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:
Nov. 30, 1999
Filed:
Sep. 15, 1997
Masahiko Hibino, Susono, JP;
Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha, Aichi-ken, JP;
Abstract
In the control system for a power supply changeover switch, a battery and an electrically heated catalytic converter (EHC) are connected to an alternator in a parallel arrangement via a changeover switch. The changeover switch selectively takes either of a first position where the battery is connected to the alternator and a second position where the EHC is connected to the alternator. An electronic control unit (ECU) is provided for controlling the changeover switch and the alternator. When the changeover switch is to be switched between the first and the second position, the ECU first terminates the power generation of the alternator and, then, performs the switching of the changeover switch 25 after the electric current flowing through the changeover switch 25 decreases to a sufficiently low value. Since the switching of the changeover switch 25 is performed always in the condition where the electric current flowing through the changeover switch is low, a failure of the changeover switch 25 such as welding of the contacts in the switch caused by cutting off a large electric current does not occur.