Patent ID: 11870340
Assignee: VICOR CORPORATION
Field: Electrical machinery, apparatus, energy (Electrical engineering)
Classification: CPC H | IPC H

Claim 21:
22. An apparatus comprising:
a power converter having switching power conversion circuitry including an input, an output, a multi-layer printed circuit board (“PCB”), and a magnetically permeable core, the magnetically permeable core having a structure including one or more magnetic paths each passing through conductive layers of the PCB in at least two leg locations;
the switching power conversion circuitry including:
one or more primary switches connected to one or more primary windings formed in one or more conductive layers of the PCB and coupled to the magnetically permeable core;
a switch controller constructed and arranged to operate the one or more primary switches in a series of converter operating cycles; and
output circuitry including a capacitor and one or more smart dual switching (“SDS”) devices connected to one or more secondary windings formed in one or more conductive layers of the PCB and coupled to the magnetically permeable core;
each SDS device including SDS circuitry in an SDS package adapted for installation as a self-contained electronic switching device, the SDS package having a common terminal, a first switched terminal, and a second switched terminal;
the SDS circuitry including:
a first switch connected to conduct current between the first switched terminal and the common terminal;
a second switch connected to conduct current between the second switched terminal and the common terminal; and
control circuitry connected to sense circuit conditions in the SDS device and operate the first and second switches, the control circuitry being constructed and arranged to generate one or more timing signals based upon the operation of the first switch, the second switch, or both, and being adapted to (a) turn each switch OFF if the other switch is ON, (b) turn each switch ON for reverse power flow through the respective switch for a duration set by the one or more timing signals;

wherein the power converter is constructed and arranged to eliminate electrical conductors for carrying control signals from the switch controller to the one or more SDS devices.