Switched high voltage power supply system

A power supply comprising in combination:

• at least one inductor;
• means for maintaining a DC idling curren through said at least one inductor while a constant voltage is applied to load means;
• and
• switch means for coupling said at least one inductor to said load means for changing the voltage at said load means to a selected one of three or more predetermined values and for uncoupling said at least one inductor from said load means when said selected value has been attained, the major portion of the energy used in changing said voltage at said load means being from said inductor.

In combination:

• an up voltage step circuit and a down voltage step circuit, each of said circuits comprising:
• an inductor;
• means for maintaining a DC idling current through said inductor while a constant voltage is applied to load means;
• switching means coupled to said inductor;
• first and second DC power supply means, said first and second DC power supply means being coupled to series with one another;
• first and second transformer means, said first transformer means being coupled to an output of said up voltage step circuit and said second transformer means being coupled to an output of said down voltage step circuit, each of said transformer means being coupled to said load means;
• means for operating said switch means in said up voltage step circuit to couple said inductor therein to said first transformer means in response to a signal indicating an upward transition in voltage and means for operating said switch means in said down voltage step circuit to couple said inductor therein to said second transformer means in response to a signal indicating a downward transistion in voltage;
• and
• means for operating both of said switch means to uncouple said inductor from said transformer means when a predetermined voltage value among three or more selectable values has been reached in response to said voltage across said load means.

The method comprising the steps of:

• storing energy in one or more inductors by passing a DC idling current therethrough while a constant voltage is applied to a load;
• coupling energy from said one or more inductors to said load in response to a signal for changing the voltage across said load, said signal being determinative of three or more selectable voltages;
• and
• ceasing said coupling of energy from said one or more inductors to said load when the voltage across said load has reached a predetermined value.