Power converter with resonant circuit

A power converter having a high-side input terminal and a low-side input terminal connected to a power source, and a high-side output terminal and a low-side output terminal connected to an electrical load, the power converter comprising:

• a first main switch;
• a second main switch connected in series to the first main switch, a capacitance component being connected in parallel to at least one of the first and second main switches;
• a main inductor having first and second ends, the first end being connected to a connection point of the first and second main switches;
• a controller configured to complementarily turn on the first and second main switches to:
• charge electromagnetic energy input from the power source via the high-side input terminal and the low-side input terminal into the main inductor;
• and;
• output the electromagnetic energy charged in the main inductor to the electrical load via the high-side output terminal and the low-side output terminal;
• a resonance inductor connected in series to the capacitance component, the resonance inductor and the capacitance component constituting a series resonant circuit;
• a first electrical path connecting between the series resonant circuit and a selected terminal from the high-side input terminal, the low-side input terminal, the high-side output terminal and the low-side output terminal;
• an auxiliary diode having a forward direction, the auxiliary diode being provided on one of the series resonant circuit and the first electrical path such that a current flow direction therethrough is along a direction from the selected terminal toward the resonance inductor;
• an auxiliary switch provided on one of the series resonant circuit and the first electrical path, the auxiliary switch being configured to, when turned on, cause:
• an inductor current to flow through the auxiliary diode to the resonance inductor, thus storing electromagnetic energy in the resonance inductor;
• and
• the resonance inductor and the capacitance component of the series resonant circuit to resonate with each other;
• a second electrical path that bypasses the auxiliary switch for flow of the inductor current;
• and
• a discharge unit provided on the second electrical path, the discharge unit being activated to discharge the electromagnetic energy stored in the resonance inductor via the second electrical path.