Two-battery power supply system for vehicles

• US 4,564,799 A
• Filed: 05/18/1983
• Issued: 01/14/1986
• Est. Priority Date: 05/25/1982
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Inventors: Matsumoto, Akio, Iwaki, Yoshiyuki, Yokota, Mitsuyoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Hickey, R. J.
• Application Number:
  US06/495,585
• Time in Patent Office: 972 Days
• Field of Search: 320/2-4, 320/6, 320/7, 320/12, 320/15, 320/16, 320/17, 320/61, 322/1, 322/2, 322/86, 322/88, 307/84
• US Class Current: 320/101
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/1423 with multiple batteries

Abstract

The present invention relates to a power supply system for vehicles having a generator which includes an armature coil for generating three-phase alternating current, a field coil held in opposition to the armature coil, a rectifier for converting an A.C. output of the armature coil into a direct current, and a voltage regulator for setting the generated voltage of the armature coil at a constant value by controlling a current flowing through the field coil, and a first battery which is connected across output terminals of the generator; a starting motor and an electric load connected in parallel with the first battery; and consists of a two-battery power supply system for vehicles comprising a second battery which is connected to an ignition device separately from said first battery, and which is charged by a power source other than said generator.

Claims

1. In a two-battery power supply system for vehicles having a generator including an armature coil for generating three-phase alternating current, a field coil associated with the armature coil, a rectifier for converting an A. C. output of the armature coil into a direct current, and a voltage regulator for setting the generated voltage of the armature coil at a constant value by controlling a current flowing through the field coil, a first battery connected across output terminals of the generator, a starting motor and an electric load connected in parallel with the first battery, and an ignition device, the improvement comprising:

a second battery connected to said ignition device and providing a power source to said ignition device isolated from said first battery, and means including a power source other than said generator for charging said second battery to provide a stable voltage to said ignition device independent of the voltage of said first battery.

2. A two-battery power supply system for vehicles according to claim 1 wherein said power source comprises a solar cell for converting solar radiation directly into electric energy.

3. A two-battery power supply system for vehicles according to claim 1 wherein said power source comprises a thermoelectric transducer for converting heat of exhaust gas or cooling water of the vehicle directly into electric energy.

4. A two-battery power supply system for vehicles according to claim 1 wherein said power source comprises a piezoelectric transducer for converting vibrations of an engine of the vehicle directly into electric energy.

5. In a two-battery power supply system for vehicles having a generator which includes an armature coil for generating three-phase alternating current, a field coil associated with the armature coil, a rectifier for converting an A. C. output of the armature coil into a direct current, a voltage regulator for setting the generated voltage of the armature coil at a constant value by controlling a current flowing through the field coil, a first battery connected across output terminals of the generator, a starting motor, and an electric load connected in parallel with the first battery, an ignition device and a vehicle controlling microcomputer connected thereto;

the improvement comprising a second battery connected to said vehicle controlling microcomputer and said ignition device providing a power source therefor isolated from said first battery and supplying a stable supply voltage thereto, and means including a power source other than said generator for charging said second battery to provide a supply voltage independent of the voltage of said first battery.