US 10,763,662 B2Granted

Self-powered electronic fuse

AssigneeLittelfuse, Inc.

InventorLeonid A. Neyman

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Abstract

A two-terminal electronic fuse device involves two switches, four diodes, switch control circuitry, and a storage capacitor, connected in a particular topology. When AC current flows through the fuse, a charging current charges the storage capacitor. Energy stored in the storage capacitor is then used to power the switch control circuitry. If the voltage on the storage capacitor drops, then the switches are opened briefly and at the correct time. Opening the switches allows the charging current to flow. By opening the switches and charging the storage capacitor only at times of low current flow through the fuse, the disturbance of load current flowing through the fuse is minimized. If an overload current condition is detected, then the fuse has tripped and first and second switches are opened. If the capacitor does not need charging and there is no overload condition, then the switches remain closed.

Claims24

Dependent claims

A self-powered fuse device comprising:

a first fuse device package terminal;
a second fuse device package terminal;
a first N-channel Field Effect Transistor (FET) having a source, a drain, and a gate, wherein the drain of the first NFET is coupled to the first fuse device package terminal;
a first diode having an anode and a cathode, wherein the anode of the first diode is coupled to the source of the first NFET, wherein the cathode of the first diode is coupled to the drain of the first NFET;
a second N-channel Field Effect Transistor (FET) having a source, a drain, and a gate, wherein the drain of the second NFET is coupled to the second fuse device package terminal, and wherein the source of the second NFET is coupled to the source of the first NFET at a second node;
a second diode having an anode and a cathode, wherein the anode of the second diode is coupled to the source of the second NFET, wherein the cathode of the second diode is coupled to the drain of the second NFET;
a third diode having an anode and a cathode, wherein the anode of the third diode is coupled to the cathode of the first diode;
a fourth diode having an anode and a cathode, wherein the anode of the fourth diode is coupled to the cathode of the second diode, wherein the cathode of the fourth diode is coupled to the cathode of the third diode at a first node;
a storage capacitor having a first terminal and a second terminal, wherein the storage capacitor is coupled in a charging current path between the first node and the second;
and
switch control circuitry that is powered by charge stored in the storage capacitor, and that is coupled to the gate of the first NFET, and that is coupled to the gate of the second NFET.

8 more elements

A self-powered fuse device comprising:

a first fuse device package terminal;
a second fuse device package terminal;
a first switch having a first terminal, a second terminal, and a third terminal, wherein the first terminal of the first switch is coupled to the first fuse device package terminal;
a first diode having an anode and a cathode, wherein the cathode of the first diode is coupled to the first terminal of the first switch;
a second switch having a first terminal, a second terminal, and a third terminal, wherein the first terminal of the second switch is coupled to the second fuse device package terminal, and wherein the second terminal of the second switch is coupled to the second terminal of the first switch at a second node;
a second diode having an anode and a cathode, wherein the cathode of the second diode is coupled to the second fuse device package terminal;
a third diode having an anode and a cathode, wherein the anode of the third diode is coupled to the cathode of the first diode;
a fourth diode having an anode and a cathode, wherein the anode of the fourth diode is coupled to the cathode of the second diode, wherein the cathode of the fourth diode is coupled to the cathode of the third diode at a first node;
a storage capacitor having a first terminal and a second terminal, wherein the storage capacitor is coupled in a charging current path, wherein the charging current path extends from the first node through the storage capacitor and to the second node;
switch control circuitry that is powered by charge stored in the storage capacitor, and that is coupled to the third terminal of the first switch, and that is coupled to the third terminal of the second switch;
and
a housing that houses the first switch, the second switch, the first diode, the second diode, the third diode, the fourth diode, the storage capacitor, and the switch control circuitry.

9 more elements

A self-powered fuse device comprising:

a first fuse device package terminal;
a second fuse device package terminal;
switch means for selectively closing such that the first fuse device package terminal is shorted to the second fuse device package terminal through the switch means and for selectively opening such that the first fuse device package terminal is not coupled to the second fuse device package terminal through the switch means;
a first diode having an anode and a cathode, wherein the cathode of the first diode is coupled to the first fuse device package terminal;
a second diode having an anode and a cathode, wherein the cathode of the second diode is coupled to the second fuse device package terminal, and wherein the anode of the second diode is coupled to the anode of the first diode;
a third diode having an anode and a cathode, wherein the anode of the third diode is coupled to the cathode of the first diode;
a fourth diode having an anode and a cathode, wherein the anode of the fourth diode is coupled to the cathode of the second diode, wherein the cathode of the fourth diode is coupled to the cathode of the third diode at a node;
a storage capacitor having a first terminal and a second terminal, wherein the storage capacitor is coupled in a charging current path, wherein the charging current path extends from the node and then passes through the storage capacitor;
switch control circuitry that is powered by charge stored in the storage capacitor, and that is coupled to control the switch means;
and
a housing that houses the switch means, the first diode, the second diode, the third diode, the fourth diode, the storage capacitor, and the switch control circuitry.

8 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 15/729,560Filed 10 Oct 2017
Published: US 2019/0109453 A111 Apr 2019
Granted: 1 Sep 2020
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification9 codes

H02H 3/38
Emergency protective circuit arrangements for automatic disconnection directly responsive to an undesired change from normal electric working…:…
H02H 1/06
Details of emergency protective circuit arrangements: arrangements for supplying operative power
H02H 3/08
Emergency protective circuit arrangements for automatic disconnection directly responsive to an undesired change from normal electric working…:…
H02H 9/025
Responsive to excess current: current limitation using field effect transistors

Family

US 2019/0109453 A1Pre-grant publication · published 11 Apr 2019
US 10,763,662 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.

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