Patent ID: 8050069

Claim:
A bus centering device for use in an aircraft electrical power distribution system that includes a positive bus rail, a negative bus rail, and a ground, said device comprising: a central node; a first switching component configured to couple the central node to the positive bus rail for a first predetermined duty cycle; a second switching component configured to couple the central node to the negative bus rail for a second predetermined duty cycle; an inductive component comprising a three leg interphase transformer coupled between the central node and ground, said inductive component configured to maintain a voltage at the central node substantially equal to ground potential, wherein a voltage between the positive bus rail and the central node is maintained substantially equal to a voltage between the negative bus rail and the central node; a first current limiting device coupled to said first switching component and said inductive component, said first current limiting device configured to maintain a continuity of current from said inductive component when said first switching component is turned off; and a second current limiting device coupled to said second switching component and said inductive component, said second current limiting device configured to maintain a continuity of current from said inductive component when said second switching component is turned off.