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US 5,429,103 AGranted
High performance ignition system
AssigneeEnox Technologies, Inc.
InventorStanley R. Rich
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Apparatus and method for a plasma discharge for ignition in an internal combustion engine. A digital electronic system controls ignition performance and can provide an ignition discharge throughout an entire power stroke of a piston in a cylinder. The discharge can be controlled by a signal from a conventional distributor, crank trigger or other source.
Claims43
A system for igniting a fuel mixture in a cylinder, comprising:
- a discharge capacitor coupled to an ignition coil by means of a switch, wherein the circuit comprising said discharge capacitor and said ignition coil has a resonant frequency which generates a voltage across said ignition coil comprising a plurality of exponentially decaying sinusoidal waveforms when said switch is closed, and a charging circuit for charging said discharge capacitor through said ignition coil, the charging circuit comprising a buffered amplifier that amplifies a signal received from an oscillator, wherein when said switch is closed the buffered amplifier is off, and when said switch is open the buffered amplifier is on.
An ignition system comprising:
- a spark plug coupled to a first winding of an ignition coil;
- a switching means coupling a discharge capacitor to a second winding of said ignition coil;
- control means for opening and closing said switching means to couple said discharge capacitor to said ignition coil in synchronization with timing signals received from an engine sensor;
- and
- charging means coupled to said control means and said discharge capacitor for charging said discharge capacitor through said ignition coil, the charging means providing a rectified oscillating output signal generated from an oscillator when the charging means is operating to charge said discharge capacitor;
- wherein said discharge capacitor generates a voltage across said ignition coil comprising a plurality of exponentially decaying sinusoidal waveforms.
3 more elements
A method for igniting a fuel mixture in a cylinder of an engine, comprising:
- generating a first signal indicative of piston position in a first cylinder, for beginning ignition in said first cylinder;
- discharging and recharging a capacitor through the primary winding of an ignition coil in response to said first signal, the recharging of the capacitor being performed by providing to the capacitor a rectified oscillating signal generated from an oscillator;
- generating a second signal indicative of piston position in a second cylinder for beginning ignition in said second cylinder;
- and using said second signal to terminate ignition in said first cylinder.
1 more element
A method for reducing detonation in an internal combustion engine comprising the steps of:
- furnishing a train of waveforms to a spark plug, wherein each element in the train includes an exponentially decaying sinusoid, and wherein each train comprises one or more such waveforms, the waveforms being produced by discharging and recharging a capacitor through the primary winding of an ignition coil coupled to the spark plug, the recharging of the capacitor being performed by providing to the capacitor a rectified oscillating signal generated from an oscillator.
A system for igniting an air-fuel mixture in a cylinder, comprising:
- a capacitor coupled to an ignition coil;
- a semiconductive switching device having a transconductive path and control electrode for controlling conduction through said path coupled to said capacitor and said ignition coil;
- a control signal for turning said switching device on and off coupled to said control electrode;
- and
- charging means coupled to said capacitor for charging said capacitor through said ignition coil, the charging means providing a rectified oscillating output signal generated from an oscillator when the charging means is operating to charge said capacitor;
- wherein when said switching device conducts, said capacitor discharges through said ignition coil, and when said switching device does not conduct, said capacitor charges by means of said charging means.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.