INVERTER GENERATOR CONTROL APPARATUS

• US 20120292920A1
• Filed: 05/16/2012
• Published: 11/22/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/17/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Yamamura, Yoichi, Hashimoto, Shoji
• Granted Patent: US 8,618,681 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 290/40.B
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 27/08 with pulse width modulation
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 9/006 Means for protecting the generator by using control H02H7/06 takes precedence; control effected upon generator excitation circuit to reduce harmful effects of overloads or transients H02P9/10
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 9/107 for limiting effects of overloads

Abstract

In a control apparatus for an inverter generator having a generator unit driven by an engine, a converter connected to the generator unit to convert an alternating current from the generator unit to a direct current, and an inverter connected to the converter to invert the direct current from the converter to an alternating current and output it to an electric load, it is configured to detect an overload condition based on the alternating current from the inverter to the electric load; stop outputting from the inverter to the electric load with the engine being kept operating when the overload condition is detected; output a release command to release a stop condition where the outputting to the electric load is stopped upon manipulation by an operator; and restart the outputting to the electric load by releasing the stop condition when the release command is outputted.

Claims

1. An apparatus for controlling an inverter generator having a generator unit driven by an engine, a converter connected to the generator unit and adapted to convert an alternating current outputted from the generator unit to a direct current, and an inverter connected to the converter and adapted to invert the direct current outputted from the converter to an alternating current and output it to an electric load, comprising:

an overload condition detector adapted to detect an overload condition based on the alternating current outputted from the inverter to the electric load;

an output stopper adapted to stop outputting from the inverter to the electric load with the engine being kept operating when the overload condition is detected;

a release command outputter adapted to output a release command to release a stop condition where the outputting to the electric load is stopped upon manipulation by an operator; and

an output restarter adapted to restart the outputting to the electric load by releasing the stop condition when the release command is outputted by the release command outputter.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the output restarter restarts the outputting to the electric load by releasing the stop condition when the release command is outputted by the release command outputter and a predetermined time period elapses since the release command is outputted.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, further including:

a counter adapted to count number of times the overload condition is detected by the overload condition detector,

and the output stopper stops operation of the engine when the counted number of times reaches a prescribed value.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, further including:

an overload condition informing unit adapted to inform the operator that the overload condition is detected when the overload condition is detected by the overload condition detector.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, further including:

a release command output informing unit adapted to inform the operator that the release command is outputted when the release command is outputted by the release command outputter.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the release command outputter includes a volume switch installed to be manually operated by the operator.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the release command outputter includes a push switch installed to be manually operated by the operator.

8. An apparatus for controlling an inverter generator having a generator unit driven by an engine, a converter connected to the generator unit and adapted to convert an alternating current outputted from the generator unit to a direct current, and an inverter connected to the converter and adapted to invert the direct current outputted from the converter to an alternating current and output it to an electric load, comprising:

overload condition detecting means for detecting an overload condition based on the alternating current outputted from the inverter to the electric load;

output stopping means for stopping outputting from the inverter to the electric load with the engine being kept operating when the overload condition is detected;

release command outputting means for outputting a release command to release a stop condition where the outputting to the electric load is stopped upon manipulation by an operator; and

output restarting means for restarting the outputting to the electric load by releasing the stop condition when the release command is outputted by the release command outputting means.

9. The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the output restarting means restarts the outputting to the electric load by releasing the stop condition when the release command is outputted by the release command outputting means and a predetermined time period elapses since the release command is outputted.

10. The apparatus according to claim 8, further including:

counting means for counting number of times the overload condition is detected by the overload condition detecting means,

and the output stopping means stops operation of the engine when the counted number of times reaches a prescribed value.

11. The apparatus according to claim 8, further including:

overload condition informing means for informing the operator that the overload condition is detected when the overload condition is detected by the overload condition detecting means.

12. The apparatus according to claim 8, further including:

release command output informing means for informing the operator that the release command is outputted when the release command is outputted by the release command outputting means.

13. The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the release command outputting means includes a volume switch installed to be manually operated by the operator.

14. The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the release command outputting means includes a push switch installed to be manually operated by the operator.

15. A method for controlling an inverter generator having a generator unit driven by an engine, a converter connected to the generator unit and adapted to convert an alternating current outputted from the generator unit to a direct current, and an inverter connected to the converter and adapted to invert the direct current outputted from the converter to an alternating current and output it to an electric load, comprising the steps of:

detecting an overload condition based on the alternating current outputted from the inverter to the electric load;

stopping outputting from the inverter to the electric load with the engine being kept operating when the overload condition is detected;

outputting a release command to release a stop condition where the outputting to the electric load is stopped upon manipulation by an operator; and

restarting the outputting to the electric load by releasing the stop condition when the release command is outputted.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein the step of restarting restarts the outputting to the electric load by releasing the stop condition when the release command is outputted and a predetermined time period elapses since the release command is outputted.

17. The method according to claim 15, further including the step of:

counting number of times the overload condition is detected,

and the step of stopping stops operation of the engine when the counted number of times reaches a prescribed value.

18. The method according to claim 15, further including the step of:

informing the operator that the overload condition is detected when the overload condition is detected.

19. The method according to claim 15, further including the step of:

informing the operator that the release command is outputted when the release command is outputted.

20. The method according to claim 15, wherein the step of outputting is made using a volume switch installed to be manually operated by the operator.

21. The method according to claim 15, wherein the step of outputting is made using a push switch installed to be manually operated by the operator.