Current limiter with low drop voltage for surge protection and fuse protection
AssigneeSiemens Milltronics Process Instruments, Inc.
InventorClaude Mercier
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A current limiter circuit which exhibits a low dropout voltage. The current limiter circuit is suitable for protecting process control equipment operating on a current loop. The current limiter circuit includes an interface for coupling to the current loop, and a current source element coupled to the process control equipment. The current source element comprises a current limiter circuit to limit the current flowing to the process control equipment, and a voltage reference circuit coupled to the current limiter circuit provides a predetermined voltage reference during operation of the current source element.
Claims10
A protection device for process control equipment operating on a current loop, said process control equipment having an interface for coupling to the current loop, said interface comprising an input branch and a return branch, said protection device comprising:
- a current source element, said current source element being coupled to the interface of the process control equipment, and said current source element including a current limiter circuit to limit the current flowing in the interface;
- a voltage reference circuit, said voltage reference circuit being coupled to said current source element, and providing a predetermined voltage reference during operation of said current source element.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.