Temperature compensated current limiting mechanism
AssigneeElectro-Motive Diesel, Inc.
InventorJames F. Wiemeyer
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present disclosure is directed to a current limiting circuit. The current limiting circuit may include a load, a first switch that controls current supplied to the load, and a first resistive network. The current limiting circuit may further include a voltage divider connected across the first resistive network and including a thermistor. The current limiting circuit may further include a first bipolar junction transistor that controls switching of the first switch. The output terminal of the voltage divider may be connected to a base junction of the first bipolar junction transistor.
Claims20
A current limiting circuit comprising:
- a load;
- a first switch that controls current supplied to the load;
- a first resistive network;
- a voltage divider connected across the first resistive network and including a thermistor;
- and
- a first bipolar junction transistor that controls switching of the first switch,
- wherein an output terminal of the voltage divider is directly connected to a base terminal of the first bipolar junction transistor.
A locomotive comprising:
- a first electrical module;
- and
- a second electrical module driven by the first electrical module,
- wherein:
- the second electrical module includes:
- a load,
- a first switch that controls current supplied to the load,
- a first resistive network,
- a voltage divider connected across the first resistive network and including a thermistor, and
- a first bipolar junction transistor that controls switching of the first switch, and
- an output terminal of the voltage divider is directly connected to a base terminal of the first bipolar junction transistor,
- wherein the thermistor is connected between the base terminal and an emitter terminal of the first bipolar junction transistor.
A current limiting circuit for a locomotive comprising:
- a load;
- a first switch that controls current supplied to the load;
- a first resistive network;
- a voltage divider connected across the first resistive network and including a first resistor, a thermistor having a negative temperature coefficient, and a second resistor all directly connected in series;
- and
- a first bipolar junction transistor that controls switching of the first switch,
- wherein an output terminal of the voltage divider is directly connected to a base terminal of the first bipolar junction transistor, and
- wherein the thermistor is connected between the base terminal and an emitter terminal of the first bipolar junction transistor.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.