Patent ID: 8106635

Claim:
A power converter comprising: a first input-output circuit; a second input-output circuit; first and second capacitors connected in series; first to fourth electric conduction control devices; and a control circuit that controls turning on and off of the electric conduction control devices, and wherein: the first electric conduction control device connects a positive terminal of the first input-output circuit to a positive terminal of the first capacitor and a positive terminal of the second input-output circuit; the second electric conduction control device connects the positive terminal of the first input-output circuit to a negative terminal of the first capacitor and a positive terminal of the second capacitor; the third electric conduction control device connects a negative terminal of the first input-output circuit to the negative terminal of the first capacitor and the positive terminal of the second capacitor; the fourth electric conduction control device connects the negative terminal of the first input-output circuit to a negative terminal of the second capacitor and a negative terminal of the second input-output circuit; the first electric conduction control device and the fourth electric conduction control device each comprise a first path allowing a current to flow between the first input-output circuit and the second input-output circuit in one direction, and a second path having a switch function of allowing the current flowing between the first input-output circuit and the second input-output circuit to flow through or to be cut off; a current flowing from the first input-output circuit to the second input-output circuit flows through the first path of the first electric conduction control device from when the control circuit turns on the second electric conduction control device to when the control circuit turns on the third electric conduction control device; a current flows to the first input-output circuit from the second input-output circuit flows through the first path of the fourth electric conduction control device from when the control circuit turns on the third electric conduction control device to when the control circuit turns on the second electric conduction control device; a part of the current flowing through the first path of the first electric conduction control device flows through the second path of the first electric conduction control device as the control circuit turns on the switch function; and a part of the current flowing through the first path of the fourth electric conduction control device flows through the second path of the fourth electric conduction control device as the control circuit turns on the switch function is activated by the control circuit.