Sequential discharge and its use for rectification
First Claim
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1. A method of transferring energy from a power source into an output node, said method comprising:
- separately charging each of a plurality of energy storage elements from the power source;
after the plurality of energy storage elements are charged, discharging a selected one of said plurality of energy storage elements through an inductive element into the output node; and
as the selected energy storage element is being discharged through the inductive element, when its voltage reaches a preselected value, discharging another one of said plurality of energy storage elements through the inductive element into the output node.
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Abstract
A method of transferring energy from a power source into an output node including the steps of separately charging each of a plurality of energy storage elements from the power source; after the plurality of energy storage elements are charged, discharging a selected one of the energy storage elements through an inductive element into the output node; and as the selected energy storage element is being discharged through the inductive element, when its voltage reaches a preselected value, discharging another one of the energy storage elements through the inductive element into the output node.
107 Citations
26 Claims
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1. A method of transferring energy from a power source into an output node, said method comprising:
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separately charging each of a plurality of energy storage elements from the power source; after the plurality of energy storage elements are charged, discharging a selected one of said plurality of energy storage elements through an inductive element into the output node; and as the selected energy storage element is being discharged through the inductive element, when its voltage reaches a preselected value, discharging another one of said plurality of energy storage elements through the inductive element into the output node. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A method of transferring energy from a power source into an output node, said method comprising:
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from the power source, charging a first energy storage element to a first voltage; from the power source, charging a second energy storage element to a second voltage; after the first and second energy storage elements are charged, discharging a first selected one of said first and second energy storage elements through an inductive element into the output node and as the first selected energy storage element is being discharged through the inductive element, when its reaches a preselected value, discharging a second selected one of said first and second energy storage elements through the inductive element into the output node. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A sequential discharge circuit for transferring energy from a power source into an output node, said circuit comprising:
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a plurality of energy storage elements connected to receive energy from the power source, wherein said plurality of energy storage elements includes a first energy storage element and a second energy storage element; a shared inductive element connected between the plurality of energy storage elements and the output node; a plurality of unidirectional switches, each of which when turned on discharges a corresponding different one of said plurality of storage elements through said shared inductive element into the output node, each of said unidirectional switches having a control terminal through which it is turned on, wherein the plurality of unidirectional switches includes a first unidirectional switch connected to the first energy storage element and a second unidirectional switch connected to the second energy storage element; and a control unit connected to the control terminals of the plurality of unidirectional switches and controlling the operation of the plurality of unidirectional switches, wherein the control unit is programmed to perform the steps of; charging the first energy storage element from the power source; charging a second energy storage element from the power source; after the first and second energy storage elements are charged, discharging a selected one of the first and the second energy storage elements through the shared inductive element into the output node; and as the selected energy storage element is being discharged through the inductive element, when its voltage reaches a preselected value, discharging the other one of said first and second energy storage elements through the inductive element into the output node. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16)
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17. A sequential discharge circuit for transferring energy from a power source into an output node, said circuit comprising:
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a transformer with a primary and a secondary, said secondary coupled to the output node; a plurality of energy storage elements connected to receive energy from the power source; a plurality of unidirectional switches, each of which when turned on discharges a corresponding different one of said plurality of storage elements through the primary of said transformer, each of said unidirectional switches having a control terminal through which it is turned on; and
transformer, each of said unidirectional switches having a control terminal through which it is turned on; anda control unit connected to the control terminals of the plurality of unidirectional switches and controlling the operation of the plurality of unidirectional switches. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19)
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20. A power conversion system for extracting energy from a power source and delivering it to an output node, said system comprising:
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a transformer having a primary winding and a secondary winding; a unidirectional switching device coupled between the power source and the primary winding of the transformer; a plurality of capacitors connected in series; a charging circuit connected to said plurality of capacitors, said charging circuit charging the plurality of capacitors from the secondary winding of the transformer to a predetermined voltage; a polarity inverting circuit inverting the polarity of the charge stored in selected capacitors of said plurality of capacitors, said polarity inverting circuit including a plurality of inductor circuits, each of which can be switchably coupled to a corresponding different one of the selected capacitors to form a resonant circuit which aids in inverting the polarity of a stored charge in that capacitor; and a discharging circuit extracting power from the plurality of capacitors at a transformed voltage. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22)
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23. A power conversion system for extracting energy from a power source and delivering it at a transformed voltage to an output node, said system comprising:
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a transformer having a primary winding and a secondary winding, said secondary coupled to the output node; a plurality of capacitors connected in series; a charging circuit connected to said plurality of capacitors, said charging circuit charging the plurality of capacitors from the power source to a predetermined voltage; a polarity inverting circuit inverting the polarity of the charge stored in selected capacitors of said plurality of capacitors, said polarity inverting circuit including a plurality of inductor circuits, each of which can be switchably coupled to a corresponding different one of the selected capacitors to form a resonant circuit which aids in inverting the polarity of a stored charge in that capacitor; and a discharging circuit extracting power from the plurality of capacitors and delivering it to the primary of the transformer. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26)
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Specification