Charging control apparatus for vehicles

• US 5,122,723 A
• Filed: 07/16/1990
• Issued: 06/16/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 02/01/1988
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nippondenso Co., Ltd. (DENSO Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nippondenso Co., Ltd. (DENSO Corporation)
• Inventors: Sato, Hirohide
• Primary Examiner(s): HICKEY, ROBERT
• Application Number:
  US07/553,343
• Time in Patent Office: 701 Days
• Field of Search: 322/23, 322/24, 322/25, 322/28, 322/33, 320/64
• US Class Current: 320/123
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/16 Regulation of the charging current or voltage by variation of field

Abstract

A charging control apparatus for a vehicle has a charging control unit. A voltage detecting terminal receives a control voltage that controls the output of a battery charging generator. This unit can use a Type I system, which directly detects the battery voltage and which maintains the battery voltage at its usual level of 14.5 volts by comparing the battery voltage with a threshold, or a Type II system which monitors the battery voltage using a microprocessor, and therefore the output signal indicative of battery voltage can never reach 14.5 volts. The Type II system maintains a normal voltage of 5 volts. The system operates to maintain the voltage between 5 volts and 14.5 volts so that the same system can operate with either Type I and Type II systems. Any voltages between these two limits causes the output of the generator to be increased.

Claims

1. A charging control apparatus for a vehicle comprising:

a generator for use in a vehicle;

a battery charged by an output of said generator; and

a control unit controlling a quantity of electric generation by said generator and having a detecting terminal for receiving at least one signal having a level which is a function of a voltage of said battery,

said control unit functioning to increase the quantity of electric generation by said generator when a voltage detected by said detecting terminal has a level intermediate between a first preset voltage which is selected to be equal to an expected full charge voltage of said battery and a second present voltage, which is selected to be lower than an expected minimum voltage of said battery for said vehicle to operate properly, but greater than zero volts, and not increasing said quantity when said voltage is higher than said first preset voltage, or lower than said second preset voltage but higher than a value greater than zero volts.

2. A charging control apparatus for a vehicle comprising:

a generator for use in a vehicle;

a battery charged by an output of said generator; and

a control unit controlling a quantity of electric generation by said generator and having a detecting terminal for receiving at least one signal having a level which is a function of a voltage of said battery,

said control unit functioning to increase the quantity of electric generation by said generator when a voltage detected by said detecting terminal has a level intermediate between a first preset voltage which is selected to be equal to an expected full charge voltage of said battery and a second preset voltage, which is selected to be lower than an expected minimum voltage of said battery for said vehicle to operate properly, and not increasing said quantity when said voltage is not intermediate, wherein said control unit generates an alarm signal when the voltage detected by said detecting terminal is equal to or lower than a third preset voltage which is lower than said second preset voltage.

3. A charging control apparatus for a vehicle comprising:

a generator for use in the vehicle;

a battery charged by an output of said generator;

a control unit having a detecting terminal for receiving a signal having a level which is a function of a voltage of said battery, said control unit functioning to increase the output of said generator when a voltage detected by said detecting terminal has a level intermediate between a) a first preset voltage which is selected to indicate an expected full charge voltage of said battery and b) a second preset voltage which is selected to indicate a voltage lower than an expected minimum voltage of said battery for said vehicle to operate properly but greater than zero volts and not increasing said quantity when said voltage is higher than said first preset voltage, or lower than said second preset voltage but higher than a value greater than zero volts; and

battery state detecting means, connected to monitor a condition of said battery, and having an output terminal connected to said detecting terminal and applying to said detecting terminal an output voltage corresponding to said condition of said battery, said battery state detecting means producing an output voltage which is lower than said first preset voltage and higher than said second preset voltage at all times when said condition of said battery is such to indicate the voltage of said battery is in a state which requires charging.

4. An apparatus as in claim 3 wherein said condition is a battery electrolyte temperature.

5. A charging control apparatus for a vehicle which operates using a battery, comprising:

generator means adapted for supplying charge to said battery; and

control means for controlling a quantity of electric generation by said generator means, and having a detecting terminal which is adapted to receive a signal having a level which is a function of a voltage of said battery,

said control unit including means for increasing the quantity of electric generation by said generator means when a voltage detected by said detecting terminal has a level intermediate between a first preset voltage which is selected to be an expected full charge voltage of said battery, and a second preset voltage which is lower than an expected minimum voltage of said battery which minimum voltage is a voltage lower than a voltage which is needed for proper operation of said vehicle, and not increasing said quantity when said voltage is higher than said first preset voltage, or between said second preset voltage and a threshold greater than zero volts, and signalling an alarm when said voltage is less than said threshold.

6. A charging control apparatus for a vehicle which operates using a battery, comprising:

battery state detecting means, connected to monitor a condition of said battery, and having an output terminal which produces an output voltage corresponding to said condition of said battery, said battery state detecting means being either a) a Type I system, which connects directly to said battery, and produces said output voltage equal to a battery voltage, or b) a Type II system, which includes a processor, and which produces a low level output voltage to indicate said battery is in a state that does not require charging, and produces a higher level output voltage, which is lower than a full charge voltage of said battery, to indicate said battery is in a state that requires charging;

generator means adapted for supplying charge to said battery; and

control means for controlling a quantity of electric generation by said generator means, and having a detecting terminal which is adapted to receive said output voltage from said battery state detecting means,

said control means including means for increasing the quantity of electric generation by said generator means when a voltage detected by said detecting terminal has a level lower than a first preset voltage, which is selected to have a value equal to an expected normal voltage of said battery, and has a level higher than a second preset voltage, which is selected to have a value less than an expected minimum voltage of said battery which minimum voltage is a voltage lower than a voltage which is needed for said vehicle to operate properly, to thereby increase said battery voltage and to cause said output voltage to rise in said Type I system, and to cause said output level voltage to lower in said Type II system, and not increasing said quantity when said voltage is not intermediate between said values.

7. An apparatus as in claim 6, wherein said control means includes means for determining a fault when said voltage is less than a threshold which is greater than zero volts.

8. An apparatus for controlling charging in a vehicle which operates using a battery, comprising the steps of:

battery state detecting means for monitoring a condition of said battery, and producing an output voltage corresponding to said condition of said battery, by using either one of a) a Type I system, which connects directly to said battery, and produces said output voltage equal to a battery voltage, or b) a Type II system, which includes a processor, and which produces a low level output to indicate said battery is in a state that does not require charging, and produces a high level output to indicate said battery is in a state that requires charging;

generator means for supplying charge to said battery; and

control means for controlling a quantity of electric generation by said generator means, by receiving said output voltage indicative of battery state from said battery state detection means, including;

Type I means, operable with said Type I system, for increasing the quantity of electric generation by said generator means when a voltage detected by said detecting terminal has a level lower than a first preset voltage which is selected to have a value equal to an expected full charge voltage of said battery, to thereby increase said battery voltage and cause said voltage to rise, and not increasing the quantity of electric generation by said generator means when a voltage detected by said detecting terminal has a level higher than said first preset voltage; and

Type II means, operable with said Type II system, for increasing the quantity of electric generation by said generator means when a voltage detected by said detecting terminal has a level higher than higher than a second preset voltage which is selected to have a value less than an expected minimum voltage of said battery which minimum voltage is a voltage lower than a voltage which is needed for said vehicle to operate properly, to thereby increase said battery voltage and cause said voltage to lower, and not increasing the quantity of electric generation by said generator means when a voltage detected by said detecting terminal has a level lower than said second preset voltage.

9. A method of controlling charging in a vehicle which operates using a battery, comprising the steps of:

monitoring a condition of said battery, and producing an output voltage corresponding to said condition of said battery, by using one of a) a Type I system, which connects directly to said battery, and produces said output voltage equal to a battery voltage, or b) a Type II system, which includes a processor, and which produces as said output voltage a low level output voltage to indicate said battery is in a state that does not require charging, and produces a high level output to indicate said battery is in a state that requires charging;

supplying charge to said battery; and

controlling a quantity of electric generation by said supplying step, by receiving said output voltage indicative of battery state, by;

in a Type I system, increasing the quantity of electric generation when a voltage detected by said detecting terminal has a level lower than a first preset voltage which is selected to have a value equal to an expected full charge voltage of said battery, to thereby increase said battery voltage and cause said output voltage to rise, and not increasing the quantity of electric generation when a voltage detected by said detecting terminal has a level higher than said first preset voltage; and

in a Type II system, increasing the quantity of electric generation when an output voltage detected by said detecting terminal has a level higher than higher than a second preset voltage which is selected to have a value less than an expected minimum voltage of said battery which minimum voltage is a voltage lower than a voltage which is needed for said vehicle to operate properly, to thereby increase said battery voltage and cause said output voltage to lower, and not increasing the quantity of electric generation when an output voltage detected by said detecting terminal has a level lower than said second preset voltage.