Patent ID: 6815933
Filing Date: 2004-11-09
Classification: H02H

Abstract:
A voltage regulator for controlling an output voltage of an alternator having a field winding, an output terminal connected to a battery through a power supply line, the voltage regulator comprising:a field current control means connected to the field winding for controlling the field current of the field winding; and an output voltage control means for controlling the field current control means by detecting at least one of an output voltage of the alternator and a terminal voltage of the battery, wherein the output voltage control means includes: a high voltage pulse detecting means for detecting a high voltage pulse that is larger than a predetermined regulated voltage and exceeds a predetermined voltage that is smaller than a withstand voltage of a rectifier provided in the alternator, when it appears at the output terminal of the alternator; a discriminating means for discriminating a first condition where a single high voltage pulse is generated when an electrical load connected to the power supply line is cut off and a second condition where the high voltage pulse is frequently and repeatedly generated when a failure occurs in the power supply line; and an output control means for suppressing power generation of the alternator when the second condition is discriminated by the discriminating means.