Power supply apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2020343718-A1
Application number	US-201916575419-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Sep 19, 2019
Priority date	Apr 24, 2019
Publication date	Oct 29, 2020
Grant date	—

Abstract

A power supply apparatus including a protection circuit and a power conversion circuit is provided. The protection circuit includes a control circuit, an auxiliary capacitor, and a switching circuit. The control circuit receives an AC voltage from an AC power source and generates a pulsating voltage and a control signal accordingly. The auxiliary capacitor receives the pulsating voltage and provides a first voltage accordingly. The switching circuit is coupled to the auxiliary capacitor to receive the first voltage and coupled to the control circuit to receive the control signal. The switching circuit transmits the first voltage to the power conversion circuit in response to the control signal. The power conversion circuit converts the first voltage to an output voltage. When the switching circuit is switched to an on state in response to the control signal, the auxiliary capacitor reduces an input inrush current from the AC power source.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A power supply apparatus, comprising:
a protection circuit, comprising:
a control circuit, configured to receive an AC voltage from an AC power source and generate a pulsating voltage and a control signal according to the AC voltage;
an auxiliary capacitor, a first end of the auxiliary capacitor being coupled to the control circuit to receive the pulsating voltage, and a second end of the auxiliary capacitor being configured to provide a first voltage; and
a first switching circuit, a first end of the first switching circuit being coupled to the second end of the auxiliary capacitor to receive the first voltage, a control end of the first switching circuit being coupled to the control circuit to receive the control signal, and the first switching circuit transmitting the first voltage to a second end of the first switching circuit in response to the control signal; and
a power conversion circuit, coupled to the second end of the first switching circuit to receive the first voltage, and configured to convert the first voltage to an output voltage for supplying power to a load, wherein when the first switching circuit is switched to an on state in response to the control signal, the auxiliary capacitor is configured to reduce an input inrush current from the AC power source.

2 . The power supply apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the control circuit comprises:
a first unidirectional conduction circuit, an input end of the first unidirectional conduction circuit being configured to receive the AC voltage, and an output end of the first unidirectional conduction circuit being configured to provide the pulsating voltage; and a control body, configured to receive the AC voltage, and coupled to the output end of the first unidirectional conduction circuit to receive the pulsating voltage, wherein the control body is enabled after receiving the AC voltage, and generates the control signal according to the pulsating voltage.

3 . The power supply apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the control body comprises:
a second unidirectional conduction circuit, an input end of the second unidirectional conduction circuit being configured to receive the AC voltage, and an output end of the second unidirectional conduction circuit being configured to provide a second voltage; a voltage dividing circuit, coupled to the output end of the second unidirectional conduction circuit to receive the second voltage, and configured to divide the second voltage to generate a third voltage; and a drive circuit, coupled to the output end of the first unidirectional conduction circuit to receive the pulsating voltage, and coupled to the voltage dividing circuit to receive the third voltage, wherein the drive circuit is enabled in response to the third voltage, and generates the control signal according to the pulsating voltage.

4 . The power supply apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the drive circuit comprises:
a second switching circuit, a first end of the second switching circuit being coupled to the output end of the first unidirectional conduction circuit to receive the pulsating voltage, and a control end of the second switching circuit being coupled to the voltage dividing circuit to receive the third voltage; a third unidirectional conduction circuit, an input end of the third unidirectional conduction circuit being coupled to a second end of the second switching circuit; and a voltage regulator circuit, coupled to an output end of the third unidirectional conduction circuit to provide the control signal.

5 . The power supply apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the voltage regulator circuit comprises:
a Zener diode, a cathode end of the Zener diode being coupled to the output end of the third unidirectional conduction circuit, and an anode end of the Zener diode being coupled to a ground end; and a regulated capacitor, coupled between the cathode end and the anode end of the Zener diode.

6 . The power supply apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein a voltage value of the control signal is a breakdown voltage value of the Zener diode.

7 . The power supply apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein when the second switching circuit is turned on, the third unidirectional conduction circuit is turned on, and the Zener diode breaks down in response to the pulsating voltage, such that the regulated capacitor provides the control signal with the breakdown voltage value.

8 . The power supply apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein the first switching circuit is turned on according to the control signal with the breakdown voltage value.

9 . The power supply apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein when the first switching circuit is turned on, the first unidirectional conduction circuit, the auxiliary capacitor, the first switching circuit, the power conversion circuit, and the load form a current loop, and the auxiliary capacitor and a capacitor of the load are connected in series.

10 . The power supply apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the drive circuit further comprises:
a fourth unidirectional conduction circuit, an input end of the fourth unidirectional conduction circuit being coupled to the output end of the third unidirectional conduction circuit; and a first current limiting circuit, coupled between an output end of the fourth unidirectional conduction circuit and the control end of the first switching circuit.

11 . The power supply apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein the first current limiting circuit is a resistor.

12 . The power supply apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein the drive circuit further comprises:
a second current limiting circuit, coupled between the output end of the first unidirectional conduction circuit and the first end of the second switching circuit.

13 . The power supply apparatus according to claim 12 , wherein the second current limiting circuit is a resistor.

14 . The power supply apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein each of the first unidirectional conduction circuit, the second unidirectional conduction circuit, the third unidirectional conduction circuit, and the fourth unidirectional conduction circuit is a diode, an anode end of the diode being the input end, and a cathode end of the diode being the output end.

15 . The power supply apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein a ratio of a capacitance value of the auxiliary capacitor to a capacitance value of the load is less than or equal to one fifth.

Assignees

• Acer Inc

Inventors

• Chan Tzu-Tseng

Classifications

• H02H9/02

  responsive to excess current {(current limitation for voltage regulators G05F1/573; disconnection after limiting H02H3/025)} · CPC title

• H02H1/043

  to inrush currents (H02H1/046 takes precedence; differential protection of transformers H02H7/045) · CPC title

• H02H9/025

  Current limitation using field effect transistors · CPC title

• G05F1/573

  with overcurrent detector · CPC title

• H02H9/001 Primary

  limiting speed of change of electric quantities, e.g. soft switching on or off (progressive control of electronic switches for eliminating interferences H03K17/16) · CPC title