Vehicle generator control device

• US 5,512,812 A
• Filed: 09/03/1993
• Issued: 04/30/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 09/07/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Inventors: Ono, Takahiko
• Primary Examiner(s): Stephan, Steven L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ponomarenko, Nicholas
• Application Number:
  US08/115,766
• Time in Patent Office: 970 Days
• Field of Search: 322/27, 322/28, 322/29
• US Class Current: 322/28
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/24 using discharge tubes or semiconductor devices
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 9/305 controlling voltage H02P9/302 takes precedence

Abstract

A vehicle generator control device comprises a detector adapted to detect whether or not a lamp load has been applied; and a control circuit. When an electric load is applied (i.e., when the terminal voltage of a battery is lowered) under the condition that the application of the lamp load has been detected, the control circuit suspends a load response control operation (increasing the field current of the generator by turning the field current switch on and off), and instead increases the field current abruptly by maintaining the field current switch conductive, thereby to increase the terminal voltage of the battery immediately. Thereby, a vehicle generator control device is provided which is free from a difficulty that, when a load response control operation is carried out with lamps with head turned on, the output light of these lamps are decreased or the lamps flicker.

Claims

1. A vehicle generator control device having load response control means which detects a reduction in voltage of a battery and gradually increases field current of the respective field coil of a generator thereby to gradually increase the voltage of said battery, said generator control device comprising:

detecting means for detecting whether or not a lamp load has been applied; and

field current increasing means for, when a reduction in the voltage of said battery is detected under the condition that the application of said lamp load has been detected by said detecting means, suspending the gradual increasing of said field current, and instead increasing said field current abruptly.

2. A vehicle generator control device having load response control circuit which detects an application of load to gradually increase a field current of a field coil of a generator to thereby gradually increase a voltage of a battery, said generator control device comprising:

means for turning on/off conduction of field current of the field coil, said turning on/off means including switching means;

detecting means for detecting whether a lamp load is applied;

control means for forcing said turning on/off means turn on said conduction of field current when both said lamp load and a respective load other than said lamp load are applied.

3. A vehicle generator control device comprising:

load response control means for receiving a first signal indicative of a battery voltage and for issuing a second signal indicative of load being applied to said battery if the first signal exceeds a predetermined voltage, said load response control means gradually increasing a field current of a field coil of a generator in response to said second signal;

detecting means for issuing a third signal when a lamp load has been applied; and

field current increasing means for, when both said second and third signals are issued, suspending the gradual increasing of said field current, and for instead increasing said field current abruptly.