VPT’s Design for A New Power Converter with Gate Driving Awarded US Patent

At VPT we are constantly developing new and innovative power conversion solutions for use in avionics, military, space, and industrial applications. We are proud to announce that one of our recent breakthrough designs has earned a US patent. This is a testament to the ingenuity and expertise of our engineers who continually push the boundaries of power conversion technology.

A Solution to a Common Challenge

Gate drivers utilizing isolation transformers during a short circuit event or even in the course of an ordinary shutdown sometimes face challenges, namely, the driver can lose control of the power switch causing the switch to turn on for long periods of time while the pulse-width-modulator (PWM) is commanding the driver to keep the switch off. This loss of control can often damage the power converter. VPT engineers have designed a solution to solve this problem by ensuring that the appropriate components are de-energized inside the classical dc-restore driver circuit, preventing the PWM from losing control of the power switch.

The Patent-Winning Design

VPT’s new invention includes new transformer-isolated driver designs that build upon the classical dc-restore circuit while solving the known issues with how the dc-restore circuit behaves during short circuit and shutdown events. The drive section features an innovative method of driving the power switch in cases where isolating the switch terminals from the PWM ground is desired. The design uses basic, simple parts (e.g. resistors, small discrete components, etc.) to solve the problems related to when PWM-type switching power supplies encounter fault conditions such as a short circuit across the output. It also protects the switch and the load when an ordinary shutdown or disable command is received.

Useful Applications

One advantage of this invention’s design is that it uses fewer components that are inexpensive, and common in the industry, which is crucial not only because it helps to reduce costs, but it also increases component reliability. More parts translate to a higher failure rate for the switched mode power supply. This is especially useful for military and space-borne applications where failure can be a very costly mistake.

VPT’s new patent-winning design is just the latest advancement developed by our expert engineers. Our commitment to devising new problem-solving technologies is why NASA, Lockheed Martin, Boeing, the United States Air Force, and other leading institutions depend on VPT’s power solutions for use in mission-critical devices. Learn more about our awards and achievements here.

Read more at vptpower.com