US 5,351,182 AGranted

Level shift circuit and inverter apparatus using the same

AssigneeHitachi, Ltd.

InventorsHideki Miyazaki, Tsunehiro Endo, Kouzou Watanabe, Yuhachi Takakura, Koichi Suda

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Abstract

An inverter apparatus includes a flip-flop circuit and a voltage clamp circuit disposed in the upper arm, and set and reset signal generators each having a series connection of two switching devices. By using an input signal and using an output signal of the flip-flop circuit, the above described two switching devices are activated in a complementary manner. Owing to this configuration, no current flows except a minute time for supplying a trigger signal to the flip-flop circuit, resulting in low current consumption. If the output logic of the flip-flop circuit has been inverted by noise, two switching devices are simultaneously in the on-state and a re-trigger current is let flow to restore the above described output logic to the normal state, resulting in the complementary state again. As a result, signal transmission between the upper and lower arms is performed at higher speed and with a lower loss. In addition, the inverter apparatus is protected from false operation due to noise.

Claims7

Dependent claims

An inverter apparatus comprising:

arms including first and second power switching devices connected in series between terminals of a high voltage power source;
first and second driver means for selectively supplying outputs of first and second low voltage power sources disposed in respective arms to control electrodes of said first and second power switching devices;
step-up level shift means for converting an input signal having a potential of one of electrodes of said first low voltage power source as a reference potential to a signal having a potential of one of electrodes of said second low voltage power source as a reference potential and transmitting the converted signal to said driver means;
said step-up level shift means including flip-flop means connected to said second low voltage power source, first and second trigger generator means connected between said first low voltage power source and said second low voltage power source so as to responsive to said input signal to supply a set or reset signal to said flip-flop means;
each of said first and second trigger generator means having a series circuit including voltage clamping means, a first switching device, and a second switching device;
first switch means responsive to said input signal to turn on the second switching device of either said first trigger generator means or said second trigger generator means;
and
second switch means using output signals of said flip-flop means to switch on/off states of said first switching devices of said first and second trigger generator means complementarily to the second switching devices respectively connected in series with said first switching devices.

5 more elements

An inverter apparatus comprising:

arms including first and second power switching devices connected in series between terminals of a high voltage power source;
first and second driver means for selectively supplying outputs of first and second low voltage power sources disposed in respective arms to control electrodes of said first and second power switching devices;
step-up level shift means for converting an input signal having a potential of a negative electrode of said first low voltage power source as a reference potential to a signal having a potential of one of electrodes of said second low voltage power source as a reference potential and transmitting the converted signal to said driver means;
state detection means supplied with power from said second low voltage power source to detect an operation state of said second power switching device;
step-down level shift means for converting a signal outputted by said state detection means to a signal having a potential of one of electrodes of said first low voltage power source as a reference potential;
said step-down level shift means including second flip-flop means connected to said first low voltage power source, third and fourth trigger generator means connected between said second low voltage power source and said first low voltage power source so as to responsive to the signal outputted by said state detection means to supply a set or reset signal to said second flip-flop means;
each of said third and fourth trigger generator means having a series circuit including second voltage clamping means, a third switching device, and a fourth switching device;
third switch means responsive to the signal outputted by said state detection means to turn on the fourth switching device of either said third trigger generator means or said fourth trigger generator means;
and
fourth switch means using output signals of said second flip-flop means to switch on/off states of said third switching devices of said third and fourth trigger generator means complementarily to the fourth switching devices respectively connected in series with said third switching devices.

7 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 08/143,136Filed 29 Oct 1993
Priority: JP 4-2943232 Nov 1992
Granted: 27 Sep 1994
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification8 codes

H02M 7/538
Using semiconductor devices only, e.g. single switched pulse inverters: in a push-pull configuration
H03K 17/063
Modifications for ensuring a fully conducting state: in field-effect transistor switches
H03K 17/162
In field-effect transistor switches: without feedback from the output circuit to the control circuit
H03K 17/567
By the use, as active elements, of semiconductor devices: circuits characterised by the use of more than one type of semiconductor device, e.g.…

Family

No related US applications are recorded in the indexed filing history.

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