US 6,275,398 B1 · Voltage control apparatus for vehicle-onboard electric generator

Abstract

A voltage control apparatus for a vehicle-onboard electric generator in which wirings inclusive of connectors of the motor vehicle are much simplified to allow the manufacturing cost to be reduced significantly while making the trigger signal constantly available without difficulty even when abnormality takes place in association with the charge lamp. The voltage control apparatus includes a voltage control circuit (1A) for controlling a generated voltage of a vehicle-onboard electric generator (2), an external control unit (5A) for supplying a trigger signal to the voltage control circuit (1A), and a single signal line for electrically interconnecting a first terminal of the voltage control circuit (1A) and a first port of the external control unit (5A), wherein the external control unit (5A) is so designed as to output the trigger signal to the voltage control circuit (1A) by way of the single signal line, and wherein the voltage control circuit (1A) is so designed that upon occurrence of abnormality in the vehicle-onboard electric generator (2), the voltage control circuit (1A) informs the external control unit (5A) of abnormality occurrence status through the medium of the single signal line.

Claims19

Dependent claims

A voltage control apparatus for a vehicle-onboard electric generator, comprising:

a vehicle-onboard electric generator driven by an internal combustion engine and including an armature coil and a field coil;
a voltage control circuit including an output transistor for controlling a voltage appearing across said field coil to thereby control a generated voltage of said vehicle-onboard electric generator;
an external control unit having an output for supplying a trigger signal to said voltage control circuit;
and
a single signal line for electrically interconnecting a first terminal of said voltage control circuit and a first port of said external control unit,
wherein said external control unit is so designed as to output the trigger signal to said voltage control circuit by way of said single signal line, and
wherein said voltage control circuit is so designed that upon occurrence of abnormality in association with said vehicle-onboard electric generator, said voltage control circuit informs said external control unit of abnormality occurrence status through the medium of said single signal line.

4 more elements

A voltage control apparatus for a vehicle-onboard electric generator, comprising:

a vehicle-onboard electric generator including an armature coil and a field coil;
a voltage control circuit including an output transistor for controlling a voltage appearing across said field coil to thereby control a generated voltage of said vehicle-onboard electric generator;
and
an external control unit having an output for supplying a trigger signal to said voltage control circuit,
said voltage control circuit including a monitoring output terminal electrically connected to said field coil of said vehicle-onboard electric generator for outputting a monitor signal indicative of electrical conduction ratio of said field coil and. a control input terminal for fetching a control signal for changing over the electrical conduction ratio of said field coil;
and
said external control unit including an operation triggering port electrically connected to an ignition switch, a monitoring input port for fetching said monitor signal from said monitoring output terminal and a control output port for outputting said control signal to be supplied to said control input terminal;
wherein said external control unit is so designed as to respond to closing operation of said ignition switch to apply a trigger signal to said monitoring output terminal for triggering operation of said voltage control circuit;
and
wherein said voltage control circuit is so designed that upon occurrence of abnormality in said vehicle-onboard electric generator, said voltage control circuit forcibly fixes a signal level appearing at said control input terminal at an off-level to thereby inform said external control unit of abnormality occurrence status.

7 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Voltage control apparatus for vehicle-onboard electric generator

Life of this patent

Voltage control apparatus for vehicle-onboard electric generator

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims19