Switching power supply apparatus

• US 7,492,614 B2
• Filed: 08/10/2005
• Issued: 02/17/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/18/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sanken Electric Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Sanken Electric Company Limited
• Inventors: Furukoshi, Ryuichi, Iwabuchi, Akio
• Primary Examiner(s): BERHANE, ADOLF D
• Application Number:
  US11/660,590
• Publication Number:
  US 20070274104A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,287 Days
• Field of Search: 363/20, 363/21.01, 363/55, 363/56.01, 363/56.03, 363/56.04, 363/56.05, 363/56.09, 363/56.1, 363/56.11, 363/131
• US Class Current: 363/21.01
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/0006 Arrangements for supplying an adequate voltage to the control circuit of converters
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/32 Means for protecting converters other than automatic disconnection
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/335 using semiconductor devices only
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/33507 with automatic control of the output voltage or current, e.g. flyback converters H02M3/33561, H02M3/33569 take precedence

Abstract

There are included an actuation unit supplying an actuation power to a control unit to start a switching operation of a switching element when an alternating-current power sources turned on, and stopping supply of the actuation power to the control unit after the switching operation of the switching element is started; an overheat detection unit being thermally coupled with the actuation unit and detecting an abnormal condition due to overheating of the actuation unit; a latch maintaining an inoperative state of the switching element at the event of an abnormal condition other than the abnormal condition due to overheating of the actuation unit; and an actuation controller configured to discharge an electrical charge of a smoothing capacitor while the latch maintains the inoperative state of the switching operation to speedily reset the latch unit when the alternating-current power source is turned off, and to stop the actuation unit in response to a detection signal from the overheat detection unit.

Claims

1. A switching power supply apparatus that converts a direct voltage obtained by rectifying an alternating input voltage of an alternating-current power source and by smoothing by a smoothing capacitor, into another direct voltage by switching operation of a switching element controlled by a control unit, comprising:

an actuation unit configured to supply an actuation power, to start the switching operation of the switching element, to the control unit when the alternating-current power source is turned on, and to stop supply of the actuation power to the control unit after the switching operation of the switching element is started;

an overheat detector thermally coupled with the actuation unit and detecting an abnormal condition due to overheating of the actuation unit;

a latch unit maintaining a stopped state of the switching operation of the switching element at the event of an abnormal condition other than the abnormal condition due to overheating of the actuation unit; and

an actuation controller configured to discharge an electrical charge of the smoothing capacitor while the latch unit maintains the stopped state of the switching operation to speedily reset the latch unit when the alternating-current power source is turned off, and to stop the actuation unit in response to a detection signal from the overheat detector.

2. The switching power supply apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising

a voltage detector configured to detect that the alternating-current power source is turned off based on the alternating input voltage of the alternating-current power source while the latch unit maintains the stopped state of the switching operation, wherein

the actuation controller is configured to discharge the electrical charge of the smoothing capacitor when the voltage detector detects that the alternating-current power source is turned off, by applying a current having an average current larger than that of a current flown as the alternating-current power source is turned on, thereby the latch unit is speedily reset.