A drive circuit for a synchronous rectifier has a transformer having a main secondary winding and an auxiliary secondary winding. A first switch and a second switch each have a pair of terminals, a terminal of the first switch being connected to the first end of the main winding, a terminal of the second switch being connected to the second end of the main winding, and each remaining terminal of the first and second switch being connected together. A third switch connects between the second end of the main winding and the first end of the auxiliary winding, wherein the third switch periodically closes to connect the main winding and the auxiliary winding in series, a drive voltage being developed by the connected main and auxiliary windings being used to control at least one of the first switch and second switch.
A first drive control signal regenerating circuit outputs an ON timing drive signal at turn-ON of a main switch element, and a second drive control signal regenerating circuit generates an OFF timing drive signal at turn-OFF of the main switch element. A rectifying switch controlling switch element connected between the gate and source of a rectifying switch element is driven by an output of the second drive control signal regenerating circuit. An output of the first drive control signal regenerating circuit connects to the gate of a commutating switch controlling switch element, which connects to one end of an auxiliary winding, the other end thereof being connected to the gate of a commutating switch element. Accordingly, the rectifying switch element is directly controlled from the primary side.
A commutation switch turning-on control switching element is controlled with a voltage generated at a fourth coil (auxiliary coil) of a main transformer and controls application of a control voltage to a control terminal of a commutation switching element. A commutation switch turning-off control switching element is provided which is connected to the control terminal of the commutation switching element and, when the commutation switch turning-off control switching element is turned on, controls a voltage at the control terminal of the commutation switching element to turn off the commutation switching element. A control switching element drive circuit turns on the commutation switch turning-off control switching element at a time when a primary switching element is turned on.
