Active damping circuit for electric chopper circuit

1. A snubber circuit for a chopper circuit having at least one chopper transistor with terminals connected to a first line and to a second line, the first line being at a power supply potential and the second line being at ground potential, the snubber circuit comprising:

a capacitive element;

a charging diode for charging the capacitive element;

the charging diode and the capacitive element being connected in series to each other and together they are connected in parallel with the chopper transistor;

an inductive element having a first end connected to a connection point situated between the charging diode and the capacitive element, and a second end connected to one of the lines; and

a protection transistor connected in series between the charging diode and the capacitive element.

2. The snubber circuit according to claim 1 , comprising a driver transistor that is connected to the second end of the inductive element and to the other one of the lines, and that possesses a conductive state for charging the inductive element and a non-conductive state for discharging the inductive element.

3. The snubber circuit according to claim 2 , wherein the driver transistor is controlled to switch from its conductive state to its non-conductive state before the inductive element is fully charged.

4. The snubber circuit according to claim 3 , wherein the driver transistor is controlled to switch from its conductive state to its non-conductive state when the voltage across the capacitive element reaches about half of the power supply potential.

5. The snubber circuit according to claim 1 , wherein a diode is connected in parallel with the capacitive element between the first end of the inductive element and the second line.