Converter circuit

Claim 2

A converter circuit comprising: oscillator circuit means for providing periodic oscillatory signals; a push pull output stage having first and second input lines and first and second output lines and including a regenerative feedback circuit connected between said first output line and said second input line and between said second output line and said first input line, and driver circuit means for applying drive signals from said oscillator circuit means to said first and second input lines of said push pull output stage, said push pull output stage having output signals over the said first and second output lines, respectively, so that said regenerative feedback circuit thereby provides the drive signal for switching said push pull output stage and the drive signals thereby control the frequency at which the push pull output stage is switched.

Claim 3

A converter circuit as defined in claim 1 wherein: said driver circuit means provides two alternating drive signals at said oscillator frequency that are 180* out-of-phase and which include a spacing between alternative drive signals wherein zero drive signal is present.

Claim 4

A converter circuit as defined in claim 1 wherein: said push pull stage includes a pair of transistors connected in a push pull arrangement and each being connected between corresponding input and output lines to drive an output transformer and wherein a base of each transistor is connected to receive a separate one of said drive signals over one of said input lines, and said regenerative feedback circuit is connected to the pair of transistors so that a drive signal applied to the base of one transistor will initiate a feedback action from the output line connected to said one transistor to cause said one transistor to be saturated and the other cut off.

Claim 5

A converter circuit as defined in claim 3 wherein: said feedback circuit includes a first capacitance circuit means connected between the collector of a first transistor of said pair and the base of the second transistor of said pair, and a second capacitance circuit means connected between the collector of the second transistor and the base of the first transistor.

Claim 6

A converter circuit comprising: oscillator circuit means for providing periodic oscillatory signals; a push pull output stage including a pair of transistors connected in push pull arrangement to drive an output transformer, the base of each of said transistors being connected to receive separate drive signals and including a regenerative feedback circuit including a first capacitance circuit means connected between the collector of a first transistor of said pair and the base of said second transistor of said pair and a second capacitance circuit means connected between the collector of said Second transistor and the base of said first transistor so that a drive signal applied to the base of one transistor will initiate a feedback action to cause said one transistor to be saturated and the other transistor to be cut off, and driver circuit means for applying drive signals from said oscillator circuit means to said push pull output stage so that said regenerative feedback circuit provides the drive signal for switching said push pull output stage and the drive signals control the frequency at which the push pull output stage is switched.

Claim 7

A converter circuit comprising: oscillator circuit means for providing periodic oscillatory signals; a push pull output stage including a pair of transistors connected in push pull arrangement to drive an output transformer, the base of each of said transistors being connected to receive separate drive signals and including a regenerative feedback circuit including a first capacitance circuit means connected between the collector of a first transistor of said pair and the base of said second transistor of said pair and a second capacitance circuit means connected between the collector of said Second transistor and the base of said first transistor so that a drive signal applied to the base of one transistor will initiate a feedback action to cause said one transistor to be saturated and the other transistor to be cut off, and driver circuit means for applying drive signals from said oscillator circuit means to said push pull output stage so that said regenerative feedback circuit provides the drive signal for switching said push pull output stage and the drive signals control the frequency at which the push pull output stage is switched.

Claim 8

A converter circuit as defined in claim 5 wherein: said driver circuit includes two transistors, each transistor being directly coupled to drive a separate one of said pair of push pull transistors in a push pull fashion, said driver transistors being driven in a push pull manner by said oscillator circuit signals, and driver circuit includes delay circuit means connected between said oscillator circuit and said driver transistors for delaying the conduction of said driver transistor a preset period of time after receiving the oscillator signals.

Claim 9

A converter circuit as defined in claim 6 wherein said delay circuit means includes: separate resistor-capacitor series circuit with a diode in parallel with the resistor, for each driver circuit transistor, and circuit means for connecting said series circuits between said oscillator and said driver transistors so that when the oscillator circuit signal is of a polarity to render a driver transistor conductive, the diode is reverse biased so that a delayed switching signal is applied to the driver transistor that is a function of the R-C time constant of the resistor-capacitance circuit, and when the oscillator circuit signal is of a polarity to render the driver transistor nonconductive said diode is forward biased to shunt said resistor.

Claim 10

A converter circuit as defined in claim 5 including: circuit means connected to each of said first and second transistors for controlling the degree that said first and second transistors are driven into saturation in response to the drive signals.

Claim 11

A converter circuit comprising: oscillator circuit means for providing a source of periodic switching signals; a power switching stage including a pair of semiconductor switching devices each of said switching devices having an input electrode and an output electrode and being connected to drive an output transformer in a push pull configuration and including a regenerative feedback circuit connected between the output electrode of each of said switching devices and the input electrode of the other of said switching devices and being responsive to 180* out-of-phase switching signals applied to said semiconductor devices for switching said semiconductors between saturation and cut off, and circuit means receiving said periodic signals from said oscillator circuit means and applying said out-of-phase signals to said switching devices, said circuit means including a delay circuit for providing a deadband between said out-of-phase signals of a predetermined duration so that the switching action of said semiconductor devices is initiated by said out-of-phase signals and whereby said regenerative circuit reinforces said out-of-phase signals to provide rapid switching of said semiconductor devices between saturation and cut off at a periodic switching rate that is a function of said periodic switching signal.

Claim 12

A converter circuit comprising: oscillator circuit means for providing a source of periodic switching signals; a power switching stage including a pair of semiconductor switching devices each of said switching devices having an input electrode and an output electrode and being connected to drive an output transformer in a push pull configuration and including a regenerative feedback circuit connected between the output electrode of each of said switching devices and the input electrode of the other of said switching devices and being responsive to 180* out-of-phase switching signals applied to said semiconductor devices for switching said semiconductors between saturation and cut off, and circuit means receiving said periodic signals from said oscillator circuit means and applying said out-of-phase signals to said switching devices, said circuit means including a delay circuit for providing a deadband between said out-of-phase signals of a predetermined duration so that the switching action of said semiconductor devices is initiated by said out-of-phase signals and whereby said regenerative circuit reinforces said out-of-phase signals to provide rapid switching of said semiconductor devices between saturation and cut off at a periodic switching rate that is a function of said periodic switching signal.

Claim 13

A converter circuit as defined in claim 9 including: circuit means for controlling the degree said semiconductor devices are driven into saturation in response to the out-of-phase signal.

Claim 14

A converter circuit comprising: means for providing periodic switching signals; an output switching circuit including a pair of semiconductor devices connected to a transformer in a push pull circuit configuration and each including an input electrode and an output electrode; regenerative feedback circuit means connEcted between the output electrode of each semiconductor device and the input electrode of the other semiconductor device, so that when a drive signal is applied to one of said devices, said one device is driven into saturation while the other device is cut off, and driver circuit means connected between said pair of semiconductor means in said switching circuit for providing periodic switching signals to said switching stage at a frequency corresponding to said periodic signals and having a deadband between half cycles of said drive signals of a predetermined duration.

Claim 15

A converter circuit comprising: means for providing periodic switching signals; an output switching circuit including a pair of semiconductor devices connected to a transformer in a push pull circuit configuration and each including an input electrode and an output electrode; regenerative feedback circuit means connEcted between the output electrode of each semiconductor device and the input electrode of the other semiconductor device, so that when a drive signal is applied to one of said devices, said one device is driven into saturation while the other device is cut off, and driver circuit means connected between said pair of semiconductor means in said switching circuit for providing periodic switching signals to said switching stage at a frequency corresponding to said periodic signals and having a deadband between half cycles of said drive signals of a predetermined duration.

Claim 16

A converter circuit comprising: oscillator circuit means for providing oscillatory signals; a push pull output stage including a pair of switching circuits connected to drive a transformer and a regenerative feedback circuit connected between the output of each of said switching circuits and the input of the other of said switching circuits, and circuit means for applying said oscillatory signals to said switching circuit in said push pull output stage, including a delay circuit, so that a deadband is present for a preset period of time between half cycles of the oscillatory signals, wherein said regenerative feedback circuit in response to said oscillatory signals provides the drive signals for reversing the state of conduction of the two switching circuits, and wherein the oscillatory signals control the frequency at which the stages are switched.

Claim 17

A converter circuit comprising: oscillator circuit means for providing oscillatory signals; a push pull output stage including a pair of switching circuits connected to drive a transformer and a regenerative feedback circuit connected between the output of each of said switching circuits and the input of the other of said switching circuits, and circuit means for applying said oscillatory signals to said switching circuit in said push pull output stage, including a delay circuit, so that a deadband is present for a preset period of time between half cycles of the oscillatory signals, wherein said regenerative feedback circuit in response to said oscillatory signals provides the drive signals for reversing the state of conduction of the two switching circuits, and wherein the oscillatory signals control the frequency at which the stages are switched.