Controller of generator for vehicle

• US 7,714,545 B2
• Filed: 08/31/2005
• Issued: 05/11/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
• Inventors: Kuowa, Tatsuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Gonzalez; Julio
• Assistant Examiner(s): Cuevas; Pedro J
• Application Number:
  US11/916,049
• Publication Number:
  US 20090033295A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,714 Days
• Field of Search: 322/28, 322/36, 322/37, 327/175, 315/212
• US Class Current: 322/28
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 9/107 for limiting effects of overloads
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 9/305 controlling voltage H02P9/302 takes precedence
• 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

A controller of a generator (1) for a vehicle comprising a voltage regulator (3) for regulating a generated voltage to a predetermined voltage by performing on/off control of a field current through a switching element and performing variable control of a regulated voltage with a control signal from an external control unit (4) is further provided with a maximum duty factor limiting circuit (300) for limiting the maximum duty factor of the switching element (Q3) performing on/off control of the field current.

Claims

1. In a controller of a generator for a vehicle, including a voltage regulator which performs on/off control of a field current by a switching element, thereby to regulate a generated voltage to a predetermined voltage, and which performs variable control of a regulated voltage with a control signal from an external control unit;

a controller of a generator for a vehicle, characterized by disposing a maximum duty factor limiting circuit which limits a maximum duty factor of the switching element for performing the on/off control of the field current, when the control signal is inputted from the external control unit.

2. A controller of a generator for a vehicle as defined in claim 1, characterized in that, in a case where the regulated voltage is controlled so as to become higher than a predetermined voltage value, with the control signal from the external control unit, said maximum duty factor limiting circuit limits the maximum duty factor of the switching element for performing the on/off control of the field current.

3. A controller of a generator for a vehicle as defined in claim 2, characterized in that said maximum duty factor limiting circuit is set so that, as the regulated voltage becomes higher with the control signal from the external control unit, the maximum duty factor of the switching element may become smaller in inverse proportion to a magnitude of the regulated voltage.

4. In a controller of an AC generator for a vehicle, including a voltage regulator which detects a terminal voltage of a storage battery that is charged with a rectification output of the AC generator having a field coil, which controls on/off of a field switching element on the basis of the detected voltage and a control signal that is inputted from an external control unit, and which performs on/off control of a field current that flows through the field coil, thereby to regulate an output voltage of the AC generator to a predetermined value;

a controller of an AC generator for a vehicle, characterized by disposing a maximum duty factor limiting circuit which limits a maximum duty factor of the field switching element on the basis of a comparison between the control signal from the external control unit and a preset reference signal.

5. A controller of an AC generator for a vehicle as defined in claim 4, characterized in that said maximum duty factor limiting circuit is configured including a first comparator which compares the control signal from the external control unit and a preset first reference signal, and a second comparator which compares the control signal from the external control unit and a preset second reference signal, wherein a limit starting point of the maximum duty factor is set by said first comparator, and a magnitude of the maximum duty factor is set by said second comparator.

6. A controller of an AC generator for a vehicle as defined in claim 4, characterized in that a control signal which is inputted to said maximum duty factor limiting circuit is a voltage signal which is proportional to a duty ratio of the control signal that is inputted from the external control unit.

7. A controller of an AC generator for a vehicle as defined in claim 5, characterized in that said first comparator is configured so as to compare the voltage signal which is proportional to the duty ratio of the control signal that is inputted from the external control unit and the first reference signal which is a preset voltage signal, and that said second comparator is configured so as to compare the voltage signal which is proportional to the duty ratio of the control signal that is inputted from the external control unit and the second reference signal which is a triangular wave of constant cycle.