Power module
AssigneeMitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
InventorsTakeshi Tanaka, Hiroshi Masunaga
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A power module including a self arc-extinguishing type semiconductor such as an IGBT and having a function to protect the semiconductor, i.e., to protect the IGBT against a short-circuit current. Even the IGBT having a collector-emitter saturation voltage VCE (sat) set low can be protected against the short-circuit current, by charging a collector-gate junction capacitor (13) quickly, when a sense current IS to flow through a current sense exceeds a set value, to raise a collector voltage VCE quickly thereby to prevent a collector current IC from increasing, by keeping a gate voltage VGE of the IGBT (12) at a voltage rather higher than a threshold voltage, and by turning OFF the IGBT (12) after a predetermined time.
Claims5
A power module comprising:
- a self arc-extinguishing type semiconductor having a current detecting emitter;
- and a short-circuit current suppressing circuit for turning OFF said self arc-extinguishing type semiconductor when a short-circuit current flows through the collector-emitter of said self arc-extinguishing type semiconductor,
- wherein said short-circuit current suppressing circuit includes:
- detection means for detecting said short-circuit current by detecting a current to flow through said current detecting emitter when the short-circuit current flows through the collector-emitter of said self arc-extinguishing type semiconductor;
- and
- a series member having a semiconductor switch and a capacitor and connected at its one terminal with the gate of said self arc-extinguishing type semiconductor and at its other terminal with the negative electrode of a power source connected at its positive electrode with the emitter of said self arc-extinguishing type semiconductor, and
- wherein said semiconductor switch is turned ON when said short-circuit current is detected by said detection means.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.