Internal combustion engine ignition device

A method of igniting an oxygen-fuel mixture in an internal combustion engine comprising:

• providing at least one ignition device in an internal combustion engine having at least one combustion chamber, the at least one ignition device comprising:
• an ignition device housing;
• a laser source coupled to the ignition device housing for generating a laser beam capable of ionizing a fuel and/or an oxygen-containing gas used for combustion of the fuel in the combustion chamber;
• an electrical spark generator having only a cathode electrode coupled to the ignition device housing, the spark generator being configured for generating an electrical spark that emanates from the cathode electrode;
• and
• a remote ground electrode located on an area of the combustion chamber that is spaced from the electrical spark generator;
• introducing fuel and an oxygen-containing gas for combustion into the combustion chamber;
• generating laser beam with the laser source so that the fuel and/or oxygen-containing gas used for combustion in the combustion chamber is ionized prior to spark generation and ignition;
• generating an electrical spark with the electrical spark generator so that the electrical spark emanates from the cathode electrode and extends through the ionized fuel and/or ionized oxygen-containing gas to the remote ground electrode located within the combustion chamber to provide more efficient and rapid fuel combustion within the combustion chamber.

An internal combustion engine ignition device comprising:

• an ignition device housing;
• a laser source coupled to the ignition device housing for generating a laser beam capable of ionizing a fuel and/or an oxygen-containing gas for combustion of the fuel in a combustion chamber;
• and
• an electrical spark generator having a cathode electrode coupled to the ignition device housing, the spark generator being configured for generating an electrical spark that emanates from the cathode within the combustion chamber and extends through the ionized fuel and/or ionized oxygen-containing gas to a ground electrode located within the combustion chamber to provide more efficient and rapid fuel combustion within the combustion chamber;
• and wherein
• the laser source generates the laser beam so that the laser beam is in close proximity to that portion of the cathode electrode from which the electrical spark emanates and at least a portion of the laser beam is focused on the ground electrode.