Voltage regulator for alternator and method of controlling power generation of alternator
First Claim
1. A voltage regulator for controlling an output voltage of an alternator having an armature winding, a field winding and a power supply line, comprising:
- a switch means connected in series to the field winding for on/off-control of a field current fed to the field winding;
a flywheel circuit connected in parallel with the field winding for flywheeling the field current to the field winding when the switch means is turned off;
a failure detecting means for detecting a failure in the power supply line connected to an output terminal of the alternator; and
a generation control means for controlling, upon detection of the failure in the power supply line, power generation of the alternator for a predetermined time that is longer than a time constant of the field winding to suppress the power generation.
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Accused Products
Abstract
In an alternator, failure in a power supply line connected to an output terminal of a rectifier is detected. Upon detection of a failure in this power supply line, power generation is suppressed for a predetermined period that is longer than the time constant of a field winding of the alternator. Preferably, a high voltage pulse is detected to discriminate a first condition where a single high voltage pulse is generated when an electrical load connected to the power supply line is cut off and a second condition where a high voltage pulse is repeatedly and frequently generated when a failure occurs in the power supply line. Only when the second condition is discriminated, power generation suppression control of the alternator is conducted.
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Citations
12 Claims
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1. A voltage regulator for controlling an output voltage of an alternator having an armature winding, a field winding and a power supply line, comprising:
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a switch means connected in series to the field winding for on/off-control of a field current fed to the field winding;
a flywheel circuit connected in parallel with the field winding for flywheeling the field current to the field winding when the switch means is turned off;
a failure detecting means for detecting a failure in the power supply line connected to an output terminal of the alternator; and
a generation control means for controlling, upon detection of the failure in the power supply line, power generation of the alternator for a predetermined time that is longer than a time constant of the field winding to suppress the power generation. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A voltage regulator for controlling an output voltage of an alternator having a field winding, an output terminal connected to a battery through a power supply line, the voltage regulator comprising:
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a field current control means connected to the field winding for controlling the field current of the field winding; and
an output voltage control means for controlling the field current control means by detecting at least one of an output voltage of the alternator and a terminal voltage of the battery, wherein the output voltage control means includes;
a high voltage pulse detecting means for detecting a high voltage pulse that is larger than a predetermined regulated voltage and exceeds a predetermined voltage that is smaller than a withstand voltage of a rectifier provided in the alternator, when it appears at the output terminal of the alternator;
a discriminating means for discriminating a first condition where a single high voltage pulse is generated when an electrical load connected to the power supply line is cut off and a second condition where the high voltage pulse is frequently and repeatedly generated when a connection failure occurs in the power supply line; and
an output control means for suppressing a supply of field current to the field winding only when the second condition is discriminated by the discriminating means. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method for controlling power generation of an alternator for a vehicle comprising steps of:
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detecting a high voltage pulse that is larger than a predetermined regulated voltage and exceeds a predetermined voltage smaller than a withstand voltage of a rectifier built in the alternator, when the pulse appears at an output terminal of the alternator;
discriminating a first condition where a single high voltage pulse is generated when an electric load connected to a power supply line is cut off and a second condition where the high voltage pulse is frequently and repeatedly generated when a failure occurs in the power supply line; and
suppressing power generation of the alternator when the second condition is discriminated.
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Specification