Zero voltage switching circuit using gate controlled conducting devices

Claim 1

A CIRCUIT FOR CONTROLLING CURRENT FLOW FROM AN ALTERNATING CURRENT SOURCE THROUGH A LOAD COMPRISING: (A) A FIRST GATE CONTROLLED CONDUCTING DEVICE HAVING A GATE ELECTRODE WHICH IS CONNECTED TO SAID SOURCE, AND MEANS FOR CONNECTING SAID FIRST GATE CONTROLLED CONDUCTING DEVICE IN A CIRCUIT RELATION WITH SAID SOURCE AND SAID LOAD; (B) A SEMICONDUCTOR SWITCHING DEVICE HAVING A CONTROL ELECTRODE, MEANS FOR CONNECTING SAID SEMICONDUCTOR SWITCHING DEVICE IN A CIRCUIT RELATION WITH SAID GATE ELECTRODE SO THAT THE CONDUCTION STATE OF SID FIRST GATE CONTROLLED CONDUCTING DEVICE MAY CHANGE WHEN THE ENERGIZATION STATE OF SAID SEMICONDUCTOR SWITCHING DEVICE CHANGES, AND MEANS FOR CONNECTING SAID SOURCE TO SAID SEMICONDUCTOR SWITCHING DEVICE; (C) A CONTROL MEANS CONNECTING SAID CONTROL ELECTRODE TO SAID SOURCE, SAID CONTROL MEANS INCLUDING ENERGY STORAGE MEANS AND SWITCHING MEANS CONNECTED ACROSS SAID ENERGY STORAGE MEANS, SAID SWITCHING MEANS CONTROLLING THE CHARGING AND DISCHARGING OF SAID ENERGY STORAGE MEANS;