A DC-DC power converter (100) that provides increased power density, reduced
size, and reduced costs of manufacture. The DC-DC power converter (100)
includes first and second input terminals (101, 102), a plurality of output
terminals (116, 117), and at least one electrical element (108/109)
connected to at least one of the first and second input terminals (101, 102).
In the event a first voltage is applied across the first and second input terminals
(101, 102), the electrical element (108/109) provides a second voltage
having a value between the first voltage value and a reference voltage value. The
DC-DC power converter (100) further includes a transformer (110)
having a primary winding (111) and a secondary winding (112), and
a switch assembly (103-107) operatively connected to the first input terminal
(101), the second input terminal (102), the electrical element (108/109),
and the transformer primary winding (111). In the event the first voltage
is applied across the first and second input terminals (101, 102), the switch
assembly (103-107) switchably applies the first, second, and reference voltages
across the transformer primary winding (111) to generate at least one third
voltage across the transformer secondary winding (112). The DC-DC power
converter (100) further includes a rectifier (113) connected between
the transformer secondary winding (112) and the output terminals (116, 117).