Contactless and distributorless ignition system

Claim 2

An ignition system for an internal combustion engine comprising a power source, storage capacitor means connected to said power source, first and second spark ignition means, first and second semiconductor switches connecting said storage capacitor means and said spark ignition means, and pulse generating means including a rotor and a first trigger coil having one end connected to one of said switches and having the other end of said trigger coil connected to the other of said switches, said pulse generating means inducing one positive and one negative pulse per revolution in said trigger coil to alternately make conducting said semiconductor switches to successively discharge said storage capacitor means for alternately firing said spark ignition means.

Claim 3

An ignition system in accordance with claim 1 including a third spark ignition means, a third semiconductor switch connecting said capacitor means to said third spark ignition means and said pulse generating means, and a second trigger coil having an end connected to said third semiconductor switch, said second trigger coil having an axis at generally 120* with respect to the axis of said first trigger coil.

Claim 4

An ignition system in accordance with claim 1 including third and fourth spark ignition means, third and fourth semiconductor switches connecting said capacitor means to said third and fourth spark ignition means, and wherein said pulse generating means includes a second trigger coil having ends connected to said third and fourth semiconductor switches, said second trigger coil having an axis at 90* with respect to the axis of said first trigger coil.

Claim 5

An ignition system in accordance with claim 1 wherein said pulse generating means comprises a pair of magnetic pole pieces carried by said rotor, each of said pole pieces having an arcuate extent of less than 180*, and being aligned to form circular ring sectors, and said trigger coil is located adjacent to the periphery of said pole pieces.

Claim 6

An ignition system in accordance with claim 4 wherein said magnetic pole pieces comprise a ring of ferrite with north and south pole pieces and nonmagnetized zones of ferrite separating the ends of the pole pieces.

Claim 7

An ignition system in accordance with claim 4 wherein said pole pieces are separated by zones of highly saturated material.

Claim 8

An ignition sysTem in accordance with claim 4 wherein said pole pieces are separated by high reluctance gaps.

Claim 9

An ignition system for an internal combustion engine comprising voltage generating means adapted to be driven in synchronism with an engine and including a trigger coil, said voltage generating means producing one positive and one negative voltage pulse per revolution, a first thyristor having a gate, a second thyristor having a gate, a storage capacitor, means connected to said storage capacitor for charging said capacitor, a first ignition coil, a second ignition coil, each of said ignition coils having a primary and a secondary, spark discharge means connected to the secondaries of said ignition coils, and circuit means connecting one end of said trigger coil to said first thyristor gate, connecting the other end of said trigger coil to said second thyristor gate, connecting one side of said capacitor to said primaries of said first and second ignition coils and the other side of said capacitor to the cathodes of said thyristors, connecting the other side of said primary of said first ignition coil to the anode of said first thyristor, connecting the other side of said primary of said second ignition coil to the anode of said second thyristor, and connecting the secondaries of each of said first and second ignition coils to said spark discharge means.

Claim 10

An ignition system for an internal combustion engine comprising voltage generating means adapted to be driven in synchronism with an engine and including a trigger coil, said voltage generating means producing one positive and one negative voltage pulse per revolution, a first thyristor having a gate, a second thyristor having a gate, a storage capacitor, means connected to said storage capacitor for charging said capacitor, a first ignition coil, a second ignition coil, each of said ignition coils having a primary and a secondary, spark discharge means connected to the secondaries of said ignition coils, and circuit means connecting one end of said trigger coil to said first thyristor gate, connecting the other end of said trigger coil to said second thyristor gate, connecting one side of said capacitor to said primaries of said first and second ignition coils and the other side of said capacitor to the cathodes of said thyristors, connecting the other side of said primary of said first ignition coil to the anode of said first thyristor, connecting the other side of said primary of said second ignition coil to the anode of said second thyristor, and connecting the secondaries of each of said first and second ignition coils to said spark discharge means.

Claim 11

An ignition system for an internal combustion engine comprising first, second and third ignition coils, each ignition coil having a primary and a secondary, spark ignition means connected to the secondary of each of said ignition coils, a storage capacitor having first and second terminals, means connected to said storage capacitor to charge said capacitor, circuit means connecting said first terminal of said storage capacitor to the primary of each of said ignition coils, a first switch connected to the primary of said first ignition coil and to said second terminal of said capacitor, a second switch connected to the primary of said second ignition coil and to said second terminal of said capacitor, a third switch connected to the primary of said third ignition coil and to said second terminal of said capacitor, and pulse generating means connected to said first, second and third switches and producing 3 pulses per revolution of the engine output shaft to successively make conducting said first, second and third switches to successively discharge said capacitor through said primaries of said first, second and third ignition coils to fire said spark ignition means, said pulse generating means including a first trigger coil having one end electrically connected to said first switch and having the other end thereof electrically connected to said second switch so as to actuate said first switch in response to current flow in said first trigger coil in one direction and to actuate said second switch in response to current flow in said first trigger coil in the opposite direction.

Claim 12

An ignition system for an internal combustion engine comprising first, second and third ignition coils, each ignition coil having a primary and a secondary, spark ignition means connected to the secondary of each of said ignition coils, a storage capacitor having first and second terminals, means connected to said storage capacitor to charge said capacitor, circuit means connecting said first terminal of said storage capacitor to the primary of each of said ignition coils, a first switch connected to the primary of said first ignition coil and to said second terminal of said capacitor, a second switch connected to the primary of said second ignition coil and to said second terminal of said capacitor, a third switch connected to the primary of said third ignition coil and to said second terminal of said capacitor, and pulse generating means connected to said first, second and third switches and producing 3 pulses per revolution of the engine output shaft to successively make conducting said first, second and third switches to successively discharge said capacitor through said primaries of said first, second and third ignition coils to fire said spark ignition means, said pulse generating means including a first trigger coil having one end electrically connected to said first switch and having the other end thereof electrically connected to said second switch so as to actuate said first switch in response to current flow in said first trigger coil in one direction and to actuate said second switch in response to current flow in said first trigger coil in the opposite direction.

Claim 13

An ignition system in accordance with claim 9 wherein said pulse generating means comprises a rotor adapted to be connected to the engine output shaft, said rotor having two magnet pole pieces separated at their ends by high reluctance gaps, one of said pole pieces generally having an arcuate extent of 120* and the other of said pole pieces having an arcuate extent of generally 240*, and a second trigger coil connected to said third switch, said first and second coils being located at an angle of generally 120* about the center of the rotor.

Claim 14

The combination of an engine with an output shaft and an ignition system, said ignition system comprising a pulse generator including a trigger coil with first and second terminals, a rotor connected to said output shaft, a magnet assembly carried by said rotor, said magnet assembly including two arcuately extending pole pieces to induce one positive and one negative pulse in said trigger coil per revolution of said rotor, a first thyristor, a second thyRistor, a storage capacitor, first and second spark discharge means, a first ignition coil, a second ignition coil, a power source, said power source being connected to said storage capacitor, a lead connecting one side of said storage capacitor to one side of the primaries of said ignition coils, a lead connecting the other side of said capacitor to the cathode of said first and second thyristors, a lead connecting the other side of the primary of said first ignition coil to the anode of said first thyristor, a lead connecting said first terminal of said trigger coil to the gate of said first thyristor, a lead connecting said second terminal of said trigger coil to the gate of said second thyristor, a lead connecting the other side of said primary of said second ignition coil to the anode of said second thyristor, a lead connecting the secondary of said first ignition coil to said first spark discharge means, and a lead connecting the secondary of said second ignition coil to said second spark discharge means.

Claim 15

The combination of an engine with an output shaft and an ignition system, said ignition system comprising a pulse generator including a trigger coil with first and second terminals, a rotor connected to said output shaft, a magnet assembly carried by said rotor, said magnet assembly including two arcuately extending pole pieces to induce one positive and one negative pulse in said trigger coil per revolution of said rotor, a first thyristor, a second thyRistor, a storage capacitor, first and second spark discharge means, a first ignition coil, a second ignition coil, a power source, said power source being connected to said storage capacitor, a lead connecting one side of said storage capacitor to one side of the primaries of said ignition coils, a lead connecting the other side of said capacitor to the cathode of said first and second thyristors, a lead connecting the other side of the primary of said first ignition coil to the anode of said first thyristor, a lead connecting said first terminal of said trigger coil to the gate of said first thyristor, a lead connecting said second terminal of said trigger coil to the gate of said second thyristor, a lead connecting the other side of said primary of said second ignition coil to the anode of said second thyristor, a lead connecting the secondary of said first ignition coil to said first spark discharge means, and a lead connecting the secondary of said second ignition coil to said second spark discharge means.

Claim 16

An ignition system in accordance with claim 11 including third and fourth spark discharge means, third and fourth ignition coils, third and fourth thyristors, a second trigger coil having a longitudinal axis at generally 90* with the axis of said first trigger coil, circuit means connecting said third and fourth thyristors to said capacitor and to the primaries of said third and fourth ignition coils, and circuit means connecting said second trigger coil to the gates of said third and fourth thyristors, whereby upon one revolution of said rotor one positive and one negative pulse is induced in each of said trigger coils to successively make conducting said thyristors to sequentially discharge said capacitor through each of said primaries of said ignition coils to fire said spark discharge means.

Claim 17

An ignition circuit including a pair of spark plugs, a source of current, a pair of semiconductor switches each having an element for controlling current therethrough from said source to the respective spark plugs, and pulse generating means including a rotor and coil for causing alternate current flow in said coil in response to rotation of said rotor, said coil having ends respectively connected to the current controlling elements of said semiconductor switches to alternately operate said switches to pass current to said spark plugs in response to alternate current flow in said coil.

Claim 18

An ignition circuit including a pair of spark plugs, a source of current, a pair of semiconductor switches each having an element for controlling current therethrough from said source to the respective spark plugs, and pulse generating means including a rotor and coil for causing alternate current flow in said coil in response to rotation of said rotor, said coil having ends respectively connected to the current controlling elements of said semiconductor switches to alternately operate said switches to pass current to said spark plugs in response to alternate current flow in said coil.