There is provided an electric-power conversion apparatus in which smoke emission, a burnout, and short-circuiting can be suppressed even when a fuse portion is melted by an excessive current and in which it is made possible that heat generated in the fuse portion is less likely to be transferred to the electric power semiconductor device. The electric-power conversion apparatus includes a fuse portion formed in an electrode wiring member, a fuse resin member that covers the fuse portion, and a sealing resin member that seals an electric power semiconductor device and the fuse portion in a case. Along a current-flowing direction, the fuse portion includes an upstream-side first step portion whose cross-sectional area is smaller than that of the portion at the upstream side thereof, a second step portion whose cross-sectional area is smaller than that of the upstream-side first step portion, and a downstream-side first step portion whose cross-sectional area is larger than that of the second step portion but is smaller than that of the portion at the downstream side thereof.

An arc flash mitigation system includes a main circuit protector such as a high amperage overcurrent protection fuse, and an arc flash mitigation network connected in parallel to the main circuit protector. The arc flash mitigation network includes at least one semiconductor switch operable to provide a shunt current path to a low amperage arc mitigation fuse for a faster response time to certain circuit conditions than the main circuit protector otherwise provides. The semiconductor switch may be a silicon controller rectifier operatively responsive to a voltage drop across the main circuit protector in use.

A semiconductor wafer includes first zones containing integrated circuits, each first zone including a substrate and a sealing ring at a periphery of the substrate. The first zones are separated from each other by second zones defining cutting lines or paths. The integrated circuit includes an electrically conductive fuse that extends between a first location inside the integrated circuit and a second location situated outside the integrated circuit beyond one of the cutting lines. This electrically conductive fuse includes a portion that passes through the sealing ring and another portion that straddles the adjacent cutting line. The portion of the fuse that passes through is electrically isolated from the sealing ring and from the substrate. The straddling portion is configured to be sliced, when cutting the wafer along the cutting line, so as to cause the fuse to change from an electrical on state to an electrical off state.

Systems, methods, and apparatus to facilitate wireless device monitoring and control are provided. A first device controller may be adapted to be disposed within a power connector, in series with conductors of the power connector. The power connector may be adapted to provide power from a power source to a device. The first device controller may include two terminals to electrically couple the first device controller with the conductors of the power connector. The first device controller may further include a power component to power the first device controller. The first device controller may be configured to monitor one or more conditions of the device, control one or more functions of the device, and wirelessly communicate with a system controller that is remote from the power connector and the device. The power connector may correspond to a power plug and/or a terminal block.

An apparatus for protecting a device of a motor drive inverter includes a plurality of power modules configured to control the multi-phase alternating current supplied to the motor. Each of the plurality of power modules includes a top phase switching device connected to a positive terminal of the battery, a bottom phase switching device connected in series to the top phase switching device and connected to a negative terminal of the battery, and a current interruption unit connected in series to the top phase switching device and the bottom phase switching device, and configured to be disconnected when a current greater than or equal to a desired interrupting current flows thereto, so as to prevent a switching device of a power module from being burned out due to an overcurrent by installing a fuse wire to the power module.

A semiconductor wafer includes first zones containing integrated circuits, each first zone including a substrate and a sealing ring at a periphery of the substrate. The first zones are separated from each other by second zones defining cutting lines or paths. The integrated circuit includes an electrically conductive fuse that extends between a first location inside the integrated circuit and a second location situated outside the integrated circuit beyond one of the cutting lines. This electrically conductive fuse includes a portion that passes through the sealing ring and another portion that straddles the adjacent cutting line. The portion of the fuse that passes through is electrically isolated from the sealing ring and from the substrate. The straddling portion is configured to be sliced, when cutting the wafer along the cutting line, so as to cause the fuse to change from an electrical on state to an electrical off state.

An arc suppressing circuit configured to suppress arcing across a power contactor coupled to an alternating current (AC) power source having a predetermined number of phases, each contact of the power contactor corresponding to one of the predetermined number of phases includes a number of dual unidirectional arc suppressors equal to the predetermined number of phases of the AC power source. Each dual unidirectional arc suppressor includes a first phase-specific arc suppressor configured to suppress arcing across the associated contacts in a positive domain, a a second phase-specific arc suppressor configured to suppress arcing across the associated contacts in a negative domain, and a coil lock controller, configured to be coupled between a contact coil driver of the power contactor, configured to detect an output condition from the contact coil driver and inhibit operation of the first and second phase-specific arc suppressors over a predetermined time.

An electronic device includes: a control terminal, which extends on a first face of a substrate; a first conduction terminal, which extends in the substrate at the first face of the substrate; a first insulating layer interposed between the control terminal and the first conduction terminal; a conductive path, which can be biased at a biasing voltage; and a protection element, coupled to the control terminal and to the conductive path, which forms an electrical connection between the control terminal and the conductive path and is designed to melt, and thus interrupt electrical connection, in the presence of a leakage current higher than a critical threshold between the control terminal and the first conduction terminal through the first insulating layer.

A DC circuit breaker includes a fuse unit to interrupt a large current with a fuse, and the fuse unit includes a high-speed disconnector that is connected in parallel to the fuse and is opened when a fault current is detected.

Systems, methods, and apparatus to facilitate wireless device monitoring and control are provided. A first device controller may be adapted to be disposed within a power connector, in series with conductors of the power connector. The power connector may be adapted to provide power from a power source to a device. The first device controller may include two terminals to electrically couple the first device controller with the conductors of the power connector. The first device controller may further include a power component to power the first device controller. The first device controller may be configured to monitor one or more conditions of the device, control one or more functions of the device, and wirelessly communicate with a system controller that is remote from the power connector and the device. The power connector may correspond to a power plug and/or a terminal block.