Patent ID: 6734653
Filing Date: 2004-05-11
Classification: H02H

Abstract:
A voltage regulator for controlling an output voltage of an alternator having an armature winding, a field winding and a power supply line, comprising:a switch means connected in series to the field winding for on/off-control of a field current fed to the field winding; a flywheel circuit connected in parallel with the field winding for flywheeling the field current to the field winding when the switch means is turned off; a failure detecting means for comparing the output voltage with a threshold and detecting a failure in the power supply line connected to an output terminal of the alternator when the output voltage exceeds the threshold; and a generation control means for controlling, upon detection of the failure in the power supply line, power generation of the alternator for a predetermined time that is longer than a time constant of the field winding to suppress the power generation which tends to cause a repetition of high voltage generation.