Field transient suppression system and method
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A vehicle electrical system comprising:
- (a.) a generator comprising a field, coil and one or more stator windings interacting with changing magnetic flux produced by field current through said field coil and providing, electrical current to one or more electrical loads;
(b) a voltage regulator operative to maintain an output voltage of the generator at a regulation voltage by varying the field current;
(c) an electrical energy source operative to one of store and provide electrical energy of the field coil; and
(d) a control device comprising a charging module electrically coupled with the generator and electrical energy source, said control device responsive to a voltage of the electrical energy source and operative to one of charge and discharge the electrical energy source, via the charging module, to maintain the voltage of the electrical energy source at a predetermined voltage above the regulation voltage, so as to reduce the generator output voltage variations.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A vehicle electrical system comprises a generator, voltage regulator, electrical energy source, and control device. The generator provides electrical current to one or more electrical loads. Voltage variations are suppressed by storing electrical energy of the field coil of the generator in the electrical energy source, and by proving electrical energy from the electrical energy source to the field coil. The control device comprises a controller and a charging module operative to maintain the voltage of the electrical energy source at a predetermined voltage that is above the regulation voltage so as to reduce the generator output voltage variations.
47 Citations
30 Claims
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1. A vehicle electrical system comprising:
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(a.) a generator comprising a field, coil and one or more stator windings interacting with changing magnetic flux produced by field current through said field coil and providing, electrical current to one or more electrical loads; (b) a voltage regulator operative to maintain an output voltage of the generator at a regulation voltage by varying the field current; (c) an electrical energy source operative to one of store and provide electrical energy of the field coil; and (d) a control device comprising a charging module electrically coupled with the generator and electrical energy source, said control device responsive to a voltage of the electrical energy source and operative to one of charge and discharge the electrical energy source, via the charging module, to maintain the voltage of the electrical energy source at a predetermined voltage above the regulation voltage, so as to reduce the generator output voltage variations. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A vehicle electrical system comprising:
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(a) a generator comprising a field coil and one or more stator windings interacting with changing magnetic flux produced by field current through said field coil and providing electrical current to one or more electrical loads; (b) a voltage regulator operative to maintain an output voltage of the generator at a regulation voltage by varying the field current; (c) an electrical energy source operative to one of store and provide electrical energy of the field coil; and (d) a control device comprising a charging module electrically coupled with the generator and electrical energy source, said control device responsive to a voltage of the electrical energy source and operative to one of charge and discharge the electrical energy source, via the charging module, to; (i) maintain the voltage of the electrical energy source at a predetermined voltage above the regulation voltage; and (ii) one of store the electrical energy of the field coil in the electrical energy source and provide the electrical energy in the electrical energy source to the field coil when the output voltage of the generator differs from the regulation voltage, so as to reduce the generator output voltage variations.
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7. A control device, coupled with a generator, a voltage regulator, and an electrical energy source, said generator comprising a field coil and one or more stator windings interacting with changing magnetic flux produced by field current through said field coil and providing electrical current to one or more electrical loads, said voltage regulator operative to maintain an output voltage of the generator at a regulation voltage by varying the field current, said electrical energy source operative to one of store and provide electrical energy of the field coil, said control device comprising:
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(a) a charging module electrically coupled with the generator and electrical energy source; and (b) a controller, coupled with the generator, electrical energy source, and charging module; wherein the controller is configured to; (i) measure a voltage of the electrical energy source, via a first sense line; and (ii) apply one or more control signals to the charging module, via one or more control lines, to one of charge and discharge the electrical energy source, to maintain the voltage of the electrical energy source at a predetermined voltage that is above the regulation voltage, so as to reduce the generator output voltage-variations. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method for controlling a vehicle electrical system, said system comprising:
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(a) a generator comprising a field coil and one or more stator windings interacting with changing magnetic flux produced by field current through said field coil and providing electrical current to one or more electrical loads; (b) a voltage regulator operative, to maintain an output voltage of the generator at a regulation voltage by varying the field current; (c) an electrical energy source operative to one of store and provide electrical energy of the field coil; said method, comprising; (i) maintaining a voltage of the electrical energy source at a predetermined voltage above the regulation voltage by one of charging and discharging the electrical energy source, via a charging module electrically coupled with the generator and electrical energy source, so as to reduce the generator output voltage variations. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A method for controlling a generator coupled with a voltage regulator and an electrical energy source, said generator comprising a field coil and one or more stator windings interacting with changing magnetic flux produced by field current through said field coil and providing electrical current to one or more electrical loads, said voltage regulator operative to maintain an output voltage of the generator at a regulation voltage by varying the field current, said electrical energy source operative to one of store and provide electrical energy of the field coil, said method comprising:
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(i) measuring a voltage of the electrical energy source, via a first sense line; and (ii) applying one or more control signals to a charging module electrically coupled with the generator and electrical energy source, via one or more control lines to one of charge and discharge the electrical energy source, to maintain the voltage of the electrical energy source at a predetermined voltage that is above the regulation voltage, so as to reduce the generator output voltage-variations. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. A method for controlling a generator coupled with a voltage regulator and an electrical energy source, said generator comprising a field coil and one or more stator windings interacting with changing magnetic flux produced by field current through said field coil and providing electrical current to one or more electrical loads, said voltage regulator operative to maintain an output voltage of the generator at a regulation voltage by varying the field current, said electrical energy source operative to one of store and provide electrical energy of the field coil, said method comprising:
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measuring a voltage of the electrical energy source, via a first sense line; (ii) measuring the output voltage of the generator, via a second sense line; (iii) applying one or more control signals to a charging module electrically coupled with the generator and electrical energy source, via one or more control lines to one of charge and discharge the electrical energy source, to; (a) maintain the voltage of the electrical energy source at a predetermined voltage that is above the regulation voltage; and (b) one of store the electrical energy of the field coil in the electrical energy source and provide the electrical energy in the electrical energy source to the field coil, via the charging module, when the output voltage of the generator differs from the regulation voltage, so as to reduce the generator output voltage variations.
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Specification