Systems, methods, and apparatus for voltage clamp circuits
Certain embodiments of the invention may include systems, methods and apparatus for voltage clamp circuits. According to an example embodiment of the invention, a voltage clamp circuit may include a first circuit portion electrically coupled to the output of at least one power source. The first circuit portion comprises a power semiconductor device having a first, second and a third node and one or more zener diodes electrically coupled to the first or the second node of the power semiconductor device. The voltage clamp circuit may further include a second circuit portion in electrical communication with the first circuit portion, where the second circuit portion comprises a resistor, a capacitor and a directional device, and where the second circuit portion connects to the one or more zener diodes to reduce peak voltage output between the second and the third node of the power semiconductor device.
1. A system, comprising:
a first circuit portion, the first circuit portion comprising a power semiconductor device and a series combination of a first zener diode and a second zener diode, wherein the power semiconductor device comprises a first node, a second node and a third node, and wherein a proximal end of the series combination of the first zener diode and the second zener diode is directly connected to the first node and a distal end of the series combination of the first zener diode and the second zener diode is directly connected to the second node of the power semiconductor device; and
a second circuit portion comprising a first resistor, a capacitor, and at least one of a diode or a transistor,
wherein the first resistor is connected in parallel with the capacitor to form a sub-circuit, and the sub-circuit is connected to the one of a diode or a transistor, the second circuit portion connected in parallel with the first zener diode of the first circuit portion to clamp a peak voltage between the first node and the third node of the power semiconductor device.
2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the second circuit portion further comprises a second resistor connected in parallel with the one of a diode or a transistor.
3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the one of a diode or a transistor is a bipolar junction transistor having a base, a collector, and an emitter, and wherein a proximal end of the parallel combination of the first resistor and the capacitor is connected to the base of the bipolar junction transistor and a distal end of the parallel combination of the first resistor and the capacitor is connected to the collector of the bipolar junction transistor.
4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the one of a diode or a transistor is a bipolar NPN transistor having a base, a collector, and an emitter, and wherein the capacitor is connected to the base of the bipolar NPN transistor.
5. An apparatus, comprising:
a first circuit portion comprising a power semiconductor device and a series combination of two or more zener diodes connected across a first node and a second node of the power semiconductor device; and
a second circuit portion comprising a first resistor, a capacitor, and one of a diode or a transistor, the second circuit portion connected in parallel with one of the two or more zener diodes to clamp a peak voltage output between the first node and a third node of the power semiconductor device.
6. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the first resistor is in parallel with the capacitor.
7. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the second circuit portion further comprises a second resistor in parallel with the one of a diode or a transistor.
8. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the one of a diode or a transistor is a bipolar junction transistor having a base, a collector and an emitter, and wherein each of the capacitor and the first resistor is connected to the base of the bipolar junction transistor.
9. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the
one of a diode or a transistor is a bipolar PNP transistor having a base, a collector and an emitter, and wherein each of the capacitor and the first resistor is connected to the base of the bipolar PNP transistor.
10. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the one of a diode or a transistor is a bipolar NPN transistor having a base, a collector and an emitter, and wherein each of the capacitor and the first resistor is connected to the base of the bipolar NPN transistor.
11. A method, comprising:
providing a power semiconductor device, wherein the power semiconductor device comprises a first node, a second node and a third node;
providing at least two or more zener diodes between the first node and the second node of the power semiconductor device;
providing a circuit segment comprising one of a diode or a transistor, a resistor, and a capacitor, the circuit segment directly connected in parallel with at least one of the two or more zener diodes; and
selectively providing power to the power semiconductor device, the circuit segment operative to clamp a peak voltage output between the first node and the third node of the power semiconductor device.
12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the power semiconductor device is an insulated gate bipolar transistor.
13. The method of claim 11 , wherein the power semiconductor device is a metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor (MOSFET).
14. The method of claim 11 , wherein the one of a diode or a transistor is a bipolar junction transistor.