Power converter with improved control of its main switches, and application to a power converter having three or more voltage levels
US6046920A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Dec 29, 1997 |
| Grant date | Apr 4, 2000 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Dec 29, 2017 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH02M7/5236
- WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A power converter having two main switches connecting an outlet either to a positive rail or to a negative rail, two free-wheel diodes enabling the current through the load to be maintained, two snubber capacitors, and an auxiliary circuit. The auxiliary circuit includes an auxiliary inductor in series with two auxiliary switches coupled between the outlet and a midpoint of a capacitive voltage divider that provides a midpoint voltage. A detector detects current oscillation between the auxiliary inductor and the snubber capacitors, and then switches off the oscillation current and allows the intended main switch to conduct in response to the interruption.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.