Title of Invention

POWER GENERATION CONTROL UNIT FOR VEHICLE

Abstract

A power generation controller for a vehicle has a rectifier circuit (300) for rectifying the output current of a polyphase ac generator (1) and a regulator (100) for limiting the voltage to a predetermined value. The operation can be restored from the regulated mode reliably. When the battery voltage VB reaches a regulation voltage Vreg at time t1, the phases are regulated. The W-phase is restored at time t2, and then the V-phase is restored at time t3. When the current IW of the W-phase crosses the zero at time t4, the current IU of the unreported U-phase, which is the phase prior to the W-phase, is referenced. If the current IU is positive, the U-phase is restored.

Full Text

210929 FORM 2 THE PATENTS ACT, 1970 [39 OF 1970] & THE PATENTS RULES, 2003 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION [See Section 10; rule 13] "POWER GENERATION CONTROL UNIT FOR VEHICLE" HONDA GIKEN KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA, a Japanese company, of 1-1, Minamiaoyama 2-chome, Minato-ku, Tokyo 107-8556, Japan, The following specification particularly describes the nature of the invention and the manner in which it is to be performed:- ORGN/IN/PCT/2002/00347/MUM/ 11-05-2005 21-03-2002 GRANTED Technical Filed The present invention relates to a power generation control unit for a vehicle which rectifies output currents from a polyphase AC generator and which controls the rectified output into a predetermined voltage with use of a regulator. Particularly, the invention is concerned with a power generation control unit for a vehicle which permits each phase to be reset surely from a regulated state. Background Art The power generation controller wherein the output current from a polyphase AC generator is rectified with use of a rectification circuit and controlled to have a predetermined voltage with use of a regulator is disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Laid Open No. 57220/1978. In such a power generation control, when output voltages from the rectifier circuit exceed a predetermined regulating voltage, the regulator controls the rectifier circuit and causes all the phases to be grounded into what is called a regulated state. Resetting from the regulated state is performed for each phase. Each phase is released from the grounded state at a zero-cross timing of its phase current. Fig. 16 is a signal wave chart showing the conventional PCT/JP01/09272 regulating method with use of the conventional regulator. The currents output from a three-phase (U, V, W) AC generator are regulated such that a buttery voltage VB does not exceed a predetermined regulating voltage Vreg. When the buttery voltage VB reaches the regulating voltage Vreg at time tO, all the phases U, V, and W are regulated (grounded) at the same time. The U phase current is zero-crossed at time tl, the U phase current is reset from the regulated state. The V phase current is zero-crossed at time t2, the V phase current is reset from the regulated state. The W phase current is zero-crossed at time t3, the W phase current is reset from the regulated state. When the buttery voltage VB reaches the regulating voltage Vreg again at time t4, all the phases U, V, and W are regulated (grounded) at the same time. The phases are reset from the regulated state in the zero-crossing order of it phase current. When the phase currents are changed in accordance with the outputting period of the generator and the electric load as shown in the chart, the U phase current will be zero-crossed at time t5 in the next regulatingperiod first, and thus all the regulating periods have the same resetting startingphase. With this method, the regulating period of the W phase always reset from the regulated state at last will be longer than that of the other phase currents, to cause the increase in heat value. As a result, the heat value of these phase currents will thus become unequal to each other. 03 PCT/JP01/09272 On the other hand, there is known an outer rotor type permanent magnet generator in which a cylindrical rotor yoke rotates around an outer periphery of a stator. Such a permanent magnet type generator with interpoles each formed between adj acent permanent magnets is disclosed, for example, in Japanese Patent Laid Open No. 275476/1996. In the permanent magnet type generator of the above interpole structure, if a magnetic field is not well balanced or if the generator is adopted as an AC generator for a vehicle, there occurs polarity separation of an electric current at the time of grounding constituent phases for regulation. For example, in a three-phase AC generator, as shown in Fig. 11, even if two phases (VandWphaseshere) out of threephases canbe zero-crossed and reset from a regulated state, the remaining one phase may be unable to be reset from its regulated state because it cannot be zero-crossed. The first object of the present invention is to regulate all the phase currents equally. The second object of the present invention is to permit a positive reset from a regulated state in a power generation control unit for a vehicle which rectifies output currents of a polyphase AC generator and which controls the rectified output into a predetermined voltage with use of a regulator. Disclosure of Invention In order to achieve the first object, a power generation PCT/JP01/09272 control unit for a vehicle according to the present invention comprises a regulator for setting each phase of polyphase AC generator in a regulated state, and then resetting the phases from the regulated state in series, where in the regulator makes a resetting starting phases which first reset from the regulated state in each regulatingperiod different fromprecede regulating period and next regulating period. According to the above feature, a resetting starting phase in a regulating period can be difference from a resetting starting phase in a next regulating period. Therefore, a regulating time of specific phase is prevented f rombeing longer than a regulating time of other phases. Then, all the phase can be regulated equally. In order to achieve the second object, in a power generation control unit for a vehicle including a rectifier circuit for rectifying alternating currents outputted from constituent phases of a polyphase AC generator and a regulator which brings all the phases into a regulated state upon arrival of an output voltage from the rectifier circuit at a predetermined regulating voltage, the present invention is characterized by further including zero-cross detecting means for detecting that the AC current in each of the phases has zero-crossed in the regulated state, first resetting means for resetting a zero-crossed phase from the regulated state, decision means which, upon zero-crossing of any of the phases, determines a current direction of the phase which precedes the zero-crossed phase, 04 PCT/JP01/09272 and second reset means which resets the preceding phase from the regulated state when the current direction of the preceding phase is determined to be a positive direction by the decision means. According to the above feature, as to a phase whose phase current does not zero-cross in the regulated state, it is can be reset from the regulated phase if its own phase current is positive upon zero-crossing of the succeeding phase. Thus, it can be reset from the regulated state even if its phase current does not zero-cross. Brief Description of Drawings Fig. 1 is an entire side view of a scooter type two-wheeled motor vehicle to which the present invention is applied; Fig. 2 is a sectional view of a swing unit shown in Fig. 1, taken along a crank shaft; Fig. 3 is a partially cut-away plan view taken along a plane perpendicular to a rotary shaft (crank shaft) of a combined starter/generator (a permanent magnet type rotary electric machine); Fig. 4 is a sectional side view of Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is a plan view of a rotor yoke; Fig. 6 is a side view of the rotor yoke; Fig. 7 is a partial enlarged view of the rotor yoke; Fig. 8 is a block diagram of a control system for the combined starter/generator; Fig. 9 is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of principal portions of an ECU shown in Fig. 8; Fig. 10 is a block diagram illustrating the ECU shown in Fig. 8 according to the first embodiment; Fig. 11 is a flow chart representing the flow of the operation of the ECU shown in Fig. 9; Fig. 12 is a waveform chart showing the operation of the regulator; Fig. 13 is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of a regulator shown in Fig. 8; Fig. 14 is a-waveform diagram illustrating the operation of the regulator; and Fig. 15 illustrates a correspondence relation between input and output in the regulator. Fig. 16 is a waveform chart showing the operation of the conventional regulator. Best Mode for Embodying the Invention The present invention will be described in detail herein under with reference to the drawings. Fig. 1 is an entire side view of a scooter type two-wheeled motor vehicle to which the vehicular power generation control unit of the present invention is applied. Front and rear portions of a vehicle body are connected together through a low floor portion 4. A body frame serving as a skeleton of the vehicle body is roughly composed of down-tubes 07 6 and main pipes 7. A fuel tank and a container box (neither shown) are supported by the main pipes 7 and a seat 8 is disposed thereon. In the front portion of the vehicle body, a handlebar 11 is supported by and above a steering head 5 through a shaft, while a front fork 12 extends downward from the steering head and a front wheel FW is supported through an axle at a lower end of the front fork 12. The handlebar 11 is covered from above with a handlebar cover 13 which also serves as an instrument panel. Brackets 15 are projected from lower ends of rising portions of the main pipes 7 and hanger brackets 18 of a swing unit 2 are respectively connected to and supported by the brackets 15 swingably through link members 16. A single-cylinder two-stroke internal combustion engine E is mounted on a front portion of the swing unit 2. A belt type continuously variable transmission 10 is constituted backward from the engine E and a reductionmechanism 9 is connected to a rear portion of the continuously variable transmission 10 through a centrifugal clutch, with a rear wheel RWbeing supported by the reduction mechanism 9 though an axle. A rear cushion 3 is disposed between an upper end of the reduction mechanism 9 and an upper bent portion of a main pipe 7 . In the front portion of the swing unit 2 are disposed a carburetor 17 connected to an intake pipe 19 extending from the engine E and an air cleaner 14 connected to the carburetor 17. Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the swing unit 2 taken along a crank shaft 201, in which the same reference numerals or marks as above represent the same or equivalent portions. The swing unit 2 is covered with a crank case 202 which is constituted by combining left and right crank cases 202L, 202R with each other. The crank shaft 201 is supported rotatably by bearings 208 and 209 which are fixed to the crank case 202R. A connecting rod (not shown) is connected to the crank shaft 201 through a crank pin 213. The left crank case 202L also serves as a belt type continuously variable transmission case and a belt driving pulley 210 is mounted rotatably on the crank shaft 201 which extends up to the left crank case 202L. The belt driving pulley 210 comprises a fixed pulley half 210L and a movable pulley half 210R. The fixed pulley half 210L is fixed to a left end portion of the crank shaft 201 through a boss 211 and the movable pulley half 210R is splined to the crank shaft 201 on the right-hand side of the fixed pulley half 210L so as to be movable toward and away from the fixed pulley half. A V belt 212 is entrained between both pulley halves 210L and 210R. On the right-hand side of the movable pulley half 210R a cam plate 215 is fixed to the crank shaft 201 and a slide piece 215a provided an outer periphery end of the cam plate 215 is slidably engaged with a cam plate sliding boss portion 210Ra formed axially at an outer periphery end of the movable pulley half 210R. The cam plate 215 located on the right-hand side of the movable pulley half 210R has a tapered outer periphery 9 surface inclined toward the movable pulley half 210R and a dry weight ball 216 is accommodated in a space formed between the tapered surface and the movable pulley half 210R. As the rotational speed of the crank shaft 201 increases, the dry weight ball 216 located between the movable pulley half 210R and the cam plate 215 and adapted to rotate together with them moves in a centrifugal direction with a centrifugal force and the movable pulley half 210R is pushed by the dry weight ball 216 and moves leftward, approaching the fixed pulley half 210L. As a result, the V belt 212 sandwiched in between both pulley halves 210L and 210R moves in a centrifugal direction and its winding diameter becomes larger. In the rear portion of the vehicle is provided a driven pulley (not shown) in a corresponding relation to the belt driving pulley 210 and the V belt 212 is entrained on the driven pulley. With this belt transfer mechanism, the power of the engine E is regulated automatically and is transmitted to a centrifugal clutch to drive the rear wheel RW through the reduction mechanism 9, etc. A combined starter/generator 1 as a combination of a starter motor and an AC generator is disposed within the right crank case 202R. In the combined starter/generator 1, an outer rotor 60 is fixed with a screw 253 to a tapered front end portion of the crank shaft 201 and an inner stator 50, which is disposed inside the outer rotor 60, is secured to the crank case 202 threadedlywithbolts 279. As to the construction of the combined 10 starter/generator 1, it will be described in detail later with reference to Figs. 3 to 7. A fan 280 has a central conical portion 280a, a skirt portion of which is fixed to the outer rotor 60 with bolts 24 6, and the fan 280 is covered with a fan cover 281 through a radiator 282. A sprocket 231 is fixed onto the crank shaft 201 at a position between the combined starter/generator 1 and the bearing 209 and a chain for driving a cam shaft (not shown) from the crank shaft 201 is entrained on the sprocket 231. The sprocket 231 is integral with a gear 232 which is for the transfer of power to a lubricating oil circulating pump. Figs. 3 and 4 are respectively a partially cut-away plan view taken along a plane perpendicular to a rotary shaft (crank shaft 201) of the combined starter/generator 1 (a permanent magnet type rotary electric machine) and a sectional side view thereof, and Figs. 5 and 6 are respectively a plan view of a rotor yoke and a partially enlarged view thereof, in which the same reference numbers or marks as above represent the same or equivalent portions. As shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the starter/generator 1 according to this embodiment is composed of a stator 50 and an outer rotor 60 adapted to rotate along an outer periphery of the stator 50. The outer rotor 60 is made up of an rotor yoke 61 formed by laminating ring-like silicon steel sheets in a generally cylindrical shape, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5, N-pole permanent magnets 62N and S-pole permanent magnets 62S insertedalternately within plural apertures 611 which are formed in the circumferential direction of the rotor yoke 61, as shown in Figs . 3 and 7, and a cup-like rotor case 63 which connects the rotor yoke 61 to the crank shaft 201, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4. The rotor case 63 is provided with a pawl portion 63a at a circumferential end thereof. By bending the pawl portion 63a inwards, the rotor yoke 61 of the aforesaid laminated structure is held grippingly in the axial direction thereof and the permanent magnets 62 (62N, 62S) inserted into the apertures 611 of the rotor yoke 61 are held at respective predetermined positions in the rotor yoke 61. The stator 50 is constituted by laminating silicon steel sheets and includes a stator core 51 and stator salients 52, as shown in Fig. 3. A stator winding 53 is entrained on each stator salient 52 in a single-pole concentrated manner and a main surface of the stator 50 is covered with a protective cover 71. As shown in Figs. 5 and 6, twelve apertures 611 for axial insertion therein of permanent magnets 62 are formed at intervals of 30° in the circumferential direction. The portion between adjacent apertures 611 functions as an interpole 613. As shown in Fig. 7, permanent magnets 62 each having a generally drum-like section are inserted into the apertures 611 respectively. In this embodiment the shape of each aperture 611 and the sectional shape of each permanent magnet 62 are not the same. With the permanent magnets 62 inserted into the -12- apertures 611, first gaps 612 are formed in both side portions in the circumferential direction of each permanent magnet 62 and second gaps 614 are formed on the stator side at both end portions of each permanent magnet 62. Fig. 8 is a block diagram of a control system for the combined starter/generator 1, in which the same reference numerals as above represent the same or equivalent portions. In an ECU (electric control unit) are provided a three-phase full wave rectifier 300 for full wave-rectifying a three-phase alternating current produced by the generator function of the combined starter/generator 1 and a regulator 100 which restricts an output of the full wave rectifier 300 to a predetermined regulating voltage (a regulator operating voltage: say 14.5V). To the ECU are connected a rotor angle sensor 29, an ignition coil 21, a throttle sensor 23, a fuel sensor 24, a seat switch 25, an idle switch 26, a cooling water temperature sensor 27, and an ignition pulser 30, and detection signals are inputted from these portions to the ECU. A spark plug 22 is connected to a secondary side of the ignition coil 21. Further connected to the ECU are a starter relay 34, a starter switch 35, stop switches 36 and 37, a stand-by indicator 38, a fuel indicator 39, a speed sensor 40, an auto-by starter 41, and a headlight 42. A dimmer switch 43 is provided in the headlight 42. An electric current is fed to the above various portions from a battery 46 via a main fuse 44 and a main switch 45. The battery 46 is directly connected to the ECU through the starter relay 34, while it has a circuit for connection to the ECU via the main fuse 44 alone. Fig. 9 illustrates the configuration of a main portion related to the power generation control of the ECU described above. The three-phase full wave rectifier 300 is a bridge circuit constituted by paralleling three sets of two series-connected FETs. The regulator 100 controls a switching or gate voltage of low potential-side FETs (U-FET, V-FET, W-FET) of the three phases to restrict the battery voltage VB to a predetermined voltage. Fig. 10 is a functional block diagram of the regulator 100 according to the first embodiment. A resetting phase updating section 101 updates and registers the latest resetting phase X of the current regulating period. A zero-cross phase updating section 102 updates andregisters the latest zero-crossingphase. A resetting starting phase determining section 103 determines a resetting starting phase Y of the next regulation period in accordance with the latest zero-crossing phase registered in the zero-cross phase updating section 102. A regulating start delaying section 104 delays the starting timing of the next regulation such that the resetting starting phase in the next regulation period is different from the phase Y when the latest resetting phase X and the resetting starting phase Y have a predetermined relationship. The regulating operation in the present embodiment will be described below in conjunction with a flow chart of Fig. 11 and a signal waveform chart of Fig. 12. In order to simplify the description, the explanation will be started from the time when the zero-crossing of the phase current is detected in step S14 shown in Fig. 11. When the W phase current zero-crosses and it is detected in step S14, step S15 is executed thereafter to newly register an identifier "W" of the W phase as the latest zero-cross phase in the zero-cross phase updating section 102 of the regulator 100. In step S16, the regulator 100 switches U-FET, V-FET, and W-FET on to start the regulation. At time t2, the U phase current zero-crosses, which is detected in step S17. Then, the zero-cross phase updating section 102 registers an identifier "U" of the U phase as the latest zero-cross phase in step S18 instead of the identifier "W" of the W phase. In step S19, it is determined whether the U phase already resets or not. In this time, the U phase does not reset yet, and step S20 will be immediately executed. In step S20, the U-FET is switched off to reset the U-phase from its regulated state. Step S21 is then executed to register the identifier "U" of the U phase in the resetting phase updating section 101 of the regulator 100. The process will back to step S10 thereafter. In this time, however, the buttery voltage VB is lower than the predetermined regulating voltage Vreg, and thus the steps S17-S21 will be repeated as described above. 15 If the V phase current zero-crosses at time t3, and it is detected in step S17, the zero-cross phase updating section 102 registers an identifier "V" of the Vphase as the latest zero-cross phase in step S18 instead of the identifier "U" of the U phase. In step S19, it is determined whether the V phase already resets or not. In this time, the V phase does not reset yet, and step S20 will be immediately executed. In step S20, the V-phase is reset from its regulated state. Step S21 is then executed to register the identifier "V" of the V phase in the resetting phase updating section 101 of the regulator 100, instead of the identifier "U" of the U phase. At time t4, the W phase current zero-crosses, which is detected in step S17. Then, the zero-cross phase updating section 102 registers an identifier "W" of the W phase as the latest zero-cross phase in step S18 instead of the identifier "V" of the V phase. In step S19, it is determined whether the W phase resets or not. In this time, the W phase does not reset yet, and step S20 will be immediately executed. In step S20, the W phase is reset from its regulated state. Step S21 is then executed to register the identifier "W" of the W phase in the resetting phase updating section 101 of the regulator 100, instead of the identifier "V" of the V phase. The buttery voltage VB reaches the predetermined regulating voltage Vreg at time t5. When this is detected in step S10, step Sll is executed next such that the regulating starting delay section 104 reads the identifier ("W" in the present embodiment) registered in the resetting phase updating section 101. In step S12, the next zero-cross phase ("U phase" next to "W phase" in the present embodiment) is determined by the resetting start phase determining section 103 on the basis of the latest zero-cross phase ("W" in the present embodiment) registered in the zero-cross phase updating section 102. In step S13, the regulating starting delay section 104 determines whether or not the relationship (X:Y) between the resetting phase X and the next zero-cross phase Y agrees with one of the combinations (U phase: V phase) , (V phase: W phase) , and (W phase: U phase). If all the phases are regulated immediately when the relationship (X:Y) between the resetting phase X and the next zero-cross phase Y is (W phase: U phase), the resetting start phase is the U phase as the next zero-cross phase. In this condition, the resetting start phase of the preceding regulating period starting from the time tl will be coincident with the resetting start phase of the next regulating period. In order to prevent the coincidence of the resetting start phases, the process is stopped in step S14 of the present embodiment till the next zero-cross occurs, when the condition of step S13 is attained. Upon detecting the zero-cross, the updating of the zero-cross phase is executed in step S15 in the same manner as described before, and then all the phases are regulated in step S16. As described above, in the present embodiment, the phases are not regulated immediately when the resetting phase X and the next zero-cross phase Y have a predetermined relationship, even if the buttery voltage VB reaches the predetermined regulating voltage Vreg, but regulated upon the next zero-cross . By regulating in this manner, the resetting start phase can be delayed from the preceding regulating period by one phase. Accordingly, the resetting start phase in the preceding regulating period and the resetting start phase in the next regulating period can be set to be different from each other. As a result, the ratio of the regulating times of the phases can be set different from each other in every regulating period, and thus the regulating period of time of a specific phase can be prevented from elongating than that of the other phases. Fig. 13 is a block diagram of a principal portion of the regulator 100 according to the second embodiment. In the same figure, a comparator 112 compares a predetermined regulating voltage Vreg with the battery voltage VB. A one-shot multivibrator 101 produces a Q output on the basis of a variation in an output from the comparator 112. An OR gate 105 outputs the OR of the output from the comparator 112 and the Q output to set terminals S of U-phase F/F (flip-flop) 109, V-phase F/F 110, and W-phase F/F 111. The comparators 113, 114, and 115 respectively compare D-, V-, and W-phase voltages VU, VV, and VW of the three-phase AC generator 1 with a predetermined voltage (-12.5 mV in this embodiment) Corresponding to zero-cross. Inverters 116, 117, 18 and 118 invert the outputs of the comparators 113, 114, and 115, respectively. One-shot multivibrators 102, 103, and 104 produce Q outputs on the basis of changes in outputs of the comparators 113, 114, and 115. A U-phase AND gate 119 outputs the AND of an output from the U-phase inverter 116, a Q output from the W-phase one-shot multivibrator 104, and a Q bar output from the W-phase F/F 111. A U-phase OR gate 106 outputs the OR of an output from the U-phase AND gate 119 and a Q output from the one-shot multivibrator 102 to a reset terminal R of the U-phase F/F 109. A V-phase AND gate 120 outputs the AND of an output from the V-phase inverter 117, a Q output from the U-phase one-shot multivibrator 102, and a Q bar output from the U-phase F/F 109. A V-phase OR gate 107 outputs the OR of an output from the V-phase AND gate 120 and a Q output from the one-shot multivibrator 103 to a reset terminal R of the V-phase F/F. A W-phase AND gate 121 outputs the AND of an output from the W-phase inverter 118, a Q output from the V-phase one-shot multivibrator 103, and a Q bar output from the V-phase F/F 110. A W-phase OR gate 108 outputs the OR of an output from the W-phase AND gate 121 and a Q output from the one-shot multivibrator 104 to a reset terminal R of the W-phase F/F 111. Next, the regulating operation of the regulator 100 constructed as above will be described below with reference to a waveform diagram of Fig. 14 and an input/output correspondence table of Fig. 15. 19 When the battery voltage VB reaches the regulating voltage Vreg at time tl in Fig. 14, the output of the comparator 112 in Fig. 13 changes from "L" level to "H" level and the OR gate 105 outputs an "H" level signal, so that the F/F 109, 110, and 111 of the three phases are set. As a result, all of U-FET, V-FET, and W-FET in the full wave rectifier 300 turn ON and the three phases are grounded, that is, come into a regulated state, as shown in the input/output correspondence table of Fig. 15, with consequent lowering in the output voltage of the full wave rectifier 300. Thereafter, upon zero-crossing of W-phase current IW at time t2, the output level of the W-phase comparator 115 changes to "H" and therefore the W-phase multivibrator 104 produces one pulse. As a result, the W-phase F/F 111 is reset and its Q output goes to"L" level, thus causing the W-FET in the full wave rectifier 300 to turn OFF. That is, W phase is reset from the regulated state. At this time, if the voltage VU of U phase which precedes the Wphase is lower than-12.5 mV, that is, if the U-phase current IU is negative, the regulated state of U phase is maintained because the outputs of the U-phase comparator 113 and the inverter 116 are both at "L" level. Thereafter, upon zero-crossing of V-phase current IV at time t3, the output level of the V-phase comparator 114 changes to "H" level and therefore the V-phase multivibrator 103 produces one pulse. As a result, the V-phase F/F 110 is reset and its 20 Q output goes to "L" level, thus causing the V-FET in the full wave rectifier 300 to turn OFF. That is, V phase is also reset from the regulated state. Thereafter, when W-phase current IW again zero-crosses at time t4, the output of the W-phase inverter 118 goes to "H" lever, so that the multivibrator 104 produces one pulse, which is inputted also to the U-phase AND gate 119. At this point, the Q bar output of the W-phase F/F 111 is at "H" level and is inputted to the U-phase AND gate 119. At time t4, moreover, since the U-phase voltage is higher than -12.5 mV, that is, the U-phase current IU is positive, the output of the U-phase comparator 13 and that of the inverter 116 go to "L" and "H, " respectively. As a result, all the three inputs of the U-phase AND gate 119 go to "H" and therefore the output of the same gate goes "H." Further, the U-phase F/F 109 is reset and its Q output goes "L," so that the U-FET in the full wave rectifier 300 turns OFF. Thus, the u phase is also reset from the regulated state. Industrial Applicability Thus, according to this embodiment, once two of the three phases are reset from their regulated state, the remaining one phase can be reset from its regulated state if its phase current is positive when the succeeding phase zero-crosses . Thus, even in the case where an electric machine of an interpole structure is used as a generator, there is no fear that the last phase may be incapable of being reset from its regulated state for an indefinite period. -21- Although in the above embodiment the present invention is applied to the three-phase AC generator, this constitutes no limitation. The present invention is also applicable to AC generators of four or more phases. Although in the above embodiment the zero-cross of a phase current is detected in only one direction, if another set of the configuration shown in Fig. 10 is provided in addition to the set used in the embodiment, it becomes possible to detect the zero-cross in two directions. WE CLAIM: 1. A power generation control unit for a vehicle comprising a rectifier circuit (300) for rectifying alternating currents outputted from constituent phases of a polyphase AC generator (1) and a regulator (100) which brings all the phases into a regulated a state upon arrival of an output voltage from the rectifier circuit at a predetermined regulating voltage, the improvement characterized by: zero-cross detecting means (113, 114, 115) for detecting that the AC current in each of the phases has zero-crossed in the regulated state; first reset means (102, 103, 104, 109, 110, 111) for resetting a zero-crossed phase from the regulated state; decision means (116, 117, 118) which, upon zero-crossing of any of the phases, determines a current direction of the phase which precedes the zero-crossed phase; and second reset means (109, 110, 111, 119, 120, 121) which resets the preceding phase from the regulated state when the current direction of the preceding phase is determined to be a positive direction by said decision means. 2. The control unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein said polyphase AC generator has a stator (50) and windings (53) thereof and a generally cylindrical rotor yoke (61) adapted to rotate along an outer periphery of said stator, with a plurality of permanent magnets (62) being arranged in a circumferential direction of said rotor yoke, said rotor yoke having interpoles (613) each located between adjacent said permanent magnets. The control unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein said regulator has: means for setting each phase of polyphase AC generator in a regulated state at a first predetermined timing, and then resetting the phases from the regulated state in series; and means for making a resetting starting phase which first reset from the regulated state in each regulating period different from precede regulating period and next regulating period. The control unit as claimed in claim 3, wherein the regulator has: means (101) for registering a latest resetting phase X in a current regulating period; means (103) for determining a resetting starting phase Y when a next regulating period is started at the first predetermined timing; and regulation start delaying means (104) for setting each of the phases in the regulated state at a second predetermined timing different from the first predetermined timing such that the resetting starting phase in the next regulation period is different from the phase Y when the latest resetting phase X and the next resetting starting phase Y have a predetermined relationship. 24 5. The control unit as claimed in claim 4, wherein the second predetermined timing is that time when one of the phases is zero-crossed after the first predetermined timing. 6. The control unit as claimed in claims 3 to 5, wherein the polyphase AC generator has a stator (50), a winding (53) thereof, and a substantially cylindrical rotor yoke having a plurality of permanent magnets arranged along in a circumferential direction and rotating an outer periphery of the stator, and the rotor yoke has a commutating pole section (613) between each of the permanent magnets adjacent to each other. 7. The control unit as claimed in claim 3, wherein the first predetermined timing is that time when an output voltage of the polyphase AC generator reaches a predetermined voltage. 8. The control unit as claimed in claim 4, wherein the regulation start delaying means (104) has means for setting each of the phases in the regulated state at a second predetermined timing different from the first predetermined timing such that the resetting starting phase in the next regulation period is different from the phase Y when the -25-

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in-pct-2002-00347-mum-form 5(21-3-2002).pdf

in-pct-2002-00347-mum-petition under rule 137(11-5-2005).pdf

in-pct-2002-00347-mum-petition under rule 138(11-5-2005).pdf

in-pct-2002-00347-mum-power of authority(11-5-2005).pdf

in-pct-2002-00347-mum-power of authority(21--3-2002).pdf