Generator with circuitry for controlling power generation based on rotational speed

Claim 2

An AC generator for supplying electric power to a load comprising: a magnetic field member having a field coil for generating magnetic flux responsive to an electric field current supplied to said field coil; an armature member having an armature coil including multi-phase windings for generating an induced phase voltage in each of said phase-windings and providing a line voltage between each pair of said multi-phase windings responsive to said armature member being rotated relative to said magnetic field member; a bridge-type full-wave rectifying circuit connected to said multi-phase windings for supplying an output-DC-voltage to said load; a switching circuit also connected to said multi-phase windings and outputting a control-AC-voltage, which is provided to said armature coil; and a driving circuit connected to said switching circuit, said driving circuit causing said control-AC-voltage output by said switching circuit to lag a first prescribed electric angle behind a corresponding one of said induced-phase voltages and a current flowing through said corresponding one of said phase-windings to lead said corresponding one of said line-voltages by a second prescribed electric angle.

Claim 3

An AC generator according to claim 1 further comprising: a field current control unit controlling said field current according to said output voltage of said full-wave rectifying circuit; a power sensor for detecting an output power of said AC generator; a rotational speed sensor detecting a rotational speed of said AC generator; and a map circuit connected to said power sensor and said rotational speed sensor, said map circuit including a control map storing electric angles which give minimum losses at respective combinations of said field current and said phase voltages, said map circuit selecting said first prescribed electric angle from said control map according to signals from said power sensor and said rotational speed sensor.

Claim 4

An AC generator according to claim 1 further comprising: field current control unit controlling said field current according to said output voltage of said full-wave rectifying circuit; a torque sensor for detecting power generating torque produced by said AC generator; and a feedback circuit, connected to said torque sensor, for setting said first prescribed lag angle according to a signal from said torque sensor.

Claim 5

An AC generator according to claim 1, said first prescribed electric angle behind a corresponding one of said induced voltages is between 30°-120°.

Claim 6

An AC generator according to claim 1, wherein said driving circuit is adapted to drive said switching circuit such that said control-AC-voltage approximates a sinusoidal voltage which varies in a stepwise manner.

Claim 7

An AC generator according to claim 1, wherein said driving circuit comprises a PWM-circuit for forming said control-AC-voltage.

Claim 8

An AC generator according to claim 1, wherein said full-wave rectifying bridge circuit comprises a plurality of diodes and said switching circuit comprises a plurality of switching elements, each diode being connected to one of said switching elements so that a conducting direction of said diode is opposite to that of said switching element.

Claim 9

An AC generator according to claim 7, wherein said diodes and said switching elements are disposed integrally in a unit.

Claim 10

An AC generator claimed in claim 7, wherein said switching elements comprise a plurality of insulated gate bipolar junction transistors.

Claim 11

An AC generator claimed in claim 7, wherein said switching elements comprise MOSFETs.

Claim 12

An AC generator claimed in claim 1, further comprising a position sensor positioned so as to detect a rotational position of said field member, wherein said driving circuit drives said switching circuit according to an output signal of said position sensor.

Claim 13

An AC generator claimed in claim 1, further comprising a phase-current sensor positioned so as to detect phase-currents of said phase-windings, wherein said driving circuit drives said switching circuit according to an output signal of said phase-current sensor.

Claim 14

An AC generator claimed in claim 1, wherein said multi-phase windings are configured in a Y-connection.

Claim 15

An AC generator claimed in claim 1, wherein said multi-phase windings are configured in a Δ-connection.

Claim 16

An AC generator for supplying an electric power to a load comprising: a field coil for generating magnetic flux; an armature coil including multi-phase windings for generating induced phase voltages and providing output-terminal-voltages responsive to said magnetic flux changing; a bridge-type full-wave rectifying circuit having diodes connected to said multi-phase-windings for supplying a DC-voltage to said load; voltage supplying circuit having switch elements connected respectively with said multi-phase-windings in parallel with said diodes, for supplying control voltages to said multi-phase windings respectively through said switch elements; a position sensor for detecting a phase difference between said magnetic-flux and said phase voltage; and a driving circuit connected to said voltage supplying circuit and said position sensor, for controlling said switch elements according to said detected phase difference to provide said control voltages which lag a prescribed electric angle behind said induced phase voltages, thereby increasing said electric power provided to said load.

Claim 17

An AC generator for supplying an electric power to a load comprising: a field coil for generating magnetic flux; an armature coil including multi-phase windings for generating induced phase voltages and providing output-terminal-voltages responsive to said magnetic flux changing; a bridge-type full-wave rectifying circuit having diodes connected to said multi-phase-windings for supplying a DC-voltage to said load; voltage supplying circuit having switch elements connected respectively with said multi-phase-windings in parallel with said diodes, for supplying control voltages to said multi-phase windings respectively through said switch elements; a position sensor for detecting a phase difference between said magnetic-flux and said phase voltage; and a driving circuit connected to said voltage supplying circuit and said position sensor, for controlling said switch elements according to said detected phase difference to provide said control voltages which lag a prescribed electric angle behind said induced phase voltages, thereby increasing said electric power provided to said load.

Claim 18

An AC generator according to claim 15 further comprising: field current control unit controlling said field current according to said output voltage of said full-wave rectifying circuit; a power sensor detecting an output power of said AC generator; a rotational speed sensor detecting a rotational speed of said AC generator; and a map circuit including a control map storing lag angles which give maximum power at respective amounts of said field current and said phase voltage, said map circuit selecting said prescribed electric angle from said control map according to signals from said power sensor and said rotational speed sensor.

Claim 19

An AC generator according to claim 15 further comprising: field current control unit controlling said field current according to said output voltage of said full-wave rectifying circuit; a torque sensor for detecting power generating torque produced by said AC generator; and a control unit setting said prescribed electric-angle according to a signal from said torque sensor.

Claim 20

An AC generator according to claim 15, wherein said prescribed electric angle behind a corresponding one of said induced voltages is between 30°-120°.

Claim 21

An AC generator claimed in claim 15, wherein said voltage supplying circuit further comprises means for generating an approximated sinusoidal AC voltage.

Claim 22

An AC generator claimed in claim 19, wherein said means for generating an approximated sinusoidal-AC-voltage comprises a PWM circuit generating a group of rectangular pluses.

Claim 23

An AC generator claimed in claim 15, wherein said multi-phase windings are configured in a Δ-connection.

Claim 24

An AC generator claimed in claim 15, wherein said multi-phase windings are configured in a Y-connection.

Claim 25

An AC generator for supplying an electric power to a load including a battery comprising: a magnetic field member having a field coil for generating magnetic flux responsive to an electric field current being supplied to said field coil; an armature member having multi-phase-windings for generating an induced-phase-voltage in each of said phase-windings and providing line-voltage between each two of said multi-phase windings responsive to said armature member being rotated relative to said field member; first means for supplying an output-DC-voltage to said load and for supplying a control-AC-voltage to said multi-phase windings, said first means having controllable switch elements connected in a full-wave rectifying bridge-circuit configuration between said multi-phase windings and said load; and second means, connected to said first means, for driving said controllable switch elements so that said control-AC-voltage lags at a first prescribed electric angle behind a corresponding one of said induced phase voltages and so that a current flowing through said corresponding one of said phase windings leads said corresponding one of said line-voltages by a second prescribed electric angle.

Claim 26

An AC generator for supplying an electric power to a load including a battery comprising: a magnetic field member having a field coil for generating magnetic flux responsive to an electric field current being supplied to said field coil; an armature member having multi-phase-windings for generating an induced-phase-voltage in each of said phase-windings and providing line-voltage between each two of said multi-phase windings responsive to said armature member being rotated relative to said field member; first means for supplying an output-DC-voltage to said load and for supplying a control-AC-voltage to said multi-phase windings, said first means having controllable switch elements connected in a full-wave rectifying bridge-circuit configuration between said multi-phase windings and said load; and second means, connected to said first means, for driving said controllable switch elements so that said control-AC-voltage lags at a first prescribed electric angle behind a corresponding one of said induced phase voltages and so that a current flowing through said corresponding one of said phase windings leads said corresponding one of said line-voltages by a second prescribed electric angle.

Claim 27

An AC generator according to claim 23, further comprising: field current control means for controlling said field current according to said output voltage of said full-wave rectifying circuit; a power sensor for detecting an output power of said AC generator; a rotational speed sensor detecting a rotational speed of said AC generator; and a map circuit connected to said power sensor and said rotational speed sensor, said map circuit including a control map storing electric angles which give minimum losses at respective combinations of said field current and said phase voltages, said map circuit selecting a suitable electric angle from said control map according to signals from said power sensor and said rotational speed sensor.

Claim 28

An AC generator according to claim 23, further comprising: field current control means for controlling said field current according to said output voltage of said full-wave rectifying circuit; a torque sensor for detecting power generating torque produced by said AC generator; and a feedback circuit, connected to said torque sensor, for setting a suitable lag-angle according to a signal from said torque sensor.

Claim 29

An AC generator according to claim 23, said first prescribed electric angle behind a corresponding one of said induced voltages is between 30°-120°.

Claim 30

An AC generator according to claims 23, wherein said second means drives said switch elements so that said control-AC-voltage approximates a sinusoidal which varies in a stepwise manner.

Claim 31

An AC generator according to claim 23, wherein said second means comprises a PWM-circuit for forming said control-AC -voltage.

Claim 32

An AC generator according to claim 23, wherein said full-wave rectifying bridge circuit comprises a plurality of diodes each of which is connected to one of said controllable switch elements so that a conducting direction of said diode is opposite to that of an associated switch element.

Claim 33

An AC generator according to claim 29, wherein said diodes and said controllable switch elements are disposed integrally in a unit.

Claim 34

An AC generator claimed in claim 29, wherein said controllable switch elements comprise a plurality of insulated gate bipolar junction transistors.

Claim 35

An AC generator claimed in claim 30, wherein said controllable switch elements comprise MOSFETs.

Claim 36

An AC generator claimed in claim 23, further comprising a position sensor, connected to said second means, for detecting a rotational position of said field member, wherein said second means drives said switch according to an output signal of said position sensor.

Claim 37

An AC generator claimed in claim 23, further comprising a phase-current-sensor, connected to said second means, for detecting phase-currents of said phase-windings, wherein said second means drives said switch according to an output signal of said phase-current sensor.

Claim 38

An AC generator claimed in claim 23, wherein said multi-phase windings are configured in a Y-connection.

Claim 39

An AC generator claimed in claim 23, wherein said multi-phase windings are configured in a Δ-connection.

Claim 40

An AC generator for supplying an electric power to a load comprising: a field coil for generating magnetic flux; an armature coil including multi-phase windings for generating induced-phase-voltages and providing output-terminal voltages responsive to said magnetic flux changing; a bridge-type full-wave rectifying circuit having diodes connected to said multi-phase windings for supplying a DC voltage to said load; voltage supplying means, having switch elements connected respectively with said multi-phase windings in parallel with said diodes, for supplying control voltages to said multi-phase-windings respectively through said switch elements; a position sensor for detecting phase difference between said magnetic-flux and said phase voltage; and a driving circuit connected to said voltage supplying means and said position sensor, for controlling said switch elements according to said detected phase difference to provide said control voltages which lag a suitable electric angle behind said induced phase voltages, thereby increasing said power output to said load.

Claim 41

An AC generator for supplying an electric power to a load comprising: a field coil for generating magnetic flux; an armature coil including multi-phase windings for generating induced-phase-voltages and providing output-terminal voltages responsive to said magnetic flux changing; a bridge-type full-wave rectifying circuit having diodes connected to said multi-phase windings for supplying a DC voltage to said load; voltage supplying means, having switch elements connected respectively with said multi-phase windings in parallel with said diodes, for supplying control voltages to said multi-phase-windings respectively through said switch elements; a position sensor for detecting phase difference between said magnetic-flux and said phase voltage; and a driving circuit connected to said voltage supplying means and said position sensor, for controlling said switch elements according to said detected phase difference to provide said control voltages which lag a suitable electric angle behind said induced phase voltages, thereby increasing said power output to said load.

Claim 42

An AC generator according to claim 37, further comprising: field current control means for controlling said field current according to said output voltage of said full-wave rectifying circuit; a power sensor for detecting an output power of said AC generator; a rotational speed sensor detecting a rotational speed of said AC generator; and a map circuit including a control map storing lag angles which give maximum power at respective amounts of said field current and said phase voltage, said map circuit selecting said suitable electric angle from said control map according to signals from said power sensor and said rotational speed sensor.

Claim 43

An AC generator according to claim 37, further comprising: field current control means for controlling said field current according to said output voltage of said full-wave rectifying circuit; a torque sensor for detecting a power generating torque produced by said AC generator; and means for setting said suitable electric-angle according to a signal from said torque sensor.

Claim 44

An AC generator according to claim 37, wherein said first prescribed electric angle behind a corresponding one of said induced voltages is between 30°-120°.

Claim 45

An AC generator claimed in claim 37, wherein said voltage supplying means comprises means for generating an approximated sinusoidal AC voltage.

Claim 46

An AC generator claimed in claim 41, wherein said means for generating an approximated sinusoidal AC voltage comprises a PWM circuit for generating a group of rectangular pluses.

Claim 47

An AC generator claimed in claim 37, wherein said multi-phase windings are configured in a Y-connection.

Claim 48

An AC generator claimed in claim 37, wherein said multi-phase windings are configured in a Δ-connection.