Engine ignition timing and power supply system
AssigneeContinental Motors, Inc.
InventorJeffrey K. Hunt
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An internal combustion engine for an aircraft can include a crankshaft configured to drive a propeller; a camshaft coupled to the crankshaft; and an ignition controller coupled to the camshaft and including a visual indicator, the visual indicator configured to produce a visual signal at a predetermined angular position of the engine. An ignition controller for an internal combustion engine can include a housing and a P-lead connection extending from the housing, the ignition controller configured to selectively supply or cut main electrical power from the engine via the P-lead connection, the ignition controller also configured to selectively supply its own power.
Claims30
An internal combustion engine for an aircraft, the engine comprising:
- a crankshaft configured to drive a driven element;
- a first camshaft coupled to the crankshaft;
- a second camshaft coupled to the crankshaft;
- a first ignition controller coupled to the first camshaft and comprising an indicator, the indicator configured to produce a signal at a predetermined angular position of the first ignition controller;
- a P-lead connection of the first ignition controller in electrical communication with a main battery of the aircraft;
- and
- a second ignition controller coupled to the second camshaft and comprising an indicator, the indicator configured to produce a signal at a predetermined angular position of the second ignition controller, a P-lead connection of the second ignition controller in electrical communication with a battery of the aircraft, the battery being the main battery of the aircraft;
- and a switch connected to each of the P-lead connection of the first ignition controller, the P-lead connection of the second ignition controller, and the main battery, the switch configured to selectively connect to ground or disconnect from the main battery the P-lead connection of the first ignition controller and selectively connect to ground or disconnect from the battery the P-lead connection of the second ignition controller.
An ignition controller comprising:
- a body configured to mount in place of a magneto on an internal combustion engine;
- a permanent magnet generator positioned within the body and configured to supply an independent source of power to the engine;
- and
- a visual indicator configured to produce a signal on an outer surface of a body of the ignition controller at a predetermined angular position of the engine during initial synchronization of the ignition controller with the engine.
A method of timing an internal combustion engine of an aircraft, the method comprising:
- rotating a crankshaft of the engine to a predetermined angular position of the engine, the predetermined angular position of the engine being a one of a full advance and a top dead center position of a number one cylinder of the engine;
- rotating an ignition controller of the engine with respect to the engine, the ignition controller being an electronic engine controller, the electronic engine controller comprising a permanent magnet generator;
- activating a visual indicator of the ignition controller when a drive shaft of the ignition controller reaches an angular position that corresponds to the predetermined angular position of the engine;
- and
- securing the ignition controller to the engine after the ignition controller reaches the predetermined angular position of the engine.
A method of testing a pair of electronic engine controllers in an internal combustion engine of an aircraft, the method comprising:
- grounding a P-lead connection of a first electronic engine controller of the pair of electronic engine controllers while opening a P-lead connection to a second electronic engine controller of the pair of electronic engine controllers;
- checking for normal operation of the second electronic engine controller while the P-lead connection of the first electronic engine controller is grounded and while the P-lead connection of the second electronic engine controller is open;
- grounding the P-lead connection of the second electronic engine controller while opening the P-lead connection to the first electronic engine controller;
- and
- checking for normal operation of the first electronic engine controller while the P-lead connection of the second electronic engine controller is grounded and while the P-lead connection of the first electronic engine controller is open.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.