An electronic device for the conversion of electric energy between a voltage source and a current source, comprising
- n controllable switching cells (CL.sub.1 . . . CL.sub.k . . . CL.sub.n) each comprising two switches (I.sub.Ak, I.sub.Bk) with n.gtoreq.2, each cell being identified by a rank k such that 1.ltoreq.k.ltoreq.n,
- a control logic (LG.sub.k) connected to each switching cell (CL.sub.k) for delivering thereto control signals (sc.sub.k) of a frequency F, for assuring opposed switchings of the two switches of the cell,
- control means (GP) for delivering to said control logic a reference signal (sr) as a function of the energy conversion desired,
- -n- homologous switches of the cells being connected in series and the -n- other homologous switches themselves being connected in series, in such a manner as to provide two symmetrical series, termed series A and series B, in which the two switches (I.sub.Ak, I.sub.Bk) of a given cell occupy symmetrical positions with respect to the source of current,
- the two series A and B of switches being interconnected by one common extremity to said current source (J), and by the other common extremity to said voltage source (E), the rank k associated with the cells increasing from the cell (CL.sub.1) in which the switches are directly connected to the current source (k=1) to the cell (CL.sub.n) in which the switches are directly connected to the voltage source (k=n),
- said conversion device being characterized in that:
- capacitors (c.sub.k) associated with the switching cells (CL.sub.k) in such a manner that the symmetrical terminals of the two switches (I.sub.Ak, I.sub.Bk) of each cell are connected to each other through a capacitor for maintaining between said terminals a voltage, termed a load voltage of the capacitor, and assuring an alternate circulation of current from one switch to another switch of the cell,
- the control logics (LG.sub.k) of the -n- switching cells are synchronized for distributing the control signals (sc.sub.k) over time such that the current circulating in each capacitor (c.sub.k) has, over a period of time 1/F, an average value essentially proportional to the variation of the voltage at the terminals of the voltage source over that same period of time, and in particular essentially zero for a continuous voltage source.