in conjunction with said power source, said inductive means being coupled between the secondary of said transformer and said utilization means for reflecting minority carrier injection potentials into the primary of said transformer.

Claim 4

An inverter in accordance with claim 2 which includes third and fourth diodes and said inductive means includes first and second inductors, saiD transformer having a center-tapped secondary with the center tap thereof coupled to one side of said utilization means, said third diode and said first inductor being connected in series between one end of said secondary and the other side of said utilization means, said fourth diode and said second inductor being connected in series between the other end of said secondary and the said other side of said utilization means, whereby unidirectional power will be supplied to said utilization means.

Claim 5

Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 which includes first and second diodes for said first and second circuit means, respectively, and said potential applying means includes a center-tapped transformer, a power source and a relatively constant current source, said power source being connected between the center tap of said transformer and a common connection of the said emitters of said semiconductive devices, said transformer having separate primary connections to respective said collectors of said semiconductor devices for providing forward conduction potential across the collector-emitter circuits of said devices in conjunction with said power source, said constant current source being coupled between a common connection of said first and second diodes and the said common connection of said emitters for providing current for the said minority carrier injection.

Claim 6

Apparatus in accordance with claim 4 wherein said potential applying means further includes inductive means connected between the secondary of said transformer and said utilization means for reflecting minority carrier injection potential into said semiconductor devices through the primary of said transformer.

Claim 7

Apparatus in accordance with claim 5 which includes a third diode coupled with said constant current source for shunting the current produced thereby whenever current therefrom for said minority carrier injection is not flowing, and fourth and fifth diodes commonly connected on one side and coupled to the said collectors of said first and second semiconductor devices, respectively, and a second power source coupled between said common connection of said fourth and fifth diodes and the said common connection of said emitters for providing clamping of the collector voltage of said semiconductor devices.

Claim 8

Apparatus in accordance with claim 3 which includes means for controlling the saturation of said first and second inductors.

Claim 9

Apparatus in accordance with claim 7 wherein said saturation means includes a current source and a third inductor connected between said current source and the said secondary center tap, said third inductor being magnetically coupled to said first and second inductors, and a fifth diode coupled between said secondary center tap and said other side of said utilization means for permitting load current flow during commutation of said semiconductive devices.

Claim 10

Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein said first and second circuit means are diodes coupled between the base and emitters of said first and second semiconductor devices, respectively, and said potential applying means includes a power source, inductive means and a capacitor, the collector of said first semiconductor device being connected on one side of said power source and the emitter of said second semiconductor device being connected to the other side of said power source, the emitter of said first device being connected to the collector of said second device, said inductive means and said capacitor being coupled in series across the collector-emitter of said second device, whereby depletion of minority carriers in one of said devices will be affective in conjunction with said inductive means for injecting minority carriers into the collector of the other said device and the charge stored in said capacitor during forward conduction of said first device will be effective for providing forward conducting potential for said second device.

Claim 11

A power-OR circuit comprising first, second and third semiconductor devices each having at least a base, collector and emitter, a transformer having at least first and second primary windings and a secondary winding, utilization means coupled on one side to one end of both said first and second primary windings, first and second potential developing means commonly connected on one side to the other side of said utilization means, said first and second semiconductor devices being coupled to the other end of said first and second primary windings, respectively, and to the other side of said first and second potential developing means, respectively, for completing normal forward collector-emitter paths for said devices, first and second diodes coupled between the emitter and base of said first and second devices, respectively, for permitting minority carrier injection into the collectors thereof, control means for introducing minority carrier injection current into the base of said third semiconductor device, said third semiconductor device being coupled between said secondary of said transformer and said utilization means, said transformer being arranged for effecting minority carrier injection in said first device when said second device ceases forward conduction, for effecting minority carrier injection in said third device in relation to the input current to said third device from said control means while said first device is in forward conduction, and for effecting minority carrier injection in said second device when said third device ceases forward conduction, whereby the power introduced to said utilization means from said first and second devices will be supplemented by said third device under control means.

Claim 12

A power-OR circuit comprising first, second and third semiconductor devices each having at least a base, collector and emitter, a transformer having at least first and second primary windings and a secondary winding, utilization means coupled on one side to one end of both said first and second primary windings, first and second potential developing means commonly connected on one side to the other side of said utilization means, said first and second semiconductor devices being coupled to the other end of said first and second primary windings, respectively, and to the other side of said first and second potential developing means, respectively, for completing normal forward collector-emitter paths for said devices, first and second diodes coupled between the emitter and base of said first and second devices, respectively, for permitting minority carrier injection into the collectors thereof, control means for introducing minority carrier injection current into the base of said third semiconductor device, said third semiconductor device being coupled between said secondary of said transformer and said utilization means, said transformer being arranged for effecting minority carrier injection in said first device when said second device ceases forward conduction, for effecting minority carrier injection in said third device in relation to the input current to said third device from said control means while said first device is in forward conduction, and for effecting minority carrier injection in said second device when said third device ceases forward conduction, whereby the power introduced to said utilization means from said first and second devices will be supplemented by said third device under control means.

Claim 13

A power-OR circuit in accordance with claim 10 wherein said utilization means is a second transformer having a center-tapped secondary and includes third and fourth diodes and a pair of output terminals, one of said terminals being connected to said second transformer center tap and said third and fourth diodes being connected from respective ends of said second transformers secondary to the other of said terminals for providing unidirectional current thereat, said third semiconductor device having the collector thereof coupled to the secondary of the first mentioned said transformer and the emitter thereof coupled to said other of said terminals.