The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Dec. 16, 1986
Filed:
Aug. 23, 1985
Kenneth R Butts, Grosse Pointe Woods, MI (US);
Joseph L Wanamaker, Rochester, MI (US);
General Motors Corporation, Detroit, MI (US);
Abstract
A load control system for controlling the field current of an alternating current generator and the idle speed control system for the engine that drives the generator. A voltage regulator senses the output voltage of the generator and controls field current by causing a semiconductor switch connected in series with the field winding to switch on and off in accordance with the magnitude of the sensed voltage. The voltage regulator is controlled to operate in a conventional manner when engine speed is higher than engine idle speed. When engine speed is in an idle speed range the duty cycle or on time of the semiconductor is controlled such that consecutive occurring on times are gradually increased to gradually increase field current when the output voltage of the generator is below a desired regulated value. The system operates to actuate an engine idle speed control system to increase the amount of fuel-air mixture supplied to the engine when the on times of the semiconductor switch are being gradually increased. In the event that engine speed decreases by a predetermined amount when the engine is operating in the idle speed range the on time or duty cycle of the semiconductor switch is reduced to a minimum to prevent engine stall.