Patent ID: 6861765

Claim:
A generator system for use in an automotive vehicle powered by an engine, the generator system comprising: an alternator having a rotor; a driving belt for driving the rotor by the engine; a one-way clutch that transmits a rotational torque of the engine to the rotor and prevents transmission of an inertial rotational torque of the rotor to the engine, the one-way clutch having a driving member connected to the engine through the driving belt and a driven member connected to the rotor, wherein; the generator system further includes means for detecting a malfunction in the one-way clutch, and the detecting means detects the malfunction when the driving member and the driven member are in a locked state, the detecting means comprising; a first speed detector for detecting a rotational speed of the rotor; a second speed detector for detecting a rotational speed of the engine; deceleration-detecting means for detecting a deceleration state where a rotational speed of the engine or the rotor is decreasing; means for converting the rotational speed of the rotor to a converted rotor speed by dividing the rotational speed of the rotor by a pulley diameter ratio, the pulley diameter ratio being a ratio of a diameter of a crankshaft pulley connected to the engine relative to a diameter of a pulley connected to the driven member of the one-way clutch; and means for determining that the driving member and the driven member are in the locked state if the converted rotor speed is substantially equal to the rotational speed of the engine under the deceleration state.