Patent ID: 7276871
Filing Date: 2007-10-02
Classification: H02P

Abstract:
1. A permanent magnet machine-based system comprising: a permanent magnet machine, the permanent magnet machine comprising a plurality of windings and a neutral point; a neutral winding decoupling fault protector, the neutral winding decoupling fault protector comprising; at least one bidirectional fault switch, the bidirectional fault switch connecting the at least one of the plurality of windings to the neutral point, and wherein the bidirectional fault switch is capable of completely electrically disconnecting at least one of the plurality of windings from the neutral point; and at least one sensor, the sensor adapted to detect a fault in the permanent magnet machine-based system and to open the bidirectional fault switch when the fault is detected by the sensor; wherein the at least one bidirectional fault switch comprises either a) two n-type semiconductor transistors, a source, and a gate, wherein the two n-type semiconductor transistors are connected in a common source and common gate configuration, or b) the at least one bidirectional fault switch comprises two p-type semiconductor transistors, a drain, and a gate, wherein the two p-type semiconductor transistors are connected in a common drain and common gate configuration.