Importance

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Abstract

In the field of gate drivers there is provided a regulated voltage source (10; 10A, 10B), for a gate driver (200; 300) of a switching device (18) having a gate terminal (26) via which the switching device (18) can at least be turned on. The regulated voltage source (10; 10A, 10B) comprises an input terminal (12) via which the regulated voltage source (10; 10A, 10B) in use receives current. The regulated voltage source (10; 10A, 10B) also includes first and second connection terminals (22, 24) via at least one of which the regulated voltage source (10; 10A, 10B) in use applies a voltage (V) to a gate terminal (26) of a switching device (18). In addition the regulated voltage source (10; 10A, 10B) includes a regulated energy storage stage (28) which is electrically connected between the input and output terminals (12, 22, 24) and which includes a primary energy storage device (30; 30A, 30B) connected in parallel with a storage limiter (34) to limit the amount of energy stored in the primary energy storage device (30; 30A, 30B). Between the primary energy storage device (30; 30A, 30B) and the storage limiter (34) lies an energy retainer (46) to prevent the escape of energy from the primary energy storage device (30; 30A, 30B) via the storage limiter (34). The regulated voltage source (10; 10A, 10B) further includes a freewheel diode (50) that is arranged in parallel with the energy storage stage (28) and a secondary energy storage device (52; 52A, 52B) which is arranged in parallel with each of the freewheel diode (50) and the energy storage stage (28).

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First Claim