ENERGY RECOVERY SNUBBER CIRCUIT FOR POWER CONVERTERS
First Claim
1. An energy recovery snubber circuit for use in a switching power converter having an input and an output, the power converter comprising a first transformer having a primary winding and a secondary winding, a controllable switch coupled to the primary winding, and rectification circuitry coupled to the secondary winding, the energy recovery snubber circuit comprising:
- a voltage clamping element coupled to the rectification circuitry;
a capacitive element coupled to the voltage clamping element for storing energy captured by the voltage clamping element;
a second transformer having a primary winding coupled to the capacitive element and a secondary winding coupled to the input of the power converter; and
control circuitry that is operative to selectively cause the transfer of energy stored by the capacitive element to the input of the power converter via the second transformer.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An energy recovery snubber circuit for use in switching power converters. The power converters may include a switch network coupled to a primary winding of an isolation transformer, and rectification circuitry coupled to a secondary winding of the isolation transformer. The energy recovery snubber circuit may include clamping circuitry that is operative to clamp voltage spikes and/or ringing at the rectification circuitry. The clamped voltages may be captured by an energy capture module, such as a capacitor. Further, the energy recovery snubber circuitry may include control circuitry operative to return the energy captured by the energy capture module to the input of the power converter. To maintain electrical isolation between a primary side and a secondary side of the isolation transformer, a second isolation transformer may be provided to return the captured energy back to the input of the power converter.
108 Citations
20 Claims
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1. An energy recovery snubber circuit for use in a switching power converter having an input and an output, the power converter comprising a first transformer having a primary winding and a secondary winding, a controllable switch coupled to the primary winding, and rectification circuitry coupled to the secondary winding, the energy recovery snubber circuit comprising:
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a voltage clamping element coupled to the rectification circuitry; a capacitive element coupled to the voltage clamping element for storing energy captured by the voltage clamping element; a second transformer having a primary winding coupled to the capacitive element and a secondary winding coupled to the input of the power converter; and control circuitry that is operative to selectively cause the transfer of energy stored by the capacitive element to the input of the power converter via the second transformer. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A switching power converter having an input and an output, the power converter comprising:
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a first transformer having a primary winding and a secondary winding; a controllable switch coupled to the primary winding; rectification circuitry coupled to the secondary winding; and an energy recovery snubber circuit for the switching power converter, the energy recovery snubber circuit comprising; a voltage clamping element coupled to the rectification circuitry; a capacitive element coupled to the voltage clamping element for storing energy captured by the voltage clamping element; a second transformer having a primary winding coupled to the capacitive element and a secondary winding coupled to the input of the power converter; and control circuitry that is operative to selectively cause the transfer of energy stored by the capacitive element to the input of the power converter via the second transformer. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification