Voltage regulator system for motorcycles and the like

In a motor vehicle charging system for producing a regulated DC voltage to a load of the type having generator means for producing a generator ouput voltage comprising a DC generator having a rotatably mounted armature, a stationary field winding, a non-movably mounted field winding contact to each end of said field winding, and a generally cylindrical generator housing enclosing said armature and winding including a removable end cap closing one end of the housing, said contacts extending radially outwardly from and being spaced circumferentially along the outer surface of said housing, and a pair of headed bolts threadedly securing said cap to said housing, the head portion of a first one of said bolts being positioned on said cap between said contacts, the improvement in combination therewith comprising means for regulating said generator output voltage to a relatively constant value including a thin printed circuit board bearing electronic circuitry for regulating the generator output voltage produced by said generator means to said constant value, said circuitry including an input terminal for connection to said generator output voltage, a ground terminal, and an output terminal for connection to said regulated voltage;

• a regulator housing enclosing said circuit board, the interior of said housing being filled with an electrically non-conducting potting material to define a bottom surface to said regulating means;
• and means for mounting said regulator housing to said generator housing.

A voltage regulator for use with a motor vehicle electrical charging system producing a relatively low regulated DC voltage output to a load of the type having a DC generator including a pair of armature contacts and a field winding having one terminal connected to one of the armature contacts, said regulator comprising:

• field winding control means for regulating the flow of current through the field winding including a first power transistor having a collector terminal, means for connecting said collector terminal to the other terminal of the field winding, an emitter terminal, means for connecting the emitter terminal to the other of said armature contacts, and a base terminal;
• resistor means connected between said collector and base terminal;
• and a second transistor having a collector terminal connected to said base terminal, an emitter terminal, means for connecting said second transistor emitter terminal to said other armature contact, and a base terminal;
• sensing means connected between said control means and said regulated voltage output, said sensing means operating to cause increased current to flow through said field winding when said regulated voltage output is less than a predetermined value and to cause decreased current to flow through said field winding when said regulated voltage output is greater than a predetermined value comprising a zener diode having a breakdown voltage less than the desired regulated voltage output connected between said second transistor base terminal and said regulated voltage output;
• and
• output voltage control means for connection between said first mentioned field winding terminal and said regulated voltage output for permitting current flow to said regulated voltage output from the generator means only when the value of regulated voltage ouput is less than a predetermined value including an SCR having an anode terminal and a cathode terminal, means for connecting said anode terminal to said first mentioned field winding terminal and means for connecting the cathode terminal to said regulated voltage output, and a gate terminal;
• second sensing means for turning on said SCR when the regulated voltage output is less than a predetermined minimum including a reference diode having a breakdown voltage greater than the desired regulated voltage output, means for connecting said reference diode between said SCR gate terminal and the other of said armature contacts, and resistor means connected between said SCR anode terminal and said reference diode.

A voltage regulator for producing a regulated DC voltage at a regulated voltage output terminal in a motor vehicle charging system of the type having generator means for producing a generator output voltage comprising a DC generator having a rotatably mounted armature, a stationary field winding, a non-movably mounted field winding contact connected to each end of said field winding, and a generally cylindrical generator housing enclosing said armature and winding including a removable end cap closing one end of the housing, said contacts extending radially outwardly from and being spaced circumferentially along the outer surface of said housing, and a pair of headed bolts threadedly securing said cap to said housing, the head portion of a first one of said bolts being positioned on said cap between said contacts, said regulator comprising means for regulating said generator output voltage to a relatively constant value including means for controlling the amount of current flow in said field winding, said regulating means being embodied in electronic circuitry, a thin printed circuit board bearing said electronic circuitry, said circuitry including an input terminal for connection to said generator output voltage, a ground terminal and an output terminal for connection to said regulated voltage output terminal, a regulator housing enclosing said circuit board, the interior of said housing being filled with an electrically non-conducting potting material to define a bottom surface to said regulating means, and means for mounting said regulator housing to said generator housing, said mounting means including means for mounting said regulator housing to said field winding terminals including an electrically conducting end lug extending outwardly away from said bottom surface adjacent one end of said regulator housing, said lug terminating in a longitudinally extending slot configured to slip over said first bolt such that the end lug may be held against the end surface of the end cap by the headed portion of the first bolt, an electrically conducting side lug extending angularly outwardly away from said bottom surface from each side of said housing, each of said side lugs terminating in a longitudinally extending slot configured to mate with a corresponding one of the field winding terminals, said regulator being mountable on said generator so that the bottom surface of the regulator is spaced from the outer surface of the generator housing, and a flexible conductor extending through the bottom surface of the regulator for connecting to said regulated voltage output terminal.