Abstract: An automotive alternator according to the present invention includes a rotary shaft, slip rings, a brush holder, brushes, a cover, a seal member, a cooling air flow path, and a water shield. The slip rings are fixed to an end portion of the rotary shaft. The brushes are accommodated in the brush holder and so held by the brush holder as to establish sliding contacts with the slip rings to excite the automotive alternator. The cover covers the end portion of the rotary shaft, the slip rings, the brush holder, and the brushes. The seal member is interposed between the brush holder and the cover. The cooling air flow path is formed between the seal member and one of the brush holder and the cover to supply cooling air to the brushes. The water shield works to prevent water from entering into an entrance of the cooling air flow path.

Abstract: An automotive alternator according to the present invention includes a rotary shaft, slip rings, a brush holder, brushes, a cover, a seal member, a cooling air flow path, and a water shield. The slip rings are fixed to an end portion of the rotary shaft. The brushes are accommodated in the brush holder and so held by the brush holder as to establish sliding contacts with the slip rings to excite the automotive alternator. The cover covers the end portion of the rotary shaft, the slip rings, the brush holder, and the brushes. The seal member is interposed between the brush holder and the cover. The cooling air flow path is formed between the seal member and one of the brush holder and the cover to supply cooling air to the brushes. The water shield works to prevent water from entering into an entrance of the cooling air flow path.

Abstract: Engine auxiliary unit driving equipment for transmitting an engine driving force from a crank pulley to a plurality of engine auxiliary units include an alternator and a driven poly-V pulley, provided at least in the alternator, has a plurality of grooves extending in a circumferential direction. A poly-V belt, which has a plurality of projections extending in a longitudinal direction to correspond to grooves of the poly-V pulley, bridges between a crank pulley and the poly-V pulley. The poly-V belt is substantially divided in an axial direction of the driven poly-V pulley into two pieces each having plural pieces of the projections. Accordingly, a tensile strength acting in a width direction of the poly-V belt is substantially divided midway between the divided poly-V belts to reduce cracking in the round poly-V belt, resulting in longer life of the poly-V belt.

Abstract: An electric-machine rotor is composed of a field coil, a pair of pole cores having a plurality of claw poles to enclose the field coil, a plurality of auxiliary permanent magnets disposed between the claw poles, a shaft fixed to the pair of pole cores, and a pair of slip rings connected to the field coil. The rotor is provided with a pattern on a surface of the pole cores for indicating the polarity of the claw poles when the field coil is energized.

Abstract: A rotary electric machine has a brush assembly that defines a slip ring cavity enclosing slip rings and brushes. The brush assembly provides two different outlets for particles and cooling air. The first outlet is located on a side with respect to a shaft and is directed in an axial backward direction. The second outlet is located on a bottom and is directed in a radial downward direction. The second outlet is close to a fan for inducing airflow in the slip ring cavity.

Abstract: A vehicle rotary electric machine to be mounted in an engine is comprised of a rotor having a shaft, a stator, a front housing, a rear housing and a pulley. The front housing has a first mounting stay disposed at a side of the front housing to be fixed to a cylinder block of an engine by a bolt and a second mounting stay disposed at the opposite side of the front housing with respect to the shaft to be fixed to a cylinder head of the engine by a bolt having the same outside diameter. The rear housing has a third mounting stay to be fixed to the cylinder head at the same side of the rear housing as the second mounting stay. The first mounting stay has an elliptical first bolt-hole extending perpendicularly to the stack direction. The a major axis of the elliptical hole extends in parallel to the stack direction.

Abstract: A rectifier unit of a vehicle AC generator is comprised of a plurality of metal cases, a plurality of pairs of first and second semiconductor chips and a plurality of pairs of first and second lead wires. The first lead wires are respectively connected to the first semiconductor chips, and the second lead wires are connected to the second semiconductor chips. Each pair of first and second semiconductor chips is disposed in one of the metal cases. The first lead wires are connected to each other to form a first rectifying circuit and second lead wires are connected to form a second rectifying circuit. Therefore, the number of parts for connecting the rectifier circuits can be reduced without providing complicated insulator arrangement.

Abstract: In an a.c. generator for vehicles, an output terminal connected to a rectifier circuit unit has a seat surface on which an electric cable for connection with a storage battery is seated. The seat surface is positioned outside a rear cover and an insulating member in the longitudinal direction of the output terminal. The electric cable is tightened to the seat surface by a nut engaged with the output terminal, while holding the electric cable from contacting the insulating member. Thus, the insulating member is restricted from being deformed and the nut is restricted from loosening even when the insulating member contracts.

Abstract: In a regulator (voltage control apparatus), an IC chip is adhered to the surface of a first metal plate. A lead wire connects the IC chip with an outside connecting terminal. A second metal plate formed to cover the IC chip is formed integrally with a negative side wiring for supplying a battery voltage into the IC chip.

Abstract: In an alternator for use in an automobile, a passage for ventilating air around slip-rings is formed on a rear cover that covers a rear end of the alternator where the slip-rings are disposed. A brush device for supplying exciting current to a rotor through the slip-rings is mounted around the slip-rings, and the axial rear end of the brush device is covered with the rear cover. A space enclosed by the brush device and the rear cover is formed around the slip-rings, and air in the enclosed space is ventilated through the ventilation passage when the alternator is driven. The slip-rings heated through operation are cooled down, and brush powder in the enclosed space is exhausted.

Abstract: In an engine auxiliary unit driving equipment for transmitting an engine driving force from a crank pulley to a plurality of engine auxiliary units including an alternator, a driven poly-V pulley provided at least in the alternator has a plurality of grooves extending in a circumferential direction. A poly-V belt, which has a plurality of projections extending in a longitudinal direction so as to correspond to the grooves of the driven poly-V pulley, bridges between the crank pulley and the driven poly-V pulley. The poly-V belt is substantially divided in an axial direction of the driven poly-V pulley into two pieces each having plural pieces of the projections. Accordingly, a tensile strength acting in a width direction of the poly-V belt is substantially divided midway between the divided poly-V belts so that cracks in the round poly-V belt hardly occurs, resulting in securing a longer lifetime of the poly-V belt.

Abstract: A rectifier unit of a vehicle AC generator is comprised of a plurality of metal cases, a plurality of pairs of first and second semiconductor chips and a plurality of pairs of first and second lead wires. The first lead wires are respectively connected to the first semiconductor chips, and the second lead wires are connected to the second semiconductor chips. Each pair of first and second semiconductor chips is disposed in one of the metal cases. The first lead wires are connected to each other to form a first rectifying circuit and second lead wires are connected to form a second rectifying circuit. Therefore, the number of parts for connecting the rectifier circuits can be reduced without providing complicated insulator arrangement.

Abstract: In the resin shield circuit device, a resin case is provided with a recess having an opening. Each end of connector terminals is exposed out of the resin case and the other end thereof is embedded into the resin case. Base portions of wiring metal pieces are embedded into the resin case and connected in circuit with the other ends of the connector terminals. Connecting portions of the wiring metal pieces protrude into the recess. Lead terminals of circuit elements are connected and fixed to the connecting portions, respectively. A resin shield portion filled in the recess covers the circuit elements and the connecting portions of the wiring metal pieces in such a manner that only a flat surface of the resin shield portion is exposed out of the opening of the recess to outside.

Abstract: A rotary electric machine has a brush assembly that defines a slip ring cavity enclosing slip rings and brushes. The brush assembly provides two different outlets for particles and cooling air. The first outlet is located on a side with respect to a shaft and is directed in an axial backward direction. The second outlet is located on a bottom and is directed in a radial downward direction. The second outlet is close to a fan for inducing airflow in the slip ring cavity.

Abstract: In a regulator (voltage control apparatus), an IC chip is adhered to the surface of a first metal plate. A lead wire connects the IC chip with an outside connecting terminal. A second metal plate formed to cover the IC chip is formed integrally with a negative side wiring for supplying a battery voltage into the IC chip.

Abstract: An electric-machine rotor is composed of a field coil, a pair of pole cores having a plurality of claw poles to enclose the field coil, a plurality of auxiliary permanent magnets disposed between the claw poles, a shaft fixed to the pair of pole cores, and a pair of slip rings connected to the field coil. The rotor is provided with a pattern on a surface of the pole cores for indicating the polarity of the claw poles when the field coil is energized.

Abstract: In the resin shield circuit device, a resin case is provided with a recess having an opening. Each end of connector terminals is exposed out of the resin case and the other end thereof is embedded into the resin case. Base portions of wiring metal pieces are embedded into the resin case and connected in circuit with the other ends of the connector terminals. Connecting portions of the wiring metal pieces protrude into the recess. Lead terminals of circuit elements are connected and fixed to the connecting portions, respectively. A resin shield portion filled in the recess covers the circuit elements and the connecting portions of the wiring metal pieces in such a manner that only a flat surface of the resin shield portion is exposed out of the opening of the recess to outside.

Abstract: A vehicle rotary electric machine to be mounted in an engine is comprised of a rotor having a shaft, a stator, a front housing, a rear housing and a pulley. The front housing has a first mounting stay disposed at a side of the front housing to be fixed to a cylinder block of an engine by a bolt and a second mounting stay disposed at the opposite side of the front housing with respect to the shaft to be fixed to a cylinder head of the engine by a bolt having the same outside diameter. The rear housing has a third mounting stay to be fixed to the cylinder head at the same side of the rear housing as the second mounting stay. The first mounting stay has an elliptical first bolt-hole extending perpendicularly to the stack direction. The a major axis of the elliptical hole extends in parallel to the stack direction.

Abstract: In an a.c. generator for vehicles, an output terminal connected to a rectifier circuit unit has a seat surface on which an electric cable for connection with a storage battery is seated. The seat surface is positioned outside a rear cover and an insulating member in the longitudinal direction of the output terminal. The electric cable is tightened to the seat surface by a nut engaged with the output terminal, while holding the electric cable from contacting the insulating member. Thus, the insulating member is restricted from being deformed and the nut is restricted from loosening even when the insulating member contracts.

Abstract: An electric-machine rotor is composed of a field coil, a pair of pole cores having a plurality of claw poles to enclose the field coil, a plurality of auxiliary permanent magnets disposed between the claw poles, a shaft fixed to the pair of pole cores, and a pair of slip rings connected to the field coil. The rotor is provided with a pattern on a surface of the pole cores for indicating the polarity of the claw poles when the field coil is energized.