Patent ID: 6023109
Filing Date: 2000-02-08
Classification: H02J,Y02T

Abstract:
A power unit with controlled output voltage comprising a plurality of substantially identical independent DC power supplies which are interconnected by a central control unit in a series or parallel arrangement for providing a required output voltage on a pair of output terminals in a wide range of output voltages, the output terminals including a positive and a negative output terminals, respectively, and wherein each independent DC power supply has a positive and negative terminal, respectively, said power unit further comprising a plurality of switching means, each of said plurality of the switching means being connected between the negative terminal of one of said plurality of the independent DC power supplies and the positive terminal of a respective succeeding independent DC power supply, such that each of said plurality of the switching means is controlled by the central control unit to provide a series or parallel connection between said independent DC power supplies, wherein the power unit further comprises a plurality of pairs of diodes, each pair of diodes being associated with a respective switching means, wherein each pair of diodes has a first diode and a second diode, and wherein each of the diodes has a positive terminal and a negative terminal, respectively, wherein, in each pair of the diodes, the first diode is connected by its positive terminal to both the respective switching means and the negative terminal of said one of the independent DC power supplies, and the second diode is connected by its negative terminal to both the switching means and the positive terminal of said respective succeeding independent DC power supply, wherein the negative terminals of all first diodes are connected to ground, and wherein the positive terminals of all second diodes are connected to the positive output terminal, and wherein the power unit further includes means controlling at least one of said plurality of the switching means for controlling a magnitude and a shape of the required output voltage, said means being controlled by the central control unit.