Circuit configuration for control of the current consumption of one or more heavy current consumption devices in a motor vehicle

• US 6,900,554 B1
• Filed: 11/23/1995
• Issued: 05/31/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Audi AG (Volkswagen AG)
• Original Assignee: Audi AG (Volkswagen AG)
• Inventors: Winkler, Josef
• Primary Examiner(s): SIRCUS, BRIAN
• Assistant Examiner(s): Roberto, Rios
• Application Number:
  US08/849,873
• Time in Patent Office: 3,477 Days
• Field of Search: 307/9.1, 307/10.1, 307/10.7, 322 62- 64, 320/21, 320/145, 323/282, 323/283, 323/284, 323/285, 323/299, 323/303, 310/68.R, 310/68.C, 310/68.D
• US Class Current: 307/10.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/03 for supply of electrical power to vehicle subsystems or for circuit arrangements for charging batteries H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05F 1/67 to the maximum power available from a generator, e.g. from solar cell
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/46 for ICE-powered road vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/1438 in combination with power supplies for loads other than batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries

Abstract

In order to prevent discharge of the battery (3) of a motor vehicle during operation of heavy current consumption devices, a circuit configuration is to be prepared which comprises essentially a rotary current generator (1), a vehicle battery (3), one or more current consuming devices (4), and a controllable voltage converter (2). The voltage converter (2) supplies an output voltage which varies as a function of the control signal of a control unit (10) of the current generator (1) and which supplies the current consuming device (4). In the event of overloading of the rotary current generator (1) the output voltage of the voltage converter (2) is lowered in order to reduce the current consumption of the device (4) and prevent overloading of the rotary current generator (1) and discharge of the vehicle battery (3).

Claims

1. A process for controlling a current consumption of a current consumption device in a motor vehicle, which process is carried out by a circuit configuration comprising one of a DC-DC converter and an AC-AC converter having an output voltage being connected between a rotary current generator having a control unit with a control unit signal and said current consumption device;

said one of a DC-DC converter and an AC-AC converter having a control connection for reception of the control unit signal with a pulse width and an output connection for delivering the output voltage to said one or more current consumption devices, wherein

the output voltage is lowered if the pulse width falls below a predetermined minimum value, and

the output voltage is increased if the pulse width exceeds a predetermined maximum value.

2. A method of controlling a current consumption device connected to an output voltage of a converter controlled by a signal width a pulse width, wherein the output voltage decreases when the pulse width falls below a predetermined value;

and the output voltage increases when the pulse width exceeds said predetermined value.

3. A circuit configuration in a motor vehicle, comprising:

a rotary current generator;

a control unit with an output terminal being mounted in the rotary current generator for controlling a generator output voltage; and

a vehicle battery chargeable by the generator for controlling a current consumption of a current consumption device;

wherein said circuit configuration comprises a DC-DC converter connected between said rotary current generator and said current consumption device, said DC-DC converter comprises a control connection for reception of a control signal from the output terminal of said control unit and an output connection delivering an output voltage to said current consumption device, said control signal is a rectangular signal of variable pulse width, and said DC-DC converter includes a counter for recording said variable pulse width and a digital to analog converter whose output voltage is proportional to a digital value displayed by the counter.

4. A circuit configuration in a motor vehicle, comprising:

a rotary current generator;

a control unit with an output terminal being mounted in the rotary current generator for controlling a generator output voltage; and

a vehicle battery chargeable by the generator for controlling a current consumption of a current consumption device;

wherein said current configuration comprises an AC-AC converter connected between said rotary current generator and said current consumption device, said AC-AC converter comprises a control connection for reception of a control signal from the output terminal of said control unit and an output connection delivering an output voltage to said current consumption device, said control signal is a rectangular signal of variable pulse width, the inputs of said AC-AC converter are supplied with AC voltages from a plurality of stater coils of the rotary current generator and the generator supplies an output voltage varying as a function of the pulse width of the rectangular pulses of the control unit.

6. A circuit according to claim 4 wherein the output connections of the AC-AC converter are connected to the inputs of a rectifier circuit inserted upstream from the current consumption device.

5. A circuit configuration in a motor vehicle, comprising:

a rotary current generator;

a control unit with an output terminal being mounted in the rotary current generator for controlling a generator output voltage; and

a vehicle battery chargeable by the generator for controlling a current consumption of a current consumption device;

wherein said current configuration comprises an AC-AC converter connected between said rotary current generator and said current consumption device, said AC-AC converter comprises a control connection for reception of a control signal from the output terminal of said control unit and an output connection delivering an output voltage to said current consumption device, and said AC-AC converter includes a plurality of thyristers controlled by said control unit signal.

7. An apparatus comprising:

a generator having a control unit with a control signal;

a DC-DC converter; and

a current consuming device;

wherein said DC-DC converter upon receipt of the control signal and a first energy source from the generator, delivers a second energy source to the current consuming device, said control signal comprises a square wave of variable pulse width and said DC-DC converter includes a counter to record the variable pulse width of said control signal.

8. An apparatus comprising:

a generator having a control unit with a control signal;

a DC-DC converter; and

a current consuming device;

wherein said DC-DC converter upon receipt of the control signal and a first energy source from the generator, delivers a second energy source to the current consuming device, said control signal comprises a square wave of variable pulse width and the DC-DC converter comprises a digital to analog converter to convert the second energy source from a digital form to an analog form.

9. An apparatus comprising:

a generator having a control unit with a control signal;

an AC-AC converter; and

a current consuming device;

wherein said AC-AC converter upon receipt of the control signal and a first energy source from the generator, delivers a second energy source to the current consuming device, said control signal is a square wave of variable pulse width and said AC-AC converter comprises a control connection to receive the control signal, a plurality of three phase connections to receive the first energy source and a plurality of three phase connections to deliver the second energy source.

11. An apparatus according to claim 9 wherein a rectifier circuit is connected between the plurality of three phase connections delivering the second energy source and the current consuming device.

10. An apparatus comprising:

a generator having a control unit with a control signal;

an AC-AC converter; and

a current consuming device;

wherein said AC-AC converter upon receipt of the control signal and a first energy source from the generator, delivers a second energy source to the current consuming device, said control signal is a square wave of variable pulse width and said AC-AC converter comprises a plurality of thyristers each controlled by said control signal.