# US 10,312,016 B2 · Circulating-current reducing circuit and transformer unit > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,312,016 B2 - Document ID: US10312016B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/014,480 - Filed: 2018-06-21 - Published: 2019-01-31 - Granted: 2019-06-04 - Earliest claimed: 2017-07-28 - Assignees: Sumida Corporation - Applicants: Sumida Corporation - Inventors: Takeshi Hatakeyama - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10312016B2 ## CPC - H01F 27/341: {Preventing or reducing no-load losses or reactive currents} - G05F 1/44: semiconductor devices only - H02M 3/33507: {with automatic control of the output voltage or current, e.g. flyback converters (H02M3/33561, H02M3/33569 take precedence)} - H02M 1/008: {Plural converter units for generating at two or more independent and non-parallel outputs, e.g. systems with plural point of load switching regulators} - H01F: MAGNETS; INDUCTANCES; TRANSFORMERS; SELECTION OF MATERIALS FOR THEIR MAGNETIC PROPERTIES - G05F: SYSTEMS FOR REGULATING ELECTRIC OR MAGNETIC VARIABLES - 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) ## Abstract A circulating-current reducing circuit is provided that can suppress a circulating current with a simplified configuration having no control circuit. The circulating-current reducing circuit is connected to a transformer unit to reduce circulating current. The transformer unit includes: a first transformer device; a second transformer device that is connected to the first transformer device in parallel; and a switching element that controls timing of supply of current to a primary coil portion of the first transformer device and a primary coil portion of the second transformer device. The circulating-current reducing circuit includes a first circuit that is connected between the primary coil portion of the first transformer device and the switching element, and a second circuit that is connected between the primary coil portion of the second transformer device and the switching element. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A circulating-current reducing circuit that is connected to a transformer unit to reduce circulating current occurring in the transformer unit, the transformer unit including: a first transformer device having a first primary coil on a primary side thereof, the first primary coil having a first impedance; a second transformer device that is connected to the first transformer device in parallel, the second transformer device having a second primary coil on a primary side thereof, the second primary coil having a second impedance; and a controlling element configured to control supply timing of current to the first primary coil and the second primary coil, the circulating-current reducing circuit comprising: a first circuit that is connected between the first primary coil and a note of the controlling element, the first circuit being connected to the first primary coil in series, the first circuit having a first rectifier element and a first resistance element; and a second circuit that is connected between the second primary coil and the controlling element, the second circuit being connected to the second primary coil in series, the second circuit having a second rectifier element and a second resistance element, wherein the first rectifier element and the first resistance element are connected in parallel to the second rectifier element and the second resistance element, wherein a resistance value of the first rectifier element and the first resistance element is lower than each of the first impedance and the second impedance, and a resistance value of the second rectifier element and the second resistance element is lower than each of the first impedance and the second impedance. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The circulating-current reducing circuit according to claim 1, wherein when the first circuit is disposed upstream of the first primary coil, the second circuit is disposed upstream of the second primary coil, and when the first circuit is disposed downstream of the first primary coil, the second circuit is disposed downstream of the second primary coil. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The circulating-current reducing circuit according to claim 1, wherein the first circuit is a first closed loop circuit by connecting the first rectifier element and the first resistance element in series, and the second circuit is a second closed loop circuit by connecting the second rectifier element and the second resistance element in series. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The circulating-current reducing circuit according to claim 3, wherein the first circuit has a third rectifier element and a third resistance element, the first and third rectifier elements and the first and third resistance elements are alternately connected in series to form the first closed loop circuit, and the second circuit has a fourth rectifier element and a fourth resistance element, the second and fourth rectifier elements and the second and fourth resistance elements are alternately connected in series to form the second closed loop circuit. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The circulating-current reducing circuit according to claim 4, wherein a current rectifying direction of each of the first and second rectifier elements is opposite to a current rectifying direction of each of the third and fourth rectifier elements. ### Claim 6 A transformer unit comprising: a first transformer device having a first primary coil on a primary side thereof, the first primary coil having a first impedance; a second transformer device that is connected to the first transformer device in parallel, the second transformer device having a second primary coil on a primary side thereof, the second primary coil having a second impedance; a controlling element configured to control supply timing of current to the first primary coil and the second primary coil; a first circuit that is connected between the controlling element and the first primary coil, the first circuit being connected to the first primary coil in series, the first circuit having a first rectifier element and a first resistance element; and a second circuit that is connected between the controlling element and the second primary coil, the second circuit being connected to the second primary coil in series, the second circuit having a second rectifier element and a second resistance element, wherein the first rectifier element and the first resistance element are connected in parallel to the second rectifier element and the second resistance element, wherein a resistance value of the first rectifier element and the first resistance element is lower than each of the first impedance and the second impedance, and a resistance value of the second rectifier element and the second resistance element is lower than each of the first impedance and the second impedance. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The transformer unit according to claim 6, wherein when the first circuit is disposed upstream of the first primary coil, the second circuit is disposed upstream of the second primary coil, and when the first circuit is disposed downstream of the first primary coil, the second circuit is disposed downstream of the second primary coil. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The transformer unit according to claim 6, wherein the first circuit is a first closed loop circuit by connecting the first rectifier element and the first resistance element in series, and the second circuit is a second closed loop circuit by connecting the second rectifier element and the second resistance element in series. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The transformer unit according to claim 8, wherein the first circuit has a third rectifier element and a third resistance element, the first and third rectifier elements and the first and third resistance elements are alternately connected in series to form the first closed loop circuit, and the second circuit has a fourth rectifier element and a fourth resistance element, the second and fourth rectifier elements and the second and fourth resistance elements are alternately connected in series to form the second closed loop circuit. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The transformer unit according to claim 9, wherein a current rectifying direction of each of the first and second rectifier elements is opposite to a current rectifying direction of each of the third and fourth rectifier elements. ### Claim 11 A circulating-current reducing circuit that is connected to a transformer unit to reduce circulating current occurring in the transformer unit, the transformer unit including: a first transformer device; a second transformer device that is connected to the first transformer device in parallel; and a controlling element that controls timing of supply of current to a first primary coil portion on a primary side of the first transformer device and a second primary coil portion on a primary side of the second transformer device, the circulating-current reducing circuit including: a first circuit that is connected in series only between one end of the first primary coil and a node of the controlling element, the first circuit having a first rectifier element and a first resistance element; and a second circuit that is connected in series only between one end of the second primary coil and the node of the controlling element, the second circuit having a second rectifier element and a second resistance element, wherein the first circuit is a first closed loop circuit by connecting the first rectifier element and the first resistance element in series, and the second circuit is a second closed loop circuit by connecting the second rectifier element and the second resistance element in series, and when the circulating current is generated between the first primary coil and the second primary coil, the first and second rectifier elements are configured to restrict a current flow direction of the circulating current and the first and second resistance elements are configured to consume the circulating current so that the first and second circuits are configured to reduce the circulating current flowing outside the first and second circuits. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The circulating-current reducing circuit according to claim 11, wherein when the first circuit is disposed upstream of the first primary coil, the second circuit is disposed upstream of the second primary coil, and when the first circuit is disposed downstream of the first primary coil, the second circuit is disposed downstream of the second primary coil. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The circulating-current reducing circuit according to claim 11, wherein the first circuit has a third rectifier element and a third resistance element, the first and third rectifier elements and the first and third resistance elements are alternately connected in series to form the first closed loop circuit, and the second circuit has a fourth rectifier element and a fourth resistance element, the second and fourth rectifier elements and the second and fourth resistance elements are alternately connected in series to form the second closed loop circuit. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The circulating-current reducing circuit according to claim 13, wherein a current rectifying direction of each of the first and second rectifier elements is opposite to a current rectifying direction of each of the third and fourth rectifier elements.