Patent ID: 7141941

Claim:
An apparatus for supplying AC power at a prescribed AC frequency to respective ones of a plurality of high voltage devices comprising: a plurality of switched power supply units having outputs thereof respectively coupled to said plurality of high voltage devices, a respective power supply unit having switching devices that are controllably switched on and off at said prescribed AC frequency by respective switching signals applied thereto, said respective switching signals having said prescribed AC frequency, so as to apply respective AC power supply voltages having said prescribed AC frequency to said respective ones of said plurality of high voltage devices; and a switching signal generator, which is operative to provide said respective switching signals having said prescribed AC frequency and offset in time with respect to one another by respective fractions of the period of said prescribed AC frequency, such that no two of said plurality of switched power supply units have switching devices thereof switched on and off at the same time, whereby said respective AC power supply voltages that are applied to said respective ones of said plurality of high voltage devices are offset in time with respect to one another.