Voltage regulator system

Claim 2

Apparatus for supplying a regulated voltage to a load comprising, a. permanent magnet alternator means for generating an output voltage, b. rectifier means coupled between said permanent magnet alternator and said load for rectifying said output voltage, said rectifier means including at least one controllable unidirectional current device having two current carrying electrodes and a control electrode, said device being triggered into conduction upon the application of a control signal of given polarity between said control electrode and one of said two current carrying electrodes, c. a reference amplifier having a signal input coupled to said load, a bias input coupled to said rectifier means and an output, d. an oscillator having a signal input coupled to the output of said reference amplifier, a bias input coupled to said rectifier means and an output coupled between the control and one electrode of said uni-directional current device, said oscillator applying pulses to said uni-directional current device having a relative phase corresponding to the magnitude of the voltage across said load, and e. a battery polarity sensing circuit including a first resistor and a zener diode connected in series across said load; first and second transistors, said first transistor having its base connected to the junction of said first resistor and zener diode, its collector coupled to said rectifier means and to the base of said second transistor and its emitter to the emitter of said second transistor, the collector-emitter circuit of said second transistor being connected to said oscillator, said battery polarity sensing circuit providing a low impedance path to prevent said oscillator from generating output pulses in the event said load is a battery and has been connected with reverse polarity.

Claim 3

Apparatus as defined by claim 1 wherein said permanent magnet alternator comprises first and second electrically isolated output windings for generating first and second output voltages, said output voltages being in phase with each other; and wherein said rectifier means comprises a power rectifier and a control rectifier coupled to the first and second windings respectively of said permanent magnet alternator, said uni-directional current device being included within said power rectifier and the bias inputs of said reference amplifier and said oscillator being coupled to said control rectifier.

Claim 4

Apparatus as defined by claim 1 wherein said reference amplifier comprises a voltage divider connected to the signal input of said amplifier; a referencing circuit; a resistor; and a transistor, the base and emitter electrodes of said transistor being connected to said voltage divider and referencing circuit respectively, and the collector of said transistor being coupled through said resistor to the bias input thereof.

Claim 5

Apparatus as defined by claim 3 wherein said oscillator comprises a unijunction transistor having an emitter and first and second base electrodes; a diode coupled between the collector of the reference amplifier transistor and the emitter electrode of said unijunction transistor; a capacitor; a transformer having first and second windings, said capacitor and the first winding of said transformer being connected between the emitter and first base electrode of said unijunction transistor, the second winding of said transformer being connected to the output of said oscillator; and a resistor coupling the emitter electrode of said unijunction transistor to the bias input of said oscillator.

Claim 6

Apparatus as defined by claim 3 wherein the referencing circuit in said reference amplifier comprises a resistor coupled between the emitter electrode of said transistor and one terminal of said load and a zener diode connected between said emitter electrode and the other terminal of said load.

Claim 7

Apparatus as defined by claim 5 which further comprises a diode connected between the collector of said transistor and the other terminal of said load, said diode preventing the collector of said transistor from being subjected to an excessive voltage.

Claim 8

Apparatus as defined by claim 1 wherein said oscillator comprises a unijunction transistor having an emitter and first and second base electrodes; a diode coupled between the output of said reference amplifier and said emitter electrode; a capacitor; a transformer having first and second windings, said capacitor and the first winding of said transformer being connected between the emitter and first base electrode of said unijunction transistor, the second winding of said transformer being connected to the output of said oscillator; and a resistor coupling the emitter electrode of said unijunction transistor to the bias input of said oscillator.

Claim 9

Apparatus as defined by claim 7 which further comprises an amplitude regulator coupled to said rectifier means, said amplitude regulator comprising a resistor and a zener diode connected in series with said reSistor, the junction of said resistor and zener diode being coupled to the bias input of said reference amplifier and the second base electrode of said unijunction transistor.

Claim 10

Apparatus as defined by claim 8, which further comprises a zener diode coupling said amplitude regulator to said rectifier means.

Claim 11

Apparatus as defined by claim 1 wherein said rectifier means includes at least one diode having its cathode coupled to a current carrying electrode of said uni-directional current device and a zener diode coupled to the anode of said diode.

Claim 12

Apparatus for supplying a regulated voltage to a load comprising, a. permanent magnetic alternator means for generating an output voltage, b. rectifier means coupled between said permanent magnet alternator and said load for rectifying said output voltage, said rectifier means including at least one controllable uni-directional current device having two current carrying electrodes and a control electrode, said device being triggered into conduction upon the application of a control signal of given polarity between said control electrode and one of said two current carrying electrodes, c. a reference amplifier having a signal input coupled to said load, a bias input coupled to said rectifier means and an output, d. a unijunction transistor having an emitter and first and second base electrodes; a diode coupled between the output of said reference amplifier and said emitter electrode; a capacitor; a transformer having first and second windings, said capacitor and the first winding of said transformer being connected between the emitter and first base electrode of said unijunction transistor, the second winding of said transformer being connected to the output of said oscillator; and a resistor coupling the emitter electrode of said unijunction transistor to the bias input of said oscillator, and e. a battery polarity sensing circuit including a first resistor and a zener diode connected in series across said load; first and second transistors, said first transistor having its base connected to the junction of said first resistor and zener diode, its collector coupled to said rectifier means and to the base of said second transistor and its emitter to the emitter of said second transistor, the collector-emitter circuit of said second transistor being connected across the capacitor in said oscillator, said battery polarity sensing circuit providing a low impedance path across said capacitor to prevent said oscillator from generating output pulses in the event said load is a battery and has been connected with reverse polarity.

Claim 13

Apparatus for supplying a regulated voltage to a load comprising, a. permanent magnetic alternator means for generating an output voltage, b. rectifier means coupled between said permanent magnet alternator and said load for rectifying said output voltage, said rectifier means including at least one controllable uni-directional current device having two current carrying electrodes and a control electrode, said device being triggered into conduction upon the application of a control signal of given polarity between said control electrode and one of said two current carrying electrodes, c. a reference amplifier having a signal input coupled to said load, a bias input coupled to said rectifier means and an output, d. a unijunction transistor having an emitter and first and second base electrodes; a diode coupled between the output of said reference amplifier and said emitter electrode; a capacitor; a transformer having first and second windings, said capacitor and the first winding of said transformer being connected between the emitter and first base electrode of said unijunction transistor, the second winding of said transformer being connected to the output of said oscillator; and a resistor coupling the emitter electrode of said unijunction transistor to the bias input of said oscillator, and e. a battery polarity sensing circuit including a first resistor and a zener diode connected in series across said load; first and second transistors, said first transistor having its base connected to the junction of said first resistor and zener diode, its collector coupled to said rectifier means and to the base of said second transistor and its emitter to the emitter of said second transistor, the collector-emitter circuit of said second transistor being connected across the capacitor in said oscillator, said battery polarity sensing circuit providing a low impedance path across said capacitor to prevent said oscillator from generating output pulses in the event said load is a battery and has been connected with reverse polarity.