US5444594A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Snubber energy recovery circuit for protecting switching devices from voltage and current
Assignee: Toshiba Corp
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Filing: 1993-02-04
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Granted: 1995-08-22
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Expires: 2013-02-04
Abstract
Abstract A snubber energy recovery circuit for protecting switching devices from current and voltage, which comprises a snubber circuit connected in parallel with a switching device, a recovery path for recovery the energy stored in the snubber circuit, and a constant-current source for maintaining current flowing in the recovery path at a constant value. The snubber circuit is composed of a snubber diode and a snubber capacitor, with one end of the recovery path being connected to the junction point of the snubber capacitor and snubber diode.
Inventors
- 👤 Shigeru Tanaka
- 👤 William Ofosu-Amaah
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 02:30
CPC Classifications
H; H02; H02M; H02M7/00; H02M7/42; H02M7/44; H02M7/48; H02M7/483; H02M7/487; H02M3/00; H02M3/02; H02M3/04; H02M3/10; H02M3/125; H02M3/135; H02M7/505; H02M7/515; H02M7/5152; H03; H03K; H03K17/00; H03K17/08; H03K17/081; H03K17/0814; H03K17/08144
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 4
Claim 1
Independent Claim
131 words
A snubber energy recovery circuit for protecting at least one switching device in a main circuit from excessive current or voltage supplied to the at least one switching device, comprising: snubber means including a series circuit connected in parallel with said at least one switching device, said series circuit including a snubber diode and a snubber capacitor connected in series; recovering means, coupled to said snubber capacitor, including a constant-current source for recovering energy stored in the snubber capacitor and outputting said recovered energy to the main circuit via the constant-current source as a constant current, said constant-current source connected to a node of the snubber capacitor so that the snubber diode is supplied with energy output from the snubber capacitor and for supplying the constant current to the main circuit.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
131 words
A snubber energy recovery circuit for protecting at least one switching device in a main circuit from excessive current or voltage supplied to the at least one switching device, comprising: snubber means including a series circuit connected in parallel with said at least one switching device, said series circuit including a snubber diode and a snubber capacitor connected in series; recovering means, coupled to said snubber capacitor, including a constant-current source for recovering energy stored in the snubber capacitor and outputting said recovered energy to the main circuit via the constant-current source as a constant current, said constant-current source connected to a node of the snubber capacitor so that the snubber diode is supplied with energy output from the snubber capacitor and for supplying the constant current to the main circuit.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
63 words
The snubber energy recovery circuit according to claim 1, wherein said constant-current source comprises: a direct-current (DC) reactor, an alternating-current (AC) power source, an AC-to-DC power converter connected to the AC power source and connected between said DC reactor and said main circuit, and control means for controlling said AC-to-DC power converter so that a current flowing through said DC reactor remains constant.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
66 words
The snubber energy recovery circuit according to claim 1, wherein said constant-current source comprises: a DC reactor; a DC voltage source; a DC-to-DC power converter to the DC voltage source; a double chopper circuit connected to the DC-to-DC power converter and included in the DC reactor; and control means for controlling said double chopper circuit so that a current flowing through said DC reactor remains constant.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1998-08-21 | 1999-02-20 | 1999-08-22 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2002-08-21 | 2003-02-20 | 2003-08-22 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2006-08-21 | 2007-02-20 | 2007-08-22 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |