Solid state ignition system

Claim 2

In an ignition system including in combination, an ignition coil means having a primary winding for receiving a current pulse and a secondary winding for generating high voltage spark discharges; capacitor means connected to the primary winding of the ignition coil means; electronic switch means connected in series with said primary winding selectively being rendered conductive to discharge the capacitor means therethrough and to produce a current pulse in the primary winding; the combination including: pickup coil means including first and second coils positioned adjacent a rotating magnet for producing a trinary peaked waveform in each of said coils responsive to each revolution of said magnet; first circuit means for applying a peak of each of the trinary peaked waveforms produced in said first coil upon each revolution of said magnet to said capacitor means to charge the same; and second circuit means for applying a peak of each of said trinary peaked waveforms produced In said second coil upon each revolution of said magnet to said electronic switch means to render the same conductive and discharge the capacitor means into said primary winding of the ignition coil means to cause a spark; and third circuit means for eliminating the effectiveness of one peak of each of said trinary peaked waveforms produced by said second coil to prevent discharge of the capacitor means more than once during one complete cycle of said trinary peaked waveform produced by said second coiland to provide for ignition advance.

Claim 3

The ignition system of claim 1 wherein said pickup coil means includes two sets of first and second coils each set being positioned on diametrically opposed sides of a magneto flywheel associated with the engine utilizing said ignition system, and wherein said capacitor means and said electronic switch means include one capacitor and one electronic switch operatively associated with each set of first and second coils.

Claim 4

The ignition system of claim 1 further including voltage limiting means connected in circuit with said capacitor means to limit the voltage charge on said capacitor means at high engine speeds.

Claim 5

The ignition system of claim 1 wherein said electronic switch means comprises a silicon controlled rectifier having the gate-cathode circuit thereof arranged for receiving said first peak of said trinary peaked waveform from said second coil and further including a variable resistance element connected in the gate-cathode circuit to adjust the maximum amount of ignition timing advance to be obtained.

Claim 6

The ignition system of claim 1 wherein said third circuit means includes second capacitor means connected in circuit with said first coil of said pickup coil means to be charged in response to the second peak of said trinary peaked waveform generated therein; a silicon controlled rectifier having the anode-cathode circuit thereof connected across said electronic switch means to disable the same when said silicon controlled rectifier is in the conductive state, the gate electrode of said silicon controlled rectifier being connected to said second capacitor and rendered conductive in response to the charge on said second capacitor; and a current control device having control and load electrodes with its load electrodes connected across said second capacitor and its control electrode connected in circuit with said second coil of said pickup coil means to be rendered conductive to discharge said capacitor during said first peak of said trinary peaked waveform in said second coil so that said first peak will also render said electronic switch means conductive to produce a spark at said ignition coil.

Claim 7

An ignition system comprising, in combination: a pickup coil to be positioned adjacent a rotating magnet on an engine, said pickup coil including a charging winding and a trigger winding on a common paramagnetic core, said pickup coil producing a trinary peaked waveform in each of said windings with the second peak within said charging winding being the charging voltage and the first peak in the trigger winding being used as the trigger voltage; a storage capacitor connected in circuit with said charging winding to receive charge therefrom as a result of said second peak; a main switching silicon controlled rectifier having its cathode-anode circuit connected in series with said storage capacitor with its gage-cathode circuit connected to said trigger winding; terminal means connected to said silicon controlled rectifier for directing the discharge current from said storage capacitor through a primary winding of an ignition coil; a current control device connected in shunt relation to the gate-cathode circuit of said silicon controlled rectifier to be highly conductive during the period of time corresponding to the third peak of said trinary peaked waveform to prevent said silicon controlled rectifier from being rendered conductive during this third peak; a disabling capacitoR connected between said charging winding and said current control device to receive charge as a result of said second peak of said trinary peaked waveform to render said current control device highly conductive during said third peak, said disabling capacitor discharging through a resistive path a portion of which includes said current control device and becoming substantially discharged prior to the first peak of a subsequent trinary peaked waveform; and a transistor having the emitter-collector electrode thereof connected across said disabling capacitor to completely discharge the same in response to said first peak of said trinary waveform from said triggering winding.

Claim 8

An ignition system comprising, in combination: a pickup coil to be positioned adjacent a rotating magnet on an engine, said pickup coil including a charging winding and a trigger winding on a common paramagnetic core, said pickup coil producing a trinary peaked waveform in each of said windings with the second peak within said charging winding being the charging voltage and the first peak in the trigger winding being used as the trigger voltage; a storage capacitor connected in circuit with said charging winding to receive charge therefrom as a result of said second peak; a main switching silicon controlled rectifier having its cathode-anode circuit connected in series with said storage capacitor with its gage-cathode circuit connected to said trigger winding; terminal means connected to said silicon controlled rectifier for directing the discharge current from said storage capacitor through a primary winding of an ignition coil; a current control device connected in shunt relation to the gate-cathode circuit of said silicon controlled rectifier to be highly conductive during the period of time corresponding to the third peak of said trinary peaked waveform to prevent said silicon controlled rectifier from being rendered conductive during this third peak; a disabling capacitoR connected between said charging winding and said current control device to receive charge as a result of said second peak of said trinary peaked waveform to render said current control device highly conductive during said third peak, said disabling capacitor discharging through a resistive path a portion of which includes said current control device and becoming substantially discharged prior to the first peak of a subsequent trinary peaked waveform; and a transistor having the emitter-collector electrode thereof connected across said disabling capacitor to completely discharge the same in response to said first peak of said trinary waveform from said triggering winding.

Claim 9

The ignition system of claim 6, wherein said current control device is a second silicon controlled rectifier having its anode-cathode electrodes connected to the gate-cathode electrodes of the main switching silicon controlled rectifier.

Claim 10

The ignition system of claim 6, further including a variable resistance element connected in the gate-cathode circuit of said main switching silicon controlled rectifier to vary the amount of spark advance of ignition timing.

Claim 11

The ignition system of claim 6, further including a voltage dependent resistor connected across said charging winding to limit the voltage charge on said storage capacitor during high engine speed.