Abstract: A high-frequency large current handling transformer includes a stack of plural metal planar coil members with a window formed in a center portion of each of the planar coil member. A slit extends outward from the window in each planar coil member. First and second terminals are provided for each planar coil member at locations on opposite sides of the slit. An insulating sheet having a window formed in its center portion is disposed between adjacent ones of the planar coil members. Some of the planar coil members are connected in series to provide a higher-voltage side coil, and the remaining planar coil members are connected in parallel to provide a lower-voltage side coil. An 8-shaped high-frequency core is operatively combined with the coils.

Abstract: A DC power supply apparatus includes a rectifier circuit which rectifies an input commercial AC voltage. The rectifier output voltage is smoothed in a smoothing capacitor. The DC voltage from the capacitor is converted to a high-frequency voltage in an inverter. The high-frequency voltage from the inverter is voltage-transformed by a transformer into a voltage-transformed, high-frequency voltage, which is then converted back into a DC voltage in a high-frequency-to-DC converter circuit. When an input commercial AC voltage is applied to the DC power supply apparatus, a pre-charging circuit pre-charges the smoothing capacitor from the input AC voltage. If a voltage having a magnitude larger than a prescribed value is applied to the DC power supply apparatus, an overvoltage protection circuit renders the rectifier circuit and the pre-charging circuit inoperative.

Abstract: An AC voltage applied among power input supply terminals is rectified by a rectifier, and the rectified voltage is adapted to be reduced in a voltage-reducing converter with a switch connected in parallel with it. A switching circuit connect smoothing capacitors in series or parallel to the voltage-reducing converter. Inverters are connected in parallel with the respective smoothing capacitors. The output voltages of the inverters are voltage-transformed by transformers. The transformed voltages from the transformers are converted to DC voltages by converters. A control unit renders the voltage-reducing converter operative and causes the switching circuit to connect the smoothing capacitors in series when a third AC voltage is applied among the power supply input terminals.

Abstract: An input-side rectifier of a DC power supply apparatus receives and rectifies an AC voltage selected from first and second groups of AC voltages. The AC voltages in the second group are lower than those of the first group. A voltage boosting/lowering converter boosts or lowers the output voltage of the input-side rectifier to a voltage having a predetermined value. An inverter converts the output voltage of the voltage boosting/lowering converter to a high-frequency voltage. A voltage transformer transforms the high-frequency voltage from the inverter. An output-side rectifier rectifies the transformed high-frequency voltage from the transformer.

Abstract: An inverter includes a series circuit of two current conducting units connected between two input terminals adapted to be connected to a DC power supply. Two first capacitors are connected in series between the two input terminals. A primary winding of a transformer is connected between the junction of the current conducting units and the junction of the first capacitors. Each of the current conducting units includes a parallel circuit of an IGBT, a diode and a second capacitor. The IGBT has a collector, an emitter and a gate and is rendered conductive when a control signal is applied to the gate while a voltage of a predetermined polarity is applied between the collector and the emitter. The diode is connected in inverse parallel with the IGBT. An inverter control circuit applies alternately the control signals to the respective IGBTs with a predetermined quiescent period disposed between the respective control signals applied.

Abstract: A DC power supply apparatus includes an input-side rectifier which rectifies an input AC voltage and supplies the rectified voltage to a voltage-boosting converter. The voltage-boosting converter converts the supplied voltage to a voltage of a predetermined magnitude. The predetermined magnitude voltage is, then, converted to a high-frequency voltage by an inverter and applied to a primary winding of a transformer. An output-side rectifier rectifies a high-frequency voltage induced in a secondary winding of the transformer. The inverter includes IGBTs and diodes, which are connected in a full-bridge configuration. A capacitor is connected in parallel with each IGBT. When the IGBTs are rendered conductive by the charging and discharging of the capacitors, no current flows through the IGBTs, and when the IGBTs are rendered nonconductive, the voltages applied to the IGBTs are made to become zero.

Abstract: An arc welder includes an inverter for converting a DC voltage to a RF voltage which, then, is rectified by a rectifier. The output of the rectifier is smoothed by a DC reactor. A RF generator provides RF current to flow between a workpiece and a main electrode of the welder forming a welder load, which initiates arcing between the workpiece and the main electrode. Initiation of arcing causes output current from the DC reactor to be supplied to the welder load, so that steady-state arcing is established. The DC reactor has a relatively small inductance which permit the output current from the DC reactor to reach a value required for establishing the steady-state arcing within a time period during which the RF generator provides RF current. The RF voltage from the inverter has a relatively high frequency so that the output current from the DC reactor can sustain the steady-state arcing.

Abstract: A power supply apparatus for a plasma arc cutter includes an inverter which converts DC power to high-frequency power. An output developing circuit rectifies and smooths the high-frequency power for application between a torch electrode and a workpiece which form together a plasma load. A current detecting unit detects current flowing through the plasma load. A reference signal generating unit generates a reference signal including a preset DC signal and a predetermined AC signal superposed on the DC signal. A control units control the inverter, in accordance with the difference between the output of the current detecting unit and the reference signal, so that the output current to be supplied between the electrode and the workpiece has a predetermined constant DC current and a predetermined AC current superposed on the DC current.The reference signal generating unit can vary the frequency and amplitude of the AC signal in the reference signal.

Abstract: A plasma-arc power supply apparatus includes a main electrode terminal, a nozzle electrode terminal and a workpiece terminal which are respectively coupled to a main electrode, a nozzle electrode and a workpiece of a plasma-arc apparatus. A DC power supply has its first output terminal coupled to the main electrode terminal, and a second output terminal. A pilot arc path is coupled between the second output terminal and the nozzle electrode terminal. A switch is connected in the pilot arc path. A plasma-arc path is coupled between the second output terminal and the workpiece terminal. A current detector has its first input coupled to the plasma-arc path, has its second input coupled to the pilot arc path, and produce a detection signal corresponding to the values of pilot arc and plasma-arc currents in the pilot arc and and plasma-arc paths, respectively.

Abstract: An inverter controlled DC arc welder of consumable electrode type includes an input rectifier for rectifying AC input power, an inverter for converting the rectifier output to high frequency AC power, an output transformer for stepping down the inverter output voltage, and an output rectifier for rectifying the transformer output voltage to provide a DC output voltage to be applied to a welder load. The welder further includes means for detecting current flowing through the welder load to produce a detection signal, a differentiator circuit for differentiating the detection signal, and correction means for correcting a predetermined reference voltage in accordance with the differentiator output voltage. Feedback control means controls the inverter in accordance with the difference between the transformer output and the corrected reference voltage.

Abstract: An arc welder provided with a low frequency square waveform a.c. power supply as a main power supply for welding in order to improve its power of recovering an arc which may go out at the time of polarity transition of a welding load and an auxiliary d.c. power supply for super-posing its output upon the input of the main power supply to further improve the recovering power, in which a switching element is inserted in a supply path of the output of the auxiliary d.c. power supply and the switching element is put in conduction by a suitable control device only for a necessary shortest arc recovery time in order to reduce a power loss due to continuous supply of the auxiliary d.c. output.

Abstract: A d.c. arc welder which can use either a high voltage power supply of a certain voltage such as 400 volts or a low voltage power supply of about a half voltage thereof such as 200 volts and is arranged to effect automatic switching between low and high voltage power supply states not only when the power supply is switched from one to the other but also when the input voltage gradually rises from zero voltage to the above-mentioned high voltage, thereby constantly providing an adequate d.c. output for welding. It is provided with a circuit breaker in a stage next to its input terminals for sensing a high voltage of the power supply to temporarily shut off the input from the power supply and closing the circuit after its initialization.

Abstract: An invertor controlled D.C. arc welder of consumable electrode type which is arranged to rectify an a.c. power from a commercial power supply, convert it into a high frequency a.c. power by an invertor, rectify it again to obtain a d.c. power output for welding and stabilize the output voltage by feedback control of the invertor based upon the output voltage and provided with means for discriminating shorting and arcing periods of its welding load from the output voltage and additionally controlling the invertor based upon a resultant discrimination signal to raise the output voltage during the early time of the arcing period, thereby preventing defective welding due to insufficient output current.

Abstract: An arc welder which can be used with either a high voltage a.c. power supply of a certain voltage or a low voltage a.c. power supply of about a half of said voltage, such as 400 or 200 volts, for example, and which is provided with a circuit configuration in which an input a.c. voltage is rectified by a rectifier and smoothed by a pair of capacitors and the resultant d c. power is converted by an invertor into a high frequency a.c. power which is reduced in voltage by an output transformer and then rectified again, and arranged to discriminate the input a.c. voltage and switchingly connect these capacitors in series or parallel between both ends of the input rectifier, thereby automatically conforming the circuit to both high and low supply voltages.