AC Generator

• US 4,500,828 A
• Filed: 05/11/1983
• Issued: 02/19/1985
• Est. Priority Date: 05/24/1982
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Nishihara, Teruyoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Hickey, R. J.
• Application Number:
  US06/493,763
• Time in Patent Office: 650 Days
• Field of Search: 322/46, 322/28, 322/59, 322/94, 310/156
• US Class Current: 322/46
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/16 Regulation of the charging current or voltage by variation of field
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 21/044 Rotor of the claw pole type

Abstract

This invention relates an AC generator comprising a stator coil, a field coil, a pole core for inducing an output voltage to the stator coil, and a voltage regulator for controlling the output voltage. The field coil is wound in either of such directions as to reduce or increase the magnetic flux formed by the pole core. The voltage regulator controls the output voltage to a predetermined value by passing or breaking the current to the field coil. The voltage regulator thus operates to disconnect the field coil when the output voltage is not within a specified range.

Claims

1. An AC generator comprising:

a stator coil;

a pole core, comprising a permanent magnet for creating a magnetic field which produces an output voltage in the stator coil;

a reverse field coil disposed to reduce the magnetic field when a field current flows therethrough; and

a voltage regulator responsively connected to the stator coil and connected to the reverse field coil, the voltage regulator having means in series with the reverse field coil for permitting the field current flow through the reverse field coil only when the output voltage is above a predetermined value.

2. An AC generator as claimed in claim 1 wherein the voltage regulator comprises:

means for dividing the output voltage;

means, connected to the dividing means, for conducting a control current from the dividing means when the divided output voltage exceeds a predetermined threshold value; and

means responsively connected to the conducting means and connected in series with the reverse field coil for permitting the field current to pass through the reverse field coil only when the control current flows from the dividing means through the conducting means.

3. An AC generator as claimed in claim 2, wherein:

the dividing means comprises a pair of resistors connected in series between a line at the output voltage and a line at ground potential;

the conducting means comprises a Zener diode; and

the means for permitting current to pass comprises a Darlington transistor.

4. An AC generator as claimed in claim 1, wherein the permanent magnet comprises a ferrite magnet.

5. A voltage regulator for regulating the output voltage of an AC generator, the AC generator having a reverse field coil, comprising:

means for dividing the output voltage;

means connected to the dividing means for conducting a control current from the dividing means only when the divided output voltage exceeds a predetermined threshold value; and

means responsively connected to the conducting means and connected in series with the field coil for permitting a field current to pass through the reverse field coil only when the control current flows through the conducting means.

6. A voltage regulator as claimed in claim 5, wherein:

the dividing means comprises a pair of resistors connected in series between a line at the output voltage and a line at ground potential;

the conducting means comprises a Zener diode; and

the means for permitting a field current to pass comprises a Darlington transistor.