Abstract: A thermosensitive part sensing temperature; a temperature sensor for measurement provided in the unit and measuring temperature by contacting the unit with a body to be measured; a temperature detecting part detecting, from when the unit contacts the body, the time when the sensor senses a difference from an initial temperature of the sensor, and a measured temperature of the sensor at that time, and detecting, from when the difference is sensed, a time after a certain length of time and a measured temperature of the sensor at that time; an estimating part estimating, from the time when the difference is sensed and a time after a certain length of time, the time when the thermosensitive part contacts the body, and the measured temperature at that time; and a heat conduction analyzing part estimating the measured temperature based on output information from the temperature detecting part and the estimating part.

Abstract: A rotating electric machine includes a machine main body, a frame member and a rectifier. The machine main body is configured to generate alternating current. The frame member holds the machine main body. The rectifier is provided axially outside the frame member and has a rectification circuit configured to rectify the alternating current generated in the machine main body into direct current. The rectifier includes first and second heat sinks that are located to axially overlap each other, first rectifying elements mounted to the first heat sink and constituting an upper arm of the rectification circuit, and second rectifying elements mounted to the second heat sink and constituting a lower arm of the rectification circuit. The second heat sink is located closer than the first heat sink to the frame member. The surface area of the second heat sink is greater than the surface area of the first heat sink.

Abstract: A rectifier has a rectification circuit configured to rectify multi-phase alternating current generated by a rotating electric machine into direct current. The rectifier includes upper-arm semiconductor switching elements included in an upper arm of the rectification circuit, upper-arm protection diodes included in the upper arm and each being electrically connected in parallel with one of the upper-arm semiconductor switching elements, lower-arm semiconductor switching elements included in a lower arm of the rectification circuit, and lower-arm protection diodes included in the lower arm and each being electrically connected in parallel with one of the lower-arm semiconductor switching elements.

Abstract: A rectifier has a rectification circuit configured to rectify multi-phase alternating current generated by a rotating electric machine into direct current. The rectifier includes upper-arm semiconductor switching elements included in an upper arm of the rectification circuit, upper-arm protection diodes included in the upper arm and each being electrically connected in parallel with one of the upper-arm semiconductor switching elements, lower-arm semiconductor switching elements included in a lower arm of the rectification circuit, and lower-arm protection diodes included in the lower arm and each being electrically connected in parallel with one of the lower-arm semiconductor switching elements.

Abstract: A rotating electric machine includes a machine main body, a frame member and a rectifier. The machine main body is configured to generate alternating current. The frame member holds the machine main body. The rectifier is provided axially outside the frame member and has a rectification circuit configured to rectify the alternating current generated in the machine main body into direct current. The rectifier includes first and second heat sinks that are located to axially overlap each other, first rectifying elements mounted to the first heat sink and constituting an upper arm of the rectification circuit, and second rectifying elements mounted to the second heat sink and constituting a lower arm of the rectification circuit. The second heat sink is located closer than the first heat sink to the frame member. The surface area of the second heat sink is greater than the surface area of the first heat sink.

Abstract: In a rotary electric machine, a modulation signal generator generates a modulation signal including information indicative of rotation of a rotor based on change of a voltage at an output end of a stator winding, and outputs the modulation signal. A rectifying unit alternately turns on and off the switch to rectify the voltage at an output end of the stator winding, thus generating a rectified voltage. An excitation current supplying circuit is communicably connected to the modulation signal generator via a communication line, and starts a supply of an excitation current to the excitation winding of the rotor to induce a rotating magnetic field in the stator winding when the modulation signal output from the modulation signal generator is input thereto via the communication line.

Abstract: In a power generator, a determiner determines whether a phase voltage output from each of multiphase armature windings has exceeded a threshold voltage. A turn-on unit turns on at least one of the protective switches as a target protective switch to limit the output voltage of the rectifier circuit to be lower than the threshold voltage upon the phase voltage output from at least one of the multiphase armature windings corresponding to the at least one of the protective switches has exceeded the threshold voltage.

Abstract: In a power generator, a determiner determines whether a phase voltage output from each of multiphase armature windings has exceeded a threshold voltage. A turn-on unit turns on at least one of the protective switches as a target protective switch to limit the output voltage of the rectifier circuit to be lower than the threshold voltage upon the phase voltage output from at least one of the multiphase armature windings corresponding to the at least one of the protective switches has exceeded the threshold voltage.

Abstract: In a rotary electric machine, a modulation signal generator generates a modulation signal including information indicative of rotation of a rotor based on change of a voltage at an output end of a stator winding, and outputs the modulation signal. A rectifying unit alternately turns on and off the switch to rectify the voltage at an output end of the stator winding, thus generating a rectified voltage. An excitation current supplying circuit is communicably connected to the modulation signal generator via a communication line, and starts a supply of an excitation current to the excitation winding of the rotor to induce a rotating magnetic field in the stator winding when the modulation signal output from the modulation signal generator is input thereto via the communication line.

Abstract: An electric rotating machine for a vehicle is equipped with a load dump protector. The load dump protector works to selectively perform a first and a second load dump protection operation to suppress a voltage surge arising from the load dump. When a rate at which an output voltage from the electric rotating machine is determined to be smaller than a given value, the load dump protector waits for stating the first load dump protection operation until the time when a voltage surge arising from changing of switching devices of a rectifier module of the electric rotating machine is expected to be suppressed and then performs the first load dump protection operation. When the rate is greater than the given value, the load dump protector immediately initiates the second load dump protection operation. This ensures the stability in eliminating the risk of a voltage surge arising from the load dump.

Abstract: An alternator has rectifying module groups. The rectifying module groups form a bridge circuit. The rectifying module groups have a load dump protection judgment section for monitoring an output voltage of rectifying module groups. When the monitored output voltage exceeds a first threshold voltage, the load dump protection judgment section provides to a control section an instruction to turn on MOS transistors in a lower arm of the bridge circuit at a time when a predetermined delay time has elapsed. When a second threshold voltage is lower than the first threshold voltage and the monitored output voltage becomes less than the second threshold voltage after the monitored output voltage exceeds the first threshold voltage, the load dump protection judgment section provides to the control circuit an instruction to turn on the MOS transistors in the lower arm after the MOS transistors are turned off during a predetermined time length.

Abstract: An electric rotating machine for a vehicle is equipped with a load dump protector. The load dump protector works to selectively perform a first and a second load dump protection operation to suppress a voltage surge arising from the load dump. When a rate at which an output voltage from the electric rotating machine is determined to be smaller than a given value, the load dump protector waits for stating the first load dump protection operation until the time when a voltage surge arising from changing of switching devices of a rectifier module of the electric rotating machine is expected to be suppressed and then performs the first load dump protection operation. When the rate is greater than the given value, the load dump protector immediately initiates the second load dump protection operation. This ensures the stability in eliminating the risk of a voltage surge arising from the load dump.

Abstract: An alternator has rectifying module groups. The rectifying module groups form a bridge circuit. The rectifying module groups have a load dump protection judgment section for monitoring an output voltage of rectifying module groups. When the monitored output voltage exceeds a first threshold voltage, the load dump protection judgment section provides to a control section an instruction to turn on MOS transistors in a lower arm of the bridge circuit at a time when a predetermined delay time has elapsed. When a second threshold voltage is lower than the first threshold voltage and the monitored output voltage becomes less than the second threshold voltage after the monitored output voltage exceeds the first threshold voltage, the load dump protection judgment section provides to the control circuit an instruction to turn on the MOS transistors in the lower arm after the MOS transistors are turned off during a predetermined time length.

Abstract: The abnormality detection apparatus includes a first function of measuring a first temperature of a first portion of the abnormality detection apparatus, the first temperature having a correlation with a second temperature of a second portion of a vehicle alternator, a second function of integrating a stress depending on a temperature variation of the first portion on the basis of the first temperature measured by the first function, a third function of predicting occurrence of abnormality in the second portion depending on the stress integrated by the second function, and a fourth function of issuing an alarm when the third function predicts occurrence of abnormality.

Abstract: The present invention provides, as one aspect, an apparatus for detecting an abnormality of a generator for vehicles. The generator includes a multi-phase armature winding that has phase windings and a rectifier that rectifies multi-phase output of the armature winding. The apparatus includes a first period detection unit that detects a first period of an output voltage of the generator, a second period detection unit that detects a second period of an voltage of one of the phase windings, and an abnormality determination unit that determines presence or absence of an abnormality of the generator by comparing the first period with the second period.

Abstract: The vehicle-use power generation control apparatus for controlling an operation of a vehicle generator includes a temperature detecting circuit detecting a temperature of a predetermined place reflecting a temperature of the vehicle generator, and a power control circuit having a function of restricting, when the temperature detected by the temperature detecting circuit exceeds a predetermined reference temperature, a power generation amount of the vehicle generator at a predetermined change rate.

Abstract: The present invention provides, as one aspect, an apparatus for detecting an abnormality of a generator for vehicles. The generator includes a multi-phase armature winding that has phase windings and a rectifier that rectifies multi-phase output of the armature winding. The apparatus includes a first period detection unit that detects a first period of an output voltage of the generator, a second period detection unit that detects a second period of an voltage of one of the phase windings, and an abnormality determination unit that determines presence or absence of an abnormality of the generator by comparing the first period with the second period.

Abstract: The abnormality detection apparatus includes a first function of measuring a first temperature of a first portion of the abnormality detection apparatus, the first temperature having a correlation with a second temperature of a second portion of a vehicle alternator, a second function of integrating a stress depending on a temperature variation of the first portion on the basis of the first temperature measured by the first function, a third function of predicting occurrence of abnormality in the second portion depending on the stress integrated by the second function, and a fourth function of issuing an alarm when the third function predicts occurrence of abnormality.

Abstract: The power generation control device for a vehicle generator includes an IC circuit including a communication circuit formed therein and having a function of performing a digital communication with an external device through a communication wire, and a resistor mounted to the IC circuit so as to connect the communication circuit to a communication terminal of the power generation control device connected to the communication wire.

Abstract: The vehicle-use power generation control apparatus for controlling an operation of a vehicle generator includes a temperature detecting circuit detecting a temperature of a predetermined place reflecting a temperature of the vehicle generator, and a power control circuit having a function of restricting, when the temperature detected by the temperature detecting circuit exceeds a predetermined reference temperature, a power generation amount of the vehicle generator at a predetermined change rate.