A voltage regulator for regulating the output voltage of a diode-rectified alternating current generator that supplies the electrical loads on a motor vehicle including the storage battery. The voltage regulator has an up-down counter which is incremented when the output voltage of the generator is below a desired regulated value and is decremented when the output voltage of the generator is above the desired regulating value. The magnitude of the count in the counter is repeatedly sampled and used to determine the on time of a semiconductor switch that is connected in series with the field winding to thereby control the duty cycle of the field voltage pulses. The counter is incremented at a lower rate when the speed of the engine that drives the generator is below a predetermined speed than it is when the speed of the engine is above the predetermined speed. When the generator is not rotating, the up-count of the counter is limited to a predetermined value that provides a minimum field voltage duty cycle. The system is capable of sensing either battery voltage or rectifier output voltage and is controlled to automatically switch between battery voltage and rectifier voltage under certain operating conditions.

Generator voltage regulating system

A control device for an electric generator for use with a vehicle engine includes an armature winding (stator) and a field winding (rotor) driven by the vehicle engine. A chopper is provided for controlling the field current of the field winding and a pulse width modulator is provided for controlling the duty cycle of the chopper in response to the operating conditions of the engine. A voltage feedback loop is provided from a normally provided battery which loop incorporates a detector for detecting the actual battery voltage and a comparator for comparing the battery voltage with a predetermined set voltage so that the difference in voltage is rendered to zero. The invention additionally provides a current feedback loop for controlling a deviation between a current command value determining the duty of the chopper and an actual current flowing through the field winding so as to be substantially zero. There is also disclosed means for adaptively modifying the current command signal and means for controlling the current demanded by the field winding to reduce the torque demanded by the generator at times, inter alia, of acceleration and engine knocking.

Control apparatus for electric generator

A power supply apparatus has a battery and a temperature detection circuit. The battery has n battery cells, and the temperature detection circuit has m temperature detection units. Each temperature detection units has a temperature sensor that is thermally coupled to one or more of the battery cells and whose electrical resistance decreases as the temperature of the battery cell or battery cells to which it is thermally coupled increases, a serial resistor that is connected in series with the temperature sensor, and a first diode whose cathode is connected to the node between the temperature sensor and the serial resistor. The serial circuit formed by the temperature sensor and the serial resistor receives a predetermined voltage such that, as the electrical resistance of the temperature sensor decreases, the voltage at the node decreases. The first diodes have anodes thereof connected together.

Power supply apparatus

An improved engine load management system that will de-excite the field coils of an alternator that is driven by an internal combustion engine when the battery that the alternator charges is above a required minimum voltage and when the engine is operating under high load conditions such as acceleration or climbing. When the battery charge falls below the required minimum, the system excites the alternator field coils and permits the alternator to charge the battery despite a high engine load condition. When the battery charge is above the minimum required voltage, but below the voltage at which charging is discontinued, and the engine is under high load, the alternator field coils are energized and de-energized in a cycle that reduces alternator drag on the engine, but permits limited battery charging to occur. The limited charging rate is greater as the battery voltage is lower, and the change from lesser battery charging to greater battery charging is linear and inversely related to the charge of the battery. When the engine is operating at normal load conditions, such as cruise, battery charging is accomplished on demand under normal circumstances. Deferring battery charging by limiting alternator field coil excitation, reducing alternator drag on the engine during heavy load conditions (an inherently inefficient operating regime for internal combustion engines) increases fuel economy and decreases atmospheric pollutants.

Method and apparatus for managing alternator loads on engines

In a charging control apparatus for a vehicle for controlling generation of electric power from a vehicle's generator charging a battery, the rate of increase in the field current of the generator is increased when an electrical load is connected to the generator. A switch is connected in series with the field winding, and a mean conduction rate detector detects the mean conduction rate of the switch and generates an output signal having a value which is a function of the mean conduction rate of the switch. A maximum signal generator generates an output signal having a value larger by a predetermined value than that of the output signal of the mean conduction rate detector, and a comparator is enabled to operate while the maximum signal generator is generating the maximum signal. The comparator is preferably enabled again when the value of the mean output signal of the conduction rate detector exceeds a preset value. The predetermined value is preferably increased with the increase in the mean conduction rate of the switch. By enabling the comparator operate depending on the value of the maximum signal, the mean conduction rate of the switch can be gradually increased after it is increased by a predetermined value. The comparator is enabled when the value of the output signal of the mean conduction rate detector attains preset value, and the battery can be quickly charged when the mean conduction rate exceeds the preset value. Because the predetermined value is increased with an increase in the mean conduction rate, the battery can be quickly charged according to the mean conduction rate while decreasing the burden on the engine.

Charging control apparatus for vehicle

A voltage control apparatus for an electric generator (2-4) for vehicles includes an armature winding (3), an exciting coil (4), a rectifier (2) for rectifying an a.c. output from the armature winding (3), and a voltage regulator (5). The voltage regulator (5) comprises a differential amplifier circuit (26) producing a detected voltage corresponding to a difference between a battery charging voltage and a reference voltage, a comparator circuit (30) comparing the detected voltage with a triangular waveform voltage generated at constant periods and producing a pulsed output voltage, a first driver circuit (51) effecting duty-factor-control of an exciting current flowing through the exciting coil (4) in response to the pulsed output voltage, and an initial excitation circuit (32) for causing a predetermined small initial exciting current to flow through the exciting coil (4) intermittently during a time interval after the start of the electric generator (2-4).

A voltage control apparatus for electric generators for vehicles

A power generation control system (2) for a vehicle generator comprises a generator (1) including an armature coil (3), an exciting coil (4) and a rectifier (5) for rectifying the AC output of the armature coil, a battery (10), and a voltage control device (6), (7) for controlling the activation of the generator in accordance with the terminal voltage of the battery. This power generation control system further comprises an abnormal voltage detector circuit (8) for detecting the voltage generated across the armature coil and cutting off the current flowing in the exciting coil when said voltage exceeds a predetermined value. The abnormal voltage detector circuit has the function to hold this forcible stoppage of power generation.

Power generation control system for vehicle generator

A semi-conductor voltage regulation system for a vehicle includes engine rise-up detection circuit and an oscillator circuit. The field exciting current is intermittently supplied by the oscillator circuit before the engine starts and continuously supplied after the engine has started so as to minimize battery discharge. The engine rise-up detection circuit changes its input impedance in accordance with the voltage applied thereto, whereby a highly reliable regulator with less heat generation may be obtained.

Voltage regulator system for vehicle generator

When an engine key switch of a vehicle is closed, a rotor coil of a three-phase a.c. alternator adapted to charge a vehicle-mounted battery is excited by a first controlling circuit. Even with the closure of the engine key switch, the exciting current is restricted to a predetermined value by a second controlling circuit before the alternator has reached a predetermined operating state. The operating state of the alternator is monitored by detecting a voltage at the neutral point of a stator coil connected in star of the alternator.

Voltage control apparatus for a vehicle-mounted alternator

A generator operation indicating apparatus for vehicle generators having a protective circuit against abnormal voltage, includes a drive circuit for turning an indicating device on from the time of closing of a key switch until the time that a vehicle generator attains a predetermined operating condition to indicate the generator operation and a control circuit for forcibly rendering the drive circuit inoperative in response to the occurrence of an abnormal voltage between the indicating device and the drive circuit. When the generator attains the predetermined operating condition, the indicating device is turned off and the supply of current to a load circuit is started. In this case, the drive circuit is also forced to come out of operation upon occurrance of an abnormal supply voltage.

Takayasu Nimura

Papers

A voltage control apparatus for electric generators for vehicles

Power generation control system for vehicle generator

Voltage regulator system for vehicle generator

Voltage control apparatus for a vehicle-mounted alternator

Generator operation indicating apparatus for vehicle generators having a protective circuit against abnormal voltage