Automotive voltage regulator to control voltge supply to an on-board vehicle network
First Claim
1. Automotive voltage regulator to control the output voltage of an automotive vehicular alternator in a vehicular on-board network, in which the network includesa battery (14) charged by the alternator and having one terminal connected to ground chassis (21, R) and the other to a load junction (13);
- said regulator having a first terminal (D+,
19) connected to the field terminal of the field (5) of the alternator (1);
a second terminal (DF,
20) connected to the other field terminal of the field (5) of the alternator (1);
A third terminal (D-,
21) connected to a chassis, or reference connection (R,
15) of the battery of the vehicle;
a switching semiconductor controlled switch (23,
24) connected between the second and third terminals (DF, 20;
D-,
21);
a voltage sensing circuit including a voltage sensing element (27) and a voltage divider (28, 32, 33, 29,
30), the voltage divider being connected between the first and third terminals (D+, 19;
D-,
21) to thereby connect the voltage divider across the supply to the field of the alternator (1), the voltage sensing element (27) being connected to a first tap (J) on the voltage divider and further to control a semiconductor controlled switch (23,
24);
a second tap (J'"'"') on said voltage divider positioned between the first tap (J) and the first terminal (19, D+);
current supply means (35, 36, 37, 38;
43, A) connected to the second tap of said voltage divider to modify the current through the voltage divider and hence the voltage controlling the semiconductor controlled switch;
the voltage divider (28, 32, 33,
29) connected between the first tap (J) and the first terminal (D+,
19) comprising two resistor elements (28,
29) and at least one diode (32,
33) serially connected between said resistor elements whereby one resistor element (28) will be connected to the first terminal (D+,
19) and the other resistor element (29) will be connected to the first tap (J);
a bypass transistor (40) having its emitter-collector path connected to the junction between said at least one diode (32,
33) and the resistor element (28) connected to said first terminal (D+,
19);
and means (41,
42) controlling conduction of said bypass transistor as a function of battery voltage.
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Accused Products
Abstract
To permit selective control of the voltage level of the on-board vehicle network as a function of battery voltage or exciter field control voltage of an automotive alternator, and continued operation of the regulator in spite of malfunction of control connections to the regulator, a voltage divide which supplies a voltage regulating element is formed with an additional tap thereon, the additional tap being connected to a current supply which supplies current to the voltage regulator to modify the voltge level of the tap supplying the control potential to the voltage regulator. The voltge regulator includes a controlled semiconductor switch which is selectively energized in accordance with voltage level at the main tap of the voltage divider with respect to a reference level. If, as customary, the control voltage is the battery voltge, a switch-over circit in the regulator changes the command voltage to the field exciter voltage in case of a break in the connection between generator and battery, control is effected with respect to a constant voltage, the break being indicated by faint illumination of the charge control indicator lamp, or discharge of a battery charge indicator instrument to supply a warning indication.
25 Citations
6 Claims
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1. Automotive voltage regulator to control the output voltage of an automotive vehicular alternator in a vehicular on-board network, in which the network includes
a battery (14) charged by the alternator and having one terminal connected to ground chassis (21, R) and the other to a load junction (13); -
said regulator having a first terminal (D+,
19) connected to the field terminal of the field (5) of the alternator (1);a second terminal (DF,
20) connected to the other field terminal of the field (5) of the alternator (1);A third terminal (D-,
21) connected to a chassis, or reference connection (R,
15) of the battery of the vehicle;a switching semiconductor controlled switch (23,
24) connected between the second and third terminals (DF, 20;
D-,
21);a voltage sensing circuit including a voltage sensing element (27) and a voltage divider (28, 32, 33, 29,
30), the voltage divider being connected between the first and third terminals (D+, 19;
D-,
21) to thereby connect the voltage divider across the supply to the field of the alternator (1), the voltage sensing element (27) being connected to a first tap (J) on the voltage divider and further to control a semiconductor controlled switch (23,
24);a second tap (J'"'"') on said voltage divider positioned between the first tap (J) and the first terminal (19, D+); current supply means (35, 36, 37, 38;
43, A) connected to the second tap of said voltage divider to modify the current through the voltage divider and hence the voltage controlling the semiconductor controlled switch;the voltage divider (28, 32, 33,
29) connected between the first tap (J) and the first terminal (D+,
19) comprising two resistor elements (28,
29) and at least one diode (32,
33) serially connected between said resistor elements whereby one resistor element (28) will be connected to the first terminal (D+,
19) and the other resistor element (29) will be connected to the first tap (J);a bypass transistor (40) having its emitter-collector path connected to the junction between said at least one diode (32,
33) and the resistor element (28) connected to said first terminal (D+,
19);and means (41,
42) controlling conduction of said bypass transistor as a function of battery voltage. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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Specification