Temperature-controlled voltage regulator

Claim 2

In a voltage-sensitive bistable circuit of the type comprising: a first transistor having an emitter, a collector and a base of a given conductivity type; a reference potential terminal; first resistive means for applying a unidirectional operating voltage to said collector, and second resistive means connecting said emitter to said reference potential terminal, a second transistor having an emitter, a collector and a base of said given conductivity type; third resistive means for applying a unidirectional operating voltage to said collector of said second transistor, at least a part of said second resistive means also connecting said emitter of said second transistor to said reference potential terminal, and coupling means for supplying a part of the unidirectional voltage at said collector of said first transistor to said base of said second transistor, said part having a ratio relation to said unidirectional collector voltage, the improvement wherein said coupling means comprises means responsive to changes in its temperature, within a given temperature range, to change said ratio relation.

Claim 3

A circuit according to claim 1, wherein said coupling means comprises a transistor of said given conductivity type connected in emitter-follower configuration.

Claim 4

In a voltage-sensitive bistable circuit of the type comprising: a first transistor having an emitter, a collector, and a base of a given conductivity type; a reference potential terminal; first resistive means for applying a unidirectional operating voltage to said collector, and second resistive means connecting said emitter to said reference potential terminal, a second transistor having an emitter, a collector and a base of said given conductivity type; third resistive means for applying a unidirectional operating voltage to said collector of said second transistor, at least a part of said second resistive means also connecting said emitter of said second transistor to said reference potential terminal, and coupling means for supplying a part of the unidirectional voltage at said collector of said first transistor to said base of said second transistor, said part having a ratio relation to said unidirectional collector voltage, the improvement wherein said coupling means comprises a coupling transistor having an emitter, a collector and a base of said given conductivity type; fourth resistive means connecting said emitter of said coupling transistor to said reference potential terminal; means direct coupling said emitter of said coupling transistor to said base of said second transistor; means direct coupling said collector of said first transistor to said base of said coupling transistor; means for applying a unidirectional operating voltage to said collector of said coupling transistor; and means responsive to changes in its temperature, within a given temperature range, to change said ratio relation, said temperature-change-responsive means comprising means for variably shunting said fourth resistive means in response to said changes in temperature.

Claim 5

In a voltage-sensitive bistable circuit of the type comprising: a first transistor having an emitter, a collector, and a base of a given conductivity type; a reference potential terminal; first resistive means for applying a unidirectional operating voltage to said collector, and second resistive means connecting said emitter to said reference potential terminal, a second transistor having an emitter, a collector and a base of said given conductivity type; third resistive means for applying a unidirectional operating voltage to said collector of said second transistor, at least a part of said second resistive means also connecting said emitter of said second transistor to said reference potential terminal, and coupling means for supplying a part of the unidirectional voltage at said collector of said first transistor to said base of said second transistor, said part having a ratio relation to said unidirectional collector voltage, the improvement wherein said coupling means comprises a coupling transistor having an emitter, a collector and a base of said given conductivity type; fourth resistive means connecting said emitter of said coupling transistor to said reference potential terminal; means direct coupling said emitter of said coupling transistor to said base of said second transistor; means direct coupling said collector of said first transistor to said base of said coupling transistor; means for applying a unidirectional operating voltage to said collector of said coupling transistor; and means responsive to changes in its temperature, within a given temperature range, to change said ratio relation, said temperature-change-responsive means comprising means for variably shunting said fourth resistive means in response to said changes in temperature.

Claim 6

A circuit according to claim 3, wherein said fourth resistive means comprises a first resistive element and a second resistive element, said elements being connected at a junction, each of said elements having a terminal other than said junction, means connecting said terminal of said first resistive element to said emitter of said coupling transistor, and means connecting said terminal of said second rEsistive element to said reference potential terminal, said means direct coupling said emitter of said coupling transistor to said base of said second transistor comprises means connecting said junction to said base of said second transistor, and said temperature-change-responsive means is connected in shunt relationship with at least a portion of said second resistive element and is responsive to changes of temperature within said given temperature range to decrease its resistance as said temperature rises.

Claim 7

A circuit according to claim 3 wherein said temperature-responsive means comprises a temperature-responsive transistor, the emitter-collector circuit thereof being connected across at least a part of said fourth resistive means, the base thereof being connected to said reference potential terminal by a first bias resistor and to a bias potential terminal by a second bias resistor.

Claim 8

A circuit according to claim 4, wherein said temperature-change-responsive means comprises a temperature-responsive transistor having an emitter, a collector and a base of said given conductivity type, resistive means for connecting the emitter-collector path of said temperature-responsive transistor between said junction and said reference potential terminal; and means for applying an operating bias to said base of said temperature-responsive transistor.

Claim 9

In a voltage-regulator circuit for an electrical generator having a field winding and adapted to produce an output voltage having a magnitude dependent on the duty cycle of a pulsating electric current flowing through said field winding, said circuit being of the type comprising: a. an emitter-coupled voltage-sensitive bistable circuit comprising i. a first transistor having an emitter, a collector and a base of a given conductivity type; a reference potential terminal; first resistive means for applying a unidirectional operating voltage to said collector, and second resistive means connecting said emitter to said reference potential terminal, ii. a second transistor having an emitter, a collector and a base of said given conductivity type; third resistive means for applying a unidirectional operating voltage to said collector of said second transistor, at least a part of said second resistive means connecting said emitter of said second transistor to said reference potential terminal, and iii. coupling means for supplying a part of the unidirectional voltage at said collector of said first transistor to said base of said second transistor, said part having a ratio relation to said unidirectional collector voltage. b. means for applying a given portion of said generator output voltage between said base of said first transistor and said reference potential terminal in such polarity that increases in said magnitude of said output voltage are in a direction to drive said first transistor, when nonconductive, into conduction, and c. a current switch responsive to the collector potential of said second transistor for controlling said duty cycle of current flowing through said field winding, the improvement wherein said coupling means of said bistable circuit comprises means responsive to changes in its temperature, within a given temperature range, to change said ratio relation.

Claim 10

In a voltage-regulator circuit for an electrical generator having a field winding and adapted to produce an output voltage having a magnitude dependent on the duty cycle of a pulsating electric current flowing through said field winding, said circuit being of the type comprising: a. an emitter-coupled voltage-sensitive bistable circuit comprising i. a first transistor having an emitter, a collector and a base of a given conductivity type; a reference potential terminal; first resistive means for applying a unidirectional operating voltage to said collector, and second resistive means connecting said emitter to said reference potential terminal, ii. a second transistor having an emitter, a collector and a base of said given conductivity type; third resistive means for applying a unidirectional operating voltage to said collector of said second transistor, at least a part of said second resistive means connecting said emitter of said second transistor to said reference potential terminal, and iii. coupling means for supplying a part of the unidirectional voltage at said collector of said first transistor to said base of said second transistor, said part having a ratio relation to said unidirectional collector voltage. b. means for applying a given portion of said generator output voltage between said base of said first transistor and said reference potential terminal in such polarity that increases in said magnitude of said output voltage are in a direction to drive said first transistor, when nonconductive, into conduction, and c. a current switch responsive to the collector potential of said second transistor for controlling said duty cycle of current flowing through said field winding, the improvement wherein said coupling means of said bistable circuit comprises means responsive to changes in its temperature, within a given temperature range, to change said ratio relation.

Claim 11

In a voltage-regulator circuit for an electrical generator having a field winding and adapted to produce an output voltage having a magnitude dependent on the duty cycle of a pulsating electric current flowing through said field winding, said circuit being of the type comprising: a. an emitter-coupled voltage-sensitive bistable circuit comprising i. a first transistor having an emitter, a collector and a base of a given conductivity type; a reference potential terminal; first resistive means for applying a unidirectional operating voltage to said collector, and second resistive means connecting said emitter to said reference potential terminal. ii. a second transistor having an emitter, a collectoR and a base of said given conductivity type; third resistive means for applying a unidirectional operating voltage to said collector of said second transistor, at least a part of said second resistive means connecting said emitter of said second transistor to said reference potential terminal, and iii. coupling means for supplying a part of the unidirectional voltage at said collector of said first transistor to said base of said second transistor, said part having a ratio relation to said unidirectional collector voltage, b. means for applying a given portion of said generator output voltage between said base of said first transistor and said reference potential terminal in such polarity that increases in said magnitude of said output voltage are in a direction to drive said first transistor, when nonconductive, into conduction, and c. a current switch responsive to the collector potential of said second transistor for controlling said duty cycle of current flowing through said field winding, the improvement wherein said coupling means of said bistable circuit comprises a coupling transistor having an emitter, a collector and a base of said given conductivity type; fourth resistive means connecting said emitter of said coupling transistor to said reference potential terminal; means direct coupling said emitter of said coupling transistor to said base of said second transistor; means direct coupling said collector of said first transistor to said base of said coupling transistor; means for applying a unidirectional operating voltage to said collector of said coupling transistor; and means responsive to changes in its temperature, within a given temperature range, to change said ratio relation, said temperature-change-responsive means comprising means for variably shunting at least a portion of said fourth resistive means in response to said changes in temperature.

Claim 12

In a voltage-regulator circuit for an electrical generator having a field winding and adapted to produce an output voltage having a magnitude dependent on the duty cycle of a pulsating electric current flowing through said field winding, said circuit being of the type comprising: a. an emitter-coupled voltage-sensitive bistable circuit comprising i. a first transistor having an emitter, a collector and a base of a given conductivity type; a reference potential terminal; first resistive means for applying a unidirectional operating voltage to said collector, and second resistive means connecting said emitter to said reference potential terminal. ii. a second transistor having an emitter, a collectoR and a base of said given conductivity type; third resistive means for applying a unidirectional operating voltage to said collector of said second transistor, at least a part of said second resistive means connecting said emitter of said second transistor to said reference potential terminal, and iii. coupling means for supplying a part of the unidirectional voltage at said collector of said first transistor to said base of said second transistor, said part having a ratio relation to said unidirectional collector voltage, b. means for applying a given portion of said generator output voltage between said base of said first transistor and said reference potential terminal in such polarity that increases in said magnitude of said output voltage are in a direction to drive said first transistor, when nonconductive, into conduction, and c. a current switch responsive to the collector potential of said second transistor for controlling said duty cycle of current flowing through said field winding, the improvement wherein said coupling means of said bistable circuit comprises a coupling transistor having an emitter, a collector and a base of said given conductivity type; fourth resistive means connecting said emitter of said coupling transistor to said reference potential terminal; means direct coupling said emitter of said coupling transistor to said base of said second transistor; means direct coupling said collector of said first transistor to said base of said coupling transistor; means for applying a unidirectional operating voltage to said collector of said coupling transistor; and means responsive to changes in its temperature, within a given temperature range, to change said ratio relation, said temperature-change-responsive means comprising means for variably shunting at least a portion of said fourth resistive means in response to said changes in temperature.

Claim 13

A circuit according to claim 8, wherein said fourth resistive means comprises a first resistive element and a second resistive element, said elements being connected at a junction, each of said elements having a terminal other than said junction, means connecting said terminal of said first resistive element to said emitter of said coupling transistor, and means connecting said terminal of said second resistive element to said reference potential terminal, said means direct coupling said emitter of said coupling transistor to said base of said second transistor comprises means connecting said junction to said base of said second transistor, and said temperature-change-responsive means is connected in shunt relationship with at least a portion of said second resistive element and is responsive to changes of temperature within said given temperature range to decrease its resistance as said temperature rises.

Claim 14

A circuit according to claim 9, wherein said temperature-change-responsive means comprises a temperature-responsive transistor having an emitter, a collector and a base of said given conductivity type, fifth resistive means for connecting the emitter-collector path of said temperature-responsive transistor in shunt relationship with at least a portion of said second resistive element, and means for applying an operating bias to said base of said temperature-responsive transistor.

Claim 15

A circuit according to claim 10, wherein said fifth resistive means comprises sixth resistive means connecting said emitter of said temperature-responsive transistor to said reference potential terminal, and seventh resistive means connecting said collector of said temperature-responsive transistor to said junction, said means for applying said operating bias to said base of said temperature-responsive transistor comprises first bias resistor means connecting said base of said temperature-responsive transistor to said reference potential terminal and second bias resistor means connecting said base of said temperature-responsive transistor to a bias voltage terminal, and said circuit additionally comprises means for regulating said unidirectional operating voltages respectively applied to said collector of said first transistor and said collector of said coupling transistor and said operating bias applied to said base of said temperature-responsive transistor.