Abstract A high efficiency, AC-to-DC power supply is provided in which a novel a rectifier bridge coupled to the input line. This rectifier bridge is comprises a pair of inductors mutually inductively coupled and inter-connected so as to be aiding around the bridge in one mode to rectify the incoming voltage from a 115 volt line and in a second mode to rectify the incoming voltage from a 230 volt line, the output voltage from the bridge is being the same amplitude for either mode of operation. A novel ripple voltage frequency doubling circuit is provided, to decrease the size of the components needed to filter the ripple. A novel circuit is provided for converting incoming line voltage variations to changes in the turn on time of the bridge control devices, e.g. SCRs, thus maintaining a regulated level of output voltage with varying amplitude input voltage. A modified switching transistor circuit is also provided wherein the switching transistor is operated in saturation and the driving transistor is out of saturation resulting in substantial power savings in the switching transistor circuit.
A rectifier bridge circuit comprising: a bridge having four arms, two input terminals for being coupled to an incoming AC supply line having a line frequency, and two output terminals, each of two of said arms containing a controlled switching element and each of the other two of said arms containing a diode, said bridge being operable for producing across the output terminals a recurring output waveform having a DC component, having fluctuating components, and having a repetition frequency of twice the line frequency; circuit means coupled across the output terminals for converting the fluctuating components of the recurring output waveform to an alternating current having a frequency at a harmonic of the repetition frequency of the recurring output waveform and for creating a ripple voltage component at said harmonic; a filter; and means for inductively coupling said circuit means to said filter to supply said DC component and said ripple voltage component thereto.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
154 words
A rectifier bridge circuit comprising: a bridge having four arms, two input terminals for being coupled to an incoming AC supply line having a line frequency, and two output terminals, each of two of said arms containing a controlled switching element and each of the other two of said arms containing a diode, said bridge being operable for producing across the output terminals a recurring output waveform having a DC component, having fluctuating components, and having a repetition frequency of twice the line frequency; circuit means coupled across the output terminals for converting the fluctuating components of the recurring output waveform to an alternating current having a frequency at a harmonic of the repetition frequency of the recurring output waveform and for creating a ripple voltage component at said harmonic; a filter; and means for inductively coupling said circuit means to said filter to supply said DC component and said ripple voltage component thereto.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
31 words
A rectifier bridge circuit as in claim 1 wherein said harmonic is a second harmonic thereby creating said ripple voltage component at a frequency which is four times the line frequency.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
137 words
A rectifier bridge circuit as in claim 1 wherein said circuit means comprises: a circuit loop coupled across said output terminals, said circuit loop comprising an inductor and a capacitor coupled in series, said inductor having a value of inductance below the critical value of inductance necessary to maintain current flow through the inductor during the time intervals when said controlled switching elements are in a nonconducting state, said inductor being coupled to one of said output terminals and said capacitor being coupled to the other of said output terminals whereby a voltage is developed across said inductor and said capacitor; and summing means for applying the sum of the voltage across said capacitor and a fractional in-phase portion of the voltage across said inductor and producing as an output said ripple voltage component at said harmonic.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
29 words
A rectifier bridge circuit as in claim 3 wherein said summing means comprises a tap on said inductor, said tap being directly connected to an inductor of said filter.