Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
121 words
A system characterized by: a motor, an inverter, for operating the motor, having one or more output power transistors, an inverter control for providing a drive signal to drive each transistor, inverter protection means for providing power to a portion of the inverter control and removing said power to turn off said transistor drive in response to a particular transistor operating condition of one of the transistors that occurs during one or more pre-established time intervals while the drive signal is applied; said inverter protection means comprising means for removing said power if the time it takes for the transistor collector-emitter voltage to drop to the transistor's saturation voltage after the drive signal is applied exceeds a certain predetermined time interval.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
121 words
A system characterized by: a motor, an inverter, for operating the motor, having one or more output power transistors, an inverter control for providing a drive signal to drive each transistor, inverter protection means for providing power to a portion of the inverter control and removing said power to turn off said transistor drive in response to a particular transistor operating condition of one of the transistors that occurs during one or more pre-established time intervals while the drive signal is applied; said inverter protection means comprising means for removing said power if the time it takes for the transistor collector-emitter voltage to drop to the transistor's saturation voltage after the drive signal is applied exceeds a certain predetermined time interval.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
40 words
A system according to claim 1, characterized in that said inverter protection means comprises means for removing said power if there is a rise above a predetermined level in collector-emitter voltage of the transistor while the drive signal is applied.
Claim 4
Independent Claim
44 words
A system according to claims 1 or 2, characterized in that said inverter protection means comprises means for removing said power if, following a set interval after a motor start signal is applied to the inverter control, the transistor collector-emitter voltage exceeds a limit.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
52 words
A system according to claim 1, further characterized by: a carrier signal source, a power supply associated with each inverter transistor for providing power, from said carrier signal to drive the transistor, a power supply for providing operating power, from said carrier, to said inverter control means and said protection circuit means.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
59 words
A system according to claim 1, characterized by said inverter protection means comprising: a series switch system, the continuity of which is broken if that particular transistor operating condition occurs, a voltage source for providing current through said switch system, means for removing power from the inverter upon sensing a selected change in the current through the switch system.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
26 words
A system according to claim 5, characterized in that said switch system includes, in series, optically controlled transistors, each associated with an inverter output power transistor.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
100 words
A system according to claim 1, characterized in that said inverter protection means comprises: gate means associated with each transistor in the inverter for receiving a first signal that is applied to the transistor for driving the transistor in the presence of a second signal that is simultaneously received by said gate means; means for sensing the collector-emitter voltage of the transistor for a predetermined time after the first signal is received by said gate means and providing the second signal in response to a change in that voltage, during that time, that is less than the pre-established reference voltages.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
29 words
A system according to claim 7, characterized in that said inverter protection means comprises: opto-isolation means for receiving a signal from the inverter control and providing said first signal.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
100 words
A system according to claims 1 or 7, characterized in that said inverter protection means comprises: means for providing an inverter power signal to power the inverter in response to a signal provided from the inverter control to start the motor, said means including gate means through which said signal to power the inverter is provided in the presence of a gating signal applied to said gate means, and means for providing said gating signal for a predetermined duration beginning at the application of said inverter power signal and after said duration unless a said particular transistor operating condition occurs.