Driving apparatus for controlling an electric load in a vehicle

U.S. Patent Number: 5325038

Abstract: The present invention supplies electric power from a battery to a starter and other specific electrical loads which are driven together with the starter with reduced power requirements on the battery. A driving apparatus for controlling an electric load is provided with a battery (1) for supplying the electric power to a starter motor (3) and an electric heater (20) which is attached to a catalyst for cleaning up exhaust gases from the engine. The terminal voltage of the battery (1) during starter motor (3) operation is detected, and the rate of on-off operation to supply the current to the electric heater (20) is controlled by means of a heater controller (5) in accordance with the detected terminal voltage. This conduction timing control is effected by a control circuit (40), being started a first specific time after the start of operation of the starter motor (3) and being ended a second specific time after the end of operation of the starter motor (3).

Inventors: Banzai; Keiichiro (Toyota, JP), Torii; Koshi (Iwakura, JP), Tanahashi; Toshitaka (Okazaki, JP)

Assignee: Nippondenso Co., Ltd. (Kariya, JP)

Application Number: 07/894,768

Issued: 1994-06-28

Expired: 2006-06-28

Classes: 320/135

Field of search: 320/6,13,15,61,64,68

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