High efficiency power converter

• US 8,023,290 B2
• Filed: 06/05/2009
• Issued: 09/20/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/24/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: SynQor Incorporated
• Original Assignee: SynQor Incorporated
• Inventors: Schlecht, Martin F.
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, MATTHEW VAN
• Application Number:
  US12/478,942
• Publication Number:
  US 20100091526A1
• Time in Patent Office: 837 Days
• Field of Search: 363 15- 17, 363/20, 363/21.01, 363/21.06, 363/21.14, 363/56.01, 363/56.02, 363/95, 363/97, 363/98, 363/131, 363/132, 323/268, 323/271, 323/282
• US Class Current: 363/21.06
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/007 Plural converter units in cascade push-pull DC/DC converters with pre-regulator H02M3/3374; DC-AC converters following a DC-DC stage including a high frequency transformer H02M7/4807; DC-AC converters following a DC-DC conversion stage generating periodically varying voltages H02M7/4826
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/335 using semiconductor devices only
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/33546 with automatic control of the output voltage or current H02M3/33561 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/33553 with galvanic isolation between input and output of both the power stage and the feedback loop
• 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: H02M 3/3372 of the parallel type
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/3374 with preregulator, e.g. current injected push-pull
• 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 power converter nearly losslessly delivers energy and recovers energy from capacitors associated with controlled rectifiers in a secondary winding circuit, each controlled rectifier having a parallel uncontrolled rectifier. First and second primary switches in series with first and second primary windings, respectively, are turned on for a fixed duty cycle, each for approximately one half of the switching cycle. Switched transition times are short relative to the on-state and off-state times of the controlled rectifiers. The control inputs to the controlled rectifiers are cross-coupled from opposite secondary transformer windings.

Claims

1. A DC-DC power converter system providing plural regulated DC outputs, each having a regulated voltage, comprising:

a DC input;

a non-regulating isolating converter comprising;

a primary transformer winding circuit having at least one primary winding that receives power from the DC input; and

a secondary transformer winding circuit having at least one secondary winding coupled to the at least one primary winding and having plural controlled rectifiers, each having a parallel uncontrolled rectifier and each in circuit with a secondary winding, each controlled rectifier being turned on and off in synchronization with a voltage waveform of the at least one primary winding to provide a non-regulated, isolated DC output; and

plural non-isolating switching regulators, each receiving power from the non-regulated, isolated DC output of the non-regulating isolating converter and each providing one of the regulated DC outputs having a regulated voltage.

2. A power converter system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the switching regulators are down converters.

3. A power converter system as claimed in claim 1 wherein signals controlling the controlled rectifiers are provided by the at least one secondary winding.

4. A power converter system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the non-regulating isolation converter is a step down converter.

5. A power converter system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the DC input provides a voltage within the range of 36 to 75 volts.

6. A power converter system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the non-regulated, isolated DC output of the non-regulating isolating converter is about 12 volts.

7. A power converter system as claimed in claim 1 wherein each regulated voltage of each of the regulated DC outputs is of a voltage level to drive logic circuitry.

8. A power converter system as claimed in claim 7 wherein the DC input provides a voltage within the range of 36 to 75 volts.

9. A power converter system as claimed in claim 8 wherein the non-regulated, isolated DC output of the non-regulating isolating converter is about 12 volts.

10. A power converter system as claimed in claim 7 wherein the non-regulated, isolated DC output of the non-regulating isolating converter is about 12 volts.

11. A power converter system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the non-regulated, isolated DC output drops with increasing current flow through the non-regulating isolating converter.

12. A power converter system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the at least one primary winding has a voltage waveform with a fixed duty cycle.

13. A power converter system as claimed in claim 12 wherein the DC input provides a voltage within the range of 36 to 75 volts.

14. A power converter system as claimed in claim 13 wherein the non-regulated, isolated DC output of the non-regulating isolating converter is about 12 volts.

15. A power converter system as claimed in claim 12 wherein the non-regulated, isolated DC output of the non-regulating isolating converter is about 12 volts.