# US 10,122,273 B2 · DC-DC converter

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- Number: US 10,122,273 B2
- Document ID: US10122273B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/325,198
- Filed: 2014-09-01
- Published: 2017-06-29
- Granted: 2018-11-06
- Earliest claimed: 2014-09-01
- Assignees: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
- Applicants: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
- Inventors: Fumio Wada; Hiroya Sannai
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10122273B2

## CPC

- H02M 3/158: including plural semiconductor devices as final control devices for a single load
- H02M 1/08: Circuits specially adapted for the generation of control voltages for semiconductor devices incorporated in static converters
- H02M 3/1588: {comprising at least one synchronous rectifier element (H02M3/1582, H02M3/1584 take precedence)}
- H02M 1/0048: {Circuits or arrangements for reducing losses (using snubbers H02M1/34)}
- H02M 1/0054: {Transistor switching losses (periodically suspending operation of switching converter in low power mode H02M1/0035)}
- H02M 1/327: {against abnormal temperatures}
- Y02B 70/10: Technologies improving the efficiency by using switched-mode power supplies [SMPS], i.e. efficient power electronics conversion e.g. power factor correction or reduction of losses in power supplies or efficient standby modes
- H02M: APPARATUS FOR CONVERSION BETWEEN AC AND AC, BETWEEN AC AND DC, OR BETWEEN DC AND DC, AND FOR USE WITH MAINS OR SIMILAR POWER SUPPLY SYSTEMS; CONVERSION OF DC OR AC INPUT POWER INTO SURGE OUTPUT POWER; CONTROL OR REGULATION THEREOF (transformers H01F; dynamo-electric converters H02K47/00; controlling transformers, reactors or choke coils, control or regulation of electric motors, generators or dynamo-electric converters H02P)
- Y02B: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO BUILDINGS, e.g. HOUSING, HOUSE APPLIANCES OR RELATED END-USER APPLICATIONS

## Abstract

An object is to provide a technique enabling conversion efficiency to be increased irrespective of an operating ambient temperature. A DC-DC converter includes switching elements, a drive unit which drives the switching elements to conduct synchronous rectification, a freewheel diode connected in parallel to the switching element, and a temperature detection circuit which detects a temperature of the freewheel diode. The drive unit stops driving the switching element when the temperature detected by the temperature detection circuit is equal to or lower than a predetermined first threshold value.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A DC-DC converter comprising:
a high-side switching element and a low-side switching element;
a drive unit which drives said high-side switching element and said low-side switching element to conduct synchronous rectification;
a freewheel diode connected in parallel to said low-side switching element; and
a temperature detection unit which detects a temperature of said freewheel diode,
wherein when a temperature detected by said temperature detection unit is equal to or lower than a predetermined first threshold value, said drive unit stops driving said low-side switching element, and wherein
a plurality of said low-side switching elements are connected in parallel to each other, and
said drive unit changes the number of said low-side switching elements to be driven based on a temperature detected by said temperature detection unit.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The DC-DC converter according to claim 1, further comprising a voltage detection unit which detects a voltage of said freewheel diode,
wherein said drive unit stops driving said low-side switching element when the voltage detected by said voltage detection unit is equal to or higher than a predetermined second threshold value.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The DC-DC converter according to claim 1, wherein said drive unit is constructed from one IC (Integrated Circuit).

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The DC-DC converter according to claim 1, wherein at least one of semiconductor elements configuring said DC-DC converter is configured with a wideband gap semiconductor.