Snubber circuit for rectifying diodes and method of operation thereof
First Claim
1. For use in a power supply having a rectifying diode, a snubber circuit for moderating a reverse recovery current that flows from said rectifying diode as said rectifying diode transitions from a conducting state to a non-conducting state, said snubber circuit comprising:
- a saturable reactor coupled in electrical series with said rectifying diode and providing a first conductive path for a first portion of said reverse recovery current from said rectifying diode; and
a saturable reactor resetting circuit, coupled in electrical parallel with said saturable reactor and providing a second conductive path for a second portion of said reverse recovery current from said rectifying diode, said second conductive path reducing said reverse recovery current through said saturable reactor, thereby decreasing a thermal dissipation of said saturable reactor as said rectifying diode transitions from said conducting state to said non-conducting state.
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Accused Products
Abstract
For use in a power supply having a rectifying diode, a snubber circuit for, and method of moderating a reverse recovery current that flows from the rectifying diode as the rectifying diode transitions from a conducting state to a non-conducting state. The snubber circuit includes: (1) a saturable reactor, coupled in electrical series with the rectifying diode and providing a first conductive path for a first portion of the reverse recovery current from the rectifying diode and (2) a saturable reactor resetting circuit, coupled in electrical parallel with the saturable reactor and providing a second conductive path for a second portion of the reverse recovery current from the rectifying diode, the second conductive path reducing the reverse recovery current through the saturable reactor, thereby decreasing a thermal dissipation of the saturable reactor as the rectifying diode transitions from the conducting state to the non-conducting state.
36 Citations
20 Claims
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1. For use in a power supply having a rectifying diode, a snubber circuit for moderating a reverse recovery current that flows from said rectifying diode as said rectifying diode transitions from a conducting state to a non-conducting state, said snubber circuit comprising:
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a saturable reactor coupled in electrical series with said rectifying diode and providing a first conductive path for a first portion of said reverse recovery current from said rectifying diode; and a saturable reactor resetting circuit, coupled in electrical parallel with said saturable reactor and providing a second conductive path for a second portion of said reverse recovery current from said rectifying diode, said second conductive path reducing said reverse recovery current through said saturable reactor, thereby decreasing a thermal dissipation of said saturable reactor as said rectifying diode transitions from said conducting state to said non-conducting state. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. For use in a power supply having a rectifying diode, a method of moderating a reverse recovery current that flows from said rectifying diode as said rectifying diode transitions from a conducting state to a non-conducting state, said method comprising the steps of:
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providing a first conductive path for a first portion of said reverse recovery current from said rectifying diode with a saturable reactor coupled in electrical series with rectifying diode; and providing a second conductive path for a second portion of said reverse recovery current from said rectifying diode with a saturable reactor resetting circuit coupled in electrical parallel with said saturable reactor, said second conductive path reducing said reverse recovery current through said saturable reactor, thereby decreasing a thermal dissipation of said saturable reactor as said rectifying diode transitions from said conducting state to said non-conducting state. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A power converter, comprising:
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control circuitry for applying control signals to a power train; and a power train having a power train input couplable to a source of electrical power and a power train DC output couplable to an of electrical load, said power train including; an isolation transformer having a primary winding and a secondary winding, a switch coupled to said primary winding, a rectifier, coupled to said secondary winding, having a plurality of rectifying diodes, and a snubber circuit for moderating reverse recovery currents that flow from said rectifier to said isolation transformer as said plurality of rectifying diodes transition from conducting states to non-conducting states, said snubber circuit comprising; saturable reactors, coupled between said isolation transformer and said plurality of rectifying diodes and providing first conductive paths for first portions of said reverse recovery currents from said plurality of rectifying diodes to said isolation transformer, and saturable reactor resetting circuits, coupled between said isolation transformer and said plurality of rectifying diodes in electrical parallel with said saturable reactors and providing second conductive paths for second portions of said reverse recovery currents from said rectifier to said isolation transformer, said second conductive paths reducing said reverse recovery currents through said saturable reactors, thereby decreasing a thermal dissipation of said saturable reactors as said plurality of rectifying diodes transition from said conducting states to said non-conducting states. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification