Control circuit for capacitor discharge ignition system

A control circuit for use with a capacitor discharge ignition system of an engine having an ignition capacitor, comprising:

• a timing circuit having a first switching device;
• a shutdown circuit having a second switching device, a kill-switch and a shutdown capacitor that is part of an RC circuit, said second switching device being coupled to said kill-switch, said shutdown capacitor and said first switching device;
• and
• wherein activation of said kill-switch causes:
• (i) said second switching device to discharge said shutdown capacitor, (ii) said discharged shutdown capacitor to activate said first switching device, (iii) said activated first switching device to discharge the ignition capacitor, and (iv) said RC circuit to prolong the activation of said first switching device.

A capacitor discharge ignition system for use with a light-duty combustion engine, comprising:

• a flywheel having at least one magnetic element;
• a stator assembly having a lambstack located proximate said flywheel;
• an ignition coil having primary and secondary windings carried by said lambstack;
• a spark plug coupled to said secondary winding;
• a control circuit coupled to said primary winding and having a charging circuit, a timing circuit and a shutdown circuit;
• said charging circuit includes a charge coil carried by said lambstack and coupled to an ignition capacitor, at least some of the energy induced in said charge coil is stored on said ignition capacitor;
• said timing circuit generates a trigger signal and includes a trigger coil that is carried by said lambstack and is coupled to a first switching device, said trigger signal is generated by said trigger coil and causes said first switching device to discharge said ignition capacitor;
• said shutdown circuit generates a shutdown signal and includes a second switching device coupled to a kill-switch and a shutdown capacitor, said shutdown signal is generated by activation of said kill-switch and causes said second switching device to discharge said shutdown capacitor;
• and
• wherein discharge of said shutdown capacitor biases said first switching device such that it continues to discharge said ignition capacitor.

A shutdown method for use with a spark ignition combustion engine, comprising the steps of:

• (a) generating a shutdown signal in response to activation of a kill-switch;
• (b) discharging a shutdown capacitor in response to said shutdown signal;
• (c) discharging an ignition capacitor in response to said shutdown capacitor discharge, wherein said ignition capacitor discharge causes a final ignition pulse;
• and
• (d) utilizing an RC circuit to continue said ignition capacitor discharge until the combustion engine comes to a stop.