Measuring a Current Supplied By a Rotating Electric Machine Such as an Alternator

• US 20080252284A1
• Filed: 10/17/2006
• Published: 10/16/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/04/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Valeo Equipements Electriques Moteur (Valeo SE)
• Original Assignee: Valeo Equipements Electriques Moteur (Valeo SE)
• Inventors: Pierret, Jean-Marie, Rechdan, Raymond
• Application Number:
  US12/089,793
• Publication Number:
  US 20080252284A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 324/102
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 19/0092 measuring current only all subgroups of G01R19/00 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/006 on road vehicles, e.g. automobiles or trucks testing of ignition installations peculiar to internal combustion engines F02P17/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/40 Testing power supplies testing photovoltaic devices H02S50/10
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 9/48 Arrangements for obtaining a constant output value at varying speed of the generator, e.g. on vehicle H02P9/04 - H02P9/46 take precedence

Abstract

The invention relates to an electric machine comprising a stator (10), a rotor (11) and a device for measuring a current in said rotating electric machine feeding electric loads (14, 15). Said device is arranged between the stator (10) and the electric loads (14, 15) in such a way that it makes it possible to measure a current (11, 12, 13, 14) running therebetween.

Claims

1. Rotary electrical machine, in particular an alternator or an alternator starter, capable of supplying electrical loads, comprising:

a stator (10),

a rotor (11),

a device for measuring a current present in the rotary electrical machine supplying the electrical loads (14, 15),

characterised in that the device is placed between the output of the stator (10) and the electrical loads (14, 15) so as to measure a current (I1, I2, I3, I4) flowing between the stator and the electrical loads (14, 15).

2. Machine according to claim 1, characterised in that it comprised a current rectifier connected at the output of the stator and in that the device is placed between the output of the current rectifier and the electrical loads (14, 15) so as to measure the current (I4) at the output (5) of the rectifier.

3. Machine according to claim 1, characterised in that the stator (10) comprises one or more phases and in that the device is placed in a half-arm of the rectifier so as to measure a current (I1, I2, I3) at the output of a phase (1, 2, 3).

4. Machine according to claim 1, characterised in that the device comprises a resistor (6).

5. Machine according to claim 1, characterised in that the device is arranged to measure the current on at least one terminal of the resistor (6).

6. Machine according to claim 5, characterised in that the device is arranged to measure the current on the two terminals of the resistor (6).

7. Machine according to claim 6, characterised in that the device comprises a switch (7).

8. Machine according to claim 1, characterised in that the device comprises a Hall effect sensor (26).

9. Device for measuring a current for a rotary electrical machine according to claim 1, characterised in that the said device is placed between the output of the stator (10) and the electrical loads (14, 15) so as to measure a current (I1, I2, I3, I4) flowing between the stator and the electrical loads (14, 15).

10. Method of controlling the device for measuring a current of a rotary electrical machine according to claim 7, characterised in that the switch (7) is controlled in a first position during a time difference (Δ

T) during which the current is measured and in that the switch (7) is controlled in a second position outside the time difference (Δ

T).

11. Control method according to claim 10, characterised in that the current is measured at the output (5) of the rectifier.

12. Control method according to claim 10, characterised in that the switch (7) is controlled according to the voltage present on at least one phase.

13. Control method according to claim 10, characterised in that the current is measured at the output of a phase (1, 2, 3) of the stator.

14. Control method according to claim 13, characterised in that the switch (7) is controlled according to the voltage present on the phase at the output of which the current is measured.

15. Control method according to claim 13, characterised in that the stator (10) comprises several phases (1, 2, 3) and in that the switch (7) is controlled in its first position according to the voltage present on at least one phase other than the phase at the output of which the current is measured.

16. Control method according to claim 14, characterised in that it comprises the following steps:

the regulator measures a voltage (U1) present on a first phase (1),

the regulator measures a period (P) of the voltage present on the phase (1),

the regulator calculators a time interval (Δ

T) proportional to the period (P),

the regulator detects a first time (t1) where the voltage present on the phase (1) is in a falling edge,

the switch (7) is brought into its first position, as from a second time (t2) equal to the first time (t1) with the time interval (Δ

P) added,

the switch (7) is brought into its second position, as from a third time (t3) equal to the second time (t2) with the time difference (Δ

T) added.

17. Control method according to claim 16, characterised in that the time interval (Δ

P) is equal to the period (P) divided by four.

18. Control method according to claim 15, characterised in that the stator (10) comprises three phases (1, 2, 3) and in that the current (I1) is measured at the output of the first phase (1), the method comprising the following steps:

the regulator measures the voltage (U3) of the third phase (3),

the regulator detects a first time (t1) where the voltage of the third phase is in a rising edge,

the switch (7) is brought into its first position as from the first time (t1),

the switch (7) is brought into its second position as from a second time (t2) equal to the first time (t1) with the time difference (Δ

T) added.

19. Control method according to claim 15, characterised in that the stator (10) comprises three phases (1, 2, 3) and in that the current (I1) is measured at the output of the first phase (1), the method comprising the following steps:

the regulator measures the voltage (U2) of the second phase (2),

the regulator measures the voltage (U3) of the third phase (3),

the regulator detects a first time (t1) where the voltage (U3) of the third phase is merged with the voltage (U2) of the second phase (2) on its high level,

the switch (7) is brought into its first position as from the first time (t1),

the switch (7) is brought into its second position as from a second time (t2) equal to the first time (t1) with the time difference (Δ

T) added.

20. Control method according to claim 19, characterised in that the second time (t2) is detected when the voltage (U2) of the second phase is no longer merged with the voltage (U3) of the third phase (3).

21. Control method according to claim 10, characterised in that the time difference (Δ

T) is less than the period (P) divided by two of a voltage present on a phase.

22. Rotary electrical machine, in particular an alternator or an alternator starter, capable of supplying electrical loads comprising:

a stator (10),

a rotor (11),

a device for measuring a current present in the rotary electrical machine supplying the electrical loads (14, 15),

characterised in that the device comprises a resistor (6) and in that the said device is arranged to measure a voltage drop on at least one terminal of the said resistor (6).

23. Rotary electrical machine, in particular an alternator or an alternator starter, capable of supplying electrical loads comprising:

a stator (10),

a rotor (11),

a device for measuring a current present in the rotary electrical machine supplying the electrical loads (14, 15),

characterised in that this device comprises a Hall effect sensor (26) and in that the said device is arrange to measure the current by means of the said Hall effect sensor (26).