Patent ID: 7164562

Claim:
A protection configuration for converter means, which converter means are provided with a direct voltage side coupled to a direct voltage intermediate circuit, and an alternating voltage side, and which converter means comprise means for inverting the direct voltage of the direct voltage intermediate circuit and for feeding it to the alternating voltage side, the inverting means comprising a plurality of controllable switches, the protection configuration comprising a protection circuit coupled to the alternating voltage side of the converter means, which protection circuit comprises at least one protective switch configured to short-circuit the alternating voltage side of the converter means, wherein the protection configuration, in predetermined failure situations, is configured to close the protective switch and thus to short-circuit the alternating voltage side of the converter means, wherein after the failure situation is over, the controllable switches are configured to short-circuit the alternating voltage side of the converter means to redirect at least a portion of the current in the protection configuration through said controllable switches to thereby enhance commutation of the protective switch.