US 12,142,908 B2
Fuse and protection circuit based upon bidirectional switch
Martin Schulz, Chicago, IL (US); Cesar Martinez, Chicago, IL (US); and Liutauras Storasta, Chicago, IL (US)
Assigned to Littelfuse, Inc., Chicago, IL (US)
Filed by Littelfuse, Inc., Chicago, IL (US)
Filed on Jul. 20, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/869,198.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/224,713, filed on Jul. 22, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2023/0023713 A1, Jan. 26, 2023
Int. Cl. H02H 3/18 (2006.01); H02H 1/00 (2006.01)
CPC H02H 3/18 (2013.01) [H02H 1/0007 (2013.01)] 17 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A bidirectional protection circuit, comprising:
a first reverse-blocking insulating gate bipolar transistor (IGBT), having a first gate terminal, a first collector terminal and a first emitter terminal;
a second reverse-blocking IGBT, having a second gate terminal, a second collector terminal, electrically coupled to the first emitter terminal, and a second emitter terminal, electrically coupled to the first collector terminal, wherein the first reverse-blocking IGBT and the second reverse-blocking IGBT define a first bidirectional current path; and
a switch control circuit, coupled to send a control signal to at least one of: the first gate terminal and the second gate terminal, during an overcurrent event,
wherein the first reverse-blocking IGBT and the second reverse-blocking IGBT are arranged within a first pair of semiconductor die, and arranged to conduct a bidirectional forward current along the first bidirectional current path up to a current threshold of at least 200 A.