Combined fuel injection-spark ignition apparatus

A combined fuel injection/spark ignition apparatus comprising:

• a valve body having a fuel inlet, a fuel outlet and a fuel flow path extending between the fuel inlet and the fuel outlet;
• a first plunger housed in the valve body and movable between a first position closing the fuel flow path between the fuel inlet and the fuel outIet and a second position opening the fuel flow path to the flow of fuel from the fuel inlet through the fuel outlet;
• first biasing means for normally biasing the first plunger to the first position;
• an inner core;
• an outer core surrounding the inner core;
• coil means including primary and secondary windings surrounding the inner core for inducing magnetic flux in the inner and outer cores, the secondary winding being connectible to a spark igniting means of the engine;
• central processing means, responsive to engine operation condition inputs and executing a stored control program for generating signals causing first and second current levels to be applied to the primary winding of the coil means;
• output means, responsive to the central processing means, for applying first and second current levels to the primary winding;
• first means, including the inner core, outer core and the valve body, through which magnetic flux passes when a current of a first level is applied to the primary winding of the coil means for moving the first plunger to a second position opening the fuel flow path for the flow of fuel between the fuel inlet and the fuel outlet, the first means including the inner and outer cores having spaced end portions, the first plunger being spaced from the end portions of the inner and outer cores when in the first position and being magnetically attracted to and connecting the ends portions of the inner and outer cores when moved to the second position when current of a first level is applied to the primary winding of the coil means;
• and
• second means, including the inner core and the outer core, through which magnetic flux passes when current of a second higher level is applied to the primary winding for shunting magnetic flux from the first means and causing the first plunger to move to the first position closing the fuel flow path, the second means including:
• an intermediate portion formed on the outer core having opposed faces spaced from an intermediate portion of the inner core;
• a second plunger movably disposed about the inner core and movable between a first position spaced from the intermediate portion of the outer core and a second position contacting the intermediate portion of the outer core and connecting the intermediate portion of the outer core to the inner core;
• and
• second biasing means for normally biasing the second plunger to the first position, the second biasing means having a higher biasing force than the first biasing means.