# US 4,395,680 A · Automobile timing light

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- Number: US 4,395,680 A
- Document ID: US4395680A
- Status: Granted
- Kind: A
- Application number: 06/220,819
- Filed: 1980-12-29
- Granted: 1983-07-26
- Earliest claimed: 1980-12-29
- Assignees: Sun Electric Corporation
- Inventors: Azriel Slutzky
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US4395680A

## CPC

- F02P 17/06: using a stroboscopic lamp
- F02P: IGNITION, OTHER THAN COMPRESSION IGNITION, FOR INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES; TESTING OF IGNITION TIMING IN COMPRESSION-IGNITION ENGINES ({anti-pollution means for internal-combustion engines F02B17/00}; specially adapted for rotary-piston or oscillating-piston engines F02B53/12; {ignition of gas turbine plants F02C7/26; ignition of jet propulsion plants F02K9/95; starting of combustion engines F02N9/00}; ignition of combustion apparatus in general, glowing plugs F23Q; measuring of physical variables in general G01; controlling in general G05; data processing in general G06; electrical components in general see Section H; {ignition coils H01F38/12}; sparking plugs H01T13/00)

## Abstract

An automobile timing light for use with an internal combustion engine. The timing light includes a skip circuitry for regulating the time between flashes of a flash circuitry for permitting a sufficient charge to develop across a flash powering capacitor between successive flashes. The timing light thus provides a uniformly bright light flash irrespective of engine r.p.m.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A timing light for use with an automobile engine having at least one cylinder, the automobile engine intermittently providing a firing voltage to the one cylinder, comprising, in combination:
(a) flash means for providing a flash of light;
(b) couple means for interconnection to the automobile engine and for providing an input signal representative of the firing voltage
(c) trigger means for activating said flash means in response to said input signal; and
(d) skip circuitry means, responsive to said input signal, for disabling said trigger means from responding to said input signal for a substantially fixed, predetermined period of time after every activation of said flash means by said trigger means, whereby said flash of light has a predetermined brightness.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

A timing light as claimed in claim 1 wherein said skip circuitry means provides a disabling output signal in response to said input signal, said disabling output signal bearing a signal characteristic for indicating said predetermined period of time.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

A timing light as claimed in claim 2 wherein said skip circuitry means includes a monostable multivibrator for generating said disabling output signal.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

A timing light as claimed in claim 2 wherein said trigger means includes controllably conductive means for receiving said input signal and said disabling output signal, said trigger means being disabled whenever said controllably conductive means receives said disabling output signal.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

A timing light as claimed in claim 4 and further comprising means connectable to a power source; and wherein said controllably conductive means generates a status output signal, said status output signal changing in response to said input signal and said disabling output signal; and wherein said trigger means includes activation means for controllably connecting said power source and said flash means in response to a change in said status output.