DC power supply apparatus for arc-utilizing apparatuses

Claim 2

A DC power supply apparatus for arc-utilizing apparatus, comprising: a power supply input terminal adapted to selectively receive a first AC voltage, a second AC voltage about twice as high as said first AC voltage, and a third AC voltage higher than said second AC voltage; a rectifier circuit for rectifying the AC voltage applied to said power supply input terminal; a voltage-reducing converter for receiving and reducing an output voltage of said rectifier circuit; a switch connected in parallel with said voltage-reducing converter; first and second smoothing capacitors; a first switching circuit for selectively connecting said first and second smoothing capacitors in series and in parallel to said voltage-reducing converter; first and second DC-to-high-frequency converting circuits connected to said first and second smoothing capacitors, respectively; first and second transformers to which outputs of said first and second DC-to-high-frequency converting circuits are respectively applied; a high-frequency-to-DC converter for converting high-frequency outputs of said first and second transformers into DC voltages; and a control unit for rendering said voltage-reducing converter operative and also causing said first switching circuit to connect said first and second smoothing capacitors in series when the voltage applied to said power supply input terminal is said third AC voltage, said control unit causing said switch to be closed and causing said first switching circuit to connect said first and second smoothing capacitors in series when the voltage applied to said power supply input terminal is said second AC voltage, and causing said switch to be closed and causing said first switching circuit to connect said first and second smoothing capacitors in parallel when the voltage applied to said power supply input terminal is said first AC voltage.

Claim 3

The DC power supply apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said control unit renders said voltage-reducing converter operative only for a predetermined time period and, thereafter, causing said switch to be closed when the voltage applied to said power supply input terminal is said first or second AC voltage.

Claim 4

The DC power supply apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said control unit comprises: control unit input terminals between which said first, second and third AC voltages are selectively applied; a control transformer having first, second and third primary windings, and having first and second secondary windings; a second switching circuit for selectively connecting between said control unit input terminals, said first, second and third primary windings in series, said first and second primary windings in series, and said first and second primary windings in parallel; an accessory powered from said first secondary winding; a comparator circuit comprising a first comparator section for causing said first switching circuit to connect said first and second smoothing capacitors in series, rendering said voltage-reducing converter operative, and causing said second switching circuit to connect said first, second and third primary windings of said control transformer in series when a voltage induced in said second secondary winding of said control transformer is higher than a first value between a voltage corresponding to said second AC voltage and a voltage corresponding to said third AC voltage, said comparator circuit causing said first switching circuit to connect said first and second smoothing capacitors in series, closing said switch, and causing said second switching circuit to connect said first and second primary windings of said control transformer in series when the voltage induced in said second secondary winding is lower than said first value but higher than a second value between a voltage corresponding to said first AC voltage and the voltage corresponding to said second AC voltage, said comparator circuit further causing said first switching circuit to connect said first and second smoothing capacitors in parallel, closing said switch, and causing said second switching circuit to connect said first and second primary windings in parallel when the voltage induced in said second secondary winding is lower than said second value.

Claim 5

The DC power supply apparatus according to claim 3 wherein the numbers of turns of said first, second and third primary windings and said first secondary winding of said control transformer are selected such that a voltage of the same magnitude is induced in said first secondary winding when said third AC voltage is applied between said control unit input terminals of said control unit with said first, second and third primary windings connected in series between said control unit input terminals, when said second AC voltage is applied between said control unit input terminals with said first and second primary windings connected in series between said control unit input terminals, and when said first AC voltage is applied between said control unit input terminals with said first and second primary windings connected in parallel between said control unit input terminals.

Claim 6

The DC power supply apparatus according to claim 3 wherein said second switching circuit connects said first, second and third primary windings in series between said control unit input terminals when neither first nor second switching signal is applied to said second switching circuit, connects said first and second primary windings in series between said control unit input terminals when said first switching signal is applied thereto, while said second switching signal is not applied thereto, and connects said first and second primary windings in parallel between said control unit input terminals when both said first and second switching signals are applied to said second switching circuit; said voltage-reducing converter is operated when said first switching signal is not applied to said second switching circuit; said switch is closed when said first switching signal is applied to said second switching circuit; and said comparator circuit includes a second comparator section which generates said first switching signal only when the voltage induced in said second secondary winding is lower than said first value, and generates said second switching signal only when said first switching signal is present and the voltage induced in said second secondary winding is lower than said second value.

Claim 7

The DC power supply apparatus according to claim 5 wherein said first comparator section is arranged to hold said first switching signal when it is generated, and said second comparator section is arranged to hold said second switching signal when it is generated.