Circuit arrangement with a power input and an operating method for controlling a power input circuit

• US 8,653,700 B2
• Filed: 07/18/2008
• Issued: 02/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/03/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Client Computing Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Technology Solutions Intellectual Property GmbH (Allgeier SE)
• Inventors: Busch, Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): Jackson, Stephen W
• Assistant Examiner(s): INGE, JOSEPH N
• Application Number:
  US13/002,356
• Publication Number:
  US 20110101775A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,041 Days
• Field of Search: 307/115
• US Class Current: 307/115
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 9/005 using a power saving mode for copiers G03G15/5004
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/0032 Control circuits allowing low power mode operation, e.g. in standby mode
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/0085 Partially controlled bridges
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/126 using passive filters
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/14 Arrangements for reducing ripples from dc input or output
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/322 Means for rapidly discharging a capacitor of the converter for protecting electrical components or for preventing electrical shock
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/36 Means for starting or stopping converters
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 7/162 in a bridge configuration
• 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 circuit arrangement with a power input and at least one power supply unit that generates a DC voltage for operating an electronic device including a power input circuit inserted between the power input and the at least one power supply unit that selectively disconnects or rectifies an AC voltage provided via the power input for the at least one power supply unit, wherein the power input circuit has at least one first semiconductor switching element that switches a first electrical load path with a current limiting element from the power input to the at least one power supply unit, and at least one second semiconductor switching element that switches a second electrical load path from the power input to the at least one power supply unit, and a power input filter, wherein the power input filter includes a first filter circuit arranged between the power input and the power input circuit and a second filter circuit arranged between the power input circuit and the at least one power supply unit.

Claims

1. A circuit arrangement with a power input and at least one switched-mode power supply unit that generates a DC voltage for operating an electronic device comprising a power input circuit inserted between the power input and the at least one power supply unit that selectively disconnects or rectifies an AC voltage provided via the power input for the at least one switched-mode power supply unit, wherein the power input circuit has at least one first semiconductor switching element that switches a first electrical load path with a current limiting element from the power input to the at least one switched-mode power supply unit, and at least one second semiconductor switching element that switches a second electrical load path from the power input to the at least one switched-mode power supply unit, and a power input filter, wherein the power input filter comprises a first filter circuit arranged between the power input and the power input circuit and a second filter circuit arranged between the power input circuit and the at least one switched-mode power supply unit.

2. The circuit arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the at least first semiconductor switching element and/or the at least second semiconductor switching element is a thyristor.

3. The circuit arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the power input circuit comprises at least one rectifier circuit with a semiconductor bridge rectifier and the at least one second semiconductor switching element forms a part of the semiconductor bridge rectifier.

4. The circuit arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the power input filter comprises at least one x-capacitor and a discharge resistor for discharging the at least one x-capacitor, wherein the at least one x-capacitor and the discharge resistor are arranged in the second filter circuit of the power filter circuit.

5. The circuit arrangement according to claim 4, wherein the first filter circuit has a capacitance of less than 68 nF and the x-capacitor arranged in the second filter circuit has a capacitance of more than 100 nF.

6. The circuit arrangement according to claim 1, further comprising an overvoltage filter comprising a voltage dependent resistor arranged between the power input circuit and the at least one power supply unit.

7. The circuit arrangement according to claim 1, further comprising a drive circuit that drives the at least one first semiconductor switching element and the at least one second semiconductor switching element, wherein the drive circuit opens the first semiconductor switching element and the second semiconductor switching element in an energy-saving state closes at least the second semiconductor switching element at least temporarily in an operating state, and closes only the first semiconductor switching element at least temporarily in a transition phase from the energy-saving state to the operating state, and wherein the second semiconductor switching element remains open.

8. The circuit arrangement according to claim 7, wherein the circuit arrangement supplies the drive circuit in the energy-saving state and/or the transition phase with energy provided by an energy storage device of the electronic device.

9. The circuit arrangement according to claim 8, wherein the energy storage device is arranged in the electronic device.

10. The circuit arrangement according to claim 8, wherein the circuit arrangement supplies the drive circuit in the operating state with energy provided by the at least one switched-mode power supply unit.

11. The circuit arrangement according to claim 7, wherein the drive circuit comprises at least one transformer that galvanically separates the electronic device from the power input circuit.

12. The circuit arrangement according to claim 7, wherein the drive circuit comprises at least one third semiconductor switching element, by which a first drive circuit that drives the first semiconductor switching element and a second drive circuit that drives the at least one second semiconductor switching element can be coupled to one another.

13. The circuit arrangement according to claim 7, wherein the drive circuit generates a clocked control signal with a first, lower frequency in a transition phase and generates a clocked control signal with a second, higher drive frequency in the operating state.

14. The circuit arrangement according to claim 1, further comprising a circuit for active power factor correction for reducing interference in a power supply network connected to the power input produced by the switched-mode power supply unit, wherein the circuit for active power factor correction is arranged between the second filter part and the at least one switched-mode power supply unit.

15. The circuit arrangement according to claim 14, further comprising a storage capacitor, wherein the storage capacitor is arranged between the circuit for active power factor correction and the at least one switched-mode power supply unit.

16. The circuit arrangement according to claim 4, wherein the power input filter further comprises at least two suppression inductors, at least one of the at least two suppression inductors arranged in series between the power input and the power input circuit in a phase line and a neutral line, respectively, and/or at least two y-capacitors having a capacity in the order of 1 nF, at least one of the at least two y-capacitors arranged between the phase line or the neutral line and electrical ground potential, respectively.

17. A circuit arrangement with a power input and at least one switched-mode power supply unit that generates a DC voltage for operating an electronic device, comprising:

a power input circuit inserted between the power input and the at least one switched-mode power supply unit that selectively disconnects or rectifies an AC voltage provided via the power input for the at least one switched-mode power supply unit, wherein the power input circuit has at least one first semiconductor switching element that switches a first electrical load path with a current limiting element from the power input to the at least one switched-mode power supply unit, and at least one second semiconductor switching element that switches a second electrical load path from the power input to the at least one switched-mode power supply unit; and

a drive circuit that drives the at least one first semiconductor switching element and the at least one second semiconductor switching element to electronically switch the electronic device selectively from an energy-saving state to an operation state and vice versa, wherein the drive circuit opens the first semiconductor switching element and the second semiconductor switching element in the energy-saving state of the electronic device, closes at least the second semiconductor switching element at least temporarily in the operating state of the electronic device, and closes only the first semiconductor switching element in a transitional phase from the energy-saving state to the operating state of the electronic device, the second semiconductor switching element remaining open.

18. The circuit arrangement according to claim 17, wherein the power input circuit comprises at least one rectifier circuit with a semiconductor bridge rectifier, and the at least one second semiconductor switching element forms part of the semiconductor bridge rectifier.

19. The circuit arrangement according to claim 17, wherein the power input filter comprises at least one x-capacitor and a discharge resistor for discharging the at least one x-capacitor, wherein the at least one x-capacitor and the discharge resistor are arranged in the second filter circuit of the power filter circuit.

20. The circuit arrangement according to claim 17, wherein the drive circuit generates a clocked control signal with a first, lower drive frequency in the transition phase, and a clocked signal with a second, higher frequency in the operating phase.

21. An operating method for driving a power input circuit with at least one first semiconductor switching element for switching a first electrical load path with a current-limiting element from a power input to at least one switched-mode power supply unit and at least one second semiconductor switching element for switching a second electrical load path from the power input and to the switched-mode power supply unit, comprising:

opening the first and the second semiconductor switching element in an energy-saving state;

at least temporarily closing the first semiconductor switching element and leaving the at least one second semiconductor switching element open in a transition phase from the energy-saving state to an operating state; and

at least temporarily closing the at least one second semiconductor switching element in the operating state.

22. The operating method according to claim 21, further comprising at least temporarily closing the first semiconductor switching element and opening the at least one second semiconductor switching element in a transition phase from an operating state to the energy-saving state when a malfunction of a supply network connected to the power input has been recognized.

23. The operating method according to claim 21, wherein a clocked control signal with a first, lower drive frequency is generated in the transition phase, and a clocked control signal with a second, higher drive frequency is generated in the operating state.