Overload-protected and reference-voltage-loss-protected electronic voltage regulator for vehicular-type alternators that both tolerates momentary high field currents and suppresses low frequency noise

摘要

An error amplifier feedback capacitor located between the signal output and the signal input of an error amplifier stage of a voltage regulator is removed, particularly preventing that charge stored on this capacitor should act through an overload protection circuit of a voltage regulator so protected so as to undesirably turn off the output driver (as if there was an overload) in an oscillatory manner, undesirably causing a "pulsing" or "hunting" upon the occasion(s) of high alternator field drive currents. Meanwhile, a new capacitor that is located across a leg of the input voltage divider stage of the voltage regulator and that is called a voltage divider capacitor, is substituted. The combined effect of the (i) removal and (ii) substitution substantially eliminates "ghosts", or such low frequency noise as is commonly called "commutator noise", in any voltage regulator, including those that are optionally protected against failure due to overload. Still furthermore, and separately and severally, a small resistance is introduced into a direct current discharge path present in certain voltage regulators protected against short circuits. This added resistance, in combination with the regulation feedback capacitor, introduces a small time delay to the initiation of shutdown in the event of a detected short circuit condition, thus helping prevent that normal noise, especially at high alternator field drive currents, should undesirably trigger short circuit shutdown of the voltage regulator.