JP2003235215A - Brush holder and alternating current generator for vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an AC generator for vehicles of high-side switch composition which facilitates a change from low-side switch composition over to the high-side switch composition, and does not damage serviceability to those of low-side switch composition. <P>SOLUTION: This AC generator for vehicles has a brush holder 1 which has a positive-electrode terminal whose one end is connected to a positive- electrode brush to be connected to a field winding, and the other end is connected to a regulator 2, a negative-electrode terminal 8 whose one end is connected to a negative-electrode brush to be connected to the field winding, and the other end is connected to a ground, and a dummy terminal 9 which is fastened and fixed to other electric components to be on a power supply side together with the regulator 2. The terminal 8 is fastened and fixed together to a fixing position where the regulator 2 is fixed to a housing frame 20. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2003,JPO

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an AC generator mounted on a vehicle drive engine or the like.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in a vehicle AC generator, a so-called low-side switch structure has been adopted as a switching control method for turning on and off an exciting current supplied to a field winding of a rotor. The low-side switch configuration is a configuration in which switching control is performed on the current outlet side of the field winding of the rotor, that is, the field winding of the rotor is arranged between the positive electrode side of the battery, which is the power supply, and the switching element of the regulator. The configuration is such that the connection is made.

An automotive alternator adopting a low-side switch configuration will be described with reference to FIGS. 4 to 6.

First, a description will be given with reference to the circuit diagram of the low side switch configuration of FIG.

The field winding 33 of the rotor has one end connected to the battery 34 and the other end connected to the transistor 38 of the regulator 32. The exciting current supplied to the field winding 33 of the rotor is controlled by the voltage control circuit 37 and the transistor 38 of the regulator 32. In addition, the regulator 32 and one end of the rotor field winding 33,
The positive electrode side of the battery 34 and the other end of the field winding 33 of the rotor are connected via the terminals 35 and 36 of the brush holder 31. The brush holder 31 has a positive electrode side terminal 35 connected to the positive electrode side of the battery 34 and a negative electrode side terminal 36 connected to the transistor 38 side of the regulator 32.

Next, the assembling arrangement of the regulator 32 and the brush holder 31 of the vehicle alternator having the low side switch configuration will be described with reference to FIGS. 4 and 5.

The regulator 3 is attached to the housing frame 44.
2 is fixed, and the brush holder 3 is attached to the regulator 32.
1 is fixed. Specifically, the regulator case 41
And the regulator cooling fin 44 is attached to the housing frame 44 with the attachment screws 43 at the two attachment holes 42.
Fixed to. Positive terminal 3 of brush holder 31
5 is fixed to the power supply terminal 40 of the regulator 32, and the negative terminal 36 is fixed to the control terminal 39 of the regulator 32 connected to the transistor 38.

Therefore, in the low side switch configuration, the voltage of the battery is always applied to the field winding 32 of the rotor through the positive terminal 35 even when the alternator is stopped.

For this reason, in recent years, a high-side switch structure in which a current flows through the field winding of the rotor only when the AC generator is generating power has begun to be adopted. The high-side switch configuration is a configuration in which switching control is performed on the current inlet side of the field winding of the rotor, that is, the field winding of the rotor is connected between the switching element of the regulator and the ground. It is a composition.

Therefore, it is considered that future vehicle AC generators will employ a high-side switch configuration that leads to improved reliability, as compared with the conventional low-side switch configuration.

[0011]

However, when the vehicle alternator adopting the low-side switch structure is changed to the high-side switch structure, the electric field windings of the rotor are electrically connected. As the position is changed, it is necessary to change the design of the parts related to the connection. Considering a simple change, even if it is unavoidable to change the brush holder or the regulator in some cases, it is necessary to consider the design change of other peripheral parts, and the number of parts is increased due to the increase in the number of fixed parts. For example,
Since one of the field windings of the rotor is connected to the ground, it is necessary to consider installing a new grounding point on the housing frame or the like. When the design is changed, not only the number of assembling steps is increased, but also new molds and assembling equipment for producing them are required, which leads to an increase in cost.

Further, when the design of the peripheral parts is changed, the parts for high-side switch construction and the parts for low-side switch construction are not compatible with each other. Therefore, if vehicle alternators that employ the high-side switch configuration will become the mainstream in the future, parts for the high-side switch configuration can be used in place of those already on the market. However, the serviceability will be reduced.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and does not affect the change of peripheral parts, does not increase the number of parts, and has a design of a regulator and a brush holder which are compatible with assembling. To facilitate the change from a low-side switch configuration to a high-side switch configuration and to provide a vehicle alternator with a high-side switch configuration that does not impair the serviceability of the low-side switch configuration. With the goal.

[0014]

Therefore, the present inventor has diligently studied to solve this problem, and as a result of repeated trial and error,
It has a first terminal, a second terminal and a third terminal, and at least one of these terminals is fixed by co-tightening or the like at a fixing position where other electric parts are fixed to the housing frame. He came up with the featured brush holder and completed the present invention.

(Brush Holder) That is, the brush holder of the present invention comprises a positive electrode brush slidably conductively contacting a positive electrode slip ring connected to one end of a field winding of a rotor, and the other end of the field winding. A negative electrode brush slidably contacting a negative electrode slip ring connected to the negative electrode, a storage case formed of an insulating material for storing the positive electrode brush and the negative electrode brush, and a first terminal extending from the storage case. Second
And a third terminal, and at least one of the terminals is fixed to a fixing position where another electric component is fixed to the housing frame by co-fastening or the like.

Further, the brush holder of the present invention is connected to the positive electrode brush which is in conductive contact with the positive electrode slip ring connected to one end of the field winding of the rotor and the other end of the field winding. A negative electrode brush slidably contacting the negative electrode slip ring, a storage case formed of an insulating material for storing the positive electrode brush and the negative electrode brush, and one end extending from the storage case and connected to the positive electrode brush A brush holder used for a vehicle alternator having a positive electrode terminal and a negative electrode terminal extending from the housing case and having one end connected to the negative electrode brush, wherein the positive electrode terminal and the negative electrode terminal are separately provided. A dummy terminal extends from the storage case, and at least one of the terminals is connected to a housing frame by another electric component. And wherein the fixed due tightened in a fixed position to be fixed to.

(Vehicle AC Generator) The vehicle AC generator of the present invention is a vehicle AC generator having a brush holder and a regulator, and the brush holder includes a field winding of a rotor. A positive electrode brush conductively slidingly contacting a positive electrode slip ring connected to one end, a negative electrode brush conductively slidingly contacting a negative electrode slip ring connected to the other end of the field winding, the positive electrode brush and the negative electrode brush A storage case formed of an insulating material for storing, a positive electrode terminal extending from the storage case and having one end connected to the positive electrode brush, and a storage case extending from the storage case and having one end connected to the negative electrode brush The regulator has a negative electrode terminal and a dummy terminal that extends from the housing case and is connected to the positive electrode side of the power source separately from the positive electrode terminal and the negative electrode terminal. A voltage control circuit for controlling the voltage to control the excitation current supplied to the field winding of the child, ON · the supply of the exciting current controlled by said voltage control circuitry OF
An F-switching switching element and a control terminal connected to the switching element are provided, and at least one of the terminals of the brush holder is fixed to a fixing position where the regulator is fixed to the housing frame by co-tightening or the like. It is characterized by having done.

As a result, two of the three terminals of the brush holder of the present invention are connected at the same position as the terminals of the low-side switch structure, so that the combination of the brush holders of the high-side switch structure and the low-side switch structure is connected. Has compatibility. For this reason, when changing from the low-side switch configuration to the high-side switch configuration, it is possible to easily perform the design change of the peripheral parts other than the regulator and the brush holder and other fastening parts. In addition, since the brush holder and the regulator for the high-side switch configuration can be used when servicing the low-side switch configuration, serviceability is not impaired.

Further, in the vehicle alternator of the present invention, the housing frame is further grounded, and the negative electrode terminal is connected to the ground by co-tightening with the metal screw or the like at the fixed position. It is characterized by

As a result, it is not necessary to newly provide a grounding portion of the negative electrode terminal connected to the ground, and it becomes unnecessary to change the design of the housing frame or the like.

Further, the vehicle alternator of the present invention is characterized by further including a metal pipe interposed between the negative electrode terminal and the housing frame to allow conduction.

Thus, even if there is a resin-made regulator case as an insulating material between the negative electrode terminal and the housing frame, the negative electrode terminal can be surely connected to the ground by using the metal pipe. It will be possible.

Further, in the vehicle alternator of the present invention, the regulator further has a regulator case for accommodating the voltage control circuit, the switching element and the control terminal, and the metal pipe is the regulator. It is characterized by being insert-molded in the case.

As a result, the regulator and the brush holder can be easily assembled.

Further, the brush holder of the present invention is characterized in that one of the terminals extends to a side farther from a position farthest from the center of the rotation axis of the rotor in the storage case. .

Further, in the vehicle alternator of the present invention, one of the terminals extends to a side farther from a position farthest from the center of the rotation axis of the rotor in the storage case. Characterize.

As a result, it is possible to suppress the shake of the brush holder in the direction of the rotation axis due to the high vibration condition, and to suppress the abrasion of the brush.

Further, the brush holder of the present invention is characterized in that the fixing position of the terminal is fixed at a different position with respect to the rotation axis direction of the rotor.

Further, in the brush holder of the present invention, the position where the terminal extends from the storage case is different from the rotational axis direction of the rotor.

The vehicle alternator of the present invention is characterized in that the fixed position of the terminal is fixed at a different position with respect to the direction of the rotation axis of the rotor.

In the vehicle alternator of the present invention, the position where the terminal extends from the storage case is different from the rotational axis direction of the rotor.

As a result, it becomes possible to further suppress the shake of the brush holder in the rotation axis direction.

[0033]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Next, a vehicle AC generator adopting the high side switch structure of the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to embodiments.

As shown in FIG. 1, a brush holder 1 used in a vehicle alternator includes a positive electrode brush 5a, a negative electrode brush 5b, a housing case 6, a positive electrode terminal 7, a negative electrode terminal 8 and a dummy terminal. 9 and 9. The positive electrode brush 5a is in sliding contact with a positive electrode slip ring (not shown), and the negative electrode brush 5b is in sliding contact with a negative electrode slip ring (not shown). The two slip rings are respectively connected to both ends of the field winding 3 (shown in FIG. 3) of the rotor. The positive electrode brush 5a and the negative electrode brush 5b are housed in a housing case 6 made of an insulating material. A positive electrode terminal 7, a negative electrode terminal 8 and a dummy terminal 9 are attached to the storage case 6. And
One end of the positive electrode terminal 7 is connected to the positive electrode brush 5a,
One end of the negative electrode terminal 8 is connected to the negative electrode brush 5b. The dummy terminal 9 is fixed together with the regulator 2 to be described later to other electric parts on the power supply side.

Further, the regulator 2 is a voltage control circuit 1
0 (shown in FIG. 3) and FET1 which is a switching element
1 (shown in FIG. 3), a control terminal 12, and a power supply terminal 13
A regulator case 14, a regulator cooling fin 18, and a vehicle-side connector 19. The electrical connection regarding the control terminal 12 and the power supply terminal 13 will be described later. The regulator case 14 is made of resin and houses the voltage control circuit 10 and the FET 11. Then, it is electrically connected to a battery or the like as a power source through the vehicle connector 19.

Then, as shown in FIG. 1 or 2, the regulator 2 is fixed to the housing frame 20. The brush holder 1 is electrically connected and mechanically fixed to the regulator 2 or the housing frame 20 using three terminals. Specifically, 2
The regulator case 14 is fixed to the housing frame 20 with mounting screws 17 in the mounting holes 16 at some locations. The positive electrode terminal 7 of the brush holder 1 is connected and fixed to the control terminal 12 of the regulator 2. The dummy terminal 9 is connected to the power supply terminal 13 and is fastened and fixed together with other electric parts on the power supply side. The negative electrode terminal 8 is fixed to the housing frame 20 using one of the mounting holes 16. Furthermore, the negative electrode terminal 8
At the time of fixing, the metal pipe 15 is inserted into the mounting hole 16, and the metal pipe 15 and the negative electrode terminal 8 are fixed together. As a result, the negative electrode terminal 8
Will be securely connected to the grounded housing frame 20. The metal pipe 15 is insert-molded or press-fitted into the regulator case 18.

Further, the negative electrode terminal 8 is the storage case 6
It is fixed at a position extending rearward from the rear end. The rear end of the storage case 6 is the position farthest from the center of the rotation axis of the rotor, that is, the side of the storage case 6 in FIG. 1 that is closer to the vehicle connector 19. The rear side from the rear end of the storage case 6 is a side farther from the rear end of the storage case 6 when viewed from the center of the rotation axis. That is, when viewed from the center of the rotation axis, the negative electrode terminal 8 is located farther than the rear end of the storage case 6. Further, although not shown, the fixed positions of all the terminals are fixed at different positions with respect to the rotation axis direction of the rotor. That is, the fixed positions of the three terminals do not exist on the same plane perpendicular to the rotation axis direction of the rotor. As a result, the rotation of the rotor is prevented from swinging in the rotation axis direction.

Further, the negative electrode terminal 8 can be electrically connected and fixed to the housing frame 20 with a metal screw or the like. In this case, the negative electrode terminal 8 can be connected to the ground without using the metal pipe 15. Note that the negative terminal 8 can be more surely grounded by fixing the metallic pipe 15 and the metallic screw.

Next, the electrical connection will be described in detail with reference to the circuit diagram of FIG. The regulator 2 of the vehicle AC generator controls the exciting current supplied to the field winding 3 of the rotor. Specifically, the voltage is controlled by the voltage control circuit 10, and thereby the exciting current supplied to the field winding 3 of the rotor is controlled. Further, the FET 11 which is a switching element controls ON / OFF of the supply of the exciting current to the field winding 3 of the rotor. Then, this exciting current is supplied to the field winding 3 of the rotor via the control terminal 12 connected to the FET 11 and further via the positive electrode terminal 7 of the brush holder 1. The other end of the field winding 3 of the rotor is connected to the ground via the negative electrode terminal 8. Further, the connection between the power supply terminal 13 of the regulator 2 and the positive electrode side of the battery 4, which is a power supply, is performed via another electric component (not shown).

Next, the relationship between the high-side switch structure of the present invention and the conventional low-side switch structure will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 6.

As is clear from FIGS. 3 and 6, in the high side switch configuration and the low side switch configuration,
As described above, the positions of the field windings 3 and 33 of the rotor in terms of electrical connection are different. Further, the regulator circuit is also changed in the present embodiment.

Although the electrical connections are different as described above, they are very similar in appearance as apparent from FIGS. 1 and 4. The major difference is that the negative electrode terminal 8 of the present invention is added.

The detailed correspondence will be described below. First, the storage case 6 is common to the brush holders 1 and 31. The positive electrode terminal 7 of the present invention corresponds to the conventional negative electrode side terminal 36. The dummy terminal 9 of the present invention corresponds to the conventional positive electrode side terminal 35. The regulator 2 has substantially the same shape except one of the mounting holes 16. Also, regarding the grounding point to the housing frame 20 that needs to be newly connected,
Since the fixing portion of the regulator 2 is used, it has the same shape.

As described above, the parts other than the negative electrode terminal 8 of the present invention have the same shape as the conventional one, and the part relating to the negative electrode terminal 8 is also a partial change of the regulator. Therefore, it is not necessary to change the design of parts other than the brush holder 1 and the regulator 2.

[0045]

According to the vehicle alternator having the high-side switch structure of the present invention, the number of parts can be increased without increasing the number of parts.
In addition, it is possible to realize a design of a regulator and a brush holder which are compatible with each other and are not affected by changes in peripheral components. Therefore, it becomes easy to change from the low-side switch configuration to the high-side switch configuration. Furthermore, since the parts for the high side switch configuration can be substituted for the low side switch configuration, serviceability can be maintained.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an assembly layout diagram of a regulator and a brush holder of an automotive alternator having a high side switch configuration of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a portion of the regulator case of FIG. 1 fixed to a housing frame.

FIG. 3 is a circuit diagram of a high side switch configuration of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an assembly layout diagram of a regulator and a brush holder of a conventional vehicle alternator having a low-side switch configuration.

5 is a cross-sectional view of a portion of the regulator case of FIG. 4 fixed to a housing frame.

FIG. 6 is a circuit diagram of a conventional low side switch configuration.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 brush holder 2 regulator 3 Rotor field winding 7 Positive terminal 8 Negative terminal 9 Dummy terminal 10 Voltage control circuit 11 FET (switching element) 12 control terminals 13 Power supply terminal 14 Regulator case 15 Metal pipe 20 housing frame

Claims (12)

[Claims] 1. A positive electrode brush slidably contacting a positive electrode slip ring connected to one end of a field winding of a rotor and a negative electrode slip ring connected to the other end of the field winding. A negative electrode brush in sliding contact, a storage case formed of an insulating material for storing the positive electrode brush and the negative electrode brush, a first terminal extending from the storage case, and a second
And a third terminal, wherein at least one of the terminals is fixed to a fixing position where another electric component is fixed to the housing frame by co-fastening or the like. 2. A positive electrode brush slidably contacting a positive electrode slip ring connected to one end of a field winding of a rotor and a negative electrode slip ring connected to the other end of the field winding. A negative electrode brush in sliding contact, a storage case formed of an insulating material for storing the positive electrode brush and the negative electrode brush, a positive electrode terminal extending from the storage case and having one end connected to the positive electrode brush, and the storage case In a brush holder for use in a vehicle alternator having a negative electrode terminal extending from the positive electrode terminal and having one end connected to the negative electrode brush, and further extending from the storage case separately from the positive electrode terminal and the negative electrode terminal. A dummy terminal is provided, and at least one of the terminals is co-tightened to a fixing position where other electric parts are fixed to the housing frame. Brush holder, characterized in that fixed the like. 3. The terminal according to claim 1, wherein one of the terminals extends to a side farther from a position farthest from the center of the rotation axis of the rotor in the storage case. Brush holder. 4. The brush holder according to claim 1, wherein a fixing position of the terminal is fixed at a different position with respect to a rotation axis direction of the rotor. 5. The brush holder according to claim 1, wherein a position where the terminal extends from the storage case is a different position with respect to a rotation axis direction of the rotor. 6. An automotive alternator having a brush holder and a regulator, wherein the brush holder is a positive electrode brush slidably contacting a positive electrode slip ring connected to one end of a field winding of a rotor. A negative electrode brush conductively slidably in contact with a negative electrode slip ring connected to the other end of the field winding, a storage case formed of an insulating material for storing the positive electrode brush and the negative electrode brush, and the storage case A positive electrode terminal extending from the one end of which is connected to the positive electrode brush,
A negative electrode terminal extending from the storage case and having one end connected to the negative electrode brush; and a dummy terminal extending from the storage case separately from the positive electrode terminal and the negative electrode terminal and connected to the positive electrode side of the power supply. The regulator has a voltage control circuit for controlling a voltage for controlling an exciting current supplied to the field winding of the rotor, and turning on / off the supply of the exciting current controlled by the voltage control circuit. The brush holder has a switching element to be controlled and a control terminal connected to the switching element, and at least one of the terminals of the brush holder is fixed to a fixing position where the regulator is fixed to the housing frame by co-fastening or the like. An alternator for vehicles, which is characterized in that 7. The vehicle according to claim 6, wherein the housing frame is grounded, and the negative electrode terminal is connected to the ground by co-tightening with a metal screw or the like at the fixed position. AC generator. 8. The vehicle alternator further comprises a metal pipe interposed between the negative electrode terminal and the housing frame to allow conduction. 7. The vehicle alternator according to 7. 9. The regulator further includes a regulator case that accommodates the voltage control circuit, the switching element, and the control terminal, and the metal pipe is insert-molded in the regulator case. The vehicle AC generator according to claim 8. 10. One of the terminals is extended to a side farther from a position farthest from the center of the rotation axis of the rotor in the storage case. Vehicle alternator. 11. The vehicle alternator according to claim 6, wherein the fixing position of the terminal is fixed at a different position with respect to the rotation axis direction of the rotor. 12. The vehicle alternator according to claim 6, wherein a position where the terminal extends from the storage case is a different position with respect to a rotation axis direction of the rotor.