Voltage control apparatus for vehicle generator having a light emitting diode

• US 6,943,532 B1
• Filed: 10/16/2000
• Issued: 09/13/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/11/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Inventors: Kouwa, Tatsuki, Sasaki, Katsuhiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Schuberg, Darren
• Assistant Examiner(s): GONZALEZ, JULIO CESAR
• Application Number:
  US09/688,350
• Time in Patent Office: 1,793 Days
• Field of Search: 322/28, 322/22, 322/23, 322/24, 322/25, 322/26, 322/27
• US Class Current: 322/28
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0047 with monitoring or indicating devices or circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/243 with on/off action

Abstract

A voltage control apparatus 1 for a vehicle generator 2 has an input terminal L for inputting the voltage of a battery 5 through an ignition switch 3 and a light emitting element (light emitting diode 4) connected in series with the ignition switch and driven by a low dissipation power, and starts the excitation of the rotor coil 201 of the vehicle generator 2 when the voltage at the input terminal L exceeds a predetermined value. A resistor 115 for limiting the current flowing through the light emitting diode 4 is disposed between an element 114 within the voltage control apparatus 1 for driving the light emitting diode 4 and the input terminal L.

Claims

1. A voltage control apparatus for a vehicle generator comprising:

an input terminal for inputting a voltage of a battery through an ignition switch and a light emitting element connected in series with said ignition switch,

a rotor coil of said vehicle generator started in excitation when a voltage at said input terminal exceeds a predetermined value, and

a resistor for limiting a current flowing through said light emitting element, disposed between a transistor within said voltage control apparatus for lighting said light emitting element, and said input terminal,

wherein no other transistor is disposed between said transistor and said light emitting element.

2. The voltage control apparatus for a vehicle generator according to claim 1, wherein

a light emitting diode is used as said light emitting element.

3. A voltage control apparatus for a vehicle generator comprising:

an input terminal for inputting a voltage of a battery through an ignition switch and a light emitting element connected in series with said ignition switch, and

a rotor coil of said vehicle generator started in excitation when a voltage at said input terminal exceeds a predetermined value, wherein;

said light emitting element is lighted by a current which is inputted into said input terminal for starting an operation of said voltage control apparatus; and

wherein

said light emitting element is coupled through said ignition switch to a base terminal of an NPN transistor for starting an operation of said voltage control apparatus so that said light emitting element is turned on by a current flowing into said base terminal.

4. A voltage control apparatus for a vehicle generator comprising:

an input terminal for inputting a voltage of a battery through an ignition switch and a light emitting element connected in series with said ignition switch,

a rotor coil of said vehicle generator started in excitation when a voltage at said input terminal exceeds a predetermined value, and

a circuit for detecting the voltage of said input terminal and starting said voltage control apparatus, said circuit being arranged to be shutdown after said vehicle generator starts electric power generation operation; and

wherein

after said circuit for detecting the voltage of said input terminal and starting said voltage control apparatus is shutdown after said vehicle generator starts electric power generation operation, an operation of a starting circuit for said voltage control apparatus is maintained by an output of one phase of said vehicle generator.