Distribution of corona igniter power signal

A corona discharge ignition system, comprising:

• a plurality of corona igniters for receiving energy and emitting an alternating electrical field to provide a corona discharge;
• a control and drive electronics unit for directing the energy from a power supply toward said corona igniters;
• a transformer disposed between said control and drive electronics unit and said corona igniters for receiving the energy from said control and drive electronics unit and directing the energy from said control and drive electronics unit toward said corona igniters;
• a plurality of electromechanical relays each connected to said control and drive electronics unit and to said transformer and each connected to a separate one of said corona igniters for receiving a control signal from said control and drive electronics unit and for allowing current from said transformer to travel to said one connected corona igniter in response to the control signal;
• each of said electromechanical relays including an igniter switching unit being activated and deactivated in response to the control signal for allowing current to travel from said transformer to said one connected corona igniter when said igniter switching unit is activated and preventing current from traveling from said transformer to said one connected corona igniter and from said one connected corona igniter toward said transformer when said igniter switching unit is deactivated, and wherein only one of said igniter switching units is activated at any given time.

A corona discharge ignition system, comprising:

• a plurality of corona igniters for receiving energy and oscillating at a resonant frequency and emitting an alternating electrical field to provide a corona discharge;
• each of said corona igniters including an electrode for receiving the energy and emitting the electrical field providing the corona discharge, each of said electrodes being surrounded by an insulator, and each of said insulators being surrounded by a shell formed of metal;
• a power supply for providing the energy ultimately to said corona igniters;
• a control and drive electronics unit for receiving the energy from said power supply and directing the energy toward said corona igniters;
• a single transformer disposed between said control and drive electronics unit and said corona igniters for receiving the energy from said control and drive electronics unit and directing the energy from said control and drive electronics unit toward said corona igniters, wherein said single transformer is the only transformer in the system;
• said transformer receiving the energy in the form of a direct current and amplifying the voltage up to. kilovolts (peak to peak) and reducing the current of the energy prior to directing the energy in the form of an alternating current toward said corona igniters;
• a transformer switching unit including a pair of transistors disposed between and connected to said control and drive electronics unit and said transformer for allowing current to travel from said control and drive electronics unit to said transformer when one of said transistors is activated by said control and drive electronics unit and for preventing current from traveling from said control and drive electronics unit to said transformer when said transistors of said transformer switching unit is deactivated by said control and drive electronics unit;
• each of said transistors of said transformer switching unit being activated once every half cycle corresponding to the resonant frequency of said corona igniter to provide the current to said transformer at times causing said corona igniters to oscillate at their resonant frequency;
• each of said transistors of said transformer switching unit being activated a plurality of times per second and being deactivated the remainder of each second during operation of the system;
• a plurality of isolated switch controls each connected to said control and drive electronics unit and each connected to a separate one of said corona igniters for receiving a control signal from said control and drive electronics unit and for allowing the energy from said transformer to travel to said one connected corona igniter in response to the control signal;
• the control and drive electronics unit transmitting the control signal to only one of said isolated switch controls at any given time during operation of the system;
• the number of isolated switch controls equaling the number of corona igniters;
• a plurality of igniter switching units each disposed between and connected to one of said isolated switch controls and said one connected corona igniter;
• each of said igniter switching units being activated and deactivated by said isolated switch controls in response to said control signal;
• each of said igniter switching units being connected to said single transformer for allowing the current to travel from said single transformer to said one connected corona igniter when said igniter switching unit is activated;
• each of said igniter switching units being capable of preventing the current from traveling from said transformer to said connected corona igniter and from said one connected corona igniter toward said transformer when said igniter switching unit is deactivated;
• each of said igniter switching units being activated a plurality of times per second and fewer times per second than said transistors of said transformer switching unit and being deactivated the remainder of each second during operation of the system;
• the number of said igniter switching units proportional to the number of said corona igniters;
• and
• only one of said igniter switching units being activated at any given time during operation of the system.

A method for operating a corona discharge ignition system, comprising the steps of:

• providing energy from a power supply to a control and drive electronics unit;
• transferring the energy from the control and drive electronics unit toward a plurality of corona igniters;
• increasing the voltage of the energy before transferring the energy from the control and drive electronics unit toward the plurality of corona igniters;
• providing a plurality of igniter switching units each connected to a transformer and to a separate one of the corona igniters;
• activating the igniter switching units to convey current from the transformer through the igniter switching units to the plurality of corona igniters and deactivating the igniter switching units to prevent current from traveling to and from the connected corona igniters;
• and
• the step of activating the igniter switching units including activating only one of the igniter switching units and conveying current to only one of the corona igniters at any given time during operation of the system.