Capacitive discharge ignition system utilizing a feedback controlled oscillator

Claim 2

A capacitor-discharge ignition circuit comprising: a capacitor, an inductor, an ignition coil having a primary winding a source of direct current potential, and a unidirectional current passing device, said primary winding and said source of direct current potential each being switchably connected in parallel across a winding of said inductor, and said capacitor being switchably connected in parallel across said primary winding, said unidirectional current passing device and said capacitor being connected in series, the series being connected in parallel with said winding of said inductor, and being oriented to receive and store a current maintaining voltage generated in said winding of said inductor.

Claim 3

A capacitor-discharge ignition circuit comprising: an inductor, a first unidirectional current passing switch means, a primary winding of an ignition coil connected in series with said first unidirectional switch means, to form a first series circuit, a second unidirectional current passing switch means, a direct current voltage source connected in series with said second unidirectional switch means, to form a second series circuit, a capacitor, a rectifier connected in series with said capacitor, to form a third series circuit, trigger means for rendering said first unidirectional current passing switch means conductive, and means for controlling the conduction of said second unidirectional current passing switch means, said first and said second series circuits being connected in parallel across a winding of said inductor witH said first and second unidirectional current passing switch means being oriented such that the voltages applied across said inductor winding by a flyback voltage of said primary winding and by the voltage of said direct current voltage source are in the same direction to create a charging current in said inductor winding, said third series circuit being connected in parallel with said inductor winding, said rectifier being oriented to apply a current maintaining voltage generated in said inductor winding to said capacitor, to receive and store said current maintaining voltage, said capacitor also being connected in parallel with said first series circuit, whereby the operation of said first switch means applies the voltage on said capacitor across said ignition coil primary winding to produce a spark producing voltage.

Claim 4

A capacitor-discharge ignition circuit comprising: an inductor, a first unidirectional current passing switch means, a primary winding of an ignition coil connected in series with said first unidirectional switch means, to form a first series circuit, a second unidirectional current passing switch means, a direct current voltage source connected in series with said second unidirectional switch means, to form a second series circuit, a capacitor, a rectifier connected in series with said capacitor, to form a third series circuit, trigger means for rendering said first unidirectional current passing switch means conductive, and means for controlling the conduction of said second unidirectional current passing switch means, said first and said second series circuits being connected in parallel across a winding of said inductor witH said first and second unidirectional current passing switch means being oriented such that the voltages applied across said inductor winding by a flyback voltage of said primary winding and by the voltage of said direct current voltage source are in the same direction to create a charging current in said inductor winding, said third series circuit being connected in parallel with said inductor winding, said rectifier being oriented to apply a current maintaining voltage generated in said inductor winding to said capacitor, to receive and store said current maintaining voltage, said capacitor also being connected in parallel with said first series circuit, whereby the operation of said first switch means applies the voltage on said capacitor across said ignition coil primary winding to produce a spark producing voltage.

Claim 5

The ignition circuit of claim 2 wherein said inductor further comprises a second winding, one terminal of said second winding being connected between said capacitor and said rectifier, and said second winding being electromagnetically coupled to said first mentioned inductor winding, oriented such that the voltage induced in said second winding from said current maintaining voltage in said first mentioned inductor winding reverse biases said rectifier.

Claim 6

The ignition circuit of claim 2 wherein said means for controlling the conduction of said second unidirectional current passing switch means renders said second unidirectional switch means non-conductive when said charging current reaches a predetermined value.

Claim 7

The ignition circuit of claim 2 wherein said means for controlling the conduction of said second unidirectional current passing switch means supplies a forward bias to a control terminal of said second unidirectional switch means in response to said voltages across said first mentioned inductor winding to render said second unidirectional switch means conductive.

Claim 8

The ignition circuit of claim 1 wherein said trigger means provides forward biasing pulses to a control terminal of said first unidirectional switch means, whereby said pulses are in synchronism with an engine driven element.

Claim 9

The ignition circuit of claim 2 wherein said first unidirectional switch means is a silicon controlled rectifier.

Claim 10

The ignition circuit of claim 2 wherein said second unidirectional switch means is a transistor.

Claim 11

The ignition circuit of claim 8 wherein said second unidirectional switch means further comprises a second rectifier, said second rectifier being connected in series with a collector terminal and an emitter terminal of said transistor.