A DC converter has a transformer with loosely coupled primary and
secondary windings, a main switch connected in series with the primary
winding of the transformer, and a series circuit connected to ends of one
of the primary winding and main switch. The series circuit includes a
clamp capacitor and an auxiliary switch. The main and auxiliary switches
are alternately turned on/off so that a voltage of the secondary winding
of the transformer is synchronously rectified with synchronous rectifiers
and is smoothed with smoothing elements, to provide a DC output. The DC
converter also includes a tertiary winding tightly coupled with the
primary winding of the transformer, a voltage source to supply a voltage
lower than a voltage generated by the tertiary winding of the
transformer, and clamp diodes to clamp the voltage generated by the
tertiary winding with the use of the voltage source. The clamp diodes
provide voltage-clamped signals to drive the synchronous rectifiers.