Voltage regulator
First Claim
1. A voltage regulator for an A.C. generator having a field winding, comprising:
- (a) input terminals for connection to a generator load;
(b) output terminals for connection to the generator field winding;
(c) voltage controlled field-winding excitation control means, connected across said input terminals, for supplying direct current to said output terminals;
(d) drive means for driving said voltage controlled field-winding excitation control means;
(e) frequency sensing means for generating a voltage proportional to the frequency across said input terminals when said frequency is below a preselected break-point frequency and and for generating a constant voltage when said frequency is above said break-point frequency; and
(f) asynchronous switching regulator means, connected to said frequency sensing means and said input terminals, for producing a train of output voltage control signals adapted to operate said drive means in response to the frequency and voltage out of said generator, said break-point frequency being sufficiently high that said regulator is essentially insensitive to relatively small changes in engine speed when said generator is operating under load.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A voltage regulator is described adapted for use controlling the output of an AC generator. A voltage control field-winding excitation control circuit supplies direct current to the generator field in response to a driver. The driver, in turn, is operated in response to a switching regulator. A frequency sensing means generates a voltage proportional to the frequency of the generator. This frequency sensitive voltage is combined with a reference voltage to drive an asynchronous switching regulator. The switching regulator produces a train of output voltage control signals to operate the driver. Preferably power MOSFETs are used to control the flow of current to the generator field. Loss of voltage and high current protection features are included.
43 Citations
28 Claims
-
1. A voltage regulator for an A.C. generator having a field winding, comprising:
-
(a) input terminals for connection to a generator load; (b) output terminals for connection to the generator field winding; (c) voltage controlled field-winding excitation control means, connected across said input terminals, for supplying direct current to said output terminals; (d) drive means for driving said voltage controlled field-winding excitation control means; (e) frequency sensing means for generating a voltage proportional to the frequency across said input terminals when said frequency is below a preselected break-point frequency and and for generating a constant voltage when said frequency is above said break-point frequency; and (f) asynchronous switching regulator means, connected to said frequency sensing means and said input terminals, for producing a train of output voltage control signals adapted to operate said drive means in response to the frequency and voltage out of said generator, said break-point frequency being sufficiently high that said regulator is essentially insensitive to relatively small changes in engine speed when said generator is operating under load. - View Dependent Claims (2)
-
-
3. A voltage regulator for an A.C. generator having a field winding, comprising:
-
(a) input terminals for connection to a generator load; (b) output terminals for connection to the generator field winding; (c) a voltage controlled field-winding excitation control means connected across said input terminals, for supplying direct current to said output terminals, said voltage controlled field-winding excitation control means including at least one MOSFET defining a gate terminal, a source terminal, and a drain terminal; (d) drive means for driving said voltage controlled field-winding excitation control means; (e) frequency sensing means for generating a voltage proportional to the frequency across said input terminals when said frequency is below a pre-selected break-point frequency and for generating a constant voltage when said frequency is above said break-point frequency; (f) asynchronous switching regulator means, connected to said frequency sensing means and said input terminals, for producing a train of output voltage control signals adapted to operate said drive means in response to the frequency and voltage out of said generator; and (g) voltage means, powered by said input terminals, for supplying voltage to the gate of said MOSFET during the start-up of said generator. - View Dependent Claims (4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
-
-
18. A voltage regulator for a generator having an AC output and a field-winding, comprising;
-
(a) a current sensing resistor; (b) a plurality of MOSFETs connected in parallel with each other and in series with the field-winding and in series with said current sensing resistor, each MOSFET defining a gate, a drain and a source; (c) rectifier means, powered by the output of said generator, for producing direct current across the series combination of said field-winding, said MOSFETs, and said current sensing resistor; (d) asynchronous switching means for applying a voltage to each of said MOSFET gates to control the flow of direct current from said rectifier means and through said field-winding; and (e) frequency sensing means, powering said switching means, for generating a voltage proportional to the frequency at the output of the generator when said frequency is below a pre-selected break-point frequency and for generating a constant voltage when said frequency is above said pre-selected break-point frequency. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
-
-
27. A voltage regulator for a generator having a field-winding, comprising:
-
(a) a plurality of MOSFETs connected in parallel with each other and in series with the field-winding, each MOSFET defining a gate, a drain, and a source; (b) means, disposed across the output of said generator, for supplying direct current across the series combination of said MOSFETs and said field-winding; (c) frequency sensing means for generating a constant voltage when the frequency of said generator is above a pre-selected frequency; (d) asynchronous switching means, operated in response to said frequency sensing means and the voltage out of said generator, for producing a train of output voltage signals adapted to control the gates of said MOSFETs, whereby the flow of current through the field of the generator is a characteristic of the output voltage and frequency of the generator. - View Dependent Claims (28)
-
Specification