# US 4,399,779 A · Distributor with sliding contacts

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- Number: US 4,399,779 A
- Document ID: US4399779A
- Status: Granted
- Kind: A
- Application number: 06/286,181
- Filed: 1981-07-22
- Granted: 1983-08-23
- Earliest claimed: 1980-07-23
- Assignees: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
- Inventors: Hiroshi Endo; Kousaku Baba
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US4399779A

## CPC

- F02P 7/02: of distributors
- F02P 7/021: {Mechanical distributors}
- F02P 9/007: {by supplementary electrical discharge in the pre-ionised electrode interspace of the sparking plug, e.g. plasma jet ignition}
- H01R 39/60: Devices for interrupted current collection, e.g. commutating device, distributor, interrupter (self-interrupters H01H, e.g. H01H51/34)
- 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)
- H01R: ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS

## Abstract

In order to prevent a plasma jet energy from discharging through a spark plug of an internal combustion engine prior to the proper ignition timing, an ignition distributor with a plurality of sliding contacts is proposed. A plasma jet energy as well as a spark energy is selectively delivered to the spark plugs at a predetermined ignition timing through a plurality of contact surfaces mounted on a shaft rotatable in synchronous with the engine crankshaft, thereby an irregular discharge of the plasma jet energy is eliminated.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An ignition distributor for an ignition system for an internal combustion engine, comprising:
a shaft formed of electrically insulating material rotatable about its axis;
a rotor output terminal disposed within said shaft, said rotor output terminal including a plurality of contact surfaces extending to an outer surface of said shaft;
a plurality of stationary brushes circumferentially disposed about the axis of said shaft and arranged to slidingly contact with the corresponding one of said contact surfaces, respectively, said brushes each being disposed within an insulating housing defined at the end of a high tension cord; and
a plurality of separators mounted on said shaft, each separator being arranged to extend from said shaft so as to terminate between two adjacent insulating housings to thereby separate the points of contact between said brushes and said contact surfaces.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

A distributor as claimed in claim 1, wherein said contact surfaces are disposed to said shaft at regular intervals with respect a longitudinal axis of said shaft, and at equiangular positions around said shaft.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

A distributor as claimed in claim 1, wherein said contact surfaces are disposed linearly on said shaft.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

An ignition distributor as claimed in claim 1, wherein said separators are mounted on said shaft so as to be rotatable with respect thereto and held stationary within said distributor.

### Claim 5

A plasma ignition system for an internal combustion engine, comprising:
a spark energy storage system;
a plasma jet energy storage system;
a plurality of spark plugs arranged to produce a plasma jet discharge; and
a distributor connected to said spark energy storage system and said plasma jet energy storage system for delivering a spark energy from said spark energy storage system and a plasma jet energy from said plasma jet energy storage system therethrough to each of said spark plugs in accordance with a predetermined ignition timing, wherein said distributor has sliding contacts and comprises;
a shaft formed of an electrically insulating material rotatable about its axis;
a rotor output terminal disposed within said shaft and electrically connected to said spark energy storage system and said plasma jet energy storage system, said rotor output terminal including a plurality of contact surfaces which extend to an outer surface of said shaft;
a plurality of stationary brushes respectively connected to said spark plugs, circumferentially disposed about the axis of said shaft and arranged to slidingly contact said contact surfaces, respectively, said brushes each being disposed in an insulating housing formed at the end of a high tension cord; and
a plurality of insulating separators mounted on said shaft, each separator extending from the shaft and terminating between adjacent insulating housings.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

A plasma ignition system as claimed in claim 5, wherein said separators are rotatably mounted on said shaft and arranged to be stationary with respect thereto.