IP Library Granted Patent US 12,483,147
Granted Patent B2
US 12,483,147 · App. 18/068,689 · Granted Nov 25, 2025

Auxiliary power supply device having resonant circuit

Inventors: Yuusuke Kouno (Tokyo, JP); Toshiyuki Baba (Tokyo, JP)
Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
H02M3/33571H02M1/32H02M3/01
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,483,147
App. No.
18/068,689
Granted
Nov 25, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

An auxiliary power supply device according to an embodiment includes a high-frequency transformer; a chopper to convert a DC power; an inverter to convert output power of the chopper into AC power and supply the AC power to the high-frequency transformer; a DC capacitor connected to a DC end of the inverter; a resonant capacitor to generate a resonance according to switching of the inverter; a rectifier to convert, into DC power, the AC power supplied from the inverter via the high-frequency transformer; and a controller to calculate a resonant frequency of a resonant circuit including the resonant capacitor based on a value supplied from a detector and detect a decrease in capacity of the resonant capacitor using the resonant frequency and the value of the DC input current.

Claims (37)

1 . An auxiliary power supply device comprising:

a high-frequency transformer;

a chopper circuit configured to convert a direct-current (DC) power supplied from a DC power supply;

an inverter configured to convert output power of the chopper circuit into alternate-current (AC) power and supply the AC power to the high-frequency transformer;

a DC capacitor connected to a DC end of the inverter;

a resonant capacitor configured to generate a resonance according to switching of the inverter;

a rectifier configured to convert, into DC power, the AC power supplied from the inverter via the high-frequency transformer;

a detector configured to detect a value of a DC input current of the inverter or a value for calculating the value of the DC input current; and

a control circuit configured to calculate a resonant frequency of a resonant circuit including the resonant capacitor based on the value supplied from the detector and detect a decrease in capacity of the resonant capacitor using the resonant frequency and the value of the DC input current,

wherein:

the detector includes a voltage detector configured to detect a voltage of the DC capacitor and a current detector configured to detect an output current of the chopper circuit, and

the control circuit sets, as the value of the DC input current, a difference obtained by subtracting, from a current value detected with the current detector, a value obtained by multiplying a differential value of a voltage value detected with the voltage detector by a capacitance of the DC capacitor.

2 . The auxiliary power supply device according to claim 1 , wherein the detector includes a current detector configured to detect the value of the DC input current of the inverter.

3 . The auxiliary power supply device according to claim 2 , wherein the control circuit detects a timing when the value of the DC input current becomes smaller than or equal to a predetermine value, and calculates the resonant frequency based on a cycle of the timing.

4 . The auxiliary power supply device according to claim 2 , wherein the control circuit detects a timing when the value of the DC input current becomes smaller than or equal to a predetermine value, and calculates the resonant frequency based on a cycle of the timing.

5 . An auxiliary power supply device comprising:

a high-frequency transformer;

a chopper circuit configured to convert a direct-current (DC) power supplied from a DC power supply;

an inverter configured to convert output power of the chopper circuit into alternate-current (AC) power and supply the AC power to the high-frequency transformer;

a DC capacitor connected to a DC end of the inverter;

a resonant capacitor configured to generate a resonance according to switching of the inverter;

a rectifier configured to convert, into DC power, the AC power supplied from the inverter via the high-frequency transformer;

a detector configured to detect a value of a DC input current of the inverter or a value for calculating the value of the DC input current; and

a control circuit configured to calculate a resonant frequency of a resonant circuit including the resonant capacitor based on the value supplied from the detector and detect a decrease in capacity of the resonant capacitor using the resonant frequency and the value of the DC input current,

wherein the control circuit notifies an outside of an abnormality in a case where the resonant frequency is greater than or equal to a predetermined threshold value and a difference between current peak values of the DC input current per half cycle is greater than or equal to a predetermined value.

6 . An auxiliary power supply device comprising:

a high-frequency transformer;

a chopper circuit configured to convert a direct-current (DC) power supplied from a DC power supply;

an inverter configured to convert output power of the chopper circuit into alternate-current (AC) power and supply the AC power to the high-frequency transformer;

a DC capacitor connected to a DC end of the inverter;

a resonant capacitor configured to generate a resonance according to switching of the inverter;

a rectifier configured to convert, into DC power, the AC power supplied from the inverter via the high-frequency transformer;

a detector configured to detect a value of a DC input current of the inverter or a value for calculating the value of the DC input current; and

a control circuit configured to calculate a resonant frequency of a resonant circuit including the resonant capacitor based on the value supplied from the detector and detect a decrease in capacity of the resonant capacitor using the resonant frequency and the value of the DC input current,

wherein:

the inverter includes an upper arm switch and a lower arm switch, and

the control circuit notifies an outside of an abnormality in a case where the resonant frequency is greater than or equal to a predetermined threshold value and a difference is greater than or equal to a predetermined value, the difference being a difference between a current peak value of the DC input current while the upper arm switch is on and the lower arm switch is off and the current peak value while the upper arm switch is off and the lower arm switch is on.

Assignments (2)
MERGER Recorded Aug 11, 2025
From: TOSHIBA INFRASTRUCTURE SYSTEMS & SOLUTIONS CORPORATION
To: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
Reel/Frame 072400/0314 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 20, 2022
From: KOUNO, YUUSUKE; BABA, TOSHIYUKI
To: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA; TOSHIBA INFRASTRUCTURE SYSTEMS & SOLUTIONS CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 062157/0499 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2021-207053 · Dec 21, 2021 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20230198416A1 · Jun 22, 2023
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