Switching regulator with rapid switching drive

Claim 2

A switching type regulator comprising, a switching device, a switching control to open and close said switching device, a source of energy, an energy storage element, said switching device connecting said source of energy to said energy storage element, an output control impedance coupled to said energy storage element, said switching control including means responsive to a particular threshold of the energy transmitted to said output control impedance from said energy storage element, said switch control being activated at said particular threshold and closing said switching device, a current generator coupled to said load output control impedance having at least two alternate current paths representing a lower and upper current level state control and means to switch said current generator into the upper of its two current level states by switching said current paths when said switch control initially responds to the energy transmitted to said output control impedance whereby the increased current generated by said current generator accelerates the closing of saId switch by accelerating the said response of said switch control.

Claim 3

A switching type regulator as defined in claim 1 wherein one of said current paths of said two level current source includes a limiting impedance to limit the current generated therein and said means to switch comprises another one of said current paths including a semiconductor switch shunting said impedance to bypass said impedance and increase the current generated therein.

Claim 4

A switching type regulator as defined in claim 2 further including means to disable the operation of said current source subsequent to the closing of said switching device.

Claim 5

A switching type regulator as defined in claim 3 further including current detector means to respond to a predetermined threshold of current flowing through said energy storage element and means to transmit signals coupled to said switch control and responsive to said current detector means to divert activating signals generated by said current source from said switching control whereby said switching control is deactivated.

Claim 6

A switching apparatus in which a first electrical signal is repeatedly connected to and disconnected from an energy storage element in order to supply a second electrical signal at an output circuit, comprising a semiconductor switch including a control electrode and having its transconductive path connecting said first electrical signal to said energy storage element, means connected to said control electrode to energize said semiconductor switch into a conducting condition including a driver transistor having its base electrode coupled to said output circuit, a multilevel current source having low and high current outputs controlled by a variable current path impedance, said current source coupled to said base electrode and said output circuit whereby a drop in current in said output circuit allows the transfer of sufficient current to bias said driver transistor into a conductive state and means to increase the level of operation of said current source from its low to its high current output by reducing said current path impedance in response to initial current flow in said driver transistor whereby said driver transistor is more rapidly switched into its conductive state.

Claim 7

A switching apparatus in which a first electrical signal is repeatedly connected to and disconnected from an energy storage element in order to supply a second electrical signal at an output circuit, comprising a semiconductor switch including a control electrode and having its transconductive path connecting said first electrical signal to said energy storage element, means connected to said control electrode to energize said semiconductor switch into a conducting condition including a driver transistor having its base electrode coupled to said output circuit, a multilevel current source having low and high current outputs controlled by a variable current path impedance, said current source coupled to said base electrode and said output circuit whereby a drop in current in said output circuit allows the transfer of sufficient current to bias said driver transistor into a conductive state and means to increase the level of operation of said current source from its low to its high current output by reducing said current path impedance in response to initial current flow in said driver transistor whereby said driver transistor is more rapidly switched into its conductive state.

Claim 8

A switching apparatus as defined in claim 5 whereby said variable current path impedance includes a plurality of impedances connected to said multilevel current source and said means to increase the level of operation comprises means to bypass a selected number of said plurality of impedances.