Interface circuit for standard voltage regulators
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorDonald L. Watrous
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An interface circuit for standard voltage regulator circuits that may be employed as an add-on component in an automotive electrical system for providing voltage regulation of the vehicle alternator in accordance with a given reference voltage that is in addition to the normal battery voltage regulation. The interface circuit includes a current control switching device coupled in the current path of the alternator field winding, and a control network responsive to the alternator output and the given reference voltage for operating said switching device in a duty cycle fashion so as to superimpose the additional regulation of the alternator voltage upon its normal battery regulation.
Claims12
In combination with a vehicle alternator employed to energize a standard load and battery, said alternator having a field winding coupled to a standard voltage regulator which together with said alternator provides a field current path through which flows field current that is modulated by said standard regulator for normally regulating the alternator output in accordance with a reference battery voltage, a voltage regulator interface circuit for additionally regulating said alternator output in accordance with a further reference voltage so as to provide energization for an auxiliary load, comprising:
- (a) a current control device coupled in said field current path in series with said battery and being external to said alternator and said standard regulator for providing an added control of said field current;
- (b) switching means for selectively coupling said alternator output to said battery or to said auxiliary load;
- and
- (c) control means responsive to a variable voltage that is a function of said alternator output for generating a control signal that operates said current control device, whereby an additional voltage regulation of said alternator output in accordance with said further reference voltage may be superimposed upon the normal voltage regulation of said alternator output during energization of said auxiliary load.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.