Multi-output DC-to-DC power converter

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9584032-B2
Application number	US-201514943448-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 17, 2015
Priority date	Jul 31, 2015
Publication date	Feb 28, 2017
Grant date	Feb 28, 2017

Abstract

A multi-output DC-to-DC power converter includes: a transformer having a primary winding and a secondary winding unit; a primary side control circuit used to receive a DC input voltage, and configured to control supply of the DC input voltage to said primary winding, said transformer generating an induced voltage when the DC input voltage is supplied to said primary winding; a rectifier and filter circuit used to receive the induced voltage, and configured to rectify and filter the induced voltage so as to output at least a first DC voltage; and a converting unit used to receive the first DC voltage, and configured to generate at least first and second DC output voltages based at least on the first DC voltage.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A multi-output DC-to-DC power converter comprising:
a trans former having a primary winding and a secondary winding unit;
a primary side control circuit used to receive a DC input voltage and coupled to said primary winding of said transformer, said primary side control circuit being configured to control supply of the DC input voltage to said primary winding of said transformer, when the DC input voltage is controlled by said primary side control circuit to be supplied to said primary winding of said transformer, said transformer generating an induced voltage across said secondary winding unit thereof;
a rectifier and filter circuit having an input side that is coupled to said secondary winding unit of said transformer for receiving the induced voltage, and an output side, said rectifier and filter circuit being configured to rectify and filter the induced voltage in order to output at least a first DC voltage at said output side thereof; and
a converting unit coupled to said output side of said rectifier and filter circuit for receiving the first DC voltage therefrom, said converting unit being configured to generate, based at least on the first DC voltage, at least a first DC output voltage, and a second DC output voltage different from the first DC output voltage.

2. The multi-output DC-to-DC power converter of claim 1 , wherein:
said secondary winding unit of said transformer has a single secondary winding that has a dotted end and a grounded non-dotted end;
said input and output sides of said rectifier and filter circuit respectively have a single input end that is coupled to said dotted end of said secondary winding, and a single output end; and
said converting unit permits the first DC voltage to be outputted as the first DC output voltage, and includes
a first regulator circuit coupled to said output end of said rectifier and filter circuit for receiving the first DC voltage therefrom, said first regulator circuit being configured to convert the first DC voltage into the second DC output voltage based on a first control signal, and output the second DC output voltage,
a first feedback circuit coupled to said first regulator circuit for receiving the second DC output voltage therefrom, and configured to generate a first feedback signal based on the second DC output voltage, and
a first regulator control circuit coupled to said first regulator circuit and said first feedback circuit, said first regulator control circuit receiving the first feedback signal from said first feedback circuit, being configured to generate the first control signal based on the first feedback signal, and outputting the first control signal to said first regulator circuit.

3. The multi-output DC-to-DC power converter of claim 2 , wherein said converting unit further generates a third DC output voltage different from the first and second DC output voltages based on the second DC output voltage, and further includes:
a second regulator circuit coupled to said first regulator circuit for receiving the second DC output voltage therefrom, said second regulator circuit being configured to convert the second DC output voltage into the third DC output voltage based on a second control signal, and output the third DC output voltage;
a second feedback circuit coupled to said second regulator circuit for receiving the third DC output voltage therefrom, and configured to generate a second feedback signal based on the third DC output voltage; and
a second regulator control circuit coupled to said second regulator circuit and said second feedback circuit, said second regulator control circuit receiving the second feedback signal from said second feedback circuit, being configured to generate the second control signal based on the second feedback signal, and outputting the second control signal to said second regulator circuit.

4. The multi-output DC-to-DC power converter of claim 2 , wherein:
said rectifier and filter circuit includes
a first diode having an anode coupled to said input end, and a cathode,
an inductor coupled between said cathode of said first diode and said output end,
a second diode having a grounded anode, and a cathode coupled to said cathode of said first diode, and
a capacitor coupled between said output end and ground; and

said multi-output DC-to-DC power converter is a forward type power converter.

5. The multi-output DC-to-DC power converter of claim 2 , wherein:
said rectifier and filter circuit includes
a diode having an anode and a cathode that are coupled respectively to said input end and said output end, and
a capacitor coupled between said output end and ground; and

said multi-output DC-to-DC power converter is a flyback type power converter.

6. The multi-output DC-to-DC power converter of claim 1 , wherein:
said secondary winding unit of said transformer has a first secondary winding that has a dotted end and a non-dotted end, and a second secondary winding that has a dotted end coupled to said non-dotted end of said first secondary winding, and a grounded non-dotted end, the induced voltage having a first induced voltage portion across said first secondary winding, and a second induced voltage portion across said second secondary winding;
said input side of said rectifier and filter circuit has a first input end and a second input end that are coupled respectively to said dotted ends of said first and second secondary windings, said output side of said rectifier and filter circuit having a first output end and a second output end, said rectifier and filter circuit further outputting a second DC voltage based on the second induced voltage portion, and including
a first circuit portion that has said first input end and said first output end and that is configured to rectify and filter the first induced voltage portion in order to output the first DC voltage at said first output end thereof, and
a second circuit portion that has said second input end and said second output end and that is configured to rectify and filter the second induced voltage portion in order to output the second DC voltage at said second output end thereof; and
said converting unit further receives the second DC voltage from said second output end of said second circuit portion of said rectifier and filter circuit, and generates, based on the first DC voltage and further on the second DC voltage, the first and second DC output voltages, and a further third DC output voltage different from the first and second DC output voltages.

7. The multi-output DC-to-DC power converter of claim 6 , wherein said converting unit permits the first and second DC voltages to be outputted respectively as the first and second DC output voltages, and said converting unit includes:
a first regulator circuit coupled to said second output end of said second circuit portion of said rectifier and filter circuit for receiving the second DC voltage therefrom, said first regulator circuit being configured to convert the second DC voltage into the third DC output voltage based on a first control signal, and output the third DC output voltage;
a first feedback circuit coupled to said first regulator circuit for receiving the third DC output voltage therefrom, and configured to generate a first feedback signal based on the third DC output voltage; and
a first regulator control circuit coupled to said first regulator circuit and said first feedback circuit, said first regulator control circuit receiving the first feedback signal from said first feedback circuit, being configured to generate the first control signal based on the first feedback signal, and outputting the first control signal to said first regulator circuit.

8. The multi-output DC-to-DC power co

Assignees

• Lite On Electronics Guangzhou Ltd
• Lite On Technology Corp

Inventors

• Tseng Po-Hsiang
• Chen Chih-Tai

Classifications

• H02M3/33507 Primary

  with automatic control of the output voltage or current, e.g. flyback converters (H02M3/33561, H02M3/33569 take precedence) · CPC title

• H02M1/008

  Plural converter units for generating at two or more independent and non-parallel outputs, e.g. systems with plural point of load switching regulators · CPC title

• H02M3/33561

  having more than one ouput with independent control · CPC title

• H02M1/0064

  Magnetic structures combining different functions, e.g. storage, filtering or transformation · CPC title

• H02M1/007

  Plural converter units in cascade (push-pull DC/DC converters with pre-regulator H02M3/3374; DC-AC converters following a DC-DC stage including a high frequency transformer H02M7/4807; DC-AC converters following a DC-DC conversion stage generating periodically varying voltages H02M7/4826) · CPC title