Power converter using normally on field effect transistors

Power converter comprising:

• a power supply bus provided with a positive line (10) and a negative line (11), and to which is applied a DC voltage (Vbus),
• a bus capacitor (Cb) connected between the positive line (10) and the negative line (11) of the power supply bus,
• a number of switching legs connected between the positive line (10) and the negative line (11) of the power supply bus, each switching leg comprising two series-connected transistors and a connection mid-point (M1, M2, M3) situated between the two transistors and connected to an electrical load (2),
• the transistors (T1-T6) of the switching legs being of the field-effect type and each controlled by a gate control device (CT1-CT6) in order to power the electrical load (2),
• a first switch (I1) connected to the positive line (10) or negative line (11) of the power supply bus, upstream of the bus capacitor (Cbus),
• characterized in that the power converter comprises:
• a second switch (I2) connected in series with the first switch on the positive line (10) or negative line (11) of the power supply bus, downstream of the bus capacitor (Cbus),
• control means (3) for the first switch (I1) and the second switch (I2).