Distributorless capacitive discharge ignition system
AssigneeCombustion Electronics, Inc.
InventorsMichael A. V. Ward, Winfield Hill, Fred Kern
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A high power high energy distributorless ignition system for multicylinder internal combustion engines using a single energy storage capacitor (4), a single leakage resonating inductor (20) with a switch SS partially or entirely across it, and one or more coils Ti with bi-directional switches Si and with single or double hith voltage outputs, the system defining a compact coil assembly powered by a resonant converter power supply (12), the ignition power delivery controlled by means of circuitry based on a robust gate (17), an oscillator (19), and steering circuitry (21).
Claims28
A capacitive discharge ignition system comprising:
- (a) at least one energy storage and discharge capacitor C,
- (b) at least one resonating inductor means of inductance Le,
- (c) at least two ignition coils Ti, each of said coils being separate from the said resonating inductor means,
- (d) ignition coil primary current switch means Si for each coil Ti, and
- (e) DC power source means for supplying power to the ignition system by charging up said capacitor C,
- the switch means Si comprising high current bi-directional switch means constructed and arranged to control, in both directions, primary discharge current Ip flowing in the primary windings of said coils Ti.
A capacitive discharge ignition system comprising:
- (a) at least one energy storage and discharge capacitor C,
- (b) at least one resonating inductor means of inductance Le,
- (c) at least two, ignition coils Ti
- (d) ignition coil primary current switch means Si for each coil Ti, and
- (e) DC power source means for supplying power to the ignition system by charging up said capacitor C,
- the system further including high current control means SS constructed and arranged to controllably short out at least part of inductor Le during at least part of the firing of at least one of the ignition discharge circuits.
A capacitive discharge plasma jet ignition system including at least one energy storage and discharge capacitor C connected to at least two ignition coils Ti via a common rail connector R, with coil Ti leakage inductance Lpei connected in series with capacitor C along the rail R, each coil Ti including a series switch Si in its primary coil winding circuit and also including a by-pass inductor Lbi connected between an end of the coil primary winding via rail R and the high voltage secondary of the coil Ti through an auxiliary gap Gai,
- the circuit being constructed and arranged such that when each coil Ti is fired by means of its switch Si the gap Gai breaks down and places high voltage on one end of its associated by-pass inductor Lbi which in turn fires a main gap Gmi whereupon capacitor C discharges its energy through a path which includes the capacitor C, by-pass inductor Lbi and main gap, and does not include switch Si.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.