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US 5,473,502 AGranted
Exciter with an output current multiplier
AssigneeSimmonds Precision Engine Systems, Inc.
InventorsHoward V. Bonavia, Dale F. Geislinger, Michael J. Terzo
Life of this patent
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AssigneeSimmonds Precision Engine Systems, Inc.
InventorsHoward V. Bonavia, Dale F. Geislinger, Michael J. Terzo
Estimating the term…
An exciter for an internal combustion engine igniter plug, comprises a continuous AC charging circuit and a discharge circuit. The discharge circuit is connectable to the plug and the charging circuit includes a transformer having a primary winding connectable to an AC power source and a secondary winding connected to the discharge circuit. The discharge circuit includes a storage capacitor connected to the transformer secondary winding such that current induced in the secondary charges the capacitor at a generally constant rate. A switching device is connected in series between the capacitor and the plug; and a trigger circuit triggers the switching device in response to charge on the capacitor; with the charging circuit and trigger circuit operating to maintain a generally constant spark rate. A current multiplier is also provided to substantially increase the peak currents delivered to the plug.
An exciter for an internal combustion engine igniter plug, said exciter comprising a charging circuit and a discharge circuit;
In an exciter of the type used for supplying high energy power to an igniter plug and further having a charging circuit, a capacitor charged by said charging circuit, and a discharge circuit having a switching device for controlling the discharge of energy stored in said capacitor to the plug, the improvement comprising a current multiplier connected between said switching device and the plug.
A method for producing a generally constant spark rate of an igniter plug in an engine, comprising the steps of:
In an exciter of the type used for supplying high energy power to an igniter plug and further having a charging circuit, a capacitor charged by said charging circuit, and a discharge circuit having two or more series connected solid state switching devices for controlling the discharge of energy stored in said capacitor to the plug, the improvement comprising a snubber circuit connected to each of said switching devices, said snubber circuit comprising a gate drive capacitor connected between a gate and anode of said switching device.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.