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US 7,599,167 B2Granted
Active balancing circuit modules, systems and capacitor devices
AssigneeCooper Technologies Company
InventorFrank Anthony Doljack
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Circuit modules, systems and devices for controlling voltages across capacitors.
Claims46
A capacitor protection and balancing circuit module, comprising:
- a capacitor having a first terminal and s second terminal and
- an active MOSFET element connected across the first and second terminals, the active MOSFET element configured for self switching from an off state to an on state in response to an absolute voltage value across the capacitor exceeding a predetermined voltage threshold corresponding to a voltage rating of the capacitor, the active MOSFET element defining a shunt current path around the capacitor when in the on state and preventing the voltage across the capacitor from exceeding the voltage rating.
A capacitor protection and balancing circuit module, comprising:
- a capacitor device having a first terminal and a second terminal;
- and
- means for controlling an absolute voltage across the first and second terminals, the means for controlling being connected across the first and second terminals, the means for controlling being inductor free and self switching from an off state to an on state solely in response to absolute voltage values placed across the first and second terminals that exceed a voltage rating of the capacitor device, the means for controlling defining a shunt current path around the capacitor device when in the on state and preventing the absolute voltage across the capacitor device from exceeding the voltage rating.
A capacitor device;
- comprising:
- a capacitor housing;
- a plurality of terminal elements extending from said housing;
- and
- an active component assembly mounted to the plurality of terminal elements and operatively connected to the plurality of terminal elements, the active component assembly comprising an active element defining a shunt current path, the active element being self switching for controlling the shunt current path in response to an absolute voltage value occurring across the plurality of terminal elements and maintaining voltage across the plurality of terminal elements to a level below a voltage rating for the capacitor device.
2 more elements
A capacitor protection and balancing system, comprising:
- at least one circuit module comprising:
- at least one capacitor;
- and
- an active element connected in parallel to the at least one capacitor, the active element defining a shunt current path around the at least one capacitor when in an on state.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.