Power circuit with high input power factor and a regulated output

Claim 2

A power converter comprising: AC rectifying means adapted to be coupled to an AC power line for providing a rectified AC voltage; converting means having a pair of input terminals coupled to said AC rectifying means, said converting means providing an AC signal at its output terminals, said AC signal having a frequency greater than the frequency of the voltage on said AC power line; a transformer having a primary winding, a closely-coupled secondary output winding and a loosely-coupled secondary boost winding, said primary winding being coupled to the output terminals of said converting means, said boost winding being coupled to said AC rectifying means and to one of said input terminals of said converting means; and a resonant capacitor coupled to said boost winding; whereby the input current amplitude of said power converter depends on the frequency of said AC signal.

Claim 3

The power converter of claim 1 further comprising control means coupled to said boost winding, said secondary output winding and said converting means for controlling the duty cycle of said AC signal in response to a voltage command, and for controlling the frequency of said AC signal in a manner to cause said power converter to draw a substantially sinusoidal current from said AC power line in phase with the voltage of said AC power line.

Claim 4

The power converter of claim 1 wherein said boost winding includes an intermediate tap, said intermediate tap being connected to said AC rectifying means, and said power converter further comprising a boost rectifier coupled to said boost winding and to said resonant capacitor.

Claim 5

The power converter of claim 3 wherein said resonant capacitor is connected in parallel with said boost winding for providing a parallel-resonant circuit.

Claim 6

The power converter of claim 1 wherein said resonant capacitor is connected in series with said boost winding.

Claim 7

The power converter of claim 1 wherein said AC rectifying means comprises a diode bridge.

Claim 8

The power converter of claim 6 further comprising an input inductor for connecting in series between said AC rectifying means and said AC power line.

Claim 9

The power converter of claim 1 further comprising output circuit means coupled to said secondary output winding for providing a DC output voltage.

Claim 10

The power converter of claim 1 wherein said converting means comprises a half-bridge inverter.

Claim 11

The power converter of claim 1 wherein said converting means comprises a full-bridge inverter.

Claim 12

The power converter of claim 1 wherein said primary winding includes a center tap and wherein said converting means comprises a push-pull inverter.

Claim 13

The power converter of claim 1 wherein said transformer further comprises a reset winding and wherein said converting means comprises a single-ended inverter.

Claim 14

A power converter comprising: AC rectifying means for providing a rectified AC voltage, said AC rectifying means having input terminals adapted to be coupled to an AC power line and having a positive output terminal and a negative output terminal; capacitance means coupled to said positive output terminal and said negative output terminal of said AC rectifying means for providing a first DC voltage thereacross; voltage inverter means coupled to said capacitance means for inverting said DC voltage to an AC signal; a primary winding coupled to said capacitance means and to said voltage inverter means so as to receive said AC signal; a boost winding coupled between said AC rectifying means and said capacitance means, said boost winding being loosely-coupled magnetically to said primary winding; a resonant capacitor coupled to said boost winding; a boost rectifier coupled to said boost winding and to said resonant capacitor, said boost rectifier providing a boost voltage to said capacitance means; a secondary output winding closely-coupled magnetically to said primary winding; and output circuit means coupled to said secondary output winding for providing a DC output voltage.

Claim 15

A power converter comprising: AC rectifying means for providing a rectified AC voltage, said AC rectifying means having input terminals adapted to be coupled to an AC power line and having a positive output terminal and a negative output terminal; capacitance means coupled to said positive output terminal and said negative output terminal of said AC rectifying means for providing a first DC voltage thereacross; voltage inverter means coupled to said capacitance means for inverting said DC voltage to an AC signal; a primary winding coupled to said capacitance means and to said voltage inverter means so as to receive said AC signal; a boost winding coupled between said AC rectifying means and said capacitance means, said boost winding being loosely-coupled magnetically to said primary winding; a resonant capacitor coupled to said boost winding; a boost rectifier coupled to said boost winding and to said resonant capacitor, said boost rectifier providing a boost voltage to said capacitance means; a secondary output winding closely-coupled magnetically to said primary winding; and output circuit means coupled to said secondary output winding for providing a DC output voltage.

Claim 16

The power converter of claim 13 further comprising control means coupled to said boost winding, said secondary output winding and said voltage inverter means for controlling the duty cycle of said AC signal in response to a voltage command, and for controlling the frequency of said AC signal in a manner to cause said power converter to draw a substantially sinusoidal current from said AC power line in phase with the voltage of said AC power line.

Claim 17

The power converter of claim 14 wherein said control means further includes circuit means for regulating said first DC voltage at a predetermined level.

Claim 18

The power converter of claim 14 further comprising a current sensor coupled to said boost winding and to said control means, said current sensor providing a signal to said control means proportional to current in said boost winding.