A chopping voltage converter with an improved switching operation

The converter block comprises a circuit module MCOM including two controllable main switches TP1, TP2 and having a current blocking state and a passing state, allowing a current to pass in one direction and being disposed between the two input terminals of the block, as well as two auxiliary switches D31, D41 connected respectively in parallel to the terminals of the corresponding main switch, capable of allowing a current to pass in the opposite direction to that permitted by the main switch concerned and of blocking current in the other direction. This circuit module includes moreover current inertia means L1, L2 capable of acting on the variation of the level of the current flowing in at least some of the switches during the switching operations. The control means COMD are capable of controlling the two main switches simultaneously and in opposition to each other in accordance with a control code linked to the desired characteristics of the output voltage and comprising, according to a chopping frequency, a succession of cycles of identical durations. A wave filter LPF disposed between the circuit module and output of the converter block has a cut-off frequency chosen in accordance with the chopping frequency. The transistors TPI, TP2 may be VMOS devices and are controlled by pulse width modulation. Voltage limiting circuits ECR1, ECR2 limit excess voltage to protect components of the converter.