Alternator testing apparatus
First Claim
1. Alternator testing apparatus for evaluating the operation of an alternator that generates an output signal having an average component and a ripple component, comprising circuit means for generating at a first output thereof a first voltage representative of the amplitude of the ripple component and independent of the average component and for generating at a second output thereof a second voltage representative of the sum of the magnitude of the average component plus the amplitude of the ripple component, means for providing electrical signals representative of the ratio of the first voltage to the second voltage, and indicating means coupled to said providing means and being responsive to the electrical signals therefrom to provide information on the ratio.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An alternator produces current that has an average component and a ripple component. The alternator testing apparatus produces one voltage representative of the magnitude of the peak-to-peak amplitude of the ripple component and a second voltage representative of the sum of the average component and the peak-to-peak amplitude of the ripple component. A series of comparators each have their signal inputs coupled to receive the first voltage and their control inputs coupled to a divider network which is in turn coupled to receive the second voltage. Indicators are coupled to the comparators.
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Citations
23 Claims
- 1. Alternator testing apparatus for evaluating the operation of an alternator that generates an output signal having an average component and a ripple component, comprising circuit means for generating at a first output thereof a first voltage representative of the amplitude of the ripple component and independent of the average component and for generating at a second output thereof a second voltage representative of the sum of the magnitude of the average component plus the amplitude of the ripple component, means for providing electrical signals representative of the ratio of the first voltage to the second voltage, and indicating means coupled to said providing means and being responsive to the electrical signals therefrom to provide information on the ratio.
- 3. Alternator testing apparatus for evaluating the operation of an alternator that generates an output signal having an average component and a ripple component, comprising circuit means for generating at a first output thereof a first voltage representative of the amplitude of the ripple component and independent of the average component and for generating at a second output thereof a second voltage representative of the sum of the magnitude of the average component plus the amplitude of the ripple component, a plurality of comparators each having a signal input and a reference input and an output, said signal inputs being coupled to said first output, a divider network coupled to said second output for dividing the second voltage into a plurality of different reference voltages at a plurality of nodes in said network, said nodes being respectively coupled to said reference inputs, each comparator being activated when the first voltage exceeds the reference voltage associated with such comparator, and indicating means coupled to said comparator outputs and being energized in accordance with which comparator is activated.
- 10. Alternator testing apparatus for evaluating the operation of an alternator that generates an output signal having an average component and a ripple component, comprising first filter means for receiving the output signal for passing the ripple component thereof, detector means coupled to said first filter means for generating a first voltage representative of the amplitude of the ripple component, second filter means coupled to receive the output signal for passing the average component, summing means coupled to said detector means and to said second filter means for generating a second voltage representative of the sum of the magnitude of the average component and the amplitude of the ripple component, a plurality of comparators each having a signal input and a reference input and an output, said signal inputs being coupled together and to said detector means, a divider network coupled to said summing means for dividing the second voltage into a plurality of different reference voltages at a plurality of nodes in said network, said nodes being respectively coupled to said reference inputs, each comparator being activated when the first voltage exceeds the reference voltage associated with such comparator, and indicating means coupled to said comparator outputs and being energized in accordance with which comparator is activated.
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17. Alternator testing apparatus for evaluating the operation of an alternator that generates an output signal having an average component and a ripple component, comprising first filter means coupled to receive the output signal for passing the ripple component, low-ripple detector means coupled to said first filter means for generating a low-ripple detector voltage representative of the amplitude of the negative-going peaks of the ripple component, high-ripple detector means coupled to said first filter means for generating a high-ripple detector voltage representative of the amplitude of the positive-going peaks of the ripple component, first summing means coupled to said low-ripple detector means and to said high-ripple detector means for adding the detector voltages therefrom and providing a first voltage representative of the peak-to-peak amplitude of the ripple component, second filter means coupled to receive the output signal for passing the average component, second summing means coupled to said first summing means and to said second filter means for generating a second voltage representative of the sum of the magnitude of the average component plus the amplitude of the ripple component, a plurality of comparators each having a signal input and a reference input and an output, said signal inputs being coupled to said first summing means, a divider network coupled to said second summing means for dividing the second voltage into a plurality of different reference voltages at a plurality of nodes in said network, said nodes being respectively coupled to said reference inputs, each comparator being activated when the first voltage exceeds the reference voltage associated with such comparator, and indicating means coupled to said comparator outputs and being energized in accordance with which comparator is activated.
- 18. Alternator testing apparatus for evaluating the operation of an alternator that generates an output signal having an average component and a ripple component, comprising first filter means coupled to receive the output signal for passing the ripple component, detector means coupled to said first filter means for generating a first voltage representative of the amplitude of the ripple component, second filter means coupled to receive the output signal for passing the average component, summing means coupled to said detector means and to said second filter means for generating a second voltage representative of the sum of the magnitude of the average component plus the amplitude of the ripple component, a plurality of display comparators each having a signal input and a reference input and an output, first gate means coupling said detector means to the signal inputs of said display comparators, second gate means coupled to said summing means, each of said gate means having a control input coupled to said second filter means, a divider network coupled to said second gate means for dividing the second voltage into a plurality of different reference voltages at a plurality of nodes in said network, said nodes being respectively coupled to said reference inputs, each display comparator being activated when the first voltage exceeds the reference voltage associated with such display comparator, indicating means coupled to said display comparator outputs and being energized in accordance with which display comparator is activated, and a control comparator coupled to said second filter means and being operative in the presence of an average component exceeding a predetermined amplitude to provide a comparator signal, the control inputs of said gate means being coupled to said control comparator, said first gate means being operative to couple the first voltage to said display comparator in the presence of the comparator signal, said second gate means being operative to couple the second voltage to said divider network in the presence of the comparator signal.
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22. Alternator testing apparatus for evaluating the operation of an alternator that generates an output signal having an average component and a ripple component, comprising circuit means for generating at a first output thereof a first voltage representative of the amplitude of the ripple component and independent of the average component and for generating at a second output thereof a second voltage representative of at least the magnitude of the average component, means for providing electrical signals representative of the ratio of the first voltage to the second voltage, and indicating means coupled to said providing means and being responsive to the electrical signals therefrom to provide information on the ratio.
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23. Alternator testing apparatus for evaluating the operation of an alternator that generates an output signal having an average component and a ripple component, comprising circuit means for generating at a first output thereof a first voltage representative of the amplitude of the ripple component and independent of the average component and for generating at a second output thereof a second voltage representative of at least the magnitude of the average component, a plurality of comparators each having a signal input and a reference input and an output, said signal inputs being coupled to said first output, a divider network coupled to said second output for dividing the second voltage into a plurality of different reference voltages at a plurality of nodes in said network, said nodes being respectively coupled to said reference inputs, each comparator being activated when the first voltage exceeds the reference voltage associated with such comparator, and indicating means coupled to said comparator outputs and being energized in accordance with which comparator is activated.
Specification