Electronic device, in particular an alternator regulator, and method for regulating such a device

Abstract

An electronic device, in particular an alternator regulator, comprising a power stage to be connected to an inductive load, in particular to an alternator inductor, comprising at least one first pair of power transistors connected to a terminal of a DC bus, and a control circuit for said transistors, the transistors being disposed in parallel between said terminal of the DC bus and a first output to be connected to the load, at least one flyback diode connecting the opposite terminal of the DC bus to the first output, the control circuit being designed to generate a pulsed control signal for regulating the current in the load and for detecting a failure of one of the transistors, the control circuit being designed, during normal operation, to send the control signal to one of the transistors of the first pair, while maintaining the other transistor of said pair in an off-state.

Claims

1. An electronic device, comprising: a power stage to be connected to an inductive load, including at least one first pair of power transistors connected to a terminal of a DC bus, and a control circuit for said first pair of power transistors, the first pair of power transistors being disposed in parallel between said terminal of the DC bus and a first output to be connected to the inductive load, at least one flyback diode connecting an opposite terminal of the DC bus to the first output, the control circuit being configured to generate a pulsed control signal for regulating current in the load and for detecting a failure of one of the first pair of power transistors, the control circuit being configured, during normal operation, in the absence of a failure of the first pair of power transistors, to send the control signal to a first one of the first pair of power transistors, while maintaining a second one of said first pair of power transistors in an off-state; and a second pair of transistors connected in parallel between a second output to be connected to the inductive load and the opposite terminal of the DC bus, at least one diode connecting the second output to the terminal of the DC bus, at least a first one of the second pair of transistors being controlled by the control circuit in order to be in an on-state during normal operation, wherein the control circuit is configured, in the event of the failure of the first one of the first pair of power transistors causing the first one of the first pair of power transistors to remain in an open circuit, to control the second one of the first pair of power transistors in order to saturate said second one of the first pair of power transistors, to maintain a first one of the second pair of transistors in the off-state and to send the pulsed control signal to a second one of said second pair of transistors.

2. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein a second one of the second pair of transistors is controlled by the control circuit in order to be in an off-state during normal operation.

3. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the control circuit is configured, in the event of the failure of the first one of the second pair of transistors causing the first one of the second pair of transistors to remain in an open circuit, to control a second one of the second pair of transistors in order to saturate said second one of the second pair of transistors.

4. The device as claimed in claim 1, comprising two flyback diodes in parallel.

5. The device as claimed in claim 1, comprising two diodes in parallel connecting the second output to the terminal of the DC bus.

6. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the device is configured to operate in negative forcing mode when the current in the inductive load has to be rapidly cancelled for purposes of the regulation, the negative forcing mode being a mode for inverting voltage at the terminals of the inductive load, and in which transistors of both the first pair of power transistors and the second pair of transistors are controlled in the off-state.

7. The device as claimed in claim 1, the pulsed control signal being a PWM (Pulse Width Modulation) control signal.

8. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first pair of power transistors belonging to a power module comprising three branches in parallel, each branch comprising two transistors in series, and a seventh transistor in series with a diode, an assembly formed by the seventh transistor in series with the diode being connected in parallel with the three branches, the first pair of power transistors each being held within a respective branch.

9. The device as claimed in claim 8, wherein a first one of a second pair of transistors is held within a remaining branch and a second one of the second pair of transistors is formed by the seventh transistor that is in series with the diode.

10. The device as claimed in claim 1, the first pair of power transistors are IGBTs or MOSFETs.

11. The device of claim 1, wherein the device is an alternator regulator.

12. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first pair of power transistors are disposed in such way that a drain of a first transistor and a drain of a second transistor are directly connected to each other, and a source of the first transistor and a source of the second transistor are directly connected to each other.

13. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the control circuit is configured, in the event of the failure of the first one of the first pair of power transistors causing the first one of the first pair of power transistors to remain in an open circuit, to send the pulsed control signal to the second one of the first pair of power transistors.

14. A method for regulating an alternator, in which an inductor of the alternator is connected to the outputs of a regulator including a power stage including a first pair of power transistors connected in parallel between a terminal of a DC bus and a first terminal of the inductor, a second pair of transistors connected in parallel between a second terminal of the inductor and an opposite terminal of the DC bus, at least one diode connecting the second terminal of the inductor to the terminal of the DC bus, at least one flyback diode connecting the opposite terminal of the DC bus to the first terminal of the inductor, and a control circuit configured to generate a pulsed control signal for regulating current in the inductor and for detecting a failure of one of the first pair of power transistors and the second pair of transistors, the method comprising: controlling, during normal operation of the regulator, at least a first one of the second pair of transistors by the control circuit to be in the on-state, the control signal being sent to a first one of the first pair of power transistors, while maintaining a second one of said first pair of power transistors in an off-state; controlling, in event of a request for rapid cancellation of the current in the inductor for purposes of the regulation, the first pair of power transistors and the second pair of transistors in the off-state; sending, in event of a failure of the first one of the first pair of power transistors causing the first one of the first pair of power transistors to remain in an open circuit, the pulsed control signal to the second one of said first pair of power transistors for the purposes of regulating the current in the inductor; controlling, in event of failure of the first one of the second pair of transistors causing the first one of the second pair of transistors to remain in an open circuit, a second one of said second pair of transistors in order to saturate said first one of the second pair of transistors; controlling, in event of failure of the first one of the first pair of power transistors causing the first one of the first pair of power transistors to remain in an open circuit, the second one of said first pair of power transistors in order to saturate the first one of the first pair of power transistors with the failure; maintaining, in the event of the failure of the first one of the first pair of power transistors causing the first one of the first pair of power transistors to remain in an open circuit, the first one of the second pair of transistors in the off-state; and sending, in the event of the failure of the first one of the first pair of power transistors causing the first one of the first pair of power transistors to remain in an open circuit, the pulsed control signal to the second one of said second pair of transistors for the purposes of regulating the current in the inductor.

15. An electronic device, comprising: a power stage to be connected to an inductive load, including at least one first pair of power transistors connected to a terminal of a DC bus, and a control circuit for said first pair of power transistors, the first pair of power transistors being disposed in parallel between said terminal of the DC bus and a first output to be connected to the inductive load, at least one flyback diode connecting an opposite terminal of the DC bus to the first output, the control circuit being configured to generate a pulsed control signal for regulating current in the load and for detecting a failure of one of the first pair of power transistors, the control circuit being configured, during normal operation, in the absence of a failure of the first pair of power transistors, to send the control signal to a first one of the first pair of power transistors, while maintaining a second one of said first pair of power transistors in an off-state; and a second pair of transistors connected in parallel between a second output to be connected to the inductive load and the opposite terminal of the DC bus, at least one diode connecting the second output to the terminal of the DC bus, at least a first one of the second pair of transistors being controlled by the control circuit in order to be in an on-state during normal operation, wherein the device is configured to operate in negative forcing mode when current in the inductive load has to be rapidly cancelled for purposes of the regulation, the negative forcing mode being a mode for inverting voltage at the terminals of the inductive load, and in which transistors of both the first pair of power transistors and the second pair of transistors are controlled in the off-state.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(1) The present invention will be better understood upon reading the following detailed description of non-limiting embodiments thereof, and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

(2) FIG. 1 shows a schematic perspective view of an example of a unit according to the invention;

(3) FIG. 2 shows a bottom view of the unit;

(4) FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 of an alternative embodiment;

(5) FIG. 4 shows the unit with the radiator removed;

(6) FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 4 with the output seal of the capacitors removed;

(7) FIG. 6 shows an isolated perspective view of the lower part of the casing;

(8) FIG. 7 shows a front view of the unit;

(9) FIG. 8 is a view similar to FIG. 7 following the removal of the access hatch to the ancillary module;

(10) FIG. 9 shows an isolated view of the upper part of the casing;

(11) FIG. 10A shows the unit with the upper part of the casing removed;

(12) FIG. 10B is a transverse section view of the unit;

(13) FIG. 10C shows the power card from the side of its face opposite the radiator;

(14) FIG. 10D is a schematic and partial transverse section view of the unit;

(15) FIG. 10E shows the unit with the board of the power card removed;

(16) FIG. 11 shows a detailed view of FIG. 10A;

(17) FIG. 12 is an exploded view revealing certain constituent components of the unit;

(18) FIG. 13 is a diagram of the power bridge of the unit; and

(19) FIG. 14 shows the correspondence between the transistors of the bridge and the power module in one embodiment.

(20) The unit 1 shown in FIGS. 1 to 12 is an alternator regulator, but the invention is not limited to an alternator regulator and is also applicable to a variable speed drive or to an inverter, among other units implementing relatively bulky power components and electrochemical capacitors.

(21) The unit 1 comprises a heat sink 10, also called a radiator, at the rear, which heat sink has parallel fins 11, the bases of which connect to a wall 12. The radiator 10 is conventionally made of aluminum or aluminum alloy using a die, for example.

(22) The unit 1 can be devoid of a fan, with the cooling of the radiator 10 being carried out by natural convection only.

(23) The radiator 10 defines two longitudinal slides 13, each extending along the outermost fin 11a, intended to accommodate different shaped attachment elements 20 or 20′, respectively shown in FIGS. 2 and 3.

(24) The fin 11a has, on the free edge thereof, a folded edge 11b that is folded inwardly. This folded edge 11b faces a folded edge 11c directed toward the fin 11a, supported by a fin 11d of the radiator 10, as shown in FIG. 10B. The folded edges 11b and 11c are coplanar. An intermediate fin 11g of lesser height extends between the fins 11a and 11d. This fin 11g is provided, on the free edge thereof, with a ribbed plate 11h.

(25) Attachment of the Unit

(26) The elements 20 and 20′ are used to attach the unit on a reception surface.

(27) The possibility of using different shaped elements 20 and 20′ increases the number of fitting configurations for the unit.

(28) Each element 20 comprises two tabs 21 each engaged in a slide 13, with these tabs 21 being connected by a strip 22 that is doubly bent in order to define an attachment lug 23 parallel to the strip 22, or perpendicular to the tabs 21, but located at a different height.

(29) The lugs 23 are each traversed by two holes 24.

(30) In the variation of FIG. 3, the strip 22 is replaced by a bracket 25 provided with two attachment lugs 26 directed toward the unit 1, whereas in the example of FIG. 2 the lugs 23 are directed toward the outside and not toward the unit 1. Each lug 26 is provided with a hole 24.

(31) Each tab 21 engaged in a slide 13 comes into abutment against the folded edges 11b and 11c via a face.

(32) A user wishing to attach the unit 1 selects the attachment elements 20 or 20′ that are adapted to the specific case, and engages them in the slides 23. One or more screws, traversing the elements 20 or 20′ in the tapped holes 21a provided to this end, press against the ribbed plate 11h in order to maintain the element 20 or 20′ in position in the slides 13, then the user proceeds to attach the unit 1 by virtue of the screws engaged in the holes 24, for example.

(33) Assembly of the Capacitors

(34) The unit 1 comprises a plurality of electronic cards, including a card 30 called a power card, which supports electrochemical DC bus capacitors 31 that are relatively bulky, for example, with a capacity that is greater than or equal to 200 μF at an isolation voltage that is greater than or equal to 250 VDC, in particular 400 VDC.

(35) These capacitors 31 extend rearward in an opening 15 of the radiator 10. In the considered example, there are five capacitors 31 and the opening 15 assumes the general shape of a U, the concavity of which is turned inward, as shown in FIG. 2 or 3 in particular.

(36) In the considered example, the fins 11 are tall enough to prevent the capacitors 31 from rearwardly exceeding the radiator 10; thus, the capacitors 31 remain relatively protected against any impacts by the fins 11.

(37) The unit 1 comprises a casing comprising a lower part 40 and an upper part 50, shown in FIGS. 6 and 9, respectively.

(38) These parts 40 and 50 are preferably made of plastic, that is preferably reinforced, but by way of a variation they are made of metal, for example, aluminum.

(39) The lower part 40 is produced with an opening 41 for the passage of the capacitors 31.

(40) A recess 42 is formed on the rear face of this lower part, around the opening 41, in order to accommodate a seal 70 formed by a sheet of elastomer material provided with holes for the passage of each capacitor 31. Thus, the seal 70 is applied both to the periphery of the cylindrical body of each capacitor 31 and to the faces facing the lower part 40 of the casing and the radiator 10.

(41) A sealed output for the capacitors 31 is thus ensured and, in the event of water condensation on the fins 11 of the radiator, this water condensation is prevented from seeping into the casing.

(42) In the considered example, the lower part of the casing 40 comprises positioning studs 48 and the seal 70 for the corresponding holes 72 (shown in FIG. 4).

(43) In addition to the openings 73 for the passage of the capacitors 31, the seal 70 comprises, in the example shown, a window 74 for the passage of a spacer 80 that is attached against the radiator 10, the thickness of which is slightly greater than that of the seal 70.

(44) The lower part 40 of the casing has an opening 49 for installing a power module 90 against the radiator 10. This opening 49 communicates with the opening 41, which allows a component to be cooled, for example, a diode bridge or any other component requiring a heat sink, to be attached on the spacer 80. As can be seen in FIG. 10C, which shows the power card 30 with the lower part 40 of the casing removed, the module 90 is soldered onto the printed circuit board 38 of the power card 30 using pins 92. These pins are connected to conductive tracks of the board 38. In the vicinity of the zone for soldering the pins 92 onto the board 38, slots 37 are produced in order to confer elasticity for the attachment of the module 90 on the board 38. Thus, said board can be pressed against the radiator 10 via its face that is opposite the board, even in the event of poor alignment between the board 38 and the internal face facing the radiator 10. The slots 37 limit the force on the pins of the module that is created by the assembly tolerances of the product.

(45) The unit 1 comprises a control card 110 that is superposed on the power card and that comprises one or more microcontrollers or similar circuits for managing the operation of the unit 1.

(46) An HMI interface card 120 is disposed above the control card 110 and comprises a display 121, as well as a plurality of control buttons 122 supported by a board 129.

(47) The unit 1 also comprises cards 130 to 133 that support connectors and terminals that can be accessed from the lateral and lower faces of the casing.

(48) These cards 130 to 133 are oriented perpendicular to the power 30 and control 110 cards. The lower part 40 of the casing is produced with openings 46 for the output of the connectors and terminals.

(49) The unit 1 also comprises a card 190, which supports terminals and connectors and which is located on the side of the unit 1 opposite the card 130.

(50) As can be seen in FIGS. 10D and 10E, the card 190 comprises a printed circuit board 191 that extends parallel to the inner face of the radiator 10 between said radiator and the board 38 of the power card 30. The board 191 is attached on the board 38 using spacers 193.

(51) FIG. 10D shows that the board 38 rests on shafts for receiving screws 200 of the lower part 40 and the board 118 of the card 110 rests on shafts 201. It also can be seen that the inner face 205 of the casing 40 rests on the inner face 206 of the radiator 10.

(52) The board 191 supports connectors and/or terminals 195.

(53) Ground Connection

(54) The unit 1 comprises a part 100 that is used to attach a lug connected to the electrical ground and/or to earth. This part 100 is laterally accessible by virtue of a corresponding opening 45 produced on the lower part 40 of the casing, and has a tapped hole 101 for fixing a retention screw for the lug.

(55) The part 100 is attached to the radiator 10 using two screws 102, as shown in FIG. 5. These screws 102 provide an electrical contact between the radiator 10 and the part 100.

(56) The screws 102 have heads 104 that are applied on corresponding conductive tracks of the power card 30 in order to electrically connect these tracks to the radiator 10 and to the ground and/or earth lug.

(57) The part 100 thus fulfils a dual purpose, namely, on the one hand, that of providing the electrical connection between the radiator 10 and the power card 30 and an external connection via the lug and, on the other hand, that of providing mechanical attachment of the power card 30 on the radiator 10. The use of a single part fulfilling this dual purpose contributes to the compactness of the unit.

(58) Memory Card Connector

(59) The upper part 50 of the casing comprises, as can be seen in FIG. 9 in particular, an opening 51 for the screen 121 and holes 52 for the buttons 122.

(60) A housing 53 is provided to accommodate an additional module 140, shown in FIG. 8, provided with a connector that connects to the control card through an opening 56 opening into the bottom of the housing 53.

(61) The housing 53 is sealed by a hatch 150, shown in FIG. 7 in particular, which is attached on the upper part 50 by a lug 151 provided with a screw that engages in a corresponding tapping 57 provided on the upper part 50.

(62) Means such as a tamperproof label can be disposed on the hatch 150 in order to indicate the removal thereof.

(63) The HMI interface card 120 supports a reader defining a housing 124 for a memory card M, for example, of the “micro SD” type, which opens into a recess 58 of the upper part 50 provided to accommodate the lug 151 for locking the hatch 150.

(64) The unit 1 can be configured to record various operating parameters in the memory card M and thus provide a useful log for performing diagnostics in the event of a breakdown, for example. The memory card M also can be useful for firmware updating operations or for downloading specific parameters to the application.

(65) The HMI interface card 120 also can support, as can be seen in FIG. 10 in particular, one or more front connector(s) 127, of the RJ45 or USB type, for example. The presence of these front access connectors facilitates the operations for updating, programming and performing diagnostics on the unit 1 by an operator.

(66) These connectors 127 are supported by extensions 128 of the printed circuit board 129 of the card 120, which extend on both sides of the recess 58, thus contributing to the compactness of the assembly of the card 120 in the casing of the unit 1.

(67) The unit 1 can comprise, as can be seen in FIG. 10A, a backup battery 160 connected by an electrical cable 162 to the control card 110. This backup battery 160 is flat and is oriented perpendicular to the control card 110, being housed in a corresponding housing 161 arranged in the upper part 50 of the casing next to the housing 53 accommodating the additional module 140.

(68) Thus, it is possible to access this backup battery 160 by removing the hatch 150, as can be seen in FIG. 8, and the maintenance of the unit 1 is facilitated.

(69) Power Transistor Redundancy

(70) FIG. 13 shows a power half-bridge used to carry out a PWM type regulation when the unit 1 is an alternator regulator, with this half-bridge being connected by terminals 230 and 232 to the inductor L of the alternator. This figure also schematically shows a control circuit 240, belonging, for example, to the control card 110, and capable of generating a control signal 241.

(71) The half-bridge shown in FIG. 13 features redundancy for the controlled power components, in order to ensure the control and the supply of the excitation current even in the event of the failure of one of these components, for example, the short-circuiting of a transistor or the permanent blocking of the transistor.

(72) The half-bridge comprises a first pair TH1 and TH2 of power transistors electrically connected in parallel between the (+) terminal of the DC bus 310 and the terminal 230 of the inductor L. Two flyback diodes DL1 and DL2 are connected in parallel between the terminal 230 of the inductor L and the (−) terminal of the DC bus. The cathode of the diodes DL1 and DL2 is connected to the terminal 230.

(73) The half-bridge comprises a second pair TB1, TB2 of power transistors, electrically connected in parallel between the (−) terminal of the DC bus and the terminal 232 of the inductor L. Two diodes DF1 and DF2 are disposed in parallel between the terminal 232 and the (+) terminal of the DC bus, with the cathode thereof being connected to this (+) terminal of the bus.

(74) Monitoring is provided, for example, by the control circuit 240, in order to verify that the transistors TH1, TH2, TB1, TB2 operate without any failures. For example, the voltage at the terminals of the inductor L is monitored by the unit 1 to verify that it properly corresponds to the PWM control.

(75) During normal operation, in the absence of a failure of the transistors, the transistor TB1 is controlled in continuous saturated mode and TB2 is maintained in the off-state on standby. Only the transistor TH1 receives the control signal 241, with the transistor TH2 being maintained in the off-state on standby.

(76) When the transistor TH1 is conduction controlled, the current passes through this transistor, through the inductor and through the transistor TB1. When the transistor TH1 is in the off-state, the current circulating in the inductor circulates as a loop in the transistor TB1 and in the flyback diodes DL1 and DL2.

(77) In the event of negative “forcing”, i.e. when the current in the inductor L needs to be rapidly decreased in order to improve the voltage regulation response of the alternator upon load shedding, the transistor TB1 is in the off-state, and the current circulates through the diodes DL1, DL2 and DF1, DF2 and through the capacitors of the DC bus 310. This has the effect of inverting the voltage at the terminals of the inductor L and of causing the current therein to decrease more quickly.

(78) The unit 1 processes various failure situations of the transistors.

(79) Short-Circuit Breakage of TH1

(80) The result of this failure is that this transistor no longer responds to the PWM command, and the excitation current rapidly increases in the inductor.

(81) In order to resolve the fault, the transistor TH2 is controlled in the saturated state in order to maintain the short-circuit parallel with TH1 and the PWM command is sent to TB1; TB2 is maintained in the off-state.

(82) Only the negative forcing function becomes unavailable, which represents an acceptable loss of operating performance.

(83) Open Circuit Breakage of TH1

(84) The effect of this failure is that the transistor no longer responds to the PWM command and the excitation current decreases rapidly.

(85) In order to respond to this failure, the transistor TH1 is controlled in the off-state in order to prevent any potential erratic switching operations, and the transistor TH2 receives the PWM command instead of TH1. TB1 is maintained in the saturated state and TB2 is maintained in the off-state.

(86) A normal state for regulating the current in the inductor is ensured once again.

(87) Short-Circuit Breakage of TB1

(88) As the normal operating mode of this transistor is the saturated mode, this failure does not have any impact on the excitation current, except for the loss of performance associated with the inability to perform negative forcing.

(89) As long as the short-circuit is maintained, no correction needs to be made to the control in terms of regulating the alternator current during normal operation.

(90) Open Circuit Breakage of TB1

(91) This failure results in a rapid decrease of the current in the inductor, with the transistor no longer responding to the command maintaining its saturation.

(92) In order to overcome this failure, the transistor TB1 is controlled in the off-state to avoid any possible erratic switching operations. The transistor TB2 receives the saturated command instead of TB1. The transistor TH1 continues to receive the PWM command and the transistor TH2 is controlled in the off-state.

(93) A normal state for controlling the excitation current is ensured once again.

(94) In one embodiment of the invention, the transistors TB1, TB2, TH1 and TH2 belong to a monolithic power module 90, shown in FIG. 14, that comprises seven transistors, which are marketed for another application, with these transistors being distributed in three parallel branches 301, 302, 303 each comprising two transistors in series and a seventh transistor in parallel with the three branches, in series with a diode 305.

(95) FIG. 14 shows the transistors of the module 90 that can be used to form the transistors TB1, TB2, TH1 and TH2.

(96) This involves the transistors at the top of the branches 302, 301 for the transistors TH1 and TH2 and the transistor at the bottom of the remaining branch 303 for the transistor TB1, with the transistor TB2 being formed by the transistor that is in series with the diode 305.

(97) The invention is not limited to the example presently described. In particular, the power stage can be produced with discrete components instead of with a module consolidating said components.