US5847548A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Current-sharing passive snubber for parallel-connected switches and high power boost converter employing the same
Assignee: Lineage Overseas Corp
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Filing: 1997-09-26
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Granted: 1998-12-08
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Expires: 2017-09-26
Abstract
Abstract For use in a boost converter having first and second boost switches coupled in parallel, a snubber for, and method of, improving current sharing between the first and second boost switches. In one embodiment, the snubber includes: (1) first and second snubber inductors, series-coupled with the first and second boost switches, respectively, that limit a flow rate of the electrical current in the first and second switches, respectively, as a function of a rate of the flow and (2) a conductive path, including a first zener diode coupled to a first node between the first snubber inductor and the first boost switch and a second zener diode coupled to a second node between the second snubber inductor and the second boost switch, that conducts a turn-off energy of said first and second boost switches from the first and second nodes toward an output of the boost converter.
Inventors
- 👤 Jin He
- 👤 Mark E. Jacobs
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 01:15
CPC Classifications
H; H02; H02M; H02M1/00; H02M1/32; H02M1/34; H02M3/00; H02M3/02; H02M3/04; H02M3/10; H02M3/145; H02M3/155; H02M3/156; H02M3/158; H02M3/1584; H03; H03K; H03K17/00; H03K17/08; H03K17/081; H03K17/0814; H03K17/08148; H02M1/346; Y; Y02; Y02B; Y02B70/00; Y02B70/10
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 24
Claim 1
Independent Claim
126 words
For use in a boost converter having first and second boost switches coupled in parallel, a snubber for improving current sharing between said first and second boost switches, comprising: first and second snubber inductors, series-coupled with said first and second boost switches, respectively, that limit a flow rate of said electrical current in said first and second switches, respectively, as a function of a rate of said flow; and a conductive path coupled to a first node between said first snubber inductor and said first boost switch and a second node between said second snubber inductor and said second boost switch, that conducts a turn-off energy of said first and second boost switches from said first and second nodes toward an output of said boost converter.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
126 words
For use in a boost converter having first and second boost switches coupled in parallel, a snubber for improving current sharing between said first and second boost switches, comprising: first and second snubber inductors, series-coupled with said first and second boost switches, respectively, that limit a flow rate of said electrical current in said first and second switches, respectively, as a function of a rate of said flow; and a conductive path coupled to a first node between said first snubber inductor and said first boost switch and a second node between said second snubber inductor and said second boost switch, that conducts a turn-off energy of said first and second boost switches from said first and second nodes toward an output of said boost converter.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
20 words
The snubber as recited in claim 1 wherein said first and second boost switches are insulated gate bipolar transistors (IGBTs).
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
26 words
The snubber as recited in claim 1 wherein said conductive path further comprises first and second snubber diodes series-coupled with first and second zener diodes, respectively.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
25 words
The snubber as recited in claim 1 wherein said conductive path further comprises first and second snubber diodes series-coupled with first and second resistors, respectively.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
34 words
The snubber as recited in claim 1 wherein said conductive path conducts said turn-off energy of said first and second boost switches to an output terminal of a boost diode of said boost converter.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
47 words
The snubber as recited in claim 1 wherein said conductive path is coupled to power terminals of said first and second boost switches and conducts said turn-off energy of said first and second boost switches to an input terminal of a boost diode of said boost converter.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
49 words
The snubber as recited in claim 1 wherein said conductive path is coupled to power terminals of said first and second boost switches and conducts said turn-off energy of said first and second boost switches to both input and output terminals of a boost diode of said boost converter.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
99 words
For use in a boost converter having first and second boost switches coupled in parallel, a method of improving current sharing between said first and second boost switches, comprising the steps of: limiting a flow rate of said electrical current in said first and second switches with first and second snubber inductors series-coupled with said first and second boost switches, respectively, as a function of a rate of said flow; and conducting a turn-off energy of said first and second boost switches from said first and second nodes toward an output of said boost converter with a conductive path.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
99 words
For use in a boost converter having first and second boost switches coupled in parallel, a method of improving current sharing between said first and second boost switches, comprising the steps of: limiting a flow rate of said electrical current in said first and second switches with first and second snubber inductors series-coupled with said first and second boost switches, respectively, as a function of a rate of said flow; and conducting a turn-off energy of said first and second boost switches from said first and second nodes toward an output of said boost converter with a conductive path.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method as recited in claim 8 wherein said first and second boost switches are insulated gate bipolar transistors (IGBTs).
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method as recited in claim 8 wherein said conductive path further comprises first and second snubber diodes series-coupled with first and second zener diodes, respectively.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method as recited in claim 8 wherein said conductive path further comprises first and second snubber diodes series-coupled with first and second resistors, respectively.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
39 words
The method as recited in claim 8 wherein said step of conducting comprises the step of conducting said turn-off energy of said first and second boost switches to an output terminal of a boost diode of said boost converter.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
54 words
The method as recited in claim 8 wherein said conductive path is coupled to power terminals of said first and second boost switches, said step of conducting comprising the step of conducting said turn-off energy of said first and second boost switches to an input terminal of a boost diode of said boost converter.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
56 words
The method as recited in claim 8 wherein said conductive path is coupled to power terminals of said first and second boost switches, said step of conducting comprising the step of conducting said turn-off energy of said first and second boost switches to both input and output terminals of a boost diode of said boost converter.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
139 words
A boost converter, comprising: a series-coupled boost inductor and boost diode; first and second boost switches coupled in parallel to a node between said boost inductor and said boost diode; and a snubber for improving current sharing between said first and second boost switches, including: first and second snubber inductors, series-coupled with said first and second boost switches, respectively, that limit a flow rate of said electrical current in said first and second switches, respectively, as a function of a rate of said flow, and a conductive path coupled to a first node between said first snubber inductor and said first boost switch and a second node between said second snubber inductor and said second boost switch, that conducts a turn-off energy of said first and second boost switches from said first and second nodes toward said boost diode.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
139 words
A boost converter, comprising: a series-coupled boost inductor and boost diode; first and second boost switches coupled in parallel to a node between said boost inductor and said boost diode; and a snubber for improving current sharing between said first and second boost switches, including: first and second snubber inductors, series-coupled with said first and second boost switches, respectively, that limit a flow rate of said electrical current in said first and second switches, respectively, as a function of a rate of said flow, and a conductive path coupled to a first node between said first snubber inductor and said first boost switch and a second node between said second snubber inductor and said second boost switch, that conducts a turn-off energy of said first and second boost switches from said first and second nodes toward said boost diode.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
21 words
The boost converter as recited in claim 15 wherein said first and second boost switches are insulated gate bipolar transistors (IGBTs).
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
27 words
The boost converter as recited in claim 15 wherein said conductive path further comprises first and second snubber diodes series-coupled with first and second zener diodes, respectively.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
26 words
The boost converter as recited in claim 15 wherein said conductive path further comprises first and second snubber diodes series-coupled with first and second resistors, respectively.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
31 words
The boost converter as recited in claim 15 wherein said conductive path conducts said turn-off energy of said first and second boost switches to an output terminal of said boost diode.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
44 words
The boost converter as recited in claim 15 wherein said conductive path is coupled to power terminals of said first and second boost switches and conducts said turn-off energy of said first and second boost switches to an input terminal of said boost diode.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
46 words
The boost converter as recited in claim 15 wherein said conductive path is coupled to power terminals of said first and second boost switches and conducts said turn-off energy of said first and second boost switches to both input and output terminals of said boost diode.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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