Method and apparatus for distributorless ignition

Claim 3

A method according to claim 1 wherein a plurality of pairs of spark gap means are provided and wherein current flow is blocked to one of the spark gap means of each of said pair while enabling current flow to the other spark gap means of each of said pair when said secondary winding has induced therein current flow in a given direction, and wherein current flow is blocked to the other spark gap means of each of said pairs while enabling current flow to said one spark gap means of each of said pairs when the direction of current flow through said secondary winding is reversed.

Claim 4

A method according to claim 1 including the step of damping resonant oscillations in said high tension coil.

Claim 5

A method according to claim 3 wherein said damping of said resonant oscillations is performed in a primary circuit including the primary winding of said high tension coil.

Claim 6

A method according to claim 4 including the step of short-circuiting the primary circuit including said primary winding of said high tension coil during the appearannce of undesirable resonant oscillations therein.

Claim 7

Apparatus for effecting distributorless cyclic ignition of an internal combustion engine by sequentially producing high tension pulses across spark gap means of said engine comprising a high tension ignition coil including a primary winding and a secondary winding, an electrical energy source connected with said primary winding, means for alternately producing in said primary winding current flow in a first and in a second direction, and for interrupting said current flow between each change of direction of said flow from either one of said directions to the other, at least one pair of spark gap means for said engine connected in circuit with said secondary winding of said high tension ignition coil, first unidirectional current means connected between one of said spark gap means and said secondary winding for enabling current flow to said one spark gap means when current in one direction is induced in said secondary winding and for blocking current flow to said one spark gap means when current flow in an opposite direction is induced in said secondary winding, and second unidirectional current means connected between the other of said spark gap means and said secondary winding for enabling current flow to said other spark gap means when current in said opposite direction is induced in said secondary winding and for blocking current flow to said other spark gap means when current flow in said one direction is induced in said secondary winding.

Claim 8

Apparatus for effecting distributorless cyclic ignition of an internal combustion engine by sequentially producing high tension pulses across spark gap means of said engine comprising a high tension ignition coil including a primary winding and a secondary winding, an electrical energy source connected with said primary winding, means for alternately producing in said primary winding current flow in a first and in a second direction, and for interrupting said current flow between each change of direction of said flow from either one of said directions to the other, at least one pair of spark gap means for said engine connected in circuit with said secondary winding of said high tension ignition coil, first unidirectional current means connected between one of said spark gap means and said secondary winding for enabling current flow to said one spark gap means when current in one direction is induced in said secondary winding and for blocking current flow to said one spark gap means when current flow in an opposite direction is induced in said secondary winding, and second unidirectional current means connected between the other of said spark gap means and said secondary winding for enabling current flow to said other spark gap means when current in said opposite direction is induced in said secondary winding and for blocking current flow to said other spark gap means when current flow in said one direction is induced in said secondary winding.

Claim 9

Apparatus according to claim 6 wherein each of said pair of spark gap means includes two spark gap members, with the spark gap members of each pair of spark gap means being connected on opposite sides of said secondary winding and with each spark gap member of one pair being connected in series with one spark gap member of the other pair.

Claim 10

Apparatus according to claim 7 wherein: said first unidirectional current means include a pair of first unidirectional current devices connected to enable current flow therethrough when current is induced in said secondary winding in said one direction and to block current flow therethrough when current is induced in said secondary winding in said opposite direction; said second unidirectional current means include a pair of second unidirectional current devices connected to enable current flow therethrough when current is induced in said secondary winding in said opposite direction and to block current flow therethrough when current is induced in said secondary winding in said one direction; and each of said pair of spark gap means has one of its spark gap members connected to one side of said secondary winding through one of said first or second unidirectional current devices with the other spark gap member of said pair being connected to the other side of said secondary winding through the other of said first or said second unidirectional current devices.

Claim 11

Apparatus according to claim 6 wherein said first and said second unidirectional current means comprise diodes.

Claim 12

Apparatus according to claim 6 including damping means connected to said high tension ignition coil.

Claim 13

Apparatus according to claim 10 wherein said high tension ignition coil includes a core member of high loss core material operating as damping means,

Claim 14

Apparatus according to claim 10 wherein said damping means is connected in parallel with said primary winding of said ignition coil.

Claim 15

Apparatus as recited in claim 12, including an ohmic resistor as damping means.

Claim 16

Apparatus as recited in claim 12, including a voltage-dependent resistor as damping means.

Claim 17

Apparatus as recited in claim 12, including a capacitor as damping means.

Claim 18

Apparatus as recited in claim 12, including a triac as damping means, the firing electrode of said triac connected to a pulse transmitter such that said triac is fixed at the beginning of a second half-wave produced during the discharge of said high tension coil, to short-circuit all following resonance oscillations which could lead to undesireable ignition of a spark gap.

Claim 19

Apparatus as recited in claim 12, using a triac in a dimmer circuit as damping meAns.

Claim 20

Apparatus as recited in claim 12, wherein said damping means includes a bridge rectifier in conjunction with a circuit arrangement connected to said bridge output, which circuit comprises a first resistor and a capacitor in series connected to the said output, and a series circuit connected in parallel therewith consisting of a second resistor, a junction transistor, and a third resistor, and finally, a thyristor connected in parallel with both series circuits, the firing electrode of said transistor being connected to the connecting point between said first resistor and said capacitor such that the drop in voltage appearing across said third resistor acts as a firing voltage for said thyristor.

Claim 21

Apparatus as recited in claim 6, wherein said circuit arrangement in said primary circuit of said high tension coil comprises electronic switches.

Claim 22

Apparatus as recited in claim 19, wherein said electronic switches are two transistors.

Claim 23

Apparatus as recited in claim 20, wherein the collector of one transistor is connected to one end of said primary winding of said high tension coil and the collector of the other transistor to the other end of said primary winding, whilst the emitters of both transistors are connected to earth, and said primary winding has a centre tap which is connected to the unearthed pole of a voltage source.

Claim 24

Apparatus as recited in claim 21, wherein the base of each said transistor is connected through a resistor to a voltage normally blocking said transistor, and through a respective switch to a potential capable of switching said transistor on.

Claim 25

Apparatus as recited in claim 21, wherein each of the inputs switching said transistors is connected through a series resistor to the base of each of said transistors and to respective zener diodes limiting the control voltage applied to said transistors, whilst a bias resistor is provided between the emitter of each transistor and earth, so that the current in the primary winding of said high tension coil reaches a maximum value which is independent of an operating voltage.

Claim 26

Apparatus as recited in claim 21, wherein the collector of each transistor is connected through a blocking diode to a respective end of the primary winding of said high tension coil such that said blocking diodes prevent conduction of said transistors in the current flow direction opposite to the normal conducting direction thereof.