Patent ID: 7778054

Claim:
A power switching circuit comprising: a semiconductor switching element having a first terminal electrically connected to a power supply source and having a second terminal electrically connected to an inductive load, the power semiconductor switching element being configured to be switched on and off; a first commutation member having a first commutation path and a first diode provided in the first commutation path, the first commutation path being electrically connected across the semiconductor switching element, the first diode being electrically connected antiparallel to the semiconductor switching element, while the semiconductor switching element is off, the first commutation path allowing a first current based on the inductive load to flow therethrough in a forward direction of the first diode within a commutation period; and a second commutation member having a second commutation path and a second diode provided in the second commutation path, the second commutation path being electrically connected in parallel to the first commutation path, the second diode being electrically connected antiparallel to the semiconductor switching element, while the semiconductor switching element is off, the second commutation path allowing a second current based on the inductive load to flow therethrough in a forward direction of the second diode within the commutation period, the first diode having a first reverse recovery time, the second diode having a second reverse recovery time, the second reverse recovery time being shorter than the first reverse recover time, the first commutation path having a first inductance, the second commutation path having a second inductance, the second inductance being higher than the first inductance.