Gate pulse power supply for static alternating current switch
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorDonald M. Demarest
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An alternating current static switch comprising two branch circuits connected in inverse parallel circuit relation and having at least three semiconductor devices in series in each branch circuit has anode-to-cathode cross connections between oppositely poled devices at each voltage level. A single gate pulse transformer having secondary windings equal in number to the number of cross connections supplies positive gate current pulses to all semiconductor devices in both branch circuits once each half cycle of impressed circuit voltage. Each secondary winding has its negative terminal connected to one cross connection and its positive terminal connected to the gates of all devices having cathodes connected to the same cross connection.
Claims7
Alternating current static switching apparatus for an electric power circuit comprising two oppositely poled branch circuits connected in parallel circuit relation between a pair of terminal cross connections, each said branch circuit including an equal number of at least three gate controlled semiconductor devices in series circuit relation and each said device having an anode, a cathode and a gating electrode, serially connected semiconductor devices in each said branch circuit having common anode-cathode terminals defining intermediate operating voltage levels in each said branch circuit, intermediate cross connections between common anode-cathode terminals at like intermediate voltage levels in each of said branch circuits, said terminal and intermediate cross connections defining a plurality of serially connected switch sections each including at least two oppositely poled semiconductor devices, and common gate pulse supply means connected to supply current pulses between the cathodes and gating electrodes of all said semiconductor devices once during each half cycle of alternating voltage impressed between said switch terminals.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.