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Generator voltage regulator

  • US 4,360,772 A
  • Filed: 04/15/1981
  • Issued: 11/23/1982
  • Est. Priority Date: 06/18/1979
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. A voltage regulator for a motor vehicle battery charging system that includes an alternating current generator having an output winding and a field winding, a first rectifier means connected to said output winding having direct voltage output terminals, a battery connected across said output terminals of said first rectifier means and second rectifier means connected to said output winding having field energizing terminals providing a direct field energizing voltage comprising, transistor switching means having a collector-emitter circuit adapted to be connected in series with the field winding of said generator, first and second conductor means adapted to be connected with said field energizing terminals, first and second transistors for controlling the switching of said transistor switching means, a resistor, means connecting said resistor, the collector-emitter circuit of said first transistor and the base-emitter circuit of said transistor switching means in series and across said conductor means, means connecting the collector-emitter circuit of said second transistor in shunt with the base-emitter circuit of said transistor switching means, said first transistor when conductive providing base drive for said transistor switching means through said resistor and said second transistor when conductive bypassing the base-emitter circuit of said transistor switching means, voltage comparator means, means connecting the output of said voltage comparator means with the base electrodes of said first and second transistors such that said comparator can operate said transistors to a first state in which said first transistor is conductive and said second transistor is nonconductive or a second state in which said first transistor is nonconductive and second transistor is conductive, a voltage sensing means adapted to be connected across the battery of the vehicle charging system, means connected to said voltage sensing means for providing a reference voltage, said sensing means providing a battery voltage that is a function of sensed battery voltage, means for applying said reference and battery voltages to said comparator means, said comparator means operative to cause said first and second transistors to assume said first state when said battery voltage is less than said reference voltage and to assume said second state when said battery voltage is greater than said reference voltage, third and fourth transistors, means connecting the collector-emitter circuit of said third transistor in shunt with the base-emitter circuit of said first transistor, means connecting the collector-emitter circuit of said fourth transistor in series with the base-emitter circuit of said second transistor, a Zener diode, and means connecting said Zener diode between one of said conductor means and the base electrodes of said third and fourth transistors, said Zener diode being adapted to conduct to thereby bias said third and fourth transistor conductive when the voltage at said field energizing terminals increases to an abnormally high value, the conduction of said third transistor biasing said first transistor nonconductive and the conduction of said fourth transistor biasing said second transistor conductive to thereby bias said transistor switching means nonconductive.

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