Power source system for vehicle

• US 6,133,715 A
• Filed: 11/27/1998
• Issued: 10/17/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 11/28/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Maruyama, Toshinori, Sada, Takeshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Ponomarenko, Nicholas
• Application Number:
  US09/200,597
• Time in Patent Office: 690 Days
• Field of Search: 320/5, 322/25, 322/27, 322/28, 322/29
• US Class Current: 322/28
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 9/305 controlling voltage H02P9/302 takes precedence

Abstract

A power source system is composed of a generator, a running-condition sensing-unit, a power control unit which controls generator output voltage according to vehicle running condition, and a constant voltage source connected in series with the generator and a vehicle load. The constant voltage source supplies the vehicle load with power at a constant voltage lower than the output voltage of the generator.

Claims

1. A power source system for a vehicle load and a vehicle battery comprising:

a generator for generating output power;

a running-condition sensing-unit for detecting vehicle running condition;

a power control unit, connected between said generator and said running-condition sensing-unit, for controlling output voltage of said generator according to said vehicle running condition; and

a constant voltage source having an input terminal connected to said generator and output terminal connected to said vehicle load, said constant voltage source supplying said vehicle load with power at a constant voltage lower than said output voltage of said generator.

2. The power source system as claimed in claim 1, wherein

said vehicle load supplied by said constant voltage source is a plurality of head lamps.

3. The power source system as claimed in claim 1, wherein

said vehicle load supplied by said constant voltage source is a blower motor.

4. The power source system as claimed in claim 1, wherein

said power control unit controls said generator to generate output power at a first output voltage when said running-condition sensing-unit detects normal condition and at a second output voltage lower than said first output voltage when said running-condition sensing-unit detects an acceleration of the vehicle.

5. The power source system as claimed in claim 1, wherein

said constant voltage source comprises a switching element, a control circuit for controlling conductivity of said switching element.

6. The power source system as claimed in claim 5, wherein

said constant voltage source further comprises a conductivity detection circuit, connected to said power control unit, for controlling said power control unit to reduce said output voltage when said conductivity is less than 100% until the conductivity of said switching element becomes 100%.

7. The power source system as claimed in claim 6, wherein

said power control unit comprises a reference-voltage setting-unit, a voltage regulator for regulating output voltage of said generator according to the reference voltage provided by said reference-voltage setting-unit and a reference-voltage changing-circuit, connected to said conductivity detection circuit, for changing said reference voltage according to said conductivity.

8. The power source system as claimed in claim 7 used with an engine control unit, wherein

said running-condition sensing-unit is included in said engine control unit.

9. The power source system as claimed in claim 8, wherein

said reference-voltage changing-circuit is included in said engine control unit.

10. The power source system as claimed in claim 9, wherein

said reference-voltage setting-unit is included in said engine control unit.

11. The power source system as claimed in claim 8, wherein

said power control unit is included in said engine control unit.

12. The power source system as claimed in claim 6, wherein

said conductivity detection circuit is connected to said power control unit by a LAN cable.