Abnormality detection apparatus of vehicle AC generator

• US 6,867,569 B2
• Filed: 05/20/2002
• Issued: 03/15/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Taniguchi, Makoto, Muto, Katsuya
• Primary Examiner(s): Waks, Joe
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ramirez, Julio Gonzalez
• Application Number:
  US10/147,996
• Publication Number:
  US 20020193922A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,030 Days
• Field of Search: 322/22, 322/24, 322/26, 322/27, 322/28, 322/29, 701/34, 340/436, 340/455
• US Class Current: 322/28
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0047 with monitoring or indicating devices or circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/14 for charging batteries from dynamo-electric generators driven at varying speed, e.g. on vehicle

Abstract

An abnormality detection apparatus of a vehicle AC generator that includes a rectifier for providing DC voltage is disclosed. The abnormality detection apparatus includes an abnormality judging unit and an alarm lamp. The abnormality judging unit judges abnormality of the vehicle AC generator if the number of ripples that is included in the output voltage of a rectifier is not equal to or more than a predetermined number for a predetermined period. The alarm lamp lights when the abnormality judging unit judges abnormality.

Claims

1. An abnormality detection apparatus of a vehicle AC generator including a multiple phase armature winding and a rectifier having a plurality of rectifying elements that is connected to the armature winding to provide ripple-including outout voltage, said abnormality detection apparatus comnrising:

abnormality judging means for judging abnormality of said vehicle AC generator, said abnormality judging means including ripple detecting means for detecting the number of ripples for a predetermined period to judge an abnormality if the number of ripples that is detected is less than a predetermined number and

alarming means, connected to said abnormality judging means, for displaying an alarm when said abnormality detecting means judges said abnormality, wherein

said abnormality judging means judges abnormality if the number of ripples that is detected is less than a number defined by an expression km−

j for said predetermined period;

where m is the number of phases of said multiple phase armature winding, j is the number of said rectifying elements and k is an integer that is 1 or larger than 1.

2. The abnormality detection apparatus of a vehicle AC generator according to claim 1, wherein

said abnormality judging means judges abnormality at every period that is in synchronism with at least one-phase output voltage of said multiple phase armature winding.

3. The abnormality detection apparatus of a vehicle AC generator according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said rectifying elements is a diode having a backward breakdown characteristic.

4. The abnormality detection apparatus of a vehicle AC generator according to claim 1, wherein

said vehicle AC generator comprises a plurality of multiple phase windings insulated from each other and a plurality of rectifiers for respectively rectifying output voltages of said plurality of multiple phase windings.

5. The abnormality detection apparatus of a vehicle AC generator according to claim 1, wherein

said abnormality judging means comprises a smoothing circuit for smoothing ripple components of said output voltage of said rectifier to provide a reference value, said abnormality judging means judging abnormality by comparing said reference value with said output voltage of said rectifier.

6. The abnormality detection apparatus of a vehicle AC generator according to claim 1, further comprising an amplitude detecting means for detecting amplitude of said output voltage of said rectifier, wherein

said alarming means stops displaying an alarm if said amplitude of said output voltage detected by said amplitude detecting means is equal to or smaller than a predetermined value.

7. The abnormality detection apparatus of a vehicle AC generator according to claim 1, further comprising voltage mean value detecting means for detecting a voltage mean value of said output voltage of said rectifier, wherein

said alarming means stops displaying an alarm if said voltage mean value detected by said voltage mean value detecting means is equal to or larger than a predetermined value.

8. An abnormality detection apparatus of a vehicle AC generator including a multiple phase armature winding and a rectifier having a plurality of rectifying elements that is connected to the armature winding to provide ripple-including output voltage, said abnormality detection apparatus comprising:

abnormality judging means for judging abnormality of said vehicle AC generator, said abnormality judging means including ripple detecting means for detecting the number of ripples for a predetermined period to judge an abnormality if the number of ripples that is detected is less than a predetermined number and

alarming means, connected to said abnormality judging means, for displaying an alarm when said abnormality detecting means judges said abnormality, and

conduction rate detecting means for detecting conduction rate of switching means for interrupting current supplied to a field coil of said vehicle AC generator, wherein

said alarming means stops displaying an alarm if said conduction rate is smaller than a value expressed by (2 km−

j)/2 km;

where m is the number of phases of said multiple phase armature winding, j is the number of said rectifying elements and k is an integer that is 1 or larger than 1.

9. An abnormality detection apparatus of a vehicle AC generator including an armature winding having a plurality of phase windings, a voltage regulator and a rectifier connected to said armature winding to provide ripple-including output voltage, said abnormality detection apparatus comprising:

ripple detecting means for detecting the number of ripples included in output voltage of said rectifier for a predetermined period;

abnormality judging means for judging abnormality if said number of ripples is less than a predetermined number; and

alarming means, connected to said abnormality judging means, for displaying an alarm when said abnormality detecting means judges abnormality;

said abnormality judging means judges abnormality at a timing in synchronism with output voltage of said armature winding and comprises a voltage comparator and a circuit for providing a means value of said output voltage of said rectifier, and wherein said voltage comparator compares mean value with said output voltage; and

said rectifier is comprised of a plurality of Zener diodes.

10. The abnormality detection apparatus of a vehicle AC generator according to claim 9, further comprising an amplitude detecting means for detecting amplitude of said output voltage of said rectifiers, wherein

said alarming means stops displaying an alarm if said amplitude of said output voltage detected by said amplitude detecting means is equal to or smaller than a predetermined value.

11. The abnormality detection apparatus of a vehicle AC generator according to claim 9, further comprising an amplitude detecting means for detecting amplitude of the output voltage of said rectifier wherein said alarming means stops displaying an alarm if said amplitude of the output voltage detected by said amplitude detecting means is equal to or smaller than a predetermined value.

12. An abnormality detection apparatus of a vehicle AC generator including a multiple phase armature winding and a rectifier having a plurality of rectifying elements that is connected to the armature winding to provide ripple-including output voltage, said abnormality detection apparatus comprising:

abnormality judging means for judging abnormality of said vehicle AC generator, said abnormality judging means including ripple detecting means for detecting the number of ripples for a predetermined period to judge an abnormality if the number of ripples that is detected is less than a predetermined number and

alarming means, connected to said abnormality judging means, for displaying an alarm when said abnormality detecting means judges said abnormality; and

wherein said abnormality judging means judges abnormality if the number of the ripples is less than a number defined by an expression km−

j for said predetermined period;

where m is the number of phases of said multiple phase armature winding, j is the number of said rectifier, and k is an integer that is 1 or larger than 1.

13. An abnormality detection apparatus of a vehicle AC generator including a multiple phase armature winding and a rectifier having a plurality of rectifying elements that is connected to the armature winding to provide ripple-including output voltage, said abnormality detection apparatus comprising:

abnormality judging means for judging abnormality of said vehicle AC generator, said abnormality judging means including ripple detecting means for detecting the number of ripples for a predetermined period to judge an abnormality if the number of ripples that is detected is less than a predetermined number and

alarming means, connected to said abnormality judging means, for displaying an alarm when said abnormality detecting means judges said abnormality; and

conduction rate detecting means for detecting conduction rate of switching means for interrupting current supplied to a field coil of said vehicle AC generator, wherein said alarming means stops displaying an alarm if the conduction rate is smaller than a value expressed by (2 km−

j)/2 km;

where m is the number of phases of said multiple phase armature winding, j is the number of said rectifier and k is an integer that is 1 or larger than 1.

14. An abnormality detection apparatus of a vehicle AC generator including a multiple phase armature winding and a rectifier having a plurality of rectifying elements that is connected to the armature winding to provide ripple-including outout voltage, said abnormality detection apparatus comprising:

abnormality judging means for judging abnormality of said vehicle AC generator, said abnormality judging means including ripple detecting means for detecting the number of ripples for a predetermined period to judge an abnormality if the number of ripples that is detected is less than a predetermined number and

alarming means, connected to said abnormality judging means, for displaying an alarm when said abnormality detecting means judges said abnormality; and

wherein said abnormality judging means judges abnormality based on the ripples detected by comparing a value of the output voltage from the rectifier with a mean value of the output voltage from the rectifier.

15. An abnormality detection apparatus of a vehicle AC generator including a multiple phase armature winding and a rectifier having a plurality of rectifying elements that is connected to the armature winding to provide ripple-including output voltage, said abnormality detection apparatus comprising:

abnormality judging means for judging abnormality of said vehicle AC generator, said abnormality judging means including ripple detecting means for detecting the number of ripples for a predetermined period to judge an abnormality if the number of ripples that is detected is less than a predetermined number and

alarming means, connected to said abnormality judging means, for displaying an alarm when said abnormality detecting means judges said abnormality; and

further comprising an amplitude detecting means for detecting amplitude of said output voltage from said rectifier, wherein said alarming means stops displaying an alarm if the amplitude of the output voltage detected by said amplitude detecting means is equal to or smaller than a predetermined value.

16. An abnormality detection apparatus of a vehicle AC generator including an armature winding having a plurality of phase windings, a voltage regulator and a rectifier connected to said armature winding to provide ripple-including output voltage, said abnormality detection apparatus comprising:

ripple detecting means for detecting the number of ripples included in output voltage of said rectifier for a predetermined period;

abnormality judging means for judging abnormality if said number of ripples is less than a predetermined number; and

alarming means, connected to said abnormality judging means, for displaying an alarm when said abnormality detecting means judges abnormality;

said abnormality judging means judges abnormality at a timing in synchronism with output voltage of said armature winding and comprises a voltage comparator and a filter, and wherein said voltage comparator compares a mean value of the output voltage from the rectifier with the output voltage from the rectifier; and

said rectifier is comprised of a plurality of Zener diodes.