Control apparatus and control method of generator for vehicle

• US 6,954,052 B2
• Filed: 11/12/2003
• Issued: 10/11/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/07/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Inventors: Nakashima, Masami, Fujita, Yoshitomo, Yamane, Koichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Schuberg, Darren
• Assistant Examiner(s): Cuevas, Pedro J.
• Application Number:
  US10/705,053
• Publication Number:
  US 20040222772A1
• Time in Patent Office: 699 Days
• Field of Search: 322/14, 322/19, 322/25, 322 27- 29
• US Class Current: 322/28
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/243 with on/off action
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 9/48 Arrangements for obtaining a constant output value at varying speed of the generator, e.g. on vehicle H02P9/04 - H02P9/46 take precedence

Abstract

An electronic control apparatus includes target FR calculator that calculates a target exciting current duty ratio FR based on an exciting current inputted from FR terminal of a regulator and flowing through field coil, and information of engine operating conditions. The electronic control apparatus also includes target FR limit value FRCLP calculator that calculates a FRCLP corresponding to a drive torque limit value based on an output of a correlative information detector. A comparator compares target FR and FRCLP, outputs a control signal within FRCLP to a control unit, and controls a duty ratio FR of exciting current flowing through a field coil not to be larger than FRCLP.

Claims

1. A control apparatus of a generator for vehicle that includes a field coil and controls an output of the generator rotationally driven by an engine by changing duty ratio of an exciting current flowing through said field coil in conformity with increase or decrease in electric load:

said control apparatus comprising;

means of calculating a target exciting current duty ratio on the basis of a duty ratio of an exciting current flowing through said field coil and operating condition information of said engine;

means of calculating a target exciting current duty ratio limit value corresponding to a drive torque limit value of said generator on the basis of an output of correlative information detecting means that detects information correlative to atmosphere temperature of said generator; and

means of limiting a duty ratio of exciting current flowing through said field coil by limiting a value of said target exciting current duty ratio on the basis of said target exciting current duty ratio limit value.

2. The control apparatus of a generator for vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising means of calculating target exciting current duty ratio limit time that corresponds to period for limiting drive torque of said generator,

wherein said exciting current duty ratio is limited within said calculated target exciting current duty ratio limit time.

3. The control apparatus of a generator for vehicle according to claim 2,

wherein said means of calculating target exciting current duty ratio limit time sets a time at which said drive torque comes to a heating time level on the basis of the characteristics of said generator.

4. The control apparatus of a generator for vehicle according to claim 2, further comprising means of determining whether or not a time elapsed after starting said engine is within said target exciting current duty ratio limit time,

wherein said target exciting current duty ratio limit value is calculated on condition that said elapsed time is within said target exciting current duty ratio limit time.

5. The control apparatus of a generator for vehicle according to claim 1,

wherein said means of calculating target exciting current duty ratio limit value sets a target exciting current duty ratio limit value so as to obtain a drive torque not being lower than the nominal output on the basis of characteristics of said generator.

6. A control method of a generator for vehicle that includes a field coil and controls an output of the generator rotationally driven by an engine by changing duty ratio of an exciting current flowing through said field coil in conformity with increase or decrease in electric load:

said control method comprising the steps of;

calculating a target exciting current duty ratio on the basis of a duty ratio of an exciting current flowing through said field coil and operating condition information of said engine;

calculating a target exciting current duty ratio limit value corresponding to a drive torque limit value of said generator on the basis of an output of correlative information detecting means that detects information correlative to atmosphere temperature of said generator; and

limiting a duty ratio of exciting current flowing through said field coil by limiting a value of said target exciting current duty ratio on the basis of said target exciting current duty ratio limit value.

7. The control method of a generator for vehicle according to claim 6, further comprising a step of calculating a target exciting current duty ratio limit time corresponding to the period for limiting the drive torque of said generator,

wherein said exciting current duty ratio is limited within said calculated target exciting current duty ratio limit time.