Patent · US Expired

Voltage regulator for an alternator and method of regulating voltage generated by an alternator

US5374886A · kind A · utility

19Cited by
3References
9Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJul 10, 1992
Grant dateDec 20, 1994
Priority date
Expiry dateJul 10, 2012

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY02T10/92
  • WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

In a voltage regulator for an alternator which charges a battery via a charging cable and supplies a vehicle mains with voltage, the output voltage is regulated as a function of the temperature of the battery. The voltage regulator has a power part and a control part, which includes a simulation device for storing data and for determining the temperature of the battery, and hence the optimum charging voltage, by simulation from the stored data. Further, the voltage drop between the alternator and battery can be calculated from the alternator current and the resistance of the charging cable while taking into account correction factors which take into account the different connections of the consuming devices between the alternator and the battery so that the calculated voltage drop and the optimum charging voltage for the battery can be used by the voltage regulator to set the voltage delivered to the battery.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.