Patent ID: 8604384

Claim:
A welding or cutting device comprising: a first transistor and a first diode coupled together in parallel between a first node and a second node; a second transistor and a second diode coupled together in parallel between the second node and a third node; a first capacitor coupled in series with the third node and the first node and coupled to a primary power input that in operation establishes a direct current (DC) voltage across the first capacitor; a third transistor and a third diode coupled together in parallel between the first node and a fourth node; a fourth transistor and a fourth diode coupled together in parallel between the fourth node and the third node; an inductor arranged between the second node and the fourth node and coupled to a first terminal of an output, wherein the first transistor, the second diode, and the inductor form a first buck converter; the second transistor, the first diode, and the inductor form a second buck converter; and the first and second buck converters form a bidirectional buck converter that in operation converts the DC voltage across the first capacitor to a regulated DC current in the inductor; a second terminal of the output coupled to the fourth node or the second node, wherein the first terminal and the second terminal of the output couple with ports configured to couple the welding or cutting device to a welding or cutting torch; and wherein the third transistor, the third diode, the fourth transistor, and the fourth diode comprise a half bridge inverter that in operation converts the regulated DC current in the inductor into alternating current (AC) current at the output.