Patent ID: 6066941
Filing Date: 2000-05-23
Classification: H02K,H02P

Abstract:
A switching alternator system comprising:first and second DC load buses providing positive and negative voltage terminals;a rotatable alternator having n alternator windings, each winding having first and said second ends, for generating an AC voltage and a current flow alternating in first and second directions between said first and second ends;diode means separately connecting each of the first and second ends of each of said n windings directly to both said first and second DC load buses for enabling a current flow in either direction in each alternator winding to flow in the same direction between the first DC load bus and the second DC load bus;switch means directly connecting opposite ends of each two electrically adjacent windings and having a first closed position for selectively and directly connecting said n alternator windings to each other in electrical series to supply a first current to the first and second DC load buses;said switch means having a second open position for causing each of said alternator windings to be coupled directly to said DC load buses in parallel to supply a second different current to said first and second DC load buses;n parallel pair of first and second serially-connected diode sets connected between said positive and negative DC buses;a junction between each of said serially-connected first and second diode sets; andeach of the n alternator windings being connected between the junctions of a corresponding parallel pair of said first and second serially-connected diodes so that the alternating current flowing in different directions in the first and second alternator windings always flows in the same direction between the first and second load buses to create DC current.