Abstract: An onboard power generation system for use on board a vehicle, such as a passenger car, includes a brushless doubly-fed generator. The generator has a rotor with rotor conductors and a stator with stator windings, the stator windings comprising first and second polyphase stator systems. The generator rotor is mechanically coupled to and driven by the vehicle engine with a driving force to produce an AC power output from the first polyphase stator system. The generation system has a rectifier which receives and rectifies the generator first polyphase stator system AC power output into DC power for delivery to a DC bus of the generator power system. A sensor senses a parameter of the AC power output received by the rectifier and produces a sensor signal in response thereto. A converter receives the sensor signal, and in response thereto, converts power received from an excitation power source into excitation power for the generator second polyphase stator system.

Abstract: A plurifunction device for regulating the excitation voltage of an alternator for charging the battery of an automobile vehicle, comprising battery and alternator phase voltage inputs, an excitation regulation output and a terminal connected to an indicator lamp. It also includes field coil power excitation control circuit, a battery voltage sensing circuit connected to the battery voltage input to supply a signal indicating that an alternator-battery connection is broken and an excitation regulation signal related to the peak and average values of the battery voltage. An alternator phase voltage amplitude sensing circuit supplies a first sensing signal related to a first threshold value authorizing the establishing of an excitation current with a frequency and cyclic ratio imposed by an alternator phase voltage signal applied to the alternator phase voltage input to initiate cutting in of the alternator.

Abstract: A voltage-switching mechanism for a battery charger for charging batteries with different voltage ratings includes a charging hole provided in a battery charger, having a shape similar to a shape of each of first and second batteries to be charged, and having a side opening. The voltage-switching mechanism further includes a guide groove provided in the charging hole and having a portion which forms part of the side opening, a voltage selector connected to the side opening of the charging hole and partly projecting into the guide groove, a voltage switch having an actuating element and normally connected to a second secondary terminal of a transformer with a voltage equal to the voltage rating of the second battery, a first guide portion projecting from the first battery, and a second guide portion projecting from the second battery.

Abstract: A switching power source means comprises a DC voltage source, a first switch element, a low-pass filter connected to the DC voltage source through the first switch element, and a second switch element connected to the input end of the low-pass filter, the switch elements being coupled to the DC voltage source either directly or through a transformer and being operable in such a manner that an output of DC or AC at a desired frequency can be derived across the output end of the low-pass filter. With the invention, a reactor is connected in parallel across the input end of the low-pass filter, to charge and discharge parasitic capacitances of the switch elements, preferably by being provided with a saturable core accompanied by an additional winding supplied with a load current, thus preventing surge currents in the switch elements.

Abstract: A vehicle AC generator control device, comprises: an AC generator with a field coil; a rectifier for rectifying an AC output of the AC generator; a battery connected to an output terminal of the rectifier; a voltage regulator with a switching element series-connected to the field coil, the voltage regulator detecting a terminal voltage of the rectifier or battery to operate the switching element to control a field current of the field coil to adjust an output voltage of the AC generator to a predetermined value; a field coil exciting power source for providing an output voltage which is higher than the output voltage of the AC generator; and a field current limiter for limiting a maximum conduction rate of the switching element according to a speed of rotation of the AC generator.

Abstract: An electric motor drive for rotatably driving a spindle of a spinning machines has a resilient member positioned between an interconnecting member and a sleeve mounted to the spindle bank of the spinning machine. The resilient member is partially received in a recess in the interconnecting member, the sleeve or both to facilitate the distribution of forces exerted on the resilient member.

Abstract: A battery charging system for determining battery charge states of batteries positioned to be charged by a battery charger. A fast charging current is supplied for short intervals to each of the batteries during a charge state determination period. After the end of the charge state determination period, the battery charge states of each of the batteries is determined. The determined battery charge states may be utilized to form a battery charging priority sequence for sequentially charging the batteries.

Abstract: A high power supply apparatus employs a high-power load such as a deicing means for deicing a windshield of the automobile. The high-power load is connected to a converter which connects the output voltage of the alternator to a predetermined voltage. During the operation of the high-power load, the alternator is disconnected from the battery through a switch, and at the same time, the rotating speed of the alternator is increased by the idle speed controller. Since the high-converter means converts the output voltage of the alternator when the rotating speed of the alternator is increased, a predetermined electric power of the alternator is supplied to the high-power load.

Abstract: A battery charger for charging secondary drycell type batteries having a compartment portion with positions for installing secondary drycell batteries to be charged, the drycell batteries having cylindrical bodies with terminals at both ends, the terminal at one end being centrally located, the compartment including an elongated channel having opposite ends, a contact at one end of the channel for engagement by the central terminal on batteries positioned therein and a spring biased plate member in the channel for engaging the terminal at the opposite end of the channel urging the centrally located terminal into engagement with the contact, the contact having an opening therethrough aligned with the centrally located battery terminal, and a switch with a switch actuating member positioned adjacent to the contact on one side of the opening, batteries having centrally located terminals that are small enough to move through the opening in the contact moving against and actuating the switch actuator member to act

Abstract: In a system for starting an aircraft turbine from a low voltage direct current power supply, the low voltage power supply is coupled by an invertor to the turbine's a.c. generator. The generator operates as a motor during starting. The invertor is initially coupled directly to the generator during starting, and to the generator via a step-up transformer after the speed of the generator increases. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the transformer is an autotransformer used to step down the output of the generator when operating as a generator after the turbine has been started.

Abstract: A power source apparatus has a power factor improving circuit which uses switching elements (4) as buildup transistors. According to the power source apparatus of the present invention, a current carrying ratio of the switching elements is decided to be a value which is obtained by subtracting a number of proportional value of the power source current waveform from the maximum current carrying ratio. Since the device of the present invention does not necessitate a detecting circuit of the power source voltage waveform for outputting an instruction waveform, the circuit thereof is simple and is not affected by the voltage change of the power source and noise generated at the power source.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device (20) for a unipolarly operated component (9) capable of storing energy. This device (20) can be applied, for example, in an asymmetrical half bridge circuit (1). It compensates the dc magnetic flux which originates due to the unipolar operation and, hence permits making relatively small in size the component (9) capable of storing energy. Using a current converter (25, 32) with suitable winding ratio as an automatic and load-dependent compensation device, moreover, permits very flexible adaptation to load changes. Such adaptation is, in particular, required when very high pulsating current occurs on the primary side with simultaneous secondary no-load operation.

Abstract: An isolated battery charger suitable for charging lead-acid batteries includes a high-frequency power conditioner that rectifies source current to a DC value and chops the current at a comparatively high frequency, e.g., 25 KHz, using a pair of MOSFET switches (138 and 140) to provide power pulses to the primary of a step-down transformer (T.sub.1). The output of the step-down transformer (T.sub.1) is presented to an enhancement mode MOSFET (206) in series circuit with the battery (B) to be charged with the gate bias of the MOSFET controlled in response to the sensed voltage of the battery to provide current to the battery as a function of its charge. Control circuitry is provided to limit charging to a small `trickle` level in the event the battery (B) is fully discharged to increase its charge level prior to initiating the full charge current. The provision of a voltage converter (100) operating at a relatively high frequency allows use of a lightweight and compact transformer (T.sub.

Abstract: The conventional storage battery of a motor vehicle is housed in a thermally insulated chamber along with a secondary storage battery provided with a circuit including a heater and a thermostatically controlled switch set to bring the heater into service whenever the temperature in the chamber drops to a predetermined low. Both batteries are connected in parallel to the alternator of the vehicle.

Abstract: An alternating current generating system (40) for an air frame producing an output potential in accordance with the invention includes a generator (42) for generating current having a rotor (46) mounted on a shaft (50) which is rotatably driven and a stator (58) from which current is outputted; a variable reluctance generator (44) for generating alternating current outputted from a stator (62) and having a rotor (48) mounted on the shaft to cause alternating current to be generated by the stator and a voltage regulator (84), coupled to the generator for generating current, to an output of (88) of the variable reluctance generator and to an excitation winding (86) of the variable reluctance generator, for producing excitation current applied to the stator of the variable reluctance generator to regulate the voltage outputted by the variable reluctance generator.

Abstract: An automatic charger is provided capable of charging several removable batteries comprising a block for supplying electric power from the mains and several battery charging modules. It comprises at least one electric connection and fixing rail on which the power supply block and the charging modules are connected and rigidly and removably fixed, with means for automatically controlling initiation and stopping of charging, with signalling.

Abstract: A control for a DC link power conversion system including a brushless generator having a main generator portion including an armature winding and a rectifier coupled to the armature winding of the main generator portion which converts AC power developed therein into DC power on a DC link comprises a circuit for sensing a parameter of the DC power, a circuit coupled to the sensing circuit for generating an alternating current waveform having a harmonic content dependent upon the sensed DC power parameter and a circuit coupled to the generating circuit for modifying the AC power developed in the main generator armature winding with the alternating current waveform so that the DC power has a certain AC component superimposed thereon.

Abstract: The problem of adusting a digital reference value without modifying a program or stored memory values in a voltage regulator (60) is minimized using an analog signal generator (114). A reference loop (110) which determines a desired point of regulation voltage level receives a trim value from the analog signal generator (114) to adjust a stored reference value (112) to offset the same.

Abstract: A low voltage battery provides the power source for energizing an aircraft generator to operate it as a motor during a starting operation. The battery is coupled to an input to an inverter whose a.c. output is controlled by a pulse width modulator. By controlling the switching points of the output, the generator is so energized that it operates as a brushless d.c. motor. At a point where the available voltage to the generator is insufficient to further accelerate the turbine, even with field weakening and an increased commutation angle, an autotransformer is switched into the system to step up the output voltage from the invertor. Throughout the starting operation the commutation angle is controlled so that current drain on battery is such that the battery terminal voltage at one half its no load terminal voltage, thus providing maximum power transfer from the battery.

Abstract: A three-phase circuit configuration for the synchronized timing of an electrical apparatus with the three phase power supply where the timing clock pulses are formed from a control voltage. In a four wire configuration, the control voltage is the voltage between a neutral point formed by three unequal resistors and the neutral line. In a three wire configuration, an additional neutral point is formed by coupling together another set of three resistors. The control voltage for the three wire configuration is the voltage between the two neutral points.