DC/DC CONVERTER

• US 20080205089A1
• Filed: 01/08/2008
• Published: 08/28/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/08/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vitesco Technologies USA, LLC (Continental AG)
• Original Assignee: Continental Automotive Systems, Inc. (Continental AG)
• Inventors: Zhu, Lizhi, Flett, Fred, Van Dyke, John M.
• Granted Patent: US 7,800,921 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 363/17
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 2038/026 non-linear inductive arrangements for converters, e.g. with additional windings
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/33507 with automatic control of the output voltage or current, e.g. flyback converters H02M3/33561, H02M3/33569 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/33592 having a synchronous rectifier circuit or a synchronous freewheeling circuit at the secondary side of an isolation transformer
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 70/10 Technologies improving the efficiency by using switched-mode power supplies [SMPS], i.e. efficient power electronics conversion e.g. power factor correction or reduction of losses in power supplies or efficient standby modes

Abstract

Power converter system topologies comprise a DC/DC converter. The DC/DC converter includes a transformer coupling a high side to a low side. The high side may include an inverter bridge in the form of an inverter module and an inductor. The low side may include a rectifier in the form of a rectifier module and a pair of inductors. The transformer may take the form of a planar transformer.

Claims

1. A DC/DC power converter, comprising:

a transformer for transforming power;

a inverter for inverting DC power supplied from a power source and supplying the inverted power to a primary side of the transformer; and

a rectifier for rectifying power from a secondary side of the transformer to be supplied to a load.

2. The DC/DC power converter of claim 1 wherein the inverter includes an inverter bridge operable to invert power and a high voltage inductor.

3. The DC/DC power converter of claim 2 wherein the inverter bridge includes a first leg including at least one upper switch and one lower switch and a second leg including at least one upper switch and one lower switch.

4. The DC/DC power converter of claim 3 wherein the upper and lower switches are metal oxide semiconductor switches with diodes coupled across in anti-parallel.

5. The DC/DC power converter of claim 1 wherein the rectifier includes a first inductor and a first switch selectively coupling the first inductor to the second side of the transformer, and a second inductor and a second switch selectively coupling the second inductor to the second side of the transformer.

6. The DC/DC power converter of claim 1, further comprising:

a first gate drive control and gate power supply coupled to control the inverter; and

a second gate drive control and gate power supply coupled to control the rectifier.

7. The DC/DC power converter of claim 6, further comprising:

a control circuit coupled to control the first and the second first gate drive control and gate power supplies.

8. The DC/DC power converter of claim 7, further comprising:

a control interface coupled to provide signals between the control circuit and at least one external component.

9. The DC/DC power converter of claim 1 wherein the transformer means is a planar transformer.

10. The DC/DC power converter of claim 1, further comprising:

a base plate carrying the inverter, the rectifier and the transformer.

11. The DC/DC power converter of claim 1 wherein the base plate includes at least one of fins or pins.

12. The DC/DC power converter of claim 11, further comprising:

at least one temperature sensor positioned to sense a temperature at least proximate the base plate.

13. The DC/DC power converter of claim 1, further comprising:

at least one temperature sensor positioned to sense an ambient temperature at least proximate the transformer.

14. The DC/DC power converter of claim 1, further comprising:

at least one sensor coupled to detect at least one of a current or a voltage supplied by the rectifier.

15. The DC/DC power converter of claim 1, further comprising:

a housing receiving the transformer means, the inverter means and the rectifier.

16. The DC/DC power converter of claim 15 wherein the inverter is formed as an inverter module including a substrate and a lead frame, and wherein the rectifier is formed as a rectifier module including a substrate and a lead frame.