Ignition arrangement for internal combustion engines

Claim 2

In an ignition arrangement for internal combustion engines, means for charging a capacitor comprising a circuit having a source of direct current; said circuit including at least two transistors connected together to have a current gain that is the product of their individual current gains, the base of one of said transistors being connected to the emitter of the other of said two transistors and the collectors of said two transistors being connected directly together, so that said two transistors are Darlington connected; means for generating high voltage pulses for firing spark plugs, said means including an inductive reactance connected in the emitter-collector path of said one of said transistors as the load common to said two or more said transistors; and means for periodically opening said circuit and thereby charging said capacitor in synchronism with the operation of the engine.

Claim 3

A combination as defined in claim 1, wherein said means for periodically opening said circuit disconnects the base of the other of said transistors in said circuit.

Claim 4

A combination as defined in claim 2, including an ignition distributor, and an electronic unit as a part of said distributor and having an integrated circuit comprising said transistors.

Claim 5

A combination as defined in claim 3, wherein said distributor comprises a housing to which said unit is fixed, and said unit includes connector means accessible from outside said housinG for connection to said inductive reactance.

Claim 6

In an ignition arrangement for internal combustion engines, a combination comprising a circuit having a source of direct current; said circuit including at least two transistors connected together to have a current gain that is the product of their individual current gains; means for generating high voltage pulses for firing spark plugs, said means including an inductive reactance connected in the emitter-collector path of said one of said transistors as the load common to said two or more said transistors; means for periodically opening said circuit in synchronism with the operation of the engine, said means for periodically opening said circuit disconnecting the base of the other of said transistors in said circuit, said transistors being Darlington connected; an ignition distributor and an electronic unit as a part of said distributor and having an integrated circuit comprising said transistors, said distributor comprising a housing to which said unit is fixed, and said unit including connector means accessible from outside said housing for connection to said inductive reactants, said unit being located inside said distributor housing, and said connector means being a screw means having a head containing said unit and engaging an inside surface of said housing, and further having a threaded shank that projects through and outside of said housing for permitting connection to said inductive reactants, and at least one nut screwed on to the exposed portion of said shank.

Claim 7

In an ignition arrangement for internal combustion engines, a combination comprising a circuit having a source of direct current; said circuit including at least two transistors connected together to have a current gain that is the product of their individual current gains; means for generating high voltage pulses for firing spark plugs, said means including an inductive reactance connected in the emitter-collector path of said one of said transistors as the load common to said two or more said transistors; means for periodically opening said circuit in synchronism with the operation of the engine, said means for periodically opening said circuit disconnecting the base of the other of said transistors in said circuit, said transistors being Darlington connected; an ignition distributor and an electronic unit as a part of said distributor and having an integrated circuit comprising said transistors, said distributor comprising a housing to which said unit is fixed, and said unit including connector means accessible from outside said housing for connection to said inductive reactants, said unit being located inside said distributor housing, and said connector means being a screw means having a head containing said unit and engaging an inside surface of said housing, and further having a threaded shank that projects through and outside of said housing for permitting connection to said inductive reactants, and at least one nut screwed on to the exposed portion of said shank.

Claim 8

In an ignition arrangement for internal combustion engines, a combination comprising a circuit having a source of direct current; said circuit including at least two transistors connected together to have a current gain that is the product of their individual current gains; means for generating high voltage pulses for firing spark plugs, said means including an inductive reactance connected in the emitter-collector path of said one of said transistors as the load common to said two or more said transistors; means for periodically opening said circuit in synchronism with the operation of the engine, said transistors being Darlington connected, said means for periodically opening said circuit disconnecting the base of the other of said transistors in said circuit; an ignition distributor and an electronic unit as part of said distributor and having an integrated circuit comprising said transistors, said distributor comprising a housing to which said unit is fixed, and said unit including connector means accessible from outside said housing for connection to said inductive reactants, said connector means being a heat dissipating body in which said electronic unit is held.

Claim 9

In an ignition arrangement for internal combustion engines, a combination comprising a circuit having a source of direct current; said circuit including at least two transistors connected together to have a current gain that is the product of their individual current gains; means for generating high voltage pulses for firing spark plugs, said means including an inductive reactance connected in the emitter-collector path of said one of said transistors as the load common to said two or more said transistors; means for periodically opening said circuit in synchronism with the operation of the engine, said transistors being Darlington connected, said means for periodically opening said circuit disconnecting the base of the other of said transistors in said circuit; an ignition distributor and an electronic unit as part of said distributor and having an integrated circuit comprising said transistors, said distributor comprising a housing to which said unit is fixed, and said unit including connector means accessible from outside said housing for connection to said inductive reactants, said connector means being a heat dissipating body in which said electronic unit is held.

Claim 10

A combination as defined in claim 6, wherein said connector means is fixed to the outside of said distributor housing, and includes first terminal means projecting through and inside said housing for connection to said means for periodically opening said circuit and second terminal means outside of said housing for connection to said inductive reactance.

Claim 11

A combination as defined in claim 7, wherein said first and second terminal means are plugs.

Claim 12

A combination as defined in claim 1, wherein said inductive reactance is the primary winding of a spark coil.

Claim 13

A combination as defined in claim 1, wherein said inductive reactance is the primary winding of a transformer, said transformer having a secondary winding, and an ignition capacitor connected to be charged by said secondary winding.