Invention Grant
- Patent Title: Apparatus and methods for overvoltage protection of electronic devices
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Application No.: US15594899Application Date: 2017-05-15
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Publication No.: US10566964B2Publication Date: 2020-02-18
- Inventor: Geraldo Nojima
- Applicant: Eaton Intelligent Power Limited
- Applicant Address: IE
- Assignee: Eaton Intelligent Power Limited
- Current Assignee: Eaton Intelligent Power Limited
- Current Assignee Address: IE
- Agency: Stanek Lemon Crouse & Meeks, P.A.
- Main IPC: H03K17/08
- IPC: H03K17/08 ; H02M1/08 ; H03K19/003

Abstract:
An apparatus includes a string of series-connected voltage clamp devices (e.g., metal-oxide varistors (MOVs)) coupled to at least one electronic device (e.g., a transistor or other semiconductor device). The apparatus further includes a bypass circuit configured to selectively bypass a subset of the string of series-connected voltage clamp devices to control a level at which a voltage applied to the at least one electronic device is clamped. A control circuit may be configured to cause the bypass circuit to bypass the subset of the string of series-connected voltage clamp devices responsive to a voltage applied to the at least one electronic device. For example, the control circuit may be configured to cause the bypass circuit to bypass the subset of the string of series-connected voltage clamp devices responsive to a magnitude of the voltage applied to the at least one electronic device exceeding a threshold.
Public/Granted literature
- US20180331534A1 APPARATUS AND METHODS FOR OVERVOLTAGE PROTECTION OF ELECTRONIC DEVICES Public/Granted day:2018-11-15
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