The invention relates to a method for operating a
flyback converter (2) having an active-clamp circuit (4), a main switching
branch (3) being connected to a primary-side coil (51) of a
transformer (5) in series between a first supply potential (VH) and a second supply potential (VL), the active-clamp circuit (4) being connected to a
central node (M) between the main switching
branch (3) and the primary-side coil (51) and one of the supply potentials (VH, VL), the active-clamp circuit (4) having an active-clamp switching
branch (42) in series with an active-clamp
capacitance (41), the main switching branch (3) and the active-clamp switching branch (42) each having two or more series-connected
semiconductor switches (31, 32, 43, 44), one or more flying capacitances (7) each being connected to an intermediate node (ZH, ZAC) between the series-connected
semiconductor switches (31, 32) of the main switching branch (3) and to an intermediate node between the series-connected
semiconductor switches (43, 44) of the active-clamp switching branch (42), wherein the semiconductor switches (31, 32, 43, 44) of the main switching branch (3) and the active-clamp switching branch (42) are each switched to open and close in chronological succession, wherein, in order to open or close the main switching branch (3) and the active-clamp switching branch (42), that semiconductor switch (31, 32, 43, 44) of the main switching branch (3) or active-clamp switching branch (42) in question that leads to a current path through a freewheeling
diode of at least one of the semiconductor switches (31, 32, 43, 44) of the other, main switching branch (3) or active-clamp switching branch (42) is opened or closed first so that a
voltage (UC) across the flying
capacitance is changed in the direction of a predefined
setpoint voltage (Usoll).