Voltage converter, actuator and gas burner

An electrical step-down converter having a circuit input and a circuit output, which have a common reference potential, the step-down converter comprising:

• a flow-control valve having an inlet and an outlet, the inlet being connected to the circuit input;
• a coil which is connected between the outlet of the flow-control valve and the circuit output;
• a diode which is inserted in a forward direction from the reference potential to the outlet of the flow-control valve;
• an output capacitor between the circuit output and the reference potential;
• a control device for opening and closing the flow-control valve periodically;
• a Zener diode with a forward direction to the reference potential inserted between an anode of the diode and the reference potential);
• and
• a resistor in parallel to the diode.

A current-controlled actuator, comprising:

• a moving coil;
• and
• a step-down converter having a circuit input and a circuit output, which have a common reference potential, the step-down converter including:
• a flow-control valve having an inlet and an outlet, the inlet being connected to the circuit input,
• a coil which is connected between the outlet of the flow-control valve and the circuit output,
• a diode which is inserted in a forward direction from the reference potential to the outlet of the flow-control valve,
• an output capacitor between the circuit output and the reference potential,
• a control device for opening and closing the flow-control valve periodically,
• a Zener diode with a forward direction to the reference potential inserted between an anode of the diode and the reference potential, and
• a resistor in parallel to the diode;
• wherein the moving coil is electrically connected to the circuit output such that an actuating position controlled by the actuator depends on a flow of current through the moving coil effected by the step-down converter.

A gas burner, comprising:

• a controllable gas valve;
• and
• as a current-controlled actuator for controlling the gas valve, the actuator including:
• a moving coil, and
• a step-down converter having a circuit input and a circuit output, which have a common reference potential, the step-down converter including:
• a flow-control valve having an inlet and an outlet, the inlet being connected to the circuit input,
• a coil which is connected between the outlet of the flow-control valve and the circuit output,
• a diode which is inserted in a forward direction from the reference potential to the outlet of the flow-control valve,
• an output capacitor between the circuit output and the reference potential,
• a control device for opening and closing the flow-control valve periodically,
• a Zener diode with a forward direction to the reference potential inserted between an anode of the diode and the reference potential, and
• a resistor in parallel to the diode;
• wherein the moving coil is electrically connected to the circuit output such that an actuating position controlled by the actuator depends on a flow of current through the moving coil effected by the step-down converter
• wherein the actuator acting on the gas valve in such a way that a degree of opening of the gas valve depends on the flow of current effected by the step-down converter.