DC-to-DC switching converter with zero input and output current ripple and integrated magnetics circuits
First Claim
1. In a dc-to-dc switching converter comprised of an input inductance connected in series with a source, an output inductance connected in series with a load, storage capacitance connected in series between said input inductance and output inductance, and switching means for alternatively connecting a junction between said input inductance and said storage capacitance, and a junction between said storage capacitance and said output inductance, to respective return current paths for said source and load, said storage capacitance being divided into a first capacitor in series with said input inductance and a second capacitor in series with said output inductance, an improvement comprising electromagnetic induction means for connecting said first capacitor to the return current path for said source and connecting said second capacitor to the return current path for said load, and said electromagnetic induction means having at least one winding and a magnetic circuit with at least two flux paths, one flux path for coupling said input inductance and a winding of said induction means, and another flux path for coupling said output inductance and a winding of said induction means.
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Abstract
An improved dc-to-dc converter is provided comprised of two inductances, an input inductance in series with the input source and an output inductance in series with the load, and between the two inductances, two storage capacitances in series with the two inductances. Switching means alternately connect the junction between the input inductance and the first series capacitance, and the junction between the second capacitance and output inductance, to a junction common to the source and load. A third inductance is connected between the junction of the two capacitances and the return current paths for the source and load.
In one of the embodiments of the invention, all three inductances are combined on the same core thus comprising a single magnetic circuit with three windings. In another embodiment of the invention an isolation transformer is first used to replace the third inductance. Again, both input and output inductor and isolation transformer are merged into a single magnetic circuit with four windings. In any of the embodiments of the invention, a zero current ripple can be obtained at both the input and the output simultaneously by a proper design of the magnetic circuit. A new method of integrated magnetics design is then disclosed to improve performance of other converter structures by properly merging their magnetics components.
318 Citations
20 Claims
- 1. In a dc-to-dc switching converter comprised of an input inductance connected in series with a source, an output inductance connected in series with a load, storage capacitance connected in series between said input inductance and output inductance, and switching means for alternatively connecting a junction between said input inductance and said storage capacitance, and a junction between said storage capacitance and said output inductance, to respective return current paths for said source and load, said storage capacitance being divided into a first capacitor in series with said input inductance and a second capacitor in series with said output inductance, an improvement comprising electromagnetic induction means for connecting said first capacitor to the return current path for said source and connecting said second capacitor to the return current path for said load, and said electromagnetic induction means having at least one winding and a magnetic circuit with at least two flux paths, one flux path for coupling said input inductance and a winding of said induction means, and another flux path for coupling said output inductance and a winding of said induction means.
- 8. A dc-to-dc switching converter comprised of an input inductance connected in series to a source, an output inductance connected in series with a load, a first storage capacitance connected in series with said input inductance and said source, a second storage capacitance connected in series with said output inductance and said load, an isolation transformer between said first and second storage capacitances having its primary winding connected in series between said first storage capacitance and the return current path for said source and its secondary winding connected in series between said second storage capacitance and the return current path for said load, switching means for alternately connecting a junction between said input inductance and said first storage capacitance and a junction between said second storage capacitance and said output inductance, to respective return current paths for said source and load, means for inductively coupling said primary winding to said input inductance while maintaining said primary winding magnetically isolated from said output inductance, and means for inductively coupling said secondary winding to said output inductance while maintaining said secondary winding magnetically isolated from said input inductance.
- 14. A complex switching circuit in which a number of storage elements comprised of inductors, or inductors and transformers, and capacitors are interconnected with switches to perform a useful function, and in which windings of the separate inductors, or inductors and capacitors, are merged into an integral magnetic circuit with multiple flux paths sharing one common branch, and said windings are on separate branches of selected flux paths with one or more windings on said common branch, and in which windings have synchronized and proportional voltage waveforms, thereby to provide improved performance.
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17. A dc-to-dc switching converter having a source in series with an input inductance, an input energy storage capacitance, a primary winding of an isolation transformer, a return current path for said source, input switching means for periodically connecting a junction between said input inductance and said input energy storage capacitance to said return current path of said source, and means for inductively coupling said input inductance to said primary winding of said isolation transformer, and having an output energy storage capacitance connected in a current loop comprising a secondary of said isolation transformer and an output switching means, and a load connected in parallel with said output energy storage capacitance, said output switching means functioning to close the loop of said output energy storage capacitance and said secondary winding while said input switching means is not connecting the junction between said input inductance and said input energy storage capacitance to said return current path of said source.
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18. A dc-to-dc switching converter having a load in series with an output inductance, an output energy storage capacitance, a secondary winding of an isolation transformer, a return current path for said load, and means for inductively coupling said output inductance to said secondary windin of said isolation transformer, and having a source connected in a current loop comprising a primary winding of said isolation transformer and input switching means for periodically closing said loop, and output switching means for connecting a junction between said output energy storage capacitance and said output inductance to said return current path for said load while said input switching means is in a condition to open said source current loop.
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19. A switching power amplifier stage for producing an output voltage to a load comprised of two dc-to-dc converters with outputs connected to opposite ends of said load for parallel operation in a true push-pull mode from a single DC power source, each converter comprising an input inductance, a first energy storage capacitance, the primary winding of an isolation transformer, a return current path for said load, and bidirectional current means for periodically connecting a junction between said input inductance and said first energy storage capacitance to said return current path for said load, an output inductance, a secondary winding of an isolation transformer and a return current for said load, and bidirectional current switching means for alternately connecting a junction between said input inductance and first storage capacitance to said return current path for said source and a junction between said second storage capacitance and said output inductance to said return current path of said load, said switching means of one converter being 180°
- out of phase with said switching means of the other converter, and in each converter separately, means for inductively coupling said input inductance to the primary winding, and said output inductance to the secondary winding of said isolation transformer.
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