Resonant power converter

• US 6,483,721 B2
• Filed: 01/29/2001
• Issued: 11/19/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 01/28/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Tdk-Lambda Corporation (TDK Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Denki Kagaku Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (TDK Corporation)
• Inventors: Terashi, Hiroto
• Primary Examiner(s): Vu, Bao Q.
• Application Number:
  US09/772,453
• Publication Number:
  US 20010021114A1
• Time in Patent Office: 659 Days
• Field of Search: 363/17, 363/21.02, 363/21.03
• US Class Current: 363/17
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/01 Resonant DC/DC converters
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/33571 Half-bridge at primary side of an isolation transformer
• 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 resonant power converter includes a DC power source 1, a pair of MOS-PETs 1 and 2 which are connected in series to the DC power source, a transformer Tr1 which is arranged at the subsequent stage of the MOS-FETs 1 and 2 and includes a primary coil and a secondary coil, a capacitor C4 is arranged in parallel with the secondary coil of the transformer Tr1 so that series resonance occurs between the leakage inductance of the transformer Tr1 and the capacitor C4. A current doubler rectifier circuit may be arranged in the subsequent stage of the capacitor C4. Further, a pair of switching elements for synchronous rectification may be provided in the subsequent stage of the capacitor C4 so that these switching elements are driven by drive signals responsive to a voltage generated across the resonance capacitor C4.

Claims

1. A resonant power converter having a primary side and a secondary side, comprising:

an input power source provided in the primary side;

switching means connected to the input power source;

a resonant transformer having a primary coil and a second coil; and

a resonance capacitor which is provided in the secondary side and is connected in parallel to the secondary coil of the resonant transformer so that series resonance occurs in a current flowing through the secondary side of the power converter throughout a switching period.

2. The resonant power converter as claimed in claim 1, wherein the resonant transformer is constructed from an ideal transformer and a resonant coil arranged in the primary side of the ideal transformer, so that the series resonance occurs between the resonant coil and the resonance capacitor.

3. The resonant power converter as claimed in claim 1, wherein the resonant transformer has a leakage inductance, and the series resonance of the current occurs between the leakage inductance and the resonance capacitor.

4. The resonant power converter as claimed in claim 1, further comprises a current doubler circuit for making the current flowing through the secondary side double, said current doubler circuit being provided in the secondary side and coupled to the both ends of the resonance capacitor.

5. The resonant power converter as claimed in claim 4, wherein the current doubler circuit includes a pair of circuits each having a rectifying means and an inductance, in which these circuits are connected in parallel with each other so that a junction between the rectifying mean and inductance of one circuit and a junction between the rectifying means and inductance of the other circuit are respectively connected to the both ends of the secondary coil.

6. The resonant power converter as claimed in claim 1, wherein the switching means is formed into a bridge type comprised of two MOS-FETs.

7. The resonant power converter as claimed in claim 1, further comprises means for performing synchronous rectification for the current flowing the secondary side, said means including switching elements provided in the secondary side so as to be driven by drive signals responsive to the voltage generated across the resonance capacitor and having a sinusoidal waveform.

8. The resonant power converter as claimed in claim 1, wherein said switching means includes a pair of switching elements for synchronous rectification, and these switching elements are driven by drive signals.

9. The resonant power converter as claimed in claim 8, further comprises a pair of auxiliary coils which are connected to the both ends of the secondary coil, respectively, and the drive signals are obtained from the opposite ends of the respective auxiliary coils which are not connected to the secondary coil.

10. The resonant power converter as claimed in claim 8, further comprises waveform processing means for producing pulse waves by processing and shaping the voltage drive signals to be supplied to the switching elements.

11. The resonant power converter as claimed in claim 10, wherein the waveform processing means compares the voltage drive signals in the form of sinusoidal wave with a predetermined reference value to produce plus signals.

12. The resonant power converter as claimed in claim 8, wherein the resonant transformer is composed of an ideal transformer and a resonant coil connected to the primary coil of the transformer, in which the series resonance occurs between the resonant coil and the resonance capacitor.

13. The resonant power converter as claimed in claim 8, wherein each of the switching elements includes a MOS-FET.

14. A resonant power converter having a primary side and a secondary side, comprising:

an input power source provided in the primary side;

switching means connected to the input power source;

a resonant transformer having a primary coil and a second coil;

a resonance capacitor which is provided in the secondary side and is connected in parallel to the secondary coil of the resonant transformer so that series resonance occurs in a current flowing through the secondary side of tie power converter; and

a current doubler circuit for making the current flowing through the secondary side double, said current doubler circuit being provided in the secondary side and coupled to the both ends of the resonance capacitor;

the current doubler circuit including a pair of circuits each having a rectifying means and an inductance, in which these circuits are connected in parallel with each other so that a junction between the rectifying means and inductance of one circuit and a junction between the rectifying means and inductance of the other circuit are respectively connected to the both ends of the secondary coil.

15. A resonant power converter having a primary side and a secondary side, comprising:

an input power source provided in the primary side;

switching means connected to the input power source;

a resonant transformer having a primary coil and a second coil; and

a resonance capacitor which is provided in the secondary side and is connected in parallel to the secondary coil of the resonant transformer so that series resonance occurs in a current flowing through the secondary side of the power converter;

said switching means including a pair of switching elements for synchronous rectification, the switching elements being driven by drive signals responsive to the voltage generated across the resonance capacitor and having a sinusoidal waveform; and

a pair of auxiliary coils connected to both ends of the secondary coil, respectively, the drive signals being obtained from the opposite ends of the respective auxiliary coils which are not connected to the secondary coil.

16. A resonant power converter having a primary side and a secondary side, comprising:

an input power source provided in the side;

switching means connected to the input power source;

a resonant transformer having a primary coil and a second coil; and

a resonance capacitor which is provided in the secondary side and is connected in parallel to the secondary coil of the resonant transformer so that series resonance occurs in a current flowing through the secondary side of the power converter;

said switching means including a pair of switching elements for synchronous rectification, the switching elements are driven by drive signals;

waveform processing means for producing pulse waves by processing and shaping the voltage drive signals to be supplied to the switching elements;

the waveform processing means comparing the voltage drive signals in the form of sinusoidal wave with a predetermined reference value to produce plus signals.