Abstract: A connector for a pin includes a support ring, and a contact ring of fingers that are (i) connected to and integrally formed with the support ring, (ii) held in a space within the support ring, (iii) define a channel within the contact ring for receiving the pin, (iv) are resilient with respect to the outer support to apply radially inward forces on the pin, and (v) have a curved inner profile to increase the surface area in contact with the pin. A resilient element may be placed in the space between the support ring and contact ring.

Abstract: In a zero-current switching boost power converter which includes coupled inductors, and which operates in a half-cycle mode wherein the switch is turned off at the first zero-crossing of current subsequent to the switch being turned on, a negative voltage which would otherwise appear across the switch is instead supported by a saturable inductor. The component values in the zero-current switching boost converter are arranged so as to maintain the peak negative voltages which appear across the converter capacitor and the saturable inductor at relatively low levels and the volt-second capability of the saturable inductor is chosen so that the effect of the inductor on circuit losses and overall circuit operation is minimized. Implementations of switches for use in such a converter, which include a diode in parallel with a unidirectional switch, are also disclosed.