Power control for heated windshields
First Claim
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1. An electrical control system for an automotive vehicle including a battery;
- an alternator having a field winding;
a first voltage regulator coupled to the battery, the alternator output, and the alternator field winding for regulating the alternator output at a first regulated uniform voltage; and
a high-voltage accessory, said control system comprising;
a second voltage regulator;
switching means actuable for operatively coupling said second voltage regulator to the battery, the alternator output; and
the first voltage regulator to cooperate with the first voltage regulator to regulate the alternator output at a second regulated uniform voltage higher than the first voltage to power the high-voltage accessory; and
protective means for operatively disconnecting the battery from the alternator output when said switching means is actuated to protect the battery from the second higher voltage.
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Abstract
The specification discloses a vehicle electrical control system capable of switching the alternator output between a uniform standard voltage and a uniform higher voltage. The control system includes a supplemental voltage regulator and a switching circuit for selectively switching the supplemental regulator into the system to regulate the conventional voltage regulator. Preferably, the control system further includes a timing circuit for powering a plurality of electrically heated windows in a timed sequence.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. An electrical control system for an automotive vehicle including a battery;
- an alternator having a field winding;
a first voltage regulator coupled to the battery, the alternator output, and the alternator field winding for regulating the alternator output at a first regulated uniform voltage; and
a high-voltage accessory, said control system comprising;a second voltage regulator; switching means actuable for operatively coupling said second voltage regulator to the battery, the alternator output; and
the first voltage regulator to cooperate with the first voltage regulator to regulate the alternator output at a second regulated uniform voltage higher than the first voltage to power the high-voltage accessory; andprotective means for operatively disconnecting the battery from the alternator output when said switching means is actuated to protect the battery from the second higher voltage. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
- an alternator having a field winding;
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5. A vehicle electrical system including:
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a battery; an alternator; a high-voltage accessory; switching means for selectively coupling said battery to the alternator output, said switching means being actuable between a first state wherein said battery is coupling to the alternator output and a second state wherein said battery is not coupled to the alternator output; voltage regulator means for regulating the alternator output and actuable between a first state wherein the alternator output is regulated at a first regulated uniform voltage and a second state wherein the alternator output is regulated at a second regulated uniform voltage higher than the first voltage; and control means for coordinating actuation of said switching means and said voltage regulator means to their first states and to their second states, whereby said battery receives the first voltage when said switching means and said regulator means are in their first states, and further whereby only said high-voltage accessory receives the second higher voltage when said switching means and said regulator means are in their second states. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. An electrical control system for an automotive vehicle including a battery, a power distribution system, a high-voltage accessory, and an alternator for providing power to the battery and power distribution system, the alternator including a first voltage regulator having a pair of sense terminals coupled to the battery and alternator output for regulating the alternator field current to maintain a uniform conventional alternator output voltage, said control system comprising:
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a second voltage regulator including a pair of sense terminals and an output terminal; first switching means actuable to a high-voltage state wherein (1) one of the sense terminals on each of said regulators is coupled to said battery, (2) the other of said second regulator sense terminals is coupled to the alternator output, and (3) the other of the first regulator sense terminals is coupled to said second regulator output terminal, whereby said second regulator overrides the first regulator in said high-voltage state causing the alternator to output a uniform relatively high voltage to power the high-voltage accessory; and second switching means for operatively disconnecting the battery and power distribution system from the alternator output during actuation of said first switching means to the high-voltage state. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. An electrical control system for an automotive vehicle including an alternator operable at either a standard voltage or a higher voltage, and first and second electrically heated window elements operable at the higher and standard voltages, respectively, said control system comprising:
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first switching means actuable for causing the alternator to output the higher voltage to the first window element; second switching means actuable for causing the alternator to output the standard voltage to the second window element; and control means for controlling said first and second switching means, said control means including first timer means for actuating said first switching means for only a first period of time to provide the higher voltage to the first window element, said control means further including second timer means for actuating said second switching means for only a second period of time following the first period of time to provide the standard voltage to the second window element.
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Specification