Abstract: An electric machine such as an alternator for a motor vehicle is provided. The machine includes a stator and a rotor, the stator having at least one secondary winding received in at least one pair of slots. The rotor has at least two successive excitation magnets which generate two magnetic fluxes in the rotor and has components in opposite tangential directions around the structure of the rotor. The rotor has an even number of slots between the two magnets. The slots define projecting poles between them and receive winding legs that are suitable for being powered to co-operate with the magnets to define alternating poles. Each of the slots that receives the winding legs is occupied only by a single leg or by a plurality of legs wound around the same projecting pole. The shaft of the rotor is made of a magnetic material.

Abstract: The invention concerns a rotating electric machine comprising a stator equipped with armature coils and a rotor mounted rotating inside the stator. The rotor having a rotor part with permanent magnet(s) and a rotor part with magnetic resistance. The rotor is substantially uniform over its axial surface and ahs along its tangential direction a distribution of polar parts with permanent magnet(s) each defining two poles of polarities imposed by magnet(s), ad polar parts with magnetic resistance each defining two poles with free polarities. The invention is applicable to motor vehicle alternators or AC starters.

Abstract: A regulator sub-assembly for an alternator comprises a substrate having a through aperture, with an integrated circuit component mounted within this aperture, while an elementary electronic component other than an integrated circuit (and being for example a capacitor) is also fixed to the substrate. The elementary component is surface mounted on the substrate.

Abstract: In a motor vehicle starter contactor, a control plunger controls the axial displacements of a contact plate which is arranged in a front cover of the contactor. A fixed transverse core is arranged axially in front of the contactor winding, and an electronic circuit is fitted inside the cover, between the fixed core and a partition which divides the interior of the cover into two compartments. The partition, in the form of a separating plate, has a transverse wall portion and an axial bush in which the plunger slides. The bush has a central bore which is open at the front forwardly of the transverse wall portion, and open at the rear behind the fixed core.

Abstract: A device for rectifying the output voltage of a multiphase alternator including a controlled switch Graetz bridge adapted to be connected to different phase lines of the alternator and means for controlling said switches to generate a rectified voltage, in which the control means include a diode type component Graetz bridge which generates signals for controlling the switches of the controlled Graetz bridge.

Abstract: A rotary electrical machine has at least one stator and a rotor. The stator includes at least one armature winding received in at least one pair of slots. The rotor includes flux switching arrangement, which is adapted for selectively establishing closed magnetic circuits which pass around the turns of the armature winding. The arrangement for switching the flux comprises at least one permanent magnet adapted to establish a magnetic flux which is looped on itself in one circumferential direction of the rotor, together with at least one excitation winding for establishing an adjustable magnetic flux locally in a circumferential direction opposite to the direction of the flux produced by the magnets.

Abstract: A system and method are provided to manage the excitation of an automobile alternator through the use of its regulator which delivers to the inductor of the alternator a pulse width modulation excitation signal. The regulator receives, from an external management unit, a pulse width modulation excitation control signal with a frequency less than that of the excitation signal. The regulator delivers an excitation signal with a pre-programmed cycle ratio for a sufficient duration to enable the regulator to determine the control information carried by the control signal from the management unit. The regulator continues the excitation signal with the pre-programmed cycle ratio until receipt of instruction from the management unit to regulate the battery voltage.

Abstract: A controller for a vehicle starter motor, the controller comprising means for applying power to the electric starter motor as a function in particular of the open or closed state of a starter switch, wherein said means include in particular an RC type circuit having a charging time constant that is shorter than its discharging time constant and that charges and discharges depending on whether the starter switch is closed or open, said control means also including means for preventing power being applied to the starter motor when the voltage across the terminals of the capacitor means of the RC circuit exceeds a given threshold.

Abstract: An electrical machine includes a stator and a rotor. The stator includes on its internal face at least one induction winding housed in a pair of recesses and a series of housings for excitation means. The rotor does not have windings and includes teeth for establishing variable magnetic fluxes in the induction winding. The excitation brings into play permanent magnets adapted to establish a closed circumferential magnetic flux in the stator and excitation windings locally establishing an adjustable magnetic flux in the reverse circumferential direction. The rotor teeth are adapted to effect a flux commutation in the stator and the, or each, permanent magnet occupies an angular position located between the angular positions of the two arms of a common induction winding. In this way an alternating magnetic flux is produced in the induction winding or windings during the rotation of the rotor.

Abstract: A system for regulating the output voltage of an alternator of a vehicle, supplying power to the electrical system of the vehicle and charging the battery, includes a regulator which controls the excitation current of the alternator. The regulator regulates the output voltage of the alternator with respect to a reference voltage which does not vary as a function of temperature. The system also includes a module in which a temperature sensor measures the battery temperature. This module supplies to the regulator an input signal which is a function of the battery voltage and of the measured battery temperature. The regulator maintains this input voltage at a constant value, and the module is such that this regulation causes the battery voltage to vary in accordance with a required regulation law.

Abstract: A device for controlling an automobile vehicle starter motor contactor including a power contact controlling the supply of power to the electric motor of the starter motor and at least one coil controlling the movement of said contact, said device including a unit for controlling the starter motor and a transistor controlled by said unit that controls the energizing of the coil(s) of the contactor, wherein the control unit includes means for turning off the transistor if, between two successive times following closing of the starter switch, the voltage drop at a point connected to receive the battery voltage is smaller than a given threshold.

Abstract: A device for controlling an automobile vehicle starter motor contactor having a power contact controlling the supply of power to the electric motor of the starter motor and at least one coil controlling the movement of said contact, one of the coils of said contactor being connected between the power supply terminal at the battery voltage and the electric motor, said device including a control unit for the starter motor and a transistor controlled by said unit that controls the supply of power to the coil or coils of the contactor, wherein the control unit includes means for turning off the transistor if the voltage at a given point between the coil and the motor is not greater than a predetermined threshold at the end of a predetermined time period from the starter switch of the vehicle closing.

Abstract: The method of regulation includes:starting to measure the rectified voltage at the output of the alternator during each period T of this voltage,performing this measurement by sampling over a predetermined period T.sub.e,comparing this measured value of the rectified voltage with a calculated reference value, anddeducing from this comparison the duration of the first phase T.sub.1 for the next following period T, this first phase being the one in which the battery voltage of the vehicle is applied to the alternator rotor winding. The sampling measurement of period T.sub.e ends, in each period T, at an instant T-.epsilon., where .epsilon. is a period of time which is very short by comparison with the length of the period T.

Abstract: A motor vehicle starter is cut out automatically as soon as the engine is running by itself. The cut-out is controlled by a method in which the starter supply voltage is measured and the starter is cut out when this voltage reaches a threshold value. On closing of the ignition switch, but before any power is supplied to the starter, the starter supply voltage is measured for several values of current in at least one circuit in the wiring network of the vehicle connected to the vehicle battery. The value of the threshold voltage is then calculated from these measurements, as a function of parameters that characterize the electrical circuitry of the vehicle at the time of starting the engine, at least one of these parameters being capable of being determined from the current measurements.

Abstract: The invention relates to a motor vehicle alternator and a device for mechanically assembling and electrically connecting together two subassemblies thereof. One of the subassemblies includes at least two first conductors mounted on a support, and the other subassembly includes at least two second conductors mounted on a support and designed to be connected to the first conductors. The supports of the first and second subassemblies include fittings co-operating with a fastener which maintains pressure between contacts of the respective conductors. Contacts are provided in the vicinity of one another on fittings that are suitable for receiving a single fastener and, according to the invention, corresponding contacts of the first conductors and of the second conductors are arranged circumaxially around an assembly member.

Abstract: A contactor for a motor vehicle starter comprises a contactor coil, a movable contactor core actuated by a control rod, and a fixed contactor core. It also has an electromagnetic auxiliary control relay which includes a movable relay core carrying a movable contact ring which is arranged for cooperation with at least one pair of fixed relay contacts, carried by a fixed annular contact carrier plate. The relay coil, the contact carrier plate, and the movable contact ring are arranged in axial succession, in that order towards the front of the contactor, and are disposed between the fixed core and the movable contact of the contactor, so that the relay and the contactor are closed in opposite directions.

Abstract: Starting power supply to starter windings is interrupted whenever a power contact for the starter is still open after a predetermined time delay from initiation of the power supply to the starter. The invention also provides apparatus for controlling a contactor of a motor vehicle starter, said contactor including at least one winding and a power contact which, on being closed, serves to supply power to the starter, the apparatus including circuitry detecting the open or closed state of the power contact and for interrupting or reducing starting power supply to the winding(s) in the event the power contact is still open at the end of a predetermined time delay from initiation of power supply to the starter.

Abstract: A starter contactor for a motor vehicle comprises a movable contact element of electrically conductive material, the displacements of which are controlled from a rest position to an active position in which it connects electrically the heads of two fixed power contact terminals, at least one of which is connected electrically to an auxiliary fixed contact element with which the movable contact element cooperates so as to connect the movable contact element with the associated fixed power contact terminal in a position intermediate between the rest and active positions.

Abstract: A starter for a motor vehicle engine is equipped with a device for cutting off the operation of the starter as soon as the engine is running by itself. The device detects the voltage or current waves in the power supply to the starter, and stops the starter when these waves disappear. At each new wave in the power supply signal, a monitoring period is generated, having a duration which decreases as the frequency of the waves increases, the starter being stopped when no new wave is detected in the last monitoring period.

Abstract: The invention provides a starter for a motor vehicle of the kind having an inductive winding composed of coils, each forming a magnetic pole of the inductor, in which each coil has a conductor of large cross section wound flat so as to form concentric contiguous turns, and in which the innermost turn of the coil is extended by a folding in the conductor which extends radially towards the outside of the coil, substantially in the plane of the turns and straddling them, wherein, in the area of straddling of the turns, the folding is of a reduced dimension along the axis of the turns so that the axial thickness of the coil in this area is reduced.