US 12,218,581 B2
Power converter
Gregory Szczeszynski, Hollis, NH (US)
Assigned to Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd., San Diego, CA (US)
Filed by Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd., Kyoto (JP)
Filed on Feb. 20, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/581,617.
Application 18/581,617 is a continuation of application No. 17/560,700, filed on Dec. 23, 2021, granted, now 11,923,765.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/274,251, filed on Nov. 1, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2024/0322672 A1, Sep. 26, 2024
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. H02M 3/07 (2006.01); H02M 1/32 (2007.01); H02M 3/158 (2006.01)
CPC H02M 1/325 (2021.05) [H02M 3/158 (2013.01); H02M 3/07 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A power converter, including:
(a) a set of one or more power switches coupled in series, the set including a first power switch configured to be coupled to an input terminal and a last power switch configured to be coupled to a reference voltage;
(b) a first protective switch having a control input for setting the first protective switch to an open state or to a closed state, the first protective switch coupled between the first power switch and an adjacent power switch in the set of one or more power switches; and
(c) a second protective switch configured to be coupled to a reference voltage and having a control input for setting the second protective switch to an open state or to a closed state, the second protective switch coupled between the last power switch and an adjacent power switch in the set of one or more power switches;
wherein the first protective switch and the second protective switch are set to the closed state during normal operation of the power converter, and wherein at least one of the first protective switch and the second protective switch is set to the open state in response to one or more events.