Full-bridge DC-to-DC converter having an unipolar gate drive

• US 6,344,768 B1
• Filed: 08/10/2000
• Issued: 02/05/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 08/10/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Miller, Michael Lee, Daun-Lindberg, Timothy Charles
• Primary Examiner(s): ZWEIZIG, JEFFERY SHAWN
• Application Number:
  US09/636,107
• Time in Patent Office: 544 Days
• Field of Search: 327/108, 327/109, 327/110, 327/111, 327/112, 327/374, 327/377, 327/423, 327/424, 327/427
• US Class Current: 327/424
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/08 Circuits specially adapted for the generation of control voltages for semiconductor devices incorporated in static converters
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/33573 Full-bridge at primary side of an isolation transformer
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/6871 the output circuit comprising more than one controlled field-effect transistor
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/691 using transformer coupling

Abstract

A full-bridge DC-to-DC converter having an unipolar gate drive is disclosed. The full-bridge DC-to-DC converter includes a primary-to-secondary transformer, multiple gate drive circuits, and multiple gate drive transformers. The primary-to-secondary transformer converts a first DC voltage to a second DC voltage under the control of the gate drive circuits. Each of the gate drive circuits includes a first transistor and a second transistor. The gate of the first transistor is connected to a pulse voltage source via a diode. The drain of the second transistor is connected to the source of the first transistor, and the source of the second transistor is connected to the gate of the first transistor via a resistor, for discharging a gate-to-source voltage of the first transistor during the time when a voltage of the pulse voltage source is below a gate-to-source threshold voltage of the first transistor. Coupled to at least two of the gate drive circuits, each of the gate drive transformers controls at least two gate drive circuits.

Claims

1. A gate drive circuit comprising:

a first transistor having a gate connected to a pulse voltage source via a diode, wherein said first transistor is an n-channel MOSFET;

a second transistor having a drain connected to a source of said first transistor, and having a source connected to said gate of said first transistor via a first resistor, for discharging a gate-to-source voltage of said first transistor during the time when a voltage of said pulse voltage source is below a gate-to-source threshold voltage of said first transistor, wherein said second transistor is a p-channel MOSFET.

2. The gate drive circuit according to claim 1, wherein said gate of said first transistor is connected to said pulse voltage source via said diode and a second resistor connected in series.

3. The gate drive circuit according to claim 1, wherein a gate of said second transistor is connected to said pulse voltage source via a third resistor.

4. The gate drive circuit according to claim 1, wherein said pulse voltage source is a pulse voltage DC source generated by a gate drive transformer.

5. The gate drive circuit according to claim 1, wherein a source-to-gate threshold voltage of said second transistor is preferably lower than said gate-to-source voltage of said first transistor.

6. A DC-to-DC converter comprising:

a primary-to-secondary transformer for converting a first DC voltage to a second DC voltage;

a plurality of gate drive circuits, coupled to said primary-to-secondary transformer, for controlling said primary-to-secondary transformer, wherein each of said plurality gate drive circuits includes

a first transistor having a gate connected to a pulse voltage source via a diode;

a second transistor having a drain connected to a source of said first transistor, and having a source connected to said gate of said first transistor via a first resistor, for discharging a gate-to-source voltage of said first transistor during the time when a voltage of said pulse voltage source is below a gate-to-source threshold voltage of said first transistor; and

a plurality of gate drive transformers, each coupled to at least two of said plurality of gate drive circuits, for controlling said plurality of gate drive circuits.

7. The DC-to-DC converter according to claim 6, wherein said gate of said first transistor is connected to said pulse voltage source via said diode and a second resistor connected in series.

8. The DC-to-DC converter according to claim 6, wherein a gate of said second transistor is connected to said pulse voltage source via a third resistor.

9. The DC-to-DC converter according to claim 6, wherein said first transistor is an n-channel MOSFET and said second transistor is a p-channel MOSFET.

10. The DC-to-DC converter according to claim 6, wherein said pulse voltage source is a pulse voltage DC source generated by a gate drive transformer.

11. The DC-to-DC converter according to claim 6, wherein a source-to-gate threshold voltage of said second transistor is preferably lower than said gate-to-source voltage of said first transistor.

12. The DC-to-DC converter according to claim 6, wherein said DC-to-DC converter further includes an output rectification and filtering circuit coupled to said primary-to-second transformer.