Patent EP0049791A2 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
EP0193366A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Power booster switching at zero current
Assignee: VLT Corp
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Filing: 1986-02-24
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2006-02-24
Abstract
Abstract A power booster module is described for use in a zero-current switching converter array which includes a signal pulse train generator external to the power booster module, the pulse train having a frequency corresponding to the frequency of energy transfer cycles occurring in the array. The power booster module includes a zero-current switching converter and a control input port to which the pulse train is applied to trigger energy transfer cycles in the booster module at the frequency of the pulse train, whereby the booster module operates coherently with the array to provide a share of the power drawn by a load.
Inventors
- 👤 Patrizio Vinciarelli
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-06 20:22
CPC Classifications
H; H02; H02M; H02M3/00; H02M3/22; H02M3/24; H02M3/28; H02M3/285
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim
169 words
A power booster module for use in a zero-current switching converter array which converts power from a source for use by a load, and includes a signal pulse train generator external to said power booster module, said pulse train having a frequency corresponding to the frequency of energy transfer cycles occurring in said array, said power booster module being characterised in that it comprises: an input power port for connection to said source; an output power port for connection to said load; a zero-current switching converter connected to receive power via said input power port from said source and to deliver power via said output power port to said load in a series of energy transfer cycles; a control input port for connection to said array; and a controller adapted to trigger said energy transfer cycles in said booster module in response to said pulse train, whereby said booster module is adapted to operate coherently within the array to provide a share of the current drawn by said load.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
169 words
A power booster module for use in a zero-current switching converter array which converts power from a source for use by a load, and includes a signal pulse train generator external to said power booster module, said pulse train having a frequency corresponding to the frequency of energy transfer cycles occurring in said array, said power booster module being characterised in that it comprises: an input power port for connection to said source; an output power port for connection to said load; a zero-current switching converter connected to receive power via said input power port from said source and to deliver power via said output power port to said load in a series of energy transfer cycles; a control input port for connection to said array; and a controller adapted to trigger said energy transfer cycles in said booster module in response to said pulse train, whereby said booster module is adapted to operate coherently within the array to provide a share of the current drawn by said load.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
56 words
A power booster module according to Claim 1, further characterised in that said controller is so arranged that the times of occurrence of said energy transfer cycles in said booster module are delayed from the times of occurrence of said energy transfer cycles in said array, thereby to reduce ripple in the voltage to said load.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
62 words
A power booster module according to Claim 1 or Claim 2, further characterised in that it comprises means for providing a signal pulse train corresponding to said energy transfer cycles occurring in said booster module for delivery to an additional power booster module to coordinate the energy transfer cycles which occur respectively in said booster module and in said additional booster module.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
70 words
A power converter comprising a power booster module according to Claim 3, in combination with a plurality of other power booster modules, further characterised in that said power booster modules are arranged in a daisy chain, each of said modules delivering power to said load in a series of energy transfer cycles which are triggered in response to a pulse train provided from one of said other power booster modules.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
90 words
A power converter comprising a power booster module according to any of Claims 1 to 3, in combination with a said zero-current switching converter array, further characterised in that said booster module has an equivalent inductance (L b ) and a capacitance (C b ) which define a booster time duration for each said energy transfer cycle of said booster module, and in that said booster time duration corresponds to the time duration of each said energy transfer cycle of said array, whereby current is shared in a predetermined ratio.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
59 words
A power converter according to Claim 5, further characterised in that said array comprises a driver module which is characterised by having a driver equivalent inductance (L d ) and a driver capacitance (C d ), L d and C d having values such that said booster module provides a desired share of the current drawn by said load.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
27 words
A power converter according to Claim 6, further characterised in that said booster module provides a greater proportion of said drawn current than does said driver module.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
92 words
A power converter comprising a power booster module according to Claim 1, in combination with a said zero-current switching converter array, further characterised in that it comprises: a plurality of other power booster modules each of which is adapted to convert power from said source to said load in a series of energy transfer cycles; and phase control circuitry responsive to said pulse train generator and adapted to provide a plurality of phase-arrayed pulse trains for use by respective ones of said other power booster modules and by said power booster module.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
40 words
A power converter according to Claim 4 or Claim 8, further characterised in that the phases of said pulse trains are spaced at 360/N degrees intervals, where N is the number of said power booster modules, whereby ripple is reduced.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
31 words
A power converter according to any of Claims 5 to 9, further characterised in that said zero-current switching converter is of the single-ended, forward type, or is of the resonant type.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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