Patent US4167752A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
Patent US4297631A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
← Back to Patent Explorer
US4297631A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Battery charging systems for road vehicles

Assignee: ZF International UK Ltd
•
Filing: 1980-03-07
•
Granted: 1981-10-27
•
Expires: 2000-03-07
📄 Original PDF 🌐 Google Patents 🔄 Sync Now

Abstract

Abstract A battery charging system includes an alternator with a rectifier connecting the alternator output to the battery. A voltage rectifier controls the current in the alternator field winding in accordance with the battery voltage. A transistor switch in the voltage regulator controls the bias current to the output stage of the regulator and is in turn controlled by a differential amplifier through a diode pump. The differential amplifier is connected to detect the presence of an a.c. on one phase of the alternator and causes the transistor to be switched off, disabling the output stage of the regulator, whenever no a.c. signal is present.

Inventors

  • 👤 Thomas Nicol
  • 👤 David Wiley
  • 👤 Maurice J. Allport

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-28 15:01
CPC Classifications
H; H02; H02J; H02J7/00; H02J7/14; H02J7/16; H02J7/80

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 7
Claim 1
Independent Claim 134 words
A battery charging system comprising an alternator having a stator winding and a field winding, rectifier means connecting the stator winding to the battery, a voltage regulator having an output stage connected in series with the field winding across the battery and an input stage coupled to the output stage and sensitive to the battery voltage so that, in use, the mean current in the field winding is controlled to maintain a desired battery voltage, and switch means sensitive to an a.c. signal derived from the alternator for preventing current flow through the field winding when the alternator is at rest, said switch means including a differential amplifier connected to detect the presence of an a.c. signal at the alternator output and a diode pump circuit driven by the output of said differential amplifier.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 134 words
A battery charging system comprising an alternator having a stator winding and a field winding, rectifier means connecting the stator winding to the battery, a voltage regulator having an output stage connected in series with the field winding across the battery and an input stage coupled to the output stage and sensitive to the battery voltage so that, in use, the mean current in the field winding is controlled to maintain a desired battery voltage, and switch means sensitive to an a.c. signal derived from the alternator for preventing current flow through the field winding when the alternator is at rest, said switch means including a differential amplifier connected to detect the presence of an a.c. signal at the alternator output and a diode pump circuit driven by the output of said differential amplifier.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 32 words
A battery charging system as claimed in claim 1 in which said switch means is connected to the output stage so as to disable the latter when the alternator is at rest.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 41 words
A battery charging system as claimed in claim 2 in which said output stage includes a path of bias switch means comprising a transistor in said bias path and means for rendering said transistor non-conductive when the alternator is at rest.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 35 words
A battery charging system as claimed in claim 1 in which said differential amplifier has both of its inputs connected to the alternator output, a delay circuit being included in the connection to one input.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 48 words
A battery charging system as claimed in claim 4 in which the alternator is a polyphase alternator, and one phase of the alternator output is connected to the junction of two resistors in series across the battery, said inputs of the differential amplifier being connected to said junction.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 67 words
A battery charging system as claimed in claim 4 in which the alternator is a centre-tapped single phase alternator, the two ends of the alternator stator winding being connected by diodes to one battery terminal and the centre tapping being connected to the other, and said inputs of the differential amplifier being connected to the junction of two resistors connected in series across one of the diodes.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US3496443A Cited
US3835363A Cited
US4079306A Cited
US3982169A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1984-10-26 1985-04-27 1985-10-27 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1988-10-26 1989-04-27 1989-10-27 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1992-10-26 1993-04-27 1993-10-27 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

Assigned Categories & Tags

No categories assigned to this patent yet.

Assign Category Tag