Regulator for a polyphase alternator for a motor vehicle

• US 6,031,360 A
• Filed: 12/24/1998
• Issued: 02/29/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 12/24/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Valeo Equipements Electriques Moteur (Valeo SE)
• Original Assignee: Valeo Equipements Electriques Moteur (Valeo SE)
• Inventors: Pierret, Jean-Marie
• Primary Examiner(s): Ramirez, Nestor
• Assistant Examiner(s): MEDLEY, PETER M
• Application Number:
  US09/220,661
• Time in Patent Office: 432 Days
• Field of Search: 322/99, 322/20, 322/29, 324/416
• US Class Current: 322/99
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/006 on road vehicles, e.g. automobiles or trucks testing of ignition installations peculiar to internal combustion engines F02P17/00

Abstract

A regulator for a polyphase alternator for a motor vehicle, the regulator including detector means for detecting a voltage difference between the phase terminals that are to receive the phase voltages from said alternator, and means for detecting a trigger signal for triggering operation in an accelerated mode, wherein the means for detecting a trigger signal comprise means for detecting a particular level of the voltage or current on at least one of the phase terminals, and means for triggering accelerated mode operation when said voltage or current level is detected, and wherein the detector means for detecting a voltage difference between the phase terminals are suitable for detecting said voltage difference at the said current or voltage level on said phase terminal.

Claims

1. A regulator for a polyphase alternator for a motor vehicle, the regulator including detector means for detecting a voltage difference between the phase terminals that are to receive the phase voltages from said alternator, and means for detecting a trigger signal for triggering operation in an accelerated mode, wherein the means for detecting a trigger signal comprise means for detecting a particular level of the voltage or current on at least one of the phase terminals, and means for triggering accelerated mode operation when said voltage or current level is detected, and wherein the detector means for detecting a voltage difference between the phase terminals are suitable for detecting said voltage difference at the said current or voltage level on said phase terminal.

2. A regulator according to claim 1, wherein the means for detecting the trigger signal comprise means for detecting a particular voltage level in the peaks, at least of the voltage received on a phase terminal.

3. A regulator according to claim 2, wherein said means for detecting the trigger signal include means for detecting that the peaks of the negative half-cycles of said voltage are below a voltage threshold below ground potential.

4. A regulator according to claim 3, wherein said voltage threshold is about 10 volts below ground potential.

5. A regulator according to claim 2, wherein said means for detecting the trigger signal comprise means for detecting that the peaks of the positive half-cycles of a voltage received on a phase terminal are greater than a threshold above battery voltage.

6. A regulator according to claim 1, wherein the means for detecting a voltage difference between the phase terminals comprise a transistor circuit forming a current mirror whose two branches are fed by transistor circuits forming current sources of different currents, one of the transistors of these current source circuits being limited to a predetermined current value when a voltage difference appears between the two phase terminals, said limitation causing a voltage output to change level.

7. A regulator according to claim 6, wherein the level at which a voltage difference is detected between the phases is tied to the current difference between the current sources of the detector means.

8. A regulator according to claim 6, including two logic outputs and wherein said transistor circuits forming a current mirror and current sources are duplicated to cause one or the other of said logic outputs to change level depending on the sign of the voltage difference between the phase terminals.

9. A regulator according to claim 6, wherein the detection threshold level made possible by said means is about 200 mV.

10. A regulator according to claim 9, including means for modifying the detection threshold level for the voltage difference between the phase terminals when the voltage received on said terminals is greater than a given value.

11. A regulator according to claim 1, wherein the means for triggering accelerated mode operation include a time delay circuit connected to the output of means for detecting the voltage or a current level.