Patent ID: 8228050

Claim:
A switching power supply comprising: a DC power supply comprising a low-potential-side terminal and a high-potential-side terminal; an output capacitor comprising a first end and a second end, the first end of the output capacitor being connected to the low-potential-side terminal of the DC power supply; a first switching device through an n-th. switching device, said n being a positive integer equal to 2 or larger; a first inductor through an n-th. inductor; wherein the first switching device through the n-th. switching device and the first inductor through the n-th. inductor are connected alternately between the high-potential-side terminal of the DC power supply and the second end of the output capacitor; wherein the first switching device is connected to the high-potential-side terminal of the DC power supply; wherein the n-th. Inductor is connected to the second end of the output capacitor; a commutation element, n-pieces of the commutation elements being connected between a connection point of an i-th. switching device and an i-th. inductor and the low-potential-side terminal of the DC power supply, said i being positive integers 1 through n; and a changeover switch, (n−1)-pieces of the changeover switches being connected between a connection point of a (j−1)-th. inductor and a j-th. switching device and the second end of the output capacitor, said j being positive integers 2 through n.