Variable speed alternator

摘要

A variable speed alternator can include a shaft and adjustable pulley assembly coupled to the shaft. The adjustable pulley assembly can include a support member fixed to the shaft and an adjustable pulley moveably coupled to the support member. The adjustable pulley can have a plurality of individually moveable members each with an outer surface forming a portion of a belt engaging surface for receiving a flat belt to drive the adjustable pulley. Each moveable member can be selectively linearly moveable in a radial direction to vary an outer diameter of the adjustable pulley between a first position having a first outer diameter and a second position having a second outer diameter to selectively vary a driven speed of the alternator shaft.

主权项

1. A variable speed alternator system for a vehicle having an engine, the variable speed alternator system comprising:
a control arrangement including a controller operatively coupled to an alternator speed sensor and an engine speed sensor; an alternator shaft; and an adjustable pulley assembly coupled to the alternator shaft, the pulley assembly including:
a support member fixed to the alternator shaft; andan adjustable pulley moveably coupled to the support member, the adjustable pulley having a plurality of individually moveable members; anda plurality of actuation members each coupled to a respective one of the plurality of moveable members and the support member, each actuation member operatively associated with the controller; wherein each moveable member includes an arcuate shaped outer surface forming a portion of a belt engaging surface for receiving a flat belt to drive the adjustable pulley; and wherein the controller is configured to cause the plurality of actuation members to selectively linearly translate the plurality of moveable members in a radial direction to vary an outer diameter of the adjustable pulley between an unexpanded state having a first outer diameter and an expanded state having a second outer diameter to selectively vary a driven speed of the alternator shaft in response to an output of at least one of the alternator speed sensor and the engine speed sensor; and wherein the plurality of moveable members each extend radially between the arcuate shaped outer surface and an arcuate shaped inner surface, the arcuate shaped outer surface of each moveable member extending circumferentially to form the outer diameter with the arcuate shaped outer surfaces of adjacent moveable members when the moveable members are arranged in the first position and the arcuate shaped inner surface of each moveable member extending circumferentially to form an inner diameter with the arcuate shaped inner surfaces of adjacent moveable members when the moveable members are arranged in the first position such that the arcuate shaped inner surfaces of the moveable members circumscribe and directly engage the alternator shaft when the moveable members are arranged in the first position.