High voltage distributor utilizing a high dielectric fluid medium
AssigneeFord Motor Company
InventorsDavid H. Fox, Robert L. Kuhn
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A high voltage distributor is reduced significantly in size by utilizing a dielectric fluid medium having a high dielectric constant between adjacent spark plug contacts. The distributor includes a fluid-tight chamber which contains the fluid medium, a rotor, a common high voltage supply contact and a plurality of spark plug contacts concentrically disposed to provide a metal-to-metal conduction path with the rotor. The rotor defines an electrically conducting path between the common high voltage supply contact and sequentially selected spark plug contacts, and contains a magnetic element which is magnetically coupled to a corresponding magnet at one end of a rotationally driven shaft, located external to the fluid-tight chamber.
Claims13
A distributor for sequentially switching high voltage supplied at a common terminal to individually selected output terminals comprising:
- housing means for mounting said common and output terminals and for defining a fluid-tight cavity;
- rotor means mounted for rotation about an axis within said defined cavity in electrical contact with said common terminal and providing an electrically conducting path from said common terminal and individually selected output terminals;
- said rotor means also includes a permanent magnet, defining north and south poles orthogonal to said axis, mounted for magnetic communication with an externally generated magnetic field;
- shaft means for communicating rotational driving force to said rotor means, wherein said shaft means includes a first end having a permanent magnet, defining north and south poles oppositely corresponding to said rotor magnet, positioned adjacent said housing to provide said externally generated magnetic field;
- and
- a dielectric fluid having a dielectric constant greater than that of air, occupying the remainder of said cavity.
A distributor for sequentially switching high voltage supplied at a common terminal to individually selected output terminals comprising:
- housing means for mounting said common and output terminals and for defining a fluid-tight cavity;
- rotor means mounted for rotation about an axis within said defined cavity in electrical contact with said common terminal and individually selected output terminals;
- said rotor means also includes a permanent magnet, defining north and south poles orthogonal to said axis, mounted for magnetic communication with an externally generated magnetic field;
- shaft means for communicating rotational driving force to said rotor means, wherein said shaft means includes a first end having a permanent magnet, defining north and south poles oppositely corresponding to said rotor magnet, positioned adjacent said housing to provide said externally generated magnetic field;
- a dielectric fluid having a dielectric constant greater than that of air, occupying the remainder of said cavity;
- said housing means includes circumferentially arranged contacts disposed within said cavity correspondingly electrically connected to said output terminals and
- a centrally located contact electrically connected to said common terminal;
- said axis extends through said centrally located contact, said circumferentially arranged contacts are disposed within said cavity concentric about said axis;
- and
- said rotor means includes an electrically conducting ball bearing for individually contacting selected ones of said circumferentially arranged contacts and an electrically conducting mounting post electrically contacting said spring.
An automotive distributor for sequentially switching a high voltage supply through a common terminal to individual ones of a plurality of output terminals in synchronization with the speed of an associated engine, comprising:
- shaft means having a permanent magnet mounted on one end thereof being connected to said engine for communicating drive rotation forces about an axis in proportional synchronization therewith;
- means surrounding said shaft means for housing said distributor;
- means within said housing means defining a circular chamber concentric with said axis, having defined upper and lower portions and including a lower bearing centrally protruding into said lower chamber portion;
- means within said chamber defining a plurality of separate arcuate contacts respectively electrically connected to corresponding output terminals;
- means within said chamber defining a common contact including an electrically conductive bearing centrally protruding into said upper chamber portion coaxial with said lower bearing, electrically connected to said common terminal;
- rotor means mounted within said chamber for rotation about said axis and for providing sequential and separate electrical connections between said common contact and said arcuate contact wherein said rotor means includes a permanent magnet mounted therein for alignment and communication with said shaft means magnet to receive said drive rotation forces therefrom;
- and
- liquid means occupying the remainder of said chamber for providing a dielectric medium having a dielectric constant greater than that of air.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.