
LinkSwitch
Design Guide
Application Note AN-35
April 2003
Introduction
Integrated switching power supply technology, offering small
size, low weight and universal AC input voltage operation, has
finally evolved to cost-effectively replace linear transformer-
based power supplies for low power applications.
LinkSwitch
reduces the cost of switching battery chargers and AC adapters
to the level of linear transformer power supplies.
LinkSwitch
also easily meets standby and no-load energy consumption
guidelines specified by worldwide regulatory programs such as
the USA
’
s Presidential 1 W Standby Executive Order and the
European Commission
’
s 2005 requirement for 300 mW
no-load consumption.
The feature set of
LinkSwitch
offers the following advantages
over other solutions:
Lowest cost and component count for a constant voltage,
constant current (CV/CC) solution
Extremely simple circuit
–
only 14 components required
for a production-worthy design
Primary based CV/CC solution eliminates 10 to 20
components for low system cost
Up to 75% lighter power supply reduces shipping costs
Fully integrated auto-restart for short circuit and open
loop fault protection
42 kHz operation simplifies EMI filter design
3 W output with EE13 core for low cost and small size
LinkSwitch
is designed to produce an approximate CV/CC
output characteristic as shown in Figure 2. In charger applications,
a discharged battery operates on the CC portion of the curve
until almost fully charged and then naturally transitions to the
CV portion of the curve. Below an output voltage of
approximately 2 V (consistent with a failed battery pack), the
supply enters auto-restart, reducing the average output current
to approximately 8% of nominal.
In an AC adapter, normal operation occurs only on the CV
portion of the curve, the CC portion providing overload
protection and auto-restart short circuit protection.
LinkSwitch
is a fixed frequency PWM controlled device,
designed to operate with flyback converters in discontinuous
mode. In the CV portion of the curve, the device operates using
voltage mode control and changes to a current limit mode
during the CC portion of the curve. Total system CV accuracy
is typically
±
10% at the peak power point, including all device
tolerances and line input voltage variations. With transformer
primary inductance variations within
±
10%, the total system
CC accuracy is typically
±
20% (LNK501) or
±
25% (LNK500)
compared to nominal values.
During CV operation, the reflected output voltage (V
) controls
the duty cycle.
LinkSwitch
is placed in the high side rail, as
shown in Figure 1, such that V
can be sensed directly,
requiring no additional subtraction of the input voltage
component.
Figure 1. Key Parameters for an Initial LinkSwitch Design.
PI-2957-081602
LinkSwitch
D
V
RCABLE
V
DOUT
V
RSEC
R
SEC
0.15
R
CABLE
0.3
D
OUT
0.7 V/
1.1 V
S
C
I
O
Load
V
O
V
SEC
C
OUT
N
P
:N
S
V
OR
V
LEAK
R
LF
100
D
CLAMP
1N4937
I
SEC(RMS)
2 x I
O
I
SEC(PEAK)
4 x I
O
V
FB
+
C
CLAMP
0.1
μ
F, 100 V
C
0.22
μ
F/1
μ
F,
10 V
U1
I
DCT
R
FB
AC INPUT
+
+
+
+
C1+C2
3
μ
F/W
or 1
μ
F/W
RF1
10
Fusible
D1-D4
IN4005
1 A, 600 V
L1
680
μ
H - 2.2 mH,
≥
80 mA RMS
+
+
+
L
P