US3659188A

US3659188A - Generator voltage regulator with detachable resistance unit in the voltage reference circuit

Info

Publication number: US3659188A
Application number: US29151A
Authority: US
Inventors: Arthur W Alexander; Glen R Renner
Original assignee: Motors Liquidation Co
Current assignee: Motors Liquidation Co
Priority date: 1970-04-16
Filing date: 1970-04-16
Publication date: 1972-04-25
Anticipated expiration: 1989-04-25
Also published as: DE7114785U; GB1300686A

Abstract

A voltage regulator adjustment device including a plurality of series-connected resistors contained in a body having two sets of terminals for removable connection with other structures. One set of terminals is adapted for connection with a conductor contained in a cap so as to short any of the resistors in the body. The other set of terminals is removably connected across terminals of an otherwise inaccessible voltage regulator located in the housing of an alternator, thereby inserting the resistors of the body into a voltage divider contained in the regulator. A reference point in the voltage divider is operatively connected to an output transistor in the regulator to control the output of the alternator in accordance with the voltage at the reference point. Therefore, by adding the resistors of the body and shorting those desired with the conductor in the cap, the voltage setting of the voltage regulator is in effect altered to provide a different output voltage for the alternator.

Description

United States Patent Alexander et a1.

[54] GENERATOR VOLTAGE REGULATOR WITH DETACHABLE RESISTANCE UNIT IN THE VOLTAGE REFERENCE CIRCUIT [72] Inventors: Arthur W. Alexander; Glen R. Renner,

both of Anderson, Ind.

[73] Assignee: General Motors Corporation, Detroit,

Mich.

[22] Filed: Apr. 16,1970

211 App]. No.: 29,151

52 U.S. c1 ..322/28, 310/71, 310/72, 322/73, 322/83, 338/48, 338/221 51 1111. C1. ..H02p 9/30 [58] Field of Search ..322/28, 73, 80, 83, 85; 310/71, 72; 323/94, 96, 97; 318/345; 338/48, 76,

1451 Apr. 25, 1972 Primary Examiner-Lewis H. Myers Assistant Examiner-H. l-luberfeld Atto ney-C. R. Meland, E. W. Christen and Albert F. Duke 57 ABSTRACT A voltage regulator adjustment device including a plurality of series-connected resistors contained in a body having two sets of terminals for removable connection with other structures. One set of terminals is adapted for connection with a conductor contained in a cap so as to short any of the resistors in the body. The other set of terminals is removably connected across terminals of an otherwise inaccessible voltage regulator located in the housing of an alternator, thereby inserting the resistors of the body into a voltage divider contained in the regulator. A reference point in the voltage divider is operatively connected to an output transistor in the regulator to control the output of the alternator in accordance with the voltage at the reference point. Therefore, by adding the resistors of the body and shorting those desired with the conductor in the cap, the voltage setting of the voltage regulator is in effect altered to provide a different output voltage for the alternator.

2 Claims, 9 Drawing Figures Patented April 25, 1972 3, 659,188

2 Sheets-Sheet l A TTOHN/IV Sheets-Sheet z A TTORNEY GENERATOR VOLTAGE REGULATOR WITH DETACHABLE RESISTANCE UNIT IN THE VOLTAGE REFERENCE CIRCUIT This invention relates to shortable resistance means removably connected to terminals of an otherwise inaccessible voltage regulator of a generator-supplied battery charging system for changing the output thereof.

Diode-rectified altemators and regulators for battery charging systems have heretofore been either designed or manufactured specifically for different applications or have required internal adjustments of output settings to accommodate usages under various conditions of temperature, duty, and installation. In the case of a passenger vehicle, the primary factor necessitating adjustment is the local temperature to which the battery is exposed. Since the internal resistance of the battery varies inversely with the temperature, the charging voltage must also be adjusted to vary inversely with the temperature in order to maintain an adequate charge state on the battery.

Adjustment of the charging voltage in a typical passenger vehicle is effected automatically through the action of a thermistor in the regulator circuit controlling the battery charging voltage in the case of a transistor voltage regulator. This is possible because the regulator and the battery are both in the engine compartment and are there exposed to substantially the same temperature variations. The temperature seen by the thermistor thus correlates with the temperature seen by the battery so that the change in output voltage resulting from the change of voltage regulator setting varies properly with the change of internal battery resistance.

The temperature-voltage characteristic thus automatically effected is selected for the typical duty cycle, load condition, and climate contemplated for the particular model and, therefore varies the same way with temperatures for all passenger vehicles of a given model. Such uniform automatic adjustment is satisfactory from passenger car usages that are intermittent, such as commuting average distances, to those that are continuous for not more than a few days at a time such as vacation trips. However, where the duty cycles are intermittent or continuous for longer periods, or where the regulator is located remotely from the battery, the automatic adjustment of the voltage regulator may not provide a proper charging voltage for the battery.

Different fleets of vehicles operate under different conditions requiring that the battery charge state be altered to be commensurate with the actual duty cycle. Thus, a fleet of trailer trucks driven continuously over highways at high speeds both day and night have a different duty cycle and corresponding battery charge state than a fleet of police cars or tax'icabs driven continuously at low speeds or a fleet of pickup and delivery trucks driven intermittently during just the day. The voltage regulator adjustment must be altered to reflect these different duty cycles, and temperature ambients in the localities in which such fleets operate must also be taken into account. Another factor affecting the battery charge state is the nature and magnitude of the electrical loads to be supplied. Thus, buses have higher blower and heater requirements in the winter than in the summer, and rental fleets having air conditioners have different duty cycles than those without. Finally off-highway vehicles such as farm tractors, earth moving equipment, and even marine vessels all have different duty cycles requiring variable charge rates for the battery.

in order to satisfy the varying requirements of different vehicles it would be possible to provide a specific alternatorregulator designed to provide the proper charging voltage for a given application. Compared to the economies of initial cost and part replacement, a better approach is to use a standardized alternator and vary the level of charging voltage effected by the voltage regulator. However, as the voltage regulator continues to decrease in size as through the use of integrated semiconductor circuits, the circuits comprising the voltage regulator become more inaccessible to external ad justment, especially where such circuits are first enclosed by protective encapsulants and then located within the housing of the alternator, the output of which is to be regulated and altered. The comparative economies of initial cost and part replacement also favoring a standard regulator over a custom regulator, it is desirable to have a regulator that is standard but yet affords a capability allowing expedient adjustment of output voltage. Moreover, it is desired to allow such adjustments to be made both in the field by the fleet user or in the factory by the manufacturer without removing parts and housings from either the regulator or alternator and without requiring calibration meters and instruments. A still further desirable feature is to provide the adjustment capability without introducing an extra wire between the alternator and regulator or between the alternator and the rest of the electrical system of the vehicle, this feature being of added significance where a single cable between the alternator and battery is the only connection to the rest of the electrical system of the vehicle.

These features and others are provided not only collectively but also readily and economically in the subject invention by a pluggable body containing one or more series resistors. This body is removably connected to terminals of a standard voltage regulator located within the housing of a standard alternator. The terminals of the regulator are exposed to the exterior of the alternator housing by an opening through which the body can be connected to the regulator and into which the body may be plugged and secured to the alternator housing. Moreover, a cap containing a conductor may be connected to the body from the exterior of the alternator so as to short one or more resistances in the body, thereby effecting one or more alternator output voltages.

It is, therefore, a general object of this invention to provide a resistance removably connected across terminals of an otherwise inaccessible voltage regulator for controlling the output voltage of an alternator in a battery charging system.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a removably connected resistance of the type described wherein the portions of resistance are shortable by means of a separately connectable conductor.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a battery charging system the output of which is adjustable by a removably connected and shortable resistance and wherein the only connections from the remaining electrical system of the vehicle are from the positive and negative terminals of the battery.

It is still a further object of the present invention to provide a body structure having series resistance circuit contained therein, the circuit having a first set of terminals removably connected with terminals of a voltage regulator for an alternator and a second set of terminals connectable with a conductor embedded in a cap structure whereby resistance in the body structure can be shorted by the conductor in the cap structure to vary the output of the alternator.

It is a further and more specific object to provide a body containing a resistance portions of which are shortable by a conductor in a cap, where the body has one set of terminals for removably connecting the resistance between a terminal of a regulator and a terminal of a battery and another set of terminals for connecting an indicator lamp to another terminal of the regulator.

It is a further object and more specific object of the present invention to provide a vehicular battery charging system comprised of a standard alternator and a standard regulator housed therein, where the output of the system is adjustable by shortable resistance means plugged into an opening in the alternator housing and removably connected therethrough to the regulator thereby to adapt a standard alternator and standard regulator to applications requiring different battery charge states.

It is another specific object of the present invention to alter the output voltage of an alternator having a regulator housed therein from the exterior of the alternator by selecting the position of a cap inserted into a body containing shortable resistances, where the body is plugged into an opening in the housing of the alternator and removably connected therethrough to the terminals of the voltage regulator.

The novel features which we believe to be characteristic of our invention are set forth particularly in the appended claims. Our invention itself together with further objects and. advantages thereof will be best understood by reference to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a typical battery charging system the output of which may be altered by shortable resistances removably connected to terminals of a voltage regulator;

FIG. 2 is a schematic circuit of shortable resistances in a cap and body adapted to be removably connected with terminals of a regulator and having conductors for connecting with a vehicle battery and a malfunction indicator lamp;

FIG. 3 is a partial end view of an alternator end frame wherein the cap and body of the subject invention are removably connected to terminals of a voltage regulator shown through a broken away portion of the end frame of an alternator;

FIG. 4 is a top view of the cap of the subject invention located in an opening in the end wall of the alternator;

FIG. 5 shows a side view with parts broken away of the cap and body of the subject invention engaged in an opening through a partially broken away end wall of an alternator;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the cap and body of the subject invention with the cap disassembled therefrom;

FIG. 7 is a side view partially broken away of the body of the subject invention partially revealing various terminals, conductors, and legs for engagement;

FIG. 8 is a plan view of the body partially broken away showing the connection of resistors to each other and to the various terminals; and

FIG. 9 shows another body incorporating the features of the subject invention wherein additional conductors are connected to some terminals to effect the circuit of FIG. 2.

The subject invention may be used in a motor vehicle battery charging system of the type shown in FIG. 1 comprised of a battery 10, charged by a diode-rectified alternator 12, controlled by transistor voltage regulator 14, and adjusted as to output voltage by resistances contained in body 16 and shorted by a conductor in cap 18, all of which are described in detail hereinafter. The negative terminal 20 of battery 10 is here connected to ground 22 of a negative ground system, and the positive terminal 24 is connected by cable 26 to the positive output terminal 28 of alternator 12. Alternator 12 is comprised generally of three Y-connected stator windings 30a, 30b, and 300, the outputs of which are connected to the respective legs of a three phase full wave bridge rectifier 32 and to the respective anodes of diode-trio 34. With the anodes of rectifier diodes 31 grounded at 22, the output of the alternator is applied both to terminal 28 connected to the cathodes of the rectifier diodes 33 and also to brush and slip-ring set 36 via the commonly connected cathodes of diode-trio 34. Also connected to slip-ring set 36 is one end of the alternator rotor field winding 40, the other end of which is connected to brush and slip-ring set 38.

So that the average current through field winding 40 can be controlled to vary the output voltage of alternator 12, slip-ring sets 36 and 38 are connected to voltage regulator 14 and the output of alternator 12 is applied by a diode-trio34 to a voltage divider comprised of

series resistances

42 and 44 in regulator l4 and resistances 46 and 48 in body 16 removably connected to regulator terminals 50 and 52. In regulator 14, capacitor 53 is connected between

resistors

42 and 44 at a reference node 54, which is connected in turn to the base of transistor Q1 via Zener diode 55. Biased from diode-trio 34 across resistor 56, the Q1 collector is also connected to the base of output transistor Q3 and to base biasing resistor 57 therefor. To complete the field circuit through winding 40, the Q2 collector is connected to slip-ring set 38 and the Q2 emitter is grounded at 22. Moreover, a field discharge diode 58 is connected across winding 40 as shown to protect the regulator circuit from the transient effects associated with the switching field current.

When the alternator output as sampled at reference node 54 from diode-trio 34 is sufficient to break down Zener diode 55 and the base-emitter junction of transistor 01, transistor 01 is biased into conduction, thereby grounding its collector and in the process the Q2 base tied to it. This biases transistor Q2 non-conductive; and, the current from diode-trio 34 through field coil 40 thus being interrupted by the cutoff of Q2, the field decays and the alternator output voltage as developed by stator windings 30 drops accordingly. When the output voltage drops, transistor Q1 will eventually be biased non-conductive. Transistor Q2 will now be biased fully conductive by base drive through resistor 56. This cycle repeats such that transistor Q2 is switched on and off to maintain a predetermined voltage between terminal 28 and ground as determined by the setting of voltage regulator 14.

The voltage required at node 54 to break down Zener 55 and the base-emitter junction of transistor 01 is substantially constant for a given regulator circuit of the type described. However, it may be seen that the alternator output voltage may be varied by varying the resistance in the voltage divider between node 54 and tertninal 50. Thus, by adding any portion of the resistance in body 16, alternator 12 must produce a higher output to produce the same breakdown potential at node 54.

Body 16, the construction and engagement of which on alternator 12 will be described more fully below with reference to FIGS. 3, 4, and 5, contains resistances that may be selectively added into the voltage divider of regulator 14 to alter the output voltage of alternator 12. The circuit in body 16 is simply the series connection of

conductors

43 and 45, resistors 46 and 48, and conductor 49 between

body terminals

60 and 62, the latter being removably connected to regulator terminals 50 and 52. Joining the connecting ends of the elements comprising the series circuit are

terminals

64, 66, 68, and 70 connecting respectively conductor 49 to resistor 48, resistor 48 to resistor 46, resistor 46 to conductor 45, an conductor 45 to conductor 43.

To effect maximum alternator output,

terminals

60 and 62 of body 16 are simple connected to regulator terminals 50 and 52 respectively. Cap 18 containing conductor 72 therein and terminals 74 and 76 exposed therefrom may thereafter be inserted into body 16 to short a portion of the series circuit therein and decrease the alternator accordingly. Thus, by inserting cap terminals 76 and 74 into any two

adjacent body terminals

64, 66, 62, or 70, conductor 72 may assume one of the four

positions

79b, 79c, 79d, or 79a on body 16 to short resistor 48, resistor 46, conductor 45, re all three respectively.

The circuit described above with respect to FIG. 1 is known as a one-wire system since there is just one connection between battery 10 and alternator 12, this being cable 26 connected between battery positive terminal 24 and alternator output terminal 28. With this system the output of the alternator, rather than the terminal voltage of the battery, is sensed and maintained, and an ammeter may be connected in series with the battery line 26 to indicate the charge and discharge of the battery relative to the output of the alternator. While connections are simplified with a single wire system without affecting performance of the charging system, it may be desired in some applications to give the driver of the vehicle an illuminated warning that some aspect of his charging system has failed or to vary the alternator output in accordance with variation of the battery terminal voltage. The latter battery sensing feature might be desirable for instance where the output current of the alternator has such a magnitude that the voltage drop across line 26 causes a difference between the alternator output and battery terminal voltage beyond the range required for satisfactory charging or where with load and age the voltage drop across the diode-trio 34 might vary unacceptably from that across rectifier diodes 33.

A circuit affording battery sensing, warning indication, or both but yet also the ready adjustment of alternator output afforded by the system of FIG. 1 may be understood with reference to FIG. 2, which is a modification of a portion of the system shown in FIG. 1. In FIG. 2, the circuit contained in a body 19 is identical to that shown contained in body 16 of FIG. 1 with three exceptions: one is that conductor 43 connected between body terminals 60 and 70 in FIG. 1 is removed; the second, that a new conductor 80 is connected between the body terminal 70 and battery terminal 24; and the third, that new conductor 82 connects an indicator lamp 84 and paralleling resistor 86 between body terminal 60 and one side of ignition switch 88, the other side of which is also connected to battery terminal 24. Body 16 and cap 18 connectable thereto are otherwise identical in' configuration and connection to terminals 50 and 52 of regulator 14.

Although alternator 12 may be of other configurations, it is preferably of the general type shown in the U.S Pat. to Newill et al. No 3,299,303, and accordingly it here has a housing 90 that encloses therein not only a stator carrying windings 30 and a rotor carrying winding 50 but also voltage regulator 14, diode rectifier 32, diode-trio 34, and slip-rings and brush sets 36 and 38. Similarly, while other regulation circuits in other configurations are also possible, regulator 14, as has been suggested above, is here the integration of the circuit shown in FIG. 1 onto one or more semiconductor chips. These chips are thereafter enclosed with a suitable encapsulant to provide the relatively thin, flat, and compact structure outlined in FIGS. 3 and S and preferably located, connected, and secured to alternator housing 90, slip-rings 36 and 38, and ground 22 as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,538,362, by Robert A. Cheetham et al., and assigned to the same assignee as the assignee of the present invention.

Voltage regulator 14, the terminals 50 and 52 of which are accessible in opening 92 of alternator housing 90, is thus secured therein on a pad 94 extending inwardly from end wall 96. Opening 92 is located at the corner juncture of alternator end wall 96 and side wall 98, where end wall 96 has an outwardly facing lip 97, seen best in FIG. 5, bounding a portion of opening 92 and where side wall 98 has a slot 99, seen best in FIG. 4, communicating with opening 92.

Regulator 14 has three holes 13a, 13b, and 13c therethrough that allow screws 17a, 17b, and 170 to urge surface of regulator 14 towards pad 94 and housing end wall 96. Regulator 14 is thereby secured to alternator housing 90, and the heat generated within the regulator is allowed to be conducted first through and then from pad 94 which is finned for heat dissipation on its outer surface.

Holes 13a, 13b, and 13c have conductive eyelets 19a, 19b, and 190 plated thereabout on inwardly facing side 15. Eyelets 19a and 19b are conductively connected with terminal 50 and the Q2 collector respectively in regulator 14 and allow spadeended conductors 21a and 21b connected with brushes 36 and 38 and spade-ended conductor 35 connected with diode-trio 34 to be pressed into contact by the heads of suitably insulated screws 17a and 17b. The shanks of these screws are first inserted through holes 13a and 13b and then threaded into holes 23a and 23b of end wall 96. Also threaded into end wall 96 is a third screw 17c inserted through hole 130 to connect externally grounded housing 90 with eyelet 190 that communicates with ground 22 of circuit 14.

The secured engagement of body 16 in alternator opening 92 as well as the construction of body 16 and cap 18, may best be understood with reference to FIGS. 5, 6, 7, and 8, wherein elements corresponding to those shown in FIG. 1 are given like designators. As seen in FIGS. 4 and 6, cap 18 is comprised generally of a conductor 72 embedded in a molded insulating material 73 and having male terminals 74 and 76 protruding at right angles therethrough. A hub 77 extends in the direction of terminals 74 and 76, and a top 78 has embossed thereon the instructions PULL OUT TO SET VOLTAGE and also arrows LO 79a, 2" 79b, 3 790, and HI 79d, pointing outwards along the respective sides of the square cap as seen in FIG. 4.

As seen in FIGS. 6 and 7, body 16 is formed of a moldable insulating material so as to define a generally cubed-shaped structure bounded by

sides

106, 108, 110, and 112, atop 114. and a bottom 116. Protruding from side 106 is a ledge 118 supporting a ramp 120 of sloped height increasing from bottom 116 to top 114 and dropping abruptly to the ledge 118 at surface 122. Ledge 118 fits into slot 99 of housing opening 92, as seen in FIG. 4, with the effect that after the insertion of ramp 120 into slot 99, ramp surface 122 locks against the interior or alternator side 98, as seen in FIG. 5. Bottom 116 of body 16 has a channel 128

therethrough defining legs

130 and 132, the latter having a lip 134 protruding towards channel 128. After body 16 is inserted into opening 92 so that legs I30 and 132 straddle end wall 96, male terminals 50 and 52 of regulator 14 project into

female terminals

60 and 62 of body 16, and leg lip I34 engages wall lip 97 protruding outwardly from end wall 96. Body 16 is thus plugged snugly into and secured to housing at three places: first, against the inside surface of side 98 by the locking action of ramp surface 122; second, at end wall 96 by the snapping of leg lip 134 over end wall lip 97; and third, against regulator 14, itself fastened to end wall 96 by a pad 94, by the interaction of regulator terminals 50 and 52 with

body terminals

60 and 62.

The internal construction of body 16 may be best understood with reference to FIGS. 7 and 8, wherein six

female connector terminals

60, 62, 64, 66, 68, and 70 are shown encapsulated within body 16.

Connectors

60 and 62 are located in leg 130 paralleling side 106 and may be removably connected through alternator opening 92 to engage male terminals 50 and S2 of regulator 14. To receive male connectors 74 and 76 of conductor plate 72 in cap 18,

female terminals

64, 66, 68, and 70 in body 16 are exposed through top 114 defining thereon a square-like pattern wherein one terminal extends from a corner of each side to about the middle. To environmentally protect male terminals 74 and 76 of cap 18 and

female terminals

64, 66, 68, and 70, a lip encompasses the latter on body 16 and seals against hub 77 of cap 18 upon insertion of cap 18 into body 16. Moreover, since cap 18 could be inserted into one of four positions on body 16, a raised marking 102 in the form of an arrow pointing inwardly from side 106 is also located on top 114 to allow correspondence with raised arrows 79 on cap 18.

As best seen in FIG. 8, the series circuit contained within body 16 is comprised of conductor 49 secured between

connectors

62 and 64; resistor 48, between

connectors

64 and 66; resistor 46, between

connectors

66 and 68; conductor 45, between connectors 68 and 70; and conductor 43 between connectors 70 and 60. Thus, any two adjacent terminals of this series circuit exposed through surface 114 by

connectors

64, 66, 68, and 70 can be short circuited by the roper positioning and insertion of terminals 74 and 76 of cap 18 to alter the resistance developed across

body terminals

60 and 62 and applied to regulator terminals 50 and 52. To permit up to four different voltage settings of equal steps to be effected, the value of resistor 48 is selected to be twice that of resistor 46 giving a total series resistance in body 16 from zero up to three times the value of resistance 46. Therefore, with cap 18 positioned so that cap arrow LO 79a corresponds with body arrow 102, male terminals 74 and 76 short circuit connectors 64 and 70. The resistance applied between

body terminals

60 and 62 will be zero, and regulator 14 will be configured to cause alternator 12 to produce its minimum output. When cap 18 is positioned so that arrow 2 79b corresponds with body arrow 102,

connectors

64 and 66 will be shorted to short resistor 48. The total resistance across

body connectors

60 and 62 is then just that of resistor 46. When positioned at 3 790,

connectors

66 and 68 are shorted to short resistor 46 causing only resistance 48 to appear at

connectors

60 and 62. Finally, when positioned at 111" 79d, terminals 68 and 70 are shorted to short conductor 45 so that the sum of resistances 46 and 48 appears across

connectors

60 and 62, thereby configuring regulator 14 to cause alternator 12 to produce its highest output. Since the latter output would be obtained without cap 18 being inserted into body 16, HI position 79b on cap 18 may be seen to serve at least two purposes in addition to any voltage change introduced by the resistance of conductor 72. The first is to provide a resting place for cap 18 in a position where it avoids inadvertent misplacement and yet does not affect alternator output. Secondly, by permitting the cap 18 to be always kept on and sealed within body 16, cap 18 assures the continual environmental protection of

body terminals

64, 66,

68, and 70 as well as cap terminals 74 and 76 regardless of setting.

In a charging system for the 12-volt negative-ground battery for a typical passenger vehicle, the automatic thermistor compensated regulator obtains alternator outputs varying from 13.4 to 14.2 volts with decreasing battery temperatures. However, the standard regulator used with the voltage adjustment package of the subject invention, rather than having thermistor compensation, would be set to produce a slightly lower alternator output of 13.2 plus or minus 0.2 volts that would be flat compensated" to be constant over a temperature range from 40 to 200 F. By then selecting resistors 46 and 48 to have values of I and 200 ohms respectively and shorting these with cap 18, the 13.2 volt alternator output effected by this standard flat-compensated regulator could be increased to 14.4 volts in three 0.4 volt steps.

Body 19, shown in FIG. 9, contains therein a series circuit corresponding with that shown in FIG. 2 and described above with respect thereto. However,

conductors

80 and 82 instead of being connected directly with battery terminal 24 and indicator lamp 84, as shown in FIG. 2, are provided with male terminals 81 and 83 as shown in FIG. 7 for subsequent connection with corresponding female terminals (not shown) to the battery and indicator lamp.

Having described two embodiments of the present invention, it is understood that the specific terms and examples are employed in a descriptive sense and not for the purpose of limitation. Other embodiments of the invention may be practiced as, for instance, with a positive ground battery charging system. We, therefore, intend in the appended claims to cover such modifications and changes as fall within the true scope of our invention.

What we claim as new and desire to secure with letters patent of the United States is:

l. A voltage regulated power supply system for feeding electrical loads on motor vehicles or the like comprising:

a. a generator having a generator housing including an interior cavity, an end wall defining one end of said cavity, and an opening through said end wall communicating with said cavity, said generator having an output winding and a field winding located in said cavity; means connected with said output winding providing first and second direct current field energizing terminals;

c. a voltage regulator including a regulator housing secured to said end wall in said cavity, an output transistor located within said regulator housing, a voltage divider comprised of at least one impedance disposed within said regulator housing and operative connected to said output transistor to control the conduction thereof in accordance with the voltage applied to said voltage divider, first and second voltage regulator terminals connecting the interior and exterior of said voltage regulator housing and extending towards said opening, means connecting said first regulator terminal with said first field energizing terminal,

means connecting said transistor and said field winding in series between said first voltage regulator terminal and said second field energizing terminal, and means connecting said voltage divider with said second voltage regulator terminal;

(1. a voltage adjustment device including a housing secured in said opening by a pair of legs straddling said end wall, a plurality of series connected resistors contained within said housing, first terminal means connected respectively with the junctions of said resistors, second terminal means connected with the ends of the series circuit formed by said resistors, said second terminal means located in one of said straddling legs complementary to said voltage regulator terminals whereby said adjustment device is removably secured to said voltage regulator terminals, and;

e. a shiftable cap member containing a conductor removably connected from the exterior of said cavity to various pairs of said first terminals and operative to selectively short circuit certain of said resistors to thereby adjust the resistance between said voltage regulator terminals and thereby adjust the output voltage of said system.

2. In a battery charging system for vehicles including a generator having an output winding and a field winding:

a. a voltage regulator contained within a housing and comprised of first and second terminals connecting the interior and exterior of said housing, means disposed within said regulator housing connecting said output winding with said first terminal thereby providing direct current potential thereto, an output transistor contained within said regulatorhousing, said first terminal and said output transistor connected in circuit across the field winding of the generator, and a voltage divider contained within said housing and comprised of at least one impedance connected to said second terminal and defining a node therebetween, said node being operatively connected to said output transistor to control the conduction thereof in accordance with the potential at said node;

b. a connector body comprised of a circuit comprised of at least one resistor, first, second, third and fourth terminals, said first terminal of said body removably connected with said first terminal of said regulator, said second terminal of said body connected to the one side of said resistor and removably connected to said second terminal of said regulator, said third terminal of said body connected with said one side of said resistor, and said fourth terminal of said body connected with the other side of said resistor, a first conductor one end of which is connected to said first terminal and the other end of which is adapted to be connected in circuit with the ignition switch of a vehicle, and a second conductor connected to said other side of said resistor and adapted to be connected in circuit with the battery being charged by said system, and;

. a cap structure containing a circuit therein, said cap circuit connected with first and second terminals adapted to be removably connected with said second and third terminals of said body, thereby to alter the resistance connected between said first and second terminals of said regulator.

mg UNITED STATES- PATENT OFFICE C CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No- 3,659,188 Da ed April 25; 1972 I nventofls) Arthur W. Alexander, Glen R. Renner It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as' shown below:

a" I v I Column 3, Line 70, "Q3" should read Q2 Column 7, Line 55, "operativef should read operatively Signed and sealed this lhth day of November 1972.

(SEAL) Attest:

EDWARD M.FLETCHER,JR. v ROBERT GOTTSCHALK Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents v UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3,659,188 I Dated April 25, 1972 ln fl Arthur W. Alexanden Glen R. Relrmer It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as' shown below:

Column 3, Line 70, "Q3" should read Q2 Column 7, Line 55, "operativef shouldread operatively Signed and sealed this ll th day 'of November 1972.

(SEAL) Attest: I

EDWARD M.FLETCHER ,JR. 7 ROBERT GOTTSCHALK Commissioner of Patents Attesting Officer

Claims

1. A voltage regulated power supply system for feeding electrical loads on motor vehicles or the like comprising: a. a generator having a generator housing including an interior cavity, an end wall defining one end of said cavity, and an opening through said end wall communicating with said cavity, said generator having an output winding and a field winding located in said cavity; b. means connected with said output winding providing first and second direct current field energizing terminals; c. a voltage regulator including a regulator housing secured to said end wall in said cavity, an output transistor located within said regulator housing, a voltage divider comprised of at least one impedance disposed within said regulator housing and operative connected to said output transistor to control the conduction thereof in accordance with the voltage applied to said voltage divider, first and second voltage regulator terminals connecting the interior and exterior of said voltage regulator housing and extending towards said opening, means connecting said first regulator terminal with said first field energizing terminal, means connecting said transistor and said field winding in series between said first voltage regulator terminal and said second field energizing terminal, and means connecting said voltage divider with said second voltage regulator terminal; d. a voltage adjustment device including a housing secured in said opening by a pair of legs straddling said end wall, a plurality of series connected resistors contained within said housing, first terminal means connected respectively with the junctions of said resistors, second terminal means connected with the ends of the series circuit formed by said resistors, said second terminal means located in one of said straddling legs complementary to said voltage regulator terminals whereby said adjustment device is removably secured to said voltage regulator terminals, and; e. a shiftable cap member containing a conductor removably connected from the exterior of said cavity to various pairs of said first terminals and operative to selectively short circuit certain of said resistors to thereby adjust the resistance between said voltage regulator terminals and thereby adjust the output voltage of said system.

2. In a battery charging system for vehicles including a generator having an output winding and a field winding: a. a voltage regulator contained within a housing and comprised of first and second terminals connecting the interior and exterior of said housing, means disposed within said regulator housing connecting said output winding with said first terminal thereby providing direct current potential thereto, an output transistor contained within said regulator housing, said first terminal and said output transistor connected in circuit across the field winding of the generator, and a voltage divider contained within said housing and comprised of at least one impedance connected to said second terminal and defining a node therebetween, said node being operatively connected to said output transistor to control the conduction thereof in accordance with the potential at said node; b. a connector body comprised of a circuit comprised of at least one resistor, first, second, third and fourth terminals, said first terminal of said body removably connected with said first terminal of said regulator, said second terminal of said body connected to the one side of said resistor and removably connected to said second terminal of said regulator, said third terminal of said body connected with said one side of said resistor, and said fourth terminal of said body connected with the other side of said resistor, a first conductor one end of which is connected to said first terminal and the other end of which is adapted to be connected in circuit with the ignition switch of a vehicle, and a second conductor connected to said other side of said resistor and adapted to be connected in circuit with the battery being charged by said system, and; c. a cap structure containing a circuit therein, said cap circuit connected with first and second terminals adapted to be removably connected with said second and third terminals of said body, thereby to alter the resistance connected between said first and second terminals of said regulator.