US5793167A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Operation of a motor vehicle alternator
Assignee: Ford Global Technologies LLC
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Filing: 1997-02-18
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Granted: 1998-08-11
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Expires: 2017-02-18
Abstract
Abstract A conventional full wave diode bridge of an alternator is replaced with a full wave controlled rectifier bridge having controlled switches in place of diodes and the rectifier bridge is controlled in response to a third harmonic of the voltage generated by the alternator to synchronize the rectifier bridge with the alternator and to increase output power from the alternator. The alternator includes a rotor having a field winding receiving a field current which is controlled up to a maximum field current for partial control of the output power produced by the alternator. Power produced by the alternator is also controlled by introducing a phase angle between the phase voltages at the three output connections of the stator winding and the third harmonic up to a maximum or optimum phase angle. To increase power output from the alternator, preferably the field current is increased up to a maximum before any phase angle is introduced between the phase voltages and the third harmonic. Similarly, the phase angle is reduced to zero before the field current is reduced if power generated by the alternator is to be decreased.
Inventors
- 👤 Feng Liang
- 👤 Garold Paul Myers
- 👤 Paul Theodore Momcilovich
- 👤 Shahram Zarei
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 10:07
CPC Classifications
H; H02; H02J; H02J7/00; H02J7/14; H02J7/1469; H02J7/1492; H02P; H02P9/00; H02P9/48; Y; Y02; Y02T; Y02T10/00; Y02T10/80; Y02T10/92
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 21
Claim 1
Independent Claim
124 words
A method of operating an alternator to generate ac power which is rectified to produce dc power at a dc output, said alternator including a three phase stator winding having three output connections and a rotor having a field winding receiving a field current, being magnetically coupled to said stator winding and being mechanically driven to generate three phase power at said three output connections of said stator winding, said method comprising the steps of: connecting a full wave controlled rectifier bridge between said three output connections of said stator winding and said dc output; determining a third harmonic of voltage generated by said alternator; and controlling said rectifier bridge in response to said third harmonic to synchronize said rectifier bridge with said alternator.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
124 words
A method of operating an alternator to generate ac power which is rectified to produce dc power at a dc output, said alternator including a three phase stator winding having three output connections and a rotor having a field winding receiving a field current, being magnetically coupled to said stator winding and being mechanically driven to generate three phase power at said three output connections of said stator winding, said method comprising the steps of: connecting a full wave controlled rectifier bridge between said three output connections of said stator winding and said dc output; determining a third harmonic of voltage generated by said alternator; and controlling said rectifier bridge in response to said third harmonic to synchronize said rectifier bridge with said alternator.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
68 words
A method of operating an alternator as claimed in claim 1 wherein said step of controlling said rectifier bridge in response to said third harmonic to synchronize said rectifier bridge with said alternator comprises the steps of: determining the zero crossings of said third harmonic; and sequencing said full wave controlled rectifier bridge through a series of operating modes in response to zero crossings of said third harmonic.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
49 words
A method of operating an alternator as claimed in claim 1 further comprising the step of controlling said rectifier bridge to introduce a phase angle between phase voltages at said three output connections of said stator winding and said third harmonic to control dc power output by said alternator.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
78 words
A method of operating an alternator as claimed in claim 3 wherein said step of controlling said rectifier bridge to introduce a phase angle between phase voltages at said three output connections of said stator winding and said third harmonic comprises the step of controlling said rectifier bridge to introduce an optimum phase angle between phase voltages at said three output connections of said stator winding and said third harmonic to maximize dc power output by said alternator.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
22 words
A method of operating an alternator as claimed in claim 4 further comprising the step of empirically determining said optimum phase angle.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
25 words
A method of operating an alternator as claimed in claim 1 further comprising the step of controlling said field current to control dc power output.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
67 words
A method of operating an alternator as claimed in claim 6 further comprising the steps of: determining whether said field current is at a maximum; and if said field current is at a maximum, controlling said rectifier bridge to introduce a phase angle between phase voltages at said three output connections of said stator winding and said third harmonic to control dc power output by said alternator.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
50 words
A method of operating an alternator as claimed in claim 7 further comprising the step of controlling said rectifier bridge to introduce an optimum phase angle between phase voltages at said three output connections of said stator winding and said third harmonic to maximize dc power output by said alternator.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
150 words
A method of operating an alternator to generate ac power which is rectified to produce dc power at a dc output, said alternator including a three phase stator winding having three output connections and a rotor having a field winding receiving a field current, being magnetically coupled to said stator winding and being mechanically driven to generate three phase power at said three output connections of said stator winding, said method comprising the steps of: connecting a full wave controlled rectifier bridge between said three output connections of said stator winding and said dc output; determining a third harmonic of voltage generated by said alternator; controlling said rectifier bridge in response to said third harmonic to synchronize said rectifier bridge with said alternator; and further controlling said rectifier bridge to define a phase angle between phase voltages at said three output connections of said stator winding and said third harmonic.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
150 words
A method of operating an alternator to generate ac power which is rectified to produce dc power at a dc output, said alternator including a three phase stator winding having three output connections and a rotor having a field winding receiving a field current, being magnetically coupled to said stator winding and being mechanically driven to generate three phase power at said three output connections of said stator winding, said method comprising the steps of: connecting a full wave controlled rectifier bridge between said three output connections of said stator winding and said dc output; determining a third harmonic of voltage generated by said alternator; controlling said rectifier bridge in response to said third harmonic to synchronize said rectifier bridge with said alternator; and further controlling said rectifier bridge to define a phase angle between phase voltages at said three output connections of said stator winding and said third harmonic.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
37 words
A method of operating an alternator as claimed in claim 9 further comprising the step of determining an optimum phase angle between phase voltages at said three output connections of said stator winding and said third harmonic.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
34 words
A method of operating an alternator as claimed in claim 10 wherein said step of determining an optimum phase angle comprises the step of mapping output power of said alternator onto said phase angle.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
20 words
A method of operating an alternator as claimed in claim 9 further comprising the step of controlling said field current.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
36 words
A method of operating an alternator as claimed in claim 12 further comprising the step of coordinating said steps of controlling said field current and further controlling said rectifier bridge to improve operation of said alternator.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
87 words
A method of operating an alternator as claimed in claim 13 wherein said step of coordinating said steps of controlling said field current and further controlling said rectifier bridge comprises the steps of: controlling said field current to increase power output of said alternator; and upon reaching a maximum field current, further controlling said rectifier bridge to introduce an appropriate phase angle between phase voltages at said three output connections of said stator winding and said third harmonic in accordance with required output power from said alternator.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
73 words
A method of operating an alternator as claimed in claim 13 wherein said method further comprises the step of determining an optimum phase angle between phase voltages at said three output connections of said stator winding and said third harmonic, and said step of further controlling said rectifier bridge to introduce an appropriate phase angle comprises increasing said phase angle up to a maximum phase angle to increase output power of said alternator.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
38 words
A method or operating an alternator as claimed in claim 15 further comprising the step of decreasing said phase angle from said maximum phase angle to substantially zero before reducing said field current from a maximum field current.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
183 words
A method of operating an alternator to generate ac power which is rectified to produce dc power at a dc output, said alternator including a three phase stator winding having three output connections and a rotor having a field winding receiving a field current, being magnetically coupled to said stator winding and being mechanically driven to generate three phase power at said three output connections of said stator winding, said method comprising the steps of: connecting a full wave controlled rectifier bridge between said three output connections of said stator winding and said dc output; determining a third harmonic of voltage generated by said alternator; controlling said rectifier bridge in response to said third harmonic to synchronize rectifier bridge with said alternator; controlling said field current in response to output power required from said alternator up to a maximum field current; and upon reaching said maximum field current, further controlling said rectifier bridge to introduce a phase angle between phase voltages at said three output connections of said stator winding and said third harmonic in response to output power required from said alternator.
Claim 20
Independent Claim
183 words
A method of operating an alternator to generate ac power which is rectified to produce dc power at a dc output, said alternator including a three phase stator winding having three output connections and a rotor having a field winding receiving a field current, being magnetically coupled to said stator winding and being mechanically driven to generate three phase power at said three output connections of said stator winding, said method comprising the steps of: connecting a full wave controlled rectifier bridge between said three output connections of said stator winding and said dc output; determining a third harmonic of voltage generated by said alternator; controlling said rectifier bridge in response to said third harmonic to synchronize rectifier bridge with said alternator; controlling said field current in response to output power required from said alternator up to a maximum field current; and upon reaching said maximum field current, further controlling said rectifier bridge to introduce a phase angle between phase voltages at said three output connections of said stator winding and said third harmonic in response to output power required from said alternator.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
50 words
A method of operating an alternator as claimed in claim 17 further comprising the step of controlling said rectifier bridge to introduce an optimum phase angle between phase voltages at said three output connections of said stator winding and said third harmonic to maximize dc power output by said alternator.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2001-08-10 | 2002-02-09 | 2002-08-11 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2005-08-10 | 2006-02-09 | 2006-08-11 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2009-08-10 | 2010-02-09 | 2010-08-11 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |