US 11,722,055 B2
DC-DC converter with flying capacitor pre-charging capabilities
Aleksandar Prodic, Toronto (CA); Michael Halamicek, Toronto (CA); Tom Moiannou, Markham (CA); Nenad Vukadinovic, Toronto (CA); Alexander Gerfer, Odenthal (DE); Mahmoud Shousha, Eching (DE); and Martin Haug, Munich (DE)
Assigned to Würth Elektronik eiSos GmbH & Co. KG, Waldenburg (DE)
Appl. No. 17/42,511
Filed by Würth Elektronik eiSos GmbH & Co. KG, Waldenburg (DE)
PCT Filed May 3, 2019, PCT No. PCT/EP2019/061364
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Sep. 28, 2020,
PCT Pub. No. WO2019/211431, PCT Pub. Date Nov. 7, 2019.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/667,065, filed on May 4, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2021/0057999 A1, Feb. 25, 2021
Int. Cl. H02M 1/36 (2007.01); H02M 3/158 (2006.01); H02M 3/06 (2006.01); H02M 3/335 (2006.01); H02M 3/07 (2006.01); H02M 3/00 (2006.01)
CPC H02M 1/36 (2013.01) [H02M 3/06 (2013.01); H02M 3/158 (2013.01); H02M 3/33571 (2021.05); H02M 3/01 (2021.05); H02M 3/07 (2013.01)] 4 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A power converter comprising a circuit as part of the power converter, wherein the circuit comprises:
a commutation cell, the commutation cell including a start-up capacitor and a flying capacitor connected in series;
a diode, the diode being directly connected between the start-up capacitor and the flying capacitor, and the diode being adapted to prevent reverse current flow during steady state operation;
a first inductor;
a second inductor directly connected to the first inductor;
a first switch connected to an input voltage source of the power converter, the flying capacitor being directly arranged between the first switch and the first inductor;
a second switch comprising a second switch terminal directly connected to a node between the flying capacitor and the first inductor and another terminal directly connected to a ground;
a third switch comprising a third switch terminal directly connected to a node between the first switch and the flying capacitor and another terminal directly connected to the second inductor;
a fourth switch comprising a fourth switch terminal directly connected to a node between the third switch and the second inductor and another terminal directly connected to the ground; and
a pull-down switch directly connected to a node between the start up capacitor and the diode and is configured to pull a potential of an anode of the diode to the ground after a start-up phase of the power converter, and maintain the diode in a reverse biased state of operation during a state of normal operation.