Vehicular lighting system regulator and the like

Claim 2

In a lighting system, a current-producing source the frequency, voltage amplitude and waveform of Which may vary from time to time correspondingly varying the power produced thereby and one terminal of which is grounded, lighting means connected to be energized by power supplied from the source, an electrical network also connected to be energized by the source and comprising a power-sensitive impedance element separate from said lighting means and the impedance value of which vaires with the power supplied thereto, means for producing in response to impedance variation of the power-sensitive impedance element predetermined control signals when the power supplied exceeds a predetermined desired operating power, and electronic switch control means responsive to said control signals for grounding out power from the sOurce of the lighting means through said switch control means until the said supplied power is reduced to the said predetermined operating power, such that the root mean square of the voltage supplied to the lighting means remains substantially constant.

Claim 3

A lighting system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the said power-sensitive impedance element comprises an incandescent amp.

Claim 4

A lighting system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the said current-producing source comprises an alternator.

Claim 5

A lightIng system as claimed in claim 3 wherein the said alternator, the lighting means, the network and the control means are all connected in parallel.

Claim 6

A lighting system as claimed in claim 3 and in which a rectifying battery-charging circuit is connected in parallel with said alternator.

Claim 7

A lighting system as claimed in claim 3 and in which said network comprises a bridge having an input and an output and containing said impedance element as one arm with the remaining arms comprising resistive means, said electronic switch control means comprising gated SCR means having anode, cathode and gate electrodes and means for connecting said anode and cathode across the alternator in parallel with said bridge input and with the anode connected to the grounded terminal thereof, said control signals producing means comprising means for connecting the said bridge output to the said gate electrode.

Claim 8

A lighting system as claimed in claim 6 and in which said bridge output connecting means comprises a transistor amplifier and diode means.

Claim 9

A lighting system as claimed in claim 6 and in which means is provided connectable to said gate electrode for providing bias thereto to enable standby current to flow through said lighting means when nominally extinguished.

Claim 10

A lighting system as claimed in claim 6, further comprising a battery-charging circuit including a battery connected in series with a rectifier across the altenator, the rectifier being oppositely poled with respect tP the SCR means so as to pass current of polarity opposite to that passed by the SCR means between its cathode and its anode.

Claim 11

In a lighting system, a current-producing alternator the frequency, voltage amplitude and waveform of which may vary from time to time correspondingly varying the power produced thereby and one terminal of which is grounded, lighting means connected to be energized by power supplied from the alternator, means including a root mean square voltage sensitIve electrical network also connected to be energized by the alternator for producing predetermined control signals when the power supplied exceeds a predetermined desired operating power, gated SCR means having anode, cathode and gate electrodes, means for connecting said anode and cathode across the alternator with the anode connected to the grounded terminal thereof, means connecting said control signals to the gate electrode of said SCR means for grounding out power from the alternator to the lighting means through said SCR means until the said supplied power is reduced to the said predetermined operating power, such that the root mean square of the voltage supplied to the lighting means remains substantially constant, and a battery charging circuit including a battery connected in series with a rectifier across said alternator, the rectifier being poled oppositely to the SCR means so as to pass current of polarity opposite to that passed by the SCR means betwzen its cathode and its anode.

Claim 12

In a lighting system, a current-producing alternator the frequency, voltage amplitude and waveform of which may vary from time to time correspondingly varying the power produced thereby and one terminal of which is grounded, lighting means connected to be energized by power supplied from the alternator, means including a root mean square voltage sensitIve electrical network also connected to be energized by the alternator for producing predetermined control signals when the power supplied exceeds a predetermined desired operating power, gated SCR means having anode, cathode and gate electrodes, means for connecting said anode and cathode across the alternator with the anode connected to the grounded terminal thereof, means connecting said control signals to the gate electrode of said SCR means for grounding out power from the alternator to the lighting means through said SCR means until the said supplied power is reduced to the said predetermined operating power, such that the root mean square of the voltage supplied to the lighting means remains substantially constant, and a battery charging circuit including a battery connected in series with a rectifier across said alternator, the rectifier being poled oppositely to the SCR means so as to pass current of polarity opposite to that passed by the SCR means betwzen its cathode and its anode.