Abstract: An automatic shut-off battery charging system which employs a timing control circuit (TC101) to initiate intermittent monitoring of the equivalent internal resistance of a load battery (B101) under charge, and a comparison circuit (PD101) which disables charging when the internal resistance indicates that the battery is charged to capacity.

Abstract: To enable recharging of a battery under a low temperature circumstance, a rapid battery charger is provided with a rapid charge mode and a slow charge mode which are selectively used depending upon the temperature of the battery. The rapid charge mode is selected when the temperature is above a predetermined value, wherein the battery charger charges the battery with a charging current of more than 5 C, whereas the slow charge mode is selected when the temperature is below the predetermined value, wherein the battery charger charges the battery with a charging current of less than 1 C.

Abstract: A synchronous generator start converter offers power conversion for performing multiple functions such as starting AC generators as a motor, charging batteries and also providing regulated DC output without degradation of input power quality. The converter utilizes common magnetic components and common semiconductor rectifiers within its three subcircuits. The three subcircuits include flyback converters, a square wave inverter and a field excitation controller.

Abstract: A switched reluctance generator system, including a converter for coupling a dc voltage via a dc excitation bus to a switched reluctance generator and thereby providing excitation power thereto, has a separate generator bus for providing the output voltage of the switched reluctance generator. The generator bus is separate and distinct from the dc excitation bus such that the average output current generated by the switched reluctance generator is substantially independent of the generator output voltage. The switched reluctance generator system further includes switches for coupling each respective machine phase winding of the switched reluctance generator to the generator bus such that the generator provides power to the excitation bus when the switches are turned off and provides power to the generator bus when the switches are turned on.

Abstract: A differential input comparator for controlling the output voltage of an AC adapter to track the voltage of a rechargeable battery during trickle charge. An output voltage sensing circuit typically used to regulate the AC adapter output voltage at a maximum level is modified to regulate the output voltage at a minimum DC voltage approximately equivalent to a fully discharged battery plus a nominal voltage level. The differential input comparator is coupled to a current limiter coupled in the charge path of the battery and to the sense signal to provide a separate current path used to modify the voltage level of the sense signal. The differential input comparator regulates the voltage across the current limiter to the nominal voltage level by controlling the AC adapter output voltage through the sense signal during trickle charge of the battery.

Abstract: A mobile radio equipment has a built-in storage battery that permits radio equipment to be used outside of the vehicle, but the vehicle's battery and charger are needed to charge up or maintain the charge of the internal storage battery of the radio equipment most of the time. A d.c. voltage converter is used when the radio equipment is in the vehicle to provide at least one voltage which the internal storage battery provides to the radio equipment and that voltage of the internal battery is connected, when the radio equipment is in the vehicle, to the radio equipment through a control switch which is closed only when the output of the voltage converter is less than the voltage of the internal storage battery of the radio equipment. In the power supply located in the vehicle the output of the voltage converter also needs a regulator to supply a regulated voltage to the radio equipment, in addition to the prior unregulated voltage.

Abstract: A hybrid alternator includes a stator and a rotor, with the rotor having longitudinally separate wound field and permanent magnet rotor portions. A rotor excitation circuit applies a forward polarity to the wound field rotor portion to increase output in a boosting mode at low RPMs and a reverse polarity to decrease output at high RPMs in a bucking mode to maintain a constant voltage output. Alternative embodiments combine a magnetic flux concentrating design for efficient low speed operation with integral strength for high speed capability. Dual voltage output is provided either through dual stator windings or through a voltage converter circuit. Single voltage output is provided using only one stator winding.

Abstract: A first switch element is connected in series with a rechargeable battery, a second switch element is connected in parallel to the series circuit of the rechargeable battery and the first switch element, and a control circuit controls ON and OFF states of the first switch element and the second switch element. The control circuit is so constructed as to turn OFF the first switch element to stop discharging and at the same time turn ON the second switch element when the battery voltage becomes lower than a predetermined value. The second switch element maintains the first switch element in OFF state even when the battery voltage of the rechargeable battery rises by self resetting of the rechargeable battery. When a charging voltage is applied to the rechargeable battery, the control circuit then turns ON the first switch element and turns OFF the second switch element.

Abstract: Battery charging apparatus is provided between a power source and a secondary cell which charges the secondary cell by direct current (DC) power. The apparatus includes a power generation circuit for generating the DC power, a pulse generation circuit for generating a pulse voltage having a predetermined cycle, a first voltage level and a second voltage level, each continuing for a predetermined period after the start of the supply of the DC power. A switch selectably connects the DC power such that the DC power is supplied to the secondary cell while the pulse voltage is at the first voltage level, and interrupts the supply of the DC power to the secondary cell while the pulse voltage is at the second voltage level. A detection circuit detects the voltage of the secondary cell to check the remaining capacity of the secondary cell while the supply of the DC power to the secondary cell is interrupted.

Abstract: A pulse width modulated (PWM) power supply combines the advantages of pulse width modulator circuitry with linear circuitry to provide power supply operation over an extended input range with no dropout of power supply output and no adverse effect on a load. The PWM circuitry includes input voltage scalers, control logic, mode detectors, an inductor, a diode switch and a capacitor and the linear circuitry includes a transistor, transistor voltage scaling and gate driver logic.

Abstract: A spacecraft power bus regulation method and apparatus for a spacecraft. The spacecraft has solar arrays (10) and a battery (30) coupled to the spacecraft power bus (32) to drive electrical loads (34). A bus voltage limiter (38) controls the flow of current from the solar arrays while a bidirectional battery controller (36) controls power flow into and out of the battery. A processor (46) monitors current flow and battery condition using sensors (40, 42, 44, 48) and controls the bus voltage limiter accordingly. Auxiliary control is provided by the solar array drive (24) which controls the orientation of the solar arrays with respect to the sun.

Abstract: A continuous cell charger including a cell insertion chamber into which discharged cells are inserted. A charging chamber has an inlet side that is in communication with the cell insertion chamber. Several pairs of plus and minus electrodes are arranged in a row within the charging chamber at intervals equal to the diameter of each cell. A charging circuit supplies a charging voltage to the pairs of electrodes. A lever pushes each cell, that has been inserted into the cell insertion chamber, into position between the first pair of electrodes within the charging chamber. The cells already within the chamber are also moved a predetermined distance corresponding to a cell diameter. A charged cell accommodating chamber is in communication with an outlet side of the charging chamber. The charged cell accommodating chamber receives and stores charged cells. To use the continuous cell charge, a discharged cell is placed into the cell charger and the lever is actuated.

Abstract: A constant-frequency electric power source including an A.C. generator having a field coil, to be driven by an engine and a converter unit which includes a rectifying circuit and an inverter. A controller controls the A.C. generator, and the A.C. generator has at least two groups of multi-phase output coils, one group of the at least two groups of multi-phase output coils being connected to the converter unit for providing an A.C. electric power with a constant-voltage and a constant frequency to be supplied to a first load, and the remaining groups of the at least two pairs of multi-phase output coils being connected to other loads respectively. The output of the remaining groups is supplied to the A.C. generator controller thereby controlling the input of the field coil of the A.C. generator. The A.C. electric power used for the first load is different from the A.C. electric power used for the other loads.

Abstract: A circuit and a method for filtering the ripple in an output of a multi-phase alternator in a vehicle system having a regulating circuit that regulates the output of the alternator includes a switch connected in series between a system voltage and the input of the regulating circuit, and circuitry for closing the switch at a predetermined phase of the voltage of at least one of the stator windings of the alternator. The circuitry for closing the switch operates to close the switch at a conduction switchover point among the stator windings in synchronism with a voltage waveform of the at least one of the stator windings, and is timed to produce an aliased waveform for application to the regulator. The output of the switch is applied to an integrator for integrating the output voltage from the alternator during an entire time cycle period of one of the windings of the stator coils for application to the regulator.

Abstract: Passengers approaching an elevator are distinguished from other people standing in front of an elevator door by obtaining an image signal of an area in front of the elevator door and masking out of the image signal increasing with time greater portions thereof when no motion is indicated by the image signal for controlling door movement when motion is detected in an unmasked portion of the image.

Abstract: A multi-output converter capable of stabilizing the output voltages Vo1, Vo2 and Vo3 of a first to a third output circuits, respectively, converted from the input voltage Vi of a DC voltage source. The output voltage Vo1 is stabilized by a frequency modulation technology using a switching device, a resonance circuit, an error detecting circuit, and a modulating circuit. The output Vo2 is stabilized by a pulse width modulation scheme using the switching device, error detecting device, and modulating circuit. Further, to stabilize the output voltage Vo3, a resonance frequency modulating circuit is applied to control the resonance frequency of a variable resonance circuit on the basis of the error voltage of an output voltage. The converter can accommodate even three or more outputs circuits with a minimum of loss and a miniature, reliable and inexpensive configuration.

Abstract: A current limiting circuit which includes a vertical MOS transistor as an output transistor has a clamping voltage that can be established with high accuracy, and once established, is less dependent on temperature. The gate of an output N-channel VDMOS transistor is connected to a constant-voltage circuit composed of an N-channel VDMOS transistor having the same characteristics as those of the output N-channel VDMOS transistor and two series-connected resistors which supply a divided voltage to the gate of the N-channel VDMOS transistor. The clamping voltage between the gate and source of the output N-channel VDMOS transistor can be adjusted based on the voltage divided by the resistors of the constant-voltage circuit. The temperature characteristics of the output N-channel VDMOS transistor and the constant-voltage circuit are held in phase with each other to reduce variations in the clamping voltage caused by temperature variations.

Abstract: The present invention solves the problem of discontinuous operation of an elevator door, depending upon the operating point of the door at the time of the reversal command, by a digital control technique which uses as a reference signal for the adaptation, the velocity dictation coming from a profile generator. This gives an information concerning the actual operating point. The adaptation of the controller parameters is made with respect to the signal.

Abstract: A detector for detecting rotor position of a brushless generator having a motive power shaft and a main generator portion having a set of armature phase windings capable of receiving AC power and developing a back EMF voltage during operation in a starting mode, includes a circuit coupled to the set of armature phase windings and capable of responding to the AC power for producing a back EMF estimate signal representing an estimate of the back EMF voltage. The detector also includes a circuit for converting the back EMF estimate signal into an indication of the angular position of the motive power shaft.

Abstract: A rotor for an alternating current generator of the Lundell type. The rotor shaft carries two segments which have interleaved pole teeth. The rotor has a core member and a field coil disposed about the core member. The segments and/or core member are formed of compressed powder iron particles having a particle size in a range of about 10 to 250 microns. In the manufacture of the core and/or segments the iron powder particles are coated with a thermoplastic material and this thermoplastic coated iron particle material is compacted in the molding dies of a press. After compaction to the desired shape, the part is sintered at a temperature of about 2050.degree. F. to burn-off the thermoplastic material that coated the iron particles.