Method and electronic apparatus for reversing the rotation of an engine

Electronic apparatus for reversal of rotation of an internal combustion engine having at least one two-stroke cylinder-piston unit, comprising:

• an engine ignition circuit;
• a voltage generator having a permanent magnet rotor and a stator provided with a winding for generating an alternate voltage for powering the ignition circuit;
• means for supplying phase signals correlated to the direction and speed of rotation of the engine;
• and
• un microprocessor control unit, for controlling the sparking phases of the ignition circuit and for effecting a reversal of rotation of the engine,
• the apparatus comprising:
• a bistable sensor having first and second conductive states, said bistable sensor being cyclically activable during the rotation of the engine for the generation of a first binary signal correlated to said first and second conductive states;
• a circuit for generating a second binary signal correlated to the polarities of the alternate voltage for the ignition circuit;
• the microprocessor control unit comprising signal inlets fed with said first and second binary signals, said control unit being programmed for determining speed and direction of rotation of the engine, and for controlling the ignition of the engine during forward and reverse rotation, and for slowing down and reversing the rotation of the engine on the basis of information obtained from said first and second binary signals.

A rotation reversal kit for retrofitting an internal combustion engine having at least one two-stroke cylinder-piston unit, the kit comprising:

• an engine ignition circuit;
• a voltage generator having a permanent magnet rotor and a stator provided with a winding for generating a voltage for feeding the ignition circuit;
• means for supplying a phase signal correlated to the direction and speed of rotation of the engine;
• a microprocessor-control unit for controlling the sparking phases of the ignition circuit and for effecting a reversal of rotation of the engine;
• a bistable sensor cyclically activable during the rotation of the engine, to provide the generation of a first binary signal correlated to conductive states of the sensor;
• a control circuit for generating a second binary signal correlated to the polarities of the feeding voltage for the ignition circuit;
• and in which the microprocessor control unit is provided with said first and second binary signals and is programmed for detecting the speed and direction of rotation, as well as for controlling the sparking of the engine, during forward rotation and reverse rotation, and for slowing down and reversing the rotation of the engine on the basis of information obtained from said first and second binary signal provided by the bistable sensor and said control circuit.