Patent ID: 8269450

Claim:
A winding switching apparatus comprising: a winding switching device configured to switch a plurality of windings of an AC motor which is configured to be driven by an inverter to supply a variable voltage having a variable frequency; a drive circuit configured to control the winding switching device; and the winding switching device comprising: a winding switch configured to switch the plurality of windings based on a winding-switching signal from the drive circuit; a diode bridge including a positive-side DC output terminal, a negative-side DC output terminal, and AC input terminals, the AC input terminals corresponding to respective phases of the AC motor, the positive-side and negative-side DC output terminals being respectively connected to positive-side and negative-side DC buses provided in the inverter, the AC input terminals being respectively connected to winding-switching terminals corresponding to the respective phases of the AC motor, the AC input terminals being respectively connected to phase terminals provided in the winding switch; and a capacitor connecting the positive-side DC output terminal to the negative-side DC output terminal.