Power unit for generating discharge shock waves

A power unit for creating discharge shock waves, said power unit comprising:

• a discharge electrode;
• a plurality of capacitors connected in series with each other and with said discharge electrode to form a plurality of stages including a first stage and a last stage, with every other one of said plurality of capacitors constituting a first group of capacitors and a remainder of said plurality of capacitors constituting a second group of capacitors, each of said plurality of capacitors having a first terminal and a second terminal;
• a plurality of first coils, each of said first coils having a first terminal and a second terminal;
• a plurality of switches, each of said plurality of switches having a first main electrode, a second main electrode, and a triggering electrode;
• a respective one of said first coils being associated with a respective one of said switches and a respective one of the capacitors in said first group of capacitors so that each capacitor in said first group of capacitors can be switched into a LC series circuit;
• a power source having a first terminal and a second terminal;
• a plurality of first electrical elements, each of said first electrical elements being selected from the group consisting of resistors and coils, said plurality of first electrical elements being connected in series with each other and to said first terminal of said power source, with a connection between adjacent ones of said plurality of first electrical elements being connected to a connection between the first terminal of a respective one of said first coils and the first main electrode of the respective one of said switches which is associated therewith;
• a plurality of second electrical elements, each of said second electrical elements being selected from the group consisting of resistors and coils, said plurality of second electrical elements being connected in series with each other between said second terminal of said power source and said discharge electrode, with a connection between adjacent ones of said plurality of second electrical elements being connected to a connection between a respective one of the capacitors in said second group of capacitors and the second main electrode of a respective one of said switches;
• a triggering voltage source;
• a plurality of second capacitors;
• and
• a plurality of insulating pulse transformers, each of said insulating pulse transformers having a primary side and a secondary side, the primary side of each respective one of said insulating pulse transformers and each respective one of said second capacitors being associated with a stage, other than the final stage, represented by a capacitor of said first group of capacitors;
• wherein the primary side of a respective insulating pulse transformer and a respective one of said second capacitors are connected in series between the first main electrode and the second main electrode of a respective switch;
• wherein the first main electrode of a respective switch is connected to a first terminal of the associated one of said first coils, and the second main electrode of a respective switch is connected to a first terminal of the associated one of said first group of capacitors;
• wherein the triggering electrode, of the switch which is associated with said first stage, is connected to said triggering voltage source;
• and
• wherein the secondary side of a respective insulating pulse transformer is connected between the triggering electrode and the second main electrode of a respective switch, other than the switch associated with the first stage.