Electricity: battery or capacitor charging or discharging – Serially connected batteries or cells – With discharge of cells or batteries
Patent
1995-06-19
1997-08-12
Krishnan, Aditya
Electricity: battery or capacitor charging or discharging
Serially connected batteries or cells
With discharge of cells or batteries
H02J 704
Patent
active
056569181
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,300,088 to Hicks and with reference to FIG. 2 of the specification, there is disclosed an electric charging apparatus for ground vehicles. The apparatus disclosed comprises an alternator including an excitation circuit comprising a rotor winding and a generator circuit comprising a three-phase stator winding. The apparatus further comprises control means connected to a brake pedal of the vehicle arranged such as to excite the excitation circuit dependent on the extent of actuation of the brake pedal. The said control means replaces the conventional regulator of conventional alternators. If the brake pedal is not actuated, the excitation circuit is not excited so that the alternator does not present a load to the vehicle engine. However, when the brake pedal is actuated, the excitation circuit is energised, thereby causing the generator circuit to become operative. The more the brake pedal is actuated, the larger the output current of the generator circuit becomes. With this apparatus, the electrical generating and charging system is operative only during braking operations, so as to take advantage of the energy which is usually dissipated as heat in the brake system, to produce electrical battery charging power.
Although operating economics may be achieved with this system, it suffers from the disadvantage that measured against the total driving time of a vehicle, the proportion of town driving with long waiting times during which the engine idles and cruising on the open road, when the brakes are also not applied, is very great. During these periods the alternator would not be operative. The periods during which the alternator would be operative may not be sufficient and this may cause damage to the alternator and/or the battery of the vehicle.
OBJECT OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide alternative apparatus with which the applicant believes the aforementioned problems may at least be alleviated and which would also improve the economy and/or performance of engines.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to the invention apparatus for controlling a load connected to an internal combustion engine during operation comprises: by the engine; and connected to the engine, thereby to make more of the power generated available to a remaining part of the load.
The means sensitive to a demand for an increase in output power may comprise means sensitive to a decrease in vacuum, in use, created in a manifold region of the engine.
Said means sensitive to a decrease in vacuum may comprise a vacuum switch comprising a diaphragm which is in suction communication with the manifold region of the vehicle and operable under the influence of vacuum to actuate an electronic switch element.
The vacuum switch preferably comprises adjustment means for displacing said diaphragm and said switch element relative to one another.
The means responsive to the sensitive means may comprise an electronic controller comprising an input and an output, the input being connected to said electronic switch element and the output to said part of the load.
The said part of the load preferably comprises an alternator and a voltage regulator therefor connected in an excitation circuit of the alternator. The electronic controller preferably comprises voltage generator means connected via said output of the controller to the voltage regulator for generating a voltage in response to a signal from said sensitive means for interrupting current flow in the excitation circuit, thereby to switch off the alternator.
The voltage regulator preferably comprises first, second and third terminals. The third terminal is preferably connected to the excitation circuit and the regulator is adapted to interrupt current flow through said third terminal if a voltage applied across said first and second terminals exceeds a set value. The said voltage generator means preferably comprises a DC to DC converter connected to said first and second terminals and operative, when switched on, to generate a voltage
REFERENCES:
patent: 4300088 (1981-11-01), Hicks
patent: 4651081 (1987-03-01), Nishimura et al.
patent: 5038728 (1991-08-01), Yoshida et al.
Pearman Kevin Patrick
Peart David Joseph
Bednarek Michael D.
Galgut John
Krishnan Aditya
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