Hybrid alternator with voltage regulator

• US 5,631,544 A
• Filed: 06/02/1995
• Issued: 05/20/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 06/14/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ecoair Corp.
• Original Assignee: Ecoair Corp.
• Inventors: Syverson, Charles D., Curtiss, William P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Stephan, Steven L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ponomarenko, Nicholas
• Application Number:
  US08/459,546
• Time in Patent Office: 718 Days
• Field of Search: 322/46, 322/25, 322/26, 322/28
• US Class Current: 322/46
• CPC Class Codes: H02H 7/067 on occurrence of a load dump control on sudden change of load H02P9/10
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00308 Overvoltage protection
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0047 with monitoring or indicating devices or circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/1423 with multiple batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/1438 in combination with power supplies for loads other than batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/163 with special means for initiating or limiting the excitation current
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/28 using magnetic devices with controllable degree of saturation in combination with controlled discharge tube or controlled semiconductor device
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 1/24 Rotor cores with salient poles ; Variable reluctance rotors
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 1/2713 the magnetisation axis of the magnets being axial, e.g. claw-pole type
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 1/276 Magnets embedded in the magnetic core, e.g. interior permanent magnets [IPM]
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 1/2773 consisting of tangentially magnetized radial magnets
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 16/00 Machines with more than one rotor or stator machines for transmitting mechanical power from a driving shaft to a driven shaft and comprising structurally interrelated motor and generator parts H02K51/00; permanent magnet machines with multiple rotors or stators relatively rotated for vectorially combining the excitation fields or the armature voltages H02K21/029
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 16/02 Machines with one stator and two or more rotors
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 19/103 Motors having windings on the stator and a variable reluctance soft-iron rotor without windings
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 19/28 for self-excitation
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 19/36 Structural association of synchronous generators with auxiliary electric devices influencing the characteristic of the generator or controlling the generator, e.g. with impedances or switches
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 19/365 with a voltage regulator
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 21/042 with permanent magnets and field winding both rotating
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 3/51 applicable to rotors only
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 9/06 with fans or impellers driven by the machine shaft
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 2101/45 : for motor vehicles, e.g. car alternators
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 25/16 : characterised by the circuit arrangement or by the kind of wiring
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 9/305 : controlling voltage H02P9/302 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 : Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries

Abstract

A hybrid alternator includes a stator winding and a rotor winding. The stator winding includes a neutral point having a neutral point voltage and is preferably arranged as a three phase winding with the neutral point being located at the center junction of three stator winding portions arranged in a "Y" configuration. The rotor winding is mounted on a rotor which also includes permanent magnets. The rotor winding has a first end connected to the neutral point on the stator winding and a second end connected to a switching circuit. The rotor winding produces a magnetic flux field that additively combines with the permanent magnetic flux field from the permanent magnets when the switching circuit connects the second end of the rotor winding to a voltage greater than the neutral point voltage and produces a magnetic flux field that subtractively combines with the permanent magnetic flux field when the switching circuit connects the second end to a voltage less than the neutral point voltage.

Claims

1. A hybrid alternator comprising:

a stator including a stator winding having a plurality of output ends connected through portions of the stator winding to a common neutral point having a neutral point voltage; and

a rotor including;

a shaft mounted for rotation within the stator,

at least one permanent magnet mounted on the rotor producing a permanent magnetic flux field,

a rotor winding mounted on the shaft and having a first end connected to the neutral point on the stator winding and a second end adapted for connection to a switching circuit in a voltage regulator, the rotor winding producing a rotor magnetic flux field that additively combines with the permanent magnetic flux field when the switching circuit connects the second end to a voltage greater than the neutral point voltage and producing a rotor magnetic flux field that subtractively combines with the permanent magnetic flux field when the switching circuit connects the second end to a voltage end to a voltage less than the neutral point voltage.

2. A hybrid alternator according to claim 1 wherein the stator winding is a multiphase winding composed of a plurality of individual stator windings, each having an inner end and an outer end, the stator winding being connected together at the inner ends in a star configuration, the neutral point being located at the connected together inner ends of the individual stator windings.

3. A hybrid alternator according to claim 2 wherein the stator winding is a three phase winding and the neutral point is located at the junction of three stator windings arranged in a "Y" configuration.

4. A hybrid alternator according to claim 1 further comprising a voltage regulator having a switching circuit connected to the second end of the rotor winding, the voltage regulator being adapted for connection to positive and negative terminals of a battery, the switching circuit alternately connecting the second end of the rotor winding to the positive and negative terminals of the battery to regulate an output voltage of the alternator.