Power converter with a plurality of switching power stage circuits

A power converter, comprising:

• a) a first terminal;
• b) a second terminal;
• ro) N A-type switching power stage circuits, each having a first energy storage element, wherein N is a positive integer, wherein a first terminal of a first A-type switching power stage circuit in the N A-type switching power stage circuits is coupled to the first terminal of the power converter, and a second terminal of each of the N A-type switching power stage circuits is coupled to the second terminal of the power converter;
• d) one B-type switching power stage circuit;
• and
• e) N second energy storage elements, wherein each of the N second energy storage elements is directly connected to ground and configured to receive electrical energy from a previous A-type switching power stage circuit, and to provide electrical energy to one of the N A-type switching power stage circuits, and wherein the B-type switching power stage circuit is coupled between a terminal of one of the N second energy storage elements corresponding to the B-type switching power stage circuit and the second terminal of the power converter.