DC/DC CONVERTER

• US 20100091530A1
• Filed: 10/01/2007
• Published: 04/15/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/02/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Akimasa, Koji, Yoshida, Koji, Matsuo, Mitsuhiro, Handa, Hiroyuki
• Application Number:
  US12/443,524
• Publication Number:
  US 20100091530A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 363/49
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/0025 Arrangements for modifying reference values, feedback values or error values in the control loop of a converter
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/36 Means for starting or stopping converters
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/156 with automatic control of output voltage or current, e.g. switching regulators
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/1588 comprising at least one synchronous rectifier element H02M3/1582, H02M3/1584 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

A DC-DC converter includes a control circuit which can change the target voltage of the reference voltage source. At the start-up of the DC-DC converter, the PWM control circuit controls so that the first switching element gradually increases the on-off ratio from a minimum on-off ratio; that the second switching element is placed in the OFF state, and that the target voltage is set higher than the normal operating voltage. When the start-up operation is completed, the PWM control circuit controls so that the second switching element starts to turn on and off, and that the target voltage is returned to the normal operating voltage.

Claims

1. A DC-DC converter connected between a DC voltage source and an energy storage, comprising:

a first switching element repeatedly turned on and off;

a second switching element repeatedly turned on and off alternately with the first switching element;

an inductance element for receiving a voltage from the DC voltage source and storing energy therein when the first switching element is in an ON state, and for charging the energy to the energy storage when the second switching element is in an ON state;

a diode connected in parallel to the second switching element and in a direction in which a current flows to charge the energy storage; and

a PWM control circuit for detecting a voltage of the energy storage and adjusting an on-off ratio of the first switching element so as to control the detected voltage to be a target voltage, wherein

at a start-up of the DC-DC converter, the PWM control circuit controls so that the first switching element gradually increases the on-off ratio from a minimum on-off ratio, that the second switching element is placed in an OFF state, and that the target voltage is set higher than a normal operating voltage, and

when a start-up operation is completed, the PWM control circuit controls so that the second switching element starts to turn on and off, and that the target voltage is returned to the normal operating voltage.

2. The DC-DC converter of claim 1, wherein

the first switching element and the second switching element form a series circuit connected to the energy storage, and

the inductance element and the DC voltage source form a series circuit connected to both ends of the first switching element.

3. The DC-DC converter of claim 1, wherein

the first switching element and the second switching element form a series circuit connected to the DC voltage source, and

the inductance element and the energy storage form a series circuit connected to both ends of the second switching element.

4. The DC-DC converter of claim 1, wherein the DC voltage source includes a series circuit formed of a first DC voltage source and a second DC voltage source;

the first DC voltage source is connected to a series circuit formed of the first switching element and the second switching element, and

the inductance element, the energy storage, and the second DC voltage source form a series circuit connected to both ends of the second switching element.

5. The DC-DC converter of claim 1, wherein

the first switching element and the DC voltage source form a series circuit connected to both ends of the inductance element;

and

the second switching element and the energy storage form a series circuit connected to both ends of the inductance element.

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

a drive switching element connected to the DC voltage source, the drive switching element being turned on and off synchronously with the first switching element; and

a transformer including a primary winding and a secondary winding, the primary winding being connected between the DC voltage source and the drive switching element, and the secondary winding being connected to a series circuit formed of the first switching element and the second switching element, the transformer applying a voltage generated by the secondary winding to the inductance element and storing energy in the inductance element when the first switching element is in the ON state.

7. The DC-DC converter of claim 1, further comprising:

a transformer instead of the inductance element, the transformer including a primary winding connected between the DC voltage source and the first switching element, and a secondary winding connected to the second switching element, and the transformer applying the voltage of the DC voltage source to the primary winding and storing energy in the primary winding when the first switching element is in the ON state, and charging the energy to the energy storage when the second switching element is in the ON state.

8. The DC-DC converter of claim 1, further comprising:

a current detector for detecting current flowing through one of an output of the DC-DC converter, an input of the DC-DC converter and the inductance element; and

a current command generation circuit for generating a current command value to adjust the current detected by the current detector, wherein

the PWM control circuit adjusts the on-off ratio according to the current command value instead of detecting the voltage of the energy storage and controlling the voltage to be the target voltage;

at the start-up of the DC-DC converter, the PWM control circuit makes the current command generation circuit generate the current command value so that a minimum value in one cycle of the current can be greater than zero amperes, instead of setting the target voltage higher than the normal operating voltage; and

when the start-up operation is completed, the PWM control circuit controls so that the current command value is a target current value and that the second switching element starts to turn on and off either when the minimum value becomes greater than zero amperes or when the current command value becomes equal to or greater than a specified current value, instead of returning the target voltage to the normal operating voltage.

9. The DC-DC converter of claim 1, further comprising:

a selection switching element connected to the DC voltage source, the selection switching element selecting one of outputting the voltage of the DC voltage source in a forward direction, outputting the voltage of the DC voltage source in a reverse direction, outputting a voltage of 0 volts, and opening the output; and

a transformer including a primary winding, a first secondary winding, and a second secondary winding, the primary winding being connected to an output of the selection switching element, and the second switching element being connected between the first secondary winding and the inductance element, and another second switching element being connected between the second secondary winding and the inductance element, and a connection point between the first secondary winding and the second secondary winding being connected to a negative electrode of the energy storage, wherein

when the target voltage is set higher than the normal operating voltage at the start-up, the PWM control circuit places the second switching element connected to the first secondary winding in the ON state synchronously with a time when the forward direction is selected by the selection switching element;

places the second switching element connected to the second secondary winding in the ON state synchronously with a time when the reverse direction is selected by the selection switching element; and

places the second switching elements both in the OFF state synchronously with a time when the output of the selection switching element is opened; and

when the start-up operation is completed, the PWM control circuit returns the target voltage to the normal operating voltage.

10. The DC-DC converter of claim 9, further comprising:

a current detector for detecting current flowing through one of an output of the DC-DC converter, an input of the DC-DC converter, the inductance element, and the primary winding of the transformer; and

a current command generation circuit for generating a current command value to adjust the current detected by the current detector, wherein

the PWM control circuit adjusts the on-off ratio according to the current command value instead of detecting the voltage of the energy storage and controlling the voltage to be the target voltage;

at the start-up of the DC-DC converter, the PWM control circuit makes the current command generation circuit generate the current command value so that a minimum value in one cycle of the current can be greater than zero amperes, instead of setting the target voltage higher than the normal operating voltage; and

when the start-up operation is completed, the PWM control circuit controls so that the current command value is a target current value and that both the second switching elements start to turn on and off either when the minimum value becomes greater than zero amperes or when the current command value becomes equal to or greater than a specified current value, instead of returning the target voltage to the normal operating voltage.