Abstract:
A power supply with surge voltage control functions. The power supply has a rectifying unit rectifying a voltage of an AC power source externally applied; a fuse resistor inputting and applying the AC power source to the rectifying unit, and cutting off the voltage of the AC power source exceeding a predetermined value; a pulse generation unit driven by an output voltage of the rectifying unit, and generating a pulse having a predetermined period; a transformer driven by the pulse, and inducing a predetermined ac voltage; and a surge voltage control unit turning on by an ac voltage induced by the transformer to form a current path between the AC power source and the rectification unit, wherein the current path is formed between the AC power source and the rectifying unit via the fuse resistor when the output voltage of the rectifying unit exceeds a predetermined value.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
         [0001]    This application claims the benefit of Korean Patent Application No. 2003-8342 filed Feb. 10, 2003, in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0003]    The present invention relates to a power supply, and more particularly to a power supply with surge voltage control functions minimizing a power supply loss.  
           [0004]    2. Description of the Related Art  
           [0005]    In general, AC power sources provide a voltage of 110V or 220V. Korea and Europe uses AC power sources supplying a voltage of 220V, whereas United States of America and Japan use AC power sources supplying a voltage of 110V. Accordingly, a power supply built into electronic devices is generally provided with a voltage selection switch to select 110V or 220V as an input voltage thereto.  
           [0006]    In the meantime, on occasions when an electronic device normally used in an area with the AC power source of 110V is used in an area with 220V, users usually forget about manipulating the voltage selection switch provided on the power supply, which often causes severe damage to the power supply due to an excessive voltage supplied thereto, or causes the power supply to output unstable voltages or operate in a malfunctioning state due to shocks applied thereto even though the power supply is not broken down.  
           [0007]    [0007]FIG. 1 shows a detailed circuit of a conventional power supply.  
           [0008]    The power supply shown in FIG. 1 has a fuse  10  connected in series to an AC input terminal AC 1 , an LC filter  20  connected to the fuse  10  and another AC input terminal AC 2 , and a rectifier  30  to rectify an output voltage of the LC filter  20 .  
           [0009]    The fuse  10  is electrically open-circuited when an AC input source supplies a voltage over a certain potential level, to thereby protect the power supply. The power supply usually has voltage characteristics to withstand 250V in countries supplying 220V through the AC power source, and also has diverse current capacities depending upon electronic devices in which it is built.  
           [0010]    The LC filter  20  eliminates noise included in the AC power source. The frequency of the AC power source ranges from 50 Hz to 60 Hz, and the LC filter  20  eliminates frequencies lower or higher than this frequency range.  
           [0011]    The rectifier  30  rectifies and converts into a dc voltage a voltage of the AC power source filtered through the LC filter  20 . The rectifier  30  full-wave-rectifies, through a bridge diode  31 , a voltage of the AC power source that is temperature-compensated by a thermistor  33 , smoothes the rectified voltage through a capacitor  32 , and converts the smoothed voltage into a complete dc voltage. At this time, an electrolytic capacitor having excellent low-frequency characteristics is usually used for the capacitor  32 .  
           [0012]    The thermistor  33  is an element that lowers its resistance value as an ambient temperature rises, which limits an electric current that is applied to the bridge diode  31  before the power supply reaches a steady state. If the power supply reaches the steady state, the power supply usually radiates a certain amount of heat, and the resistance value of the thermistor  33  is set to have an optimum value when the power supply has a predetermined temperature in the steady state. Accordingly, before the power supply reaches the steady state, excessive current is prevented from flowing into the bridge diode  31 .  
           [0013]    In the meantime, the electrolytic capacitor  32  is a capacitor formed with a metal film and a dielectric layer inserted in electrolyte, and explodes if a voltage outputted from the rectifier  30  exceeds the voltage that the power supply can withstand, and, when exploded, the electrolyte splashes over the circuit components constituting the power supply.  
           [0014]    Since the electrolyte is electrically conductive, the splashed electrolyte short-circuits neighboring circuit components, thereby breaking down the power supply. Further, a dc voltage smoothed through the electrolytic capacitor  32  applies stress on the power supply just before the electrolytic capacitor  32  explodes, which deteriorates electric characteristics of the circuit components constituting the power supply.  
           [0015]    [0015]FIG. 2 is a circuit diagram showing a power supply protection device formed at an input stage of another conventional power supply.  
           [0016]    The power supply protection device shown in FIG. 2 has a varistor  50  connected to the AC input terminals AC 1  and AC 2 , a fuse  40  connected in series to the AC input terminal AC 1 , an LC filter  60  connected in series and in parallel with the fuse  40  and the AC input terminal AC 2 , respectively, to eliminate noise included in a voltage of the AC power source.  
           [0017]    The varistor  50  is an element that lowers its internal resistance value as a value of the voltage applied thereto increases, which forms a current path between the AC input terminals AC 1  and AC 2  when a potential difference therebetween increases so that an excessive voltage is not applied to the LC filter  60 . In general, the varistor  50  consists of a ZnO 2  material of conductivity, and a surge current passes therethrough when a voltage applied thereto exceeds a predetermined voltage. At this time, if the surge current exceeds the limit capacity of the varistor  50 , the varistor  50  is broken down so that the power supply can not be protected, and fragments thereof are scattered, thereby impacting on its ambient components. Further, there is a problem in that the scattered fragments cause the electric parts of the power supply to be short-circuited so that additional damage is incurred by the parts.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0018]    In order to solve the above and/or other problems, it is an aspect of the present invention to provide a power supply with surge voltage protection functions which minimize damage to circuit components thereof when a surge voltage is applied thereto.  
           [0019]    Additional aspects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows and, in part, will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention.  
           [0020]    The foregoing and/or other aspects of the present invention are achieved by providing a power supply with surge voltage control functions comprising a rectifying unit to rectify a voltage of an AC power source externally applied; a fuse resistor to input and apply the AC power source to the rectifying unit and cut off the voltage of the AC power source exceeding a predetermined value; a pulse generation unit driven by an output voltage of the rectifying unit and to generate a pulse having a predetermined period; a transformer driven by the pulse and to induce a predetermined ac voltage; and a surge voltage control unit turning on by the ac voltage induced by the transformer to form a first current path between the AC power source and the rectifying unit, wherein a second current path is formed between the AC power source and the rectifying unit via the fuse resistor when the output voltage of the rectifying unit exceeds the predetermined value.  
           [0021]    In an aspect of the present invention, the surge voltage control unit includes a voltage generator to generate a dc voltage from the ac voltage induced by the transformer; a first switch to form the first current path between the AC power source and the rectifying unit by the dc voltage received from the voltage generator  610 ; and a second switch to turn off the first switch when the output voltage of the rectifying unit exceeds the predetermined value and to form the second current path between the AC power source and the rectifying unit via the fuse resistor.  
           [0022]    In another aspect of the present invention, the voltage generator includes windings formed at a secondary side of the transformer; a first diode having an anode connected to one end of one winding of the voltage generator windings; and a first resistor having one end connected to a cathode of the first diode and another end which forms a positive(+)voltage output terminal.  
           [0023]    In another aspect of the present invention, the first switch includes a triac having an input terminal connected to the AC power source and an output terminal connected to another end of the one winding formed at the secondary side of the transformer, and a gate connected to the positive voltage output terminal; and a second resistor and a first capacitor each connected between the gate and the output terminal of the triac.  
           [0024]    In yet another aspect of the present invention, the second switch includes a bipolar transistor having a collector connected to the gate of the triac, and an emitter connected to the output terminal of the triac; and a zener diode having an anode connected to a base of the bipolar transistor and a cathode connected to a voltage output terminal of the rectifying unit.  
           [0025]    In still another aspect of the present invention, the second resistor is a damping resistor to consume residual current between the output terminal and the gate of the triac in a state that the triac is turned off.  
           [0026]    Here, the first capacitor delays time at which an output voltage of the voltage generator is applied to the gate of the triac.  
           [0027]    In yet another aspect of the present invention, the power supply further comprises LC filters provided between the AC power source and the rectifying unit, to reduce noise included in the voltage of the AC power source.  
           [0028]    A power suppy comprising a rectifying unit to rectify an externally applied AC power source; a switching unit to apply the AC power source to the rectifying unit through a first electrical path until the AC power source exceeds a predetermined value, and then to cut off the AC power source to the rectifying unit; a pulse generation unit to generate a pulse having a predetermined period and being driven by an output voltage of the rectifying unit; a transformer driven by the generated pulse to induce a predetermined ac voltage; and a surge voltage control unit to form a second path for a current to flow from the AC power source to the rectifying unit when turned on by the induced predetermined ac voltage, the current flowing from the AC power source to the rectifying unit through the first electrical path when the output voltage of the rectifying unit exceeds the predetermined value.  
           [0029]    In an aspect of this embodiment, the surge voltage control unit includes a voltage generator to generate a dc voltage from the ac voltage induced by the transformer a first switch to form a current path between the AC power source and the rectification unit by the dc voltage; and a second switch to turn off the first switch when the output voltage of the rectification unit exceeds the predetermined value and to form the current path between the AC power source and the rectifying unit via the switching unit.  
           [0030]    The foregoing and/or other aspects of the present invention may also be achieved by providing a method of providing surge voltage protection to a power supply, the method comprising rectifying a voltage of an externally applied AC power source received through a first electrical path; cutting off the voltage of the AC power source if the voltage exceeds a predetermined value; generating a pulse of a predetermined period from the rectified voltage; inducing a predetermined ac voltage by the generated pulse; and switching the first electrical path to a second electrical path between the AC power source and the rectifying operation to provide current to the rectifying operation thorugh the second electrical path when an output voltage of the rectifying operation does not exceed a predetermined value, and returning the flow of the current from the AC power source to the rectifying operation through the first electrical path when the output voltage of the rectifying operation exceeds a predetermined value.  
           [0031]    The foregoing and/or other aspects of the present invention may also be achieved by providing power supply comprising a power source generating an ac voltage; a rectifier connected to the power source to convert the ac voltage to the dc voltage; a first current path line connected between the power source and the rectifier; a second current path line connected between the power source and the rectifier; and a surge voltage controller selecting one of the first current path and the second current path line as a current path from the power source to the rectifier according to the dc voltage value.  
           [0032]    In an aspect of the above embodiment, the first current path line comprises a switch turned on and off according to the dc voltage value.  
           [0033]    In another aspect of the above embodiment, the second current path line comprises a switch causing a voltage drop between the power source and the rectifier.  
           [0034]    In yet another aspect of the above embodiment, the power supply further comprises a transformer connected to the rectifier and the surge voltage controller to generate another ac voltage, wherein the surge voltage controller selects the first current path line according to the another ac voltage.  
           [0035]    The foregoing and/or other aspects of the present invention may also be achieved by providing an electrical apparatus preventing power surges, comprising: a power supply to supply an ac voltage, the power supply including: a rectifier to convert the supplied ac voltage to a dc voltage, a first current path line connected between the power source and the rectifier, a second current path line connected between the power source and the rectifier, and a surge voltage controller selecting one of the first current path line and the second current path line as a current path from the power source to the rectifier according to the converted dc voltage value; and at least one electrical component to receive an output of the power supply.  
           [0036]    In an aspect of the above embodiment, the first current path line comprises a switch turned on and off according to the dc voltage value.  
           [0037]    In another aspect of the above embodiment, the second current path line comprises a switch causing a voltage drop between the power source and the rectifier.  
           [0038]    In yet another aspect of the above embodiment, the power supply further comprises a transformer connected to the rectifier and the surge voltage controller to generate another ac voltage, wherein the surge voltage controller selects the first current path line according to the another ac voltage. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0039]    These and/or other aspects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent and more readily appreciated from the following description of the embodiments, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings of which:  
         [0040]    [0040]FIG. 1 is a detailed circuit diagram showing a conventional power supply;  
         [0041]    [0041]FIG. 2 is a detailed circuit diagram showing a power supply protection device formed at an input stage of a conventional power supply; and  
         [0042]    [0042]FIG. 3 is a detailed circuit diagram showing a power supply according to an embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0043]    [0043]FIG. 4 is an electrical apparatus having a power supply suppling an ac voltage, according to another embodiment of the present invention.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0044]    Reference will now be made in detail to the embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to the like elements throughout. The embodiments are described below in order to explain the present invention by referring to the figures.  
         [0045]    [0045]FIG. 3 is a detailed circuit diagram showing a power supply according to an embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0046]    The power supply shown in FIG. 3 has a noise filter  100 , a fuse resistor  200 , a rectifier  300 , a pulse generator  400 , a transformer  500 , and a surge voltage controller  600 .  
         [0047]    The noise filter  100  reduces noise induced in a voltage of an AC power source AC_IN. The voltage of the AC power source AC_IN has a frequency ranging from 50 Hz to 60 Hz, and the noise filter  100  eliminates frequencies lower or higher than this frequency range so as to reduce the noise induced in the voltage of the AC power source AC_IN.  
         [0048]    The fuse resistor  200  is a resistor that becomes electrically open-circuited when a voltage exceeding a predetermined voltage value is applied thereto, and the fuse resistor  200  does not cause additional damage to the power supply since the fuse resistor  200  does not splash or scatter electrolyte or conductive fragments over the noise filter  100 , the rectifier  300 , the pulse generator  400 , and/or the surge voltage controller  600 .  
         [0049]    The rectifier  300  rectifies a voltage of the AC power source AC_IN having noise reduced by the noise filter  100  and converts the rectified voltage into a dc voltage. The rectifier  300  includes a bridge diode  301  to rectify the voltage of the AC power source AC_IN and a capacitor  302  to smooth out the rectified voltage.  
         [0050]    The pulse generator  400  is driven by the dc voltage converted in the rectifier  300 , and generates a PWM (pulse width modulation) pulse having a frequency and a duty ratio based on predetermined values. The generated PWM pulse turns on and off the primary winding of the transformer  500  to induce predetermined ac voltages across secondary windings of the transformer  500 .  
         [0051]    The transformer  500  has one primary winding T 1 _ 2  and four secondary windings T 1 _ 1 , T 1 _ 3 , T 1 _ 4 , and T 1 _ 5 . The primary winding T 1 _ 2  is driven by the pulse generator  400  and induces a predetermined ac voltage across the secondary windings of the transformer  500 . Here, the ac voltages induced across the secondary windings T 1 _ 1 , T 1 _ 3 , T 1 _ 4 , and T 1 _ 5  are determined based on a winding ratio with respect to the primary winding T 1 _ 2 .  
         [0052]    The surge voltage controller  600  is turned on by an the voltage induced across the secondary winding T 1 _ 3  to form a first current path between the AC power source AC_IN and the rectifier  300  via the surge voltage controller  600 , and, when an output voltage of the rectifier  300  exceeds a predetermined potential level, that is, when a surge voltage is applied, the surge voltage controller  600  changes the first current path to a second current path in which the voltage of the AC power source is applied to the rectifier  300  through the fuse resistor  200 , to thereby disconnect the AC power source AC_IN. and the rectifier  300  from their connection to each other via the surcharge voltage controller  600 . At this time, a voltage to open-circuit the fuse resistor  200  is made lower, by a certain amount of voltage, than the surge voltage.  
         [0053]    It is an aspect of the present invention that the noise filter  100  has a damping resistor  101 , a first LC filter  102 , a second LC filter  106 , a fuse  105 , and capacitors  103  and  104 .  
         [0054]    The damping resistor  101  consumes current remaining on power lines when the AC power source AC_IN is cut off. At this time, the damping resistor  101  forms a current path with capacitors  102   a  and  102   b  provided in the first LC filter  102  to consume residual current.  
         [0055]    The first and second LC filters  102  and  106  eliminate noise from the AC power source AC_IN having a frequency range of 50 Hz˜60 Hz, that is, frequencies lower or higher than the frequency range of the AC power source AC_IN.  
         [0056]    The fuse  105  prevents a voltage of the AC power source AC_IN from being applied to the inside of the power supply in the case where a potential level of the AC power source AC_IN through the first LC filter  102  is excessively high.  
         [0057]    The capacitors  103  and  104  are bypass capacitors, which discharge to a ground high-frequency noise introduced into the AC power source AC_IN.  
         [0058]    Here, the rectifier  300  has a bridge diode  301  and a capacitor  302 . The bridge diode  301  rectifies a voltage of the AC power source noise-eliminated by the noise filter  100 . The capacitor  302  smoothes and converts a rectified ac voltage into a complete dc voltage.  
         [0059]    As illustrated in FIG. 3, the pulse generator  400  has resistors  401 ,  402 , and  405 , a PWM IC  403 , and a diode  406 . The resistors  401  and  402  limit current from the dc voltage outputted from the rectifier  300 , and then provide a driving voltage to the PWM IC  403 . At this point, the current provided to the PWM IC  403  passes through the two resistors  401  and  402  so that an electric power value for each of the resistors  401  and  402  is low. That is, one resistor may be used, but, in order to reduce stress applied to the resistor, the two resistors  401  and  402  are used here to reduce the current flow.  
         [0060]    The PWM IC  403  is driven by a dc voltage applied through the resistors  401  and  402 , and generates a PWM pulse having a predetermined frequency and duty ratio. The generated PWM pulse is applied to the gate of an NMOS  404 , and the NMOS  404  turns on and off the primary winding T 12  of the transformer  500  according to the PWM pulse to thereby induce predetermined ac voltages across the second windings, for example, T 1 _ 1 , T 1 _ 3 , T 1 _ 4 , and T 1 _ 5 , of the transformer  500 .  
         [0061]    The diode  406  forms a current path between a positive voltage and a negative voltage that are outputted from the rectifier  300  together with the secondary winding T 11 . At this time, since the diode  406  has a high resistance in the reverse direction, the potential level of the dc voltage applied to the PWM IC  403  is not changed.  
         [0062]    Here, the surge voltage controller  600  has a voltage generator  610 , a first switch  620 , and a second switch  630 .  
         [0063]    The voltage generator  610  half-wave-rectifies an ac voltage induced across the secondary winding T 13  of the transformer  500  when the power supply operates to generate a predetermined dc voltage.  
         [0064]    The first switch  620  is turned on by the dc voltage supplied from the voltage generator  610  to form the first current path, where the voltage of the AC power source AC_IN is applied to a node A, such that the current is not applied to the fuse resistor  200  and does not flow through the second current path. Accordingly, the fuse resistor  200  provides a path, e.g., the second current path, for the voltage of the AC power source to be applied to the rectifier  300  only at the time the power supply is initially turned on, and, if the first switch  620  is driven, the voltage of the AC power source AC_IN is not supplied to the rectifier  300  via the fuse resistor  200 , and the second path is bypassed.  
         [0065]    After the first switch  620  is turned on, the second switch  630  will turn off the first switch  620  when an output voltage of the rectifier  300  exceeds a predetermined value, to thereby lead the voltage of the AC power source AC_IN to the fuse resistor  200  so that the fuse resistor  200  becomes open-circuited.  
         [0066]    As illustrated in FIG. 3, the voltage generator  610  may include components such as, for example, a diode  611  and a resistor  612 . However, other component combinations may be used as an alternative which will provide the desired operation of the voltage generator  610 .  
         [0067]    The diode  611  rectifies an ac voltage induced across the secondary winding T 1 _ 3  of the transformer  500 . The present invention as illustrated FIG. 3 presents the half-wave rectification by use of one diode  611 , but, in addition, can be implemented to provide a full-wave rectification.  
         [0068]    The resistor  612  restrains current due to a dc voltage rectified through the diode  611 .  
         [0069]    Here, the first switch  620  has a capacitor  621 , a resistor  622 , and a triac  623 . However, other component combinations may be used as an alternative which will provide the desired operation of a switch as provided by switch  620 .  
         [0070]    The capacitor  621  is charged with the dc voltage applied through the resistor  612  so as to prevent the dc voltage applied through the resistor  612  from being abruptly applied to the triac  623 . Accordingly, a potential level of the dc voltage applied to a gate G of the triac  623  slowly increases to thereby prevent the triac  623  from being damaged.  
         [0071]    The resistor  622  consumes residual current between the gate G of the triac  623  and an output terminal T 2  when the ac voltage is not induced across the second winding T 13  of the transformer  500 , that is, when the power supply is turned off. At this time, the residual current is consumed via a current path formed with the resistor  622 , the diode  611 , and the resistor  612 .  
         [0072]    The triac  623  is turned on with the dc voltage applied to its gate G from the voltage generator  610  so that the first current path is formed between the node A and a node B. Accordingly, the voltage of the AC power source AC_IN outputted from the noise filter  100  is applied to the rectifier  300  through the triac  623  rather than through the fuse resistor  200 . The turn-on resistance of the triac  623  is close to 0Ω, so that the second current path is not formed through the fuse resistor  200  having a predetermined resistance value of, for example, 10ω.  
         [0073]    Here, the second switch  630  has a zener diode  631  and a bipolar transistor  632 . A cathode of the zener diode  631  is connected to an output terminal of the positive(+) voltage of the rectifier  300 , and an anode of the zener diode  631  is connected to a base of the bipolar transistor  632 . It is an aspect of the present invention that the zener diode  631  has as a breakdown voltage value that is the same as a value of the voltage at the time the positive voltage outputted from the rectifier  300  is a surge voltage. For example, provided that an output voltage of 10V is a surge voltage state, it is an aspect that the breakdown voltage of the zener diode is 10V.  
         [0074]    If the output voltage of the rectifier  300  reaches the surge voltage state, the zener diode  631  develops the breakdown phenomenon so that the output voltage of the rectifier  300  is applied to the base of the bipolar transistor  632 . Therefore, the bipolar transistor  632  is turned on to form a current path together with the voltage generator  610 , and the positive voltage is not applied to the gate G of the triac  623 , so that the triac  623  is turned off. Accordingly, a voltage of the AC voltage source AC_IN being applied to the node A is applied to the node B through the fuse resistor  200  and through the second current path. At this time, the surge voltage state of the output voltage of the rectifier  300  indicates that a voltage of the AC power source AC_IN is in the surge voltage state, which causes the fuse resistor  200  to be open-circuited. Due to the open-circuit of the fuse resistor  200 , components constituting the rectifier  300  and the pulse generator  400  receive less stress from a voltage of the AC power source in the surge voltage state, so the components constituting the power supply are not damaged.  
         [0075]    [0075]FIG. 4 illustrates an electrical apparatus  700  according to another embodiment of the present invention. The electrical apparatus  700  includes a power supply  710  supplying an ac voltage according to the power supply illustrated in FIG. 3. The electrical apparatus further includes electrical components  720  and  730  in which the power is supplied to from the power supply  710 . Since the power supply  710  is protected from a surge voltage, as described above with reference to FIG. 3, the electrical components  720  and  730  of the electrical apparatus  700  can receive the power stably from the power supply  710 .  
         [0076]    As stated above, the present invention does not cause the loss of parts constituting the power supply due to a voltage of the AC power source being in surge voltage state. Further, the present invention does not cause a problem of damaging neighboring parts due to explosion of parts such as capacitors or varistors as in the prior art, as well as facilitates instant surge voltage cut-off with the use of semiconductor devices such as the triac as a switching element.  
         [0077]    Although the embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that changes may be made in the embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the invention, the scope of which is defined in the appended claims and their equivalents.