Method and apparatus for automatic shift of ignition timing

Claim 2

Method of timing ignition pulses of an internal combustion engine over a range of timing adjustment by means of a disk coupled to a drive shaft of said engine and bearing a sequence of electrically detectable timing marks thereon, comprising the steps of: generating an alternating current and a concurrent direct current in a transducer (13, 115) in response to and during nearby passage of said timing marks (12, 111); producing and transmitting to a count storage device (32, 151a), while said direct current is being generated, a number of pulses dependent on at least one operating condition of said engine; counting up the half waves of a single polarity of said alternating current produced on the next following passage of said timing marks by said transducer in a counter (17, 131) and comparing in a comparison state (40, 170) the count thereof with the number stored in said count storage device; and producing an ignition pulse when the count in said counter (17, 131) equals the number stored in said count storage device (33, 151a).

Claim 3

Method according to claim 1, which includes the further steps of: recognizing a null content in said count storage device (32); transmitting, in response to recognition of such null content, the output of said transducer (13) to trigger means (42) otherwise operable to said comparator stage (40) and thereby producing an ignition pulse, said transmission of said transducer output being made to take place through a pulse trigger stage responsive to said transducer and through a circuit responsive to recognition of said null content (39).

Claim 4

Apparatus for timing ignition pulses of an internal combustion engine over a range of timing adjustment, comprising: an internal combustion engine having an electrical ignition system and having at least one driven shaft coupled to its crankshaft; rotary disk means coupled to a driven shaft of said engine and provided with a sequence of electrically detectable timing marks (12, 111) thereon, one such sequence being provided for each of a plurality of timing operations produced during one revolution of the disk; transducer means (13, 115) located adjacent said disk means for generating, during the nearby passage of said sequence of said timing marks, an alternating current and a direct current both flowing only during said nearby passage; means for counting the number of half waves of one polarity of said alternating current during passage of a sequence of said timing marks; trigger generating means responsive to the direct current output of said transducer means (13) for a triggered gate signal having a duration dependent on the of continuous flow of said direct current; means for producing A sequence of pulses controlled in number in accordance with at least one engine operating condition and also in accordance with engine speed, said pulse sequence producing means including a source of a continuous sequence of pulses, first gate period timing means (63, 136-137) responsive to an engine operating condition, and second gate period timing means responsive to said triggered gate signal and to the output of said first gate period timing means, said second gate period timing means being arranged to provide output pulses in response to pulses of said source of pulses during a gate period established by said second gate period timing means; counting and count storing means (32, 151a) for counting and for storing the count of pulses in each sequence of pulses produced by said second gate period timing means of said pulse sequence producing means, the count counted during one cycle of operation of said transducer means (13) being thereby stored for the duration of the next cycle of operation of said transducer means; comparison means (40, 170) for comparing the count of half waves of one polarity of said alternating current produced by said transducer means with the count stored in said counting and count storing means (32, 151a) and for producing a pulse at the moment of equality of said compared counts, and means responsive to said comparison means for initiating an ignition pulse in said ignition system for said engine in response to the output of said comparison.

Claim 5

Apparatus for timing ignition pulses of an internal combustion engine over a range of timing adjustment, comprising: an internal combustion engine having an electrical ignition system and having at least one driven shaft coupled to its crankshaft; rotary disk means coupled to a driven shaft of said engine and provided with a sequence of electrically detectable timing marks (12, 111) thereon, one such sequence being provided for each of a plurality of timing operations produced during one revolution of the disk; transducer means (13, 115) located adjacent said disk means for generating, during the nearby passage of said sequence of said timing marks, an alternating current and a direct current both flowing only during said nearby passage; means for counting the number of half waves of one polarity of said alternating current during passage of a sequence of said timing marks; trigger generating means responsive to the direct current output of said transducer means (13) for a triggered gate signal having a duration dependent on the of continuous flow of said direct current; means for producing A sequence of pulses controlled in number in accordance with at least one engine operating condition and also in accordance with engine speed, said pulse sequence producing means including a source of a continuous sequence of pulses, first gate period timing means (63, 136-137) responsive to an engine operating condition, and second gate period timing means responsive to said triggered gate signal and to the output of said first gate period timing means, said second gate period timing means being arranged to provide output pulses in response to pulses of said source of pulses during a gate period established by said second gate period timing means; counting and count storing means (32, 151a) for counting and for storing the count of pulses in each sequence of pulses produced by said second gate period timing means of said pulse sequence producing means, the count counted during one cycle of operation of said transducer means (13) being thereby stored for the duration of the next cycle of operation of said transducer means; comparison means (40, 170) for comparing the count of half waves of one polarity of said alternating current produced by said transducer means with the count stored in said counting and count storing means (32, 151a) and for producing a pulse at the moment of equality of said compared counts, and means responsive to said comparison means for initiating an ignition pulse in said ignition system for said engine in response to the output of said comparison.

Claim 6

Apparatus for timing ignition pulses of an internal combustion engine over a range of timing adjustment, comprising: an internal combustion engine having an electrical ignition system and having at least one driven shaft coupled to its crankshaft; rotary disk means coupled to a driven shaft of said engine and provided with at least one sequence of electrically detectable timing marks (12, 111) thereon; transducer means (13, 115) located adjacent said disk means for generating, during the nearby passage of a sequence of said timing marks, an alternating current and a direct current both flowing only during said nearby passage; means for counting the number of half waves of one polarity of said alternating current during passage of said timing marks; trigger generating means responsive to the direct current output of said transducer means (13); means for producing a sequence of pulse controlled in number in accordance with at least one engine operating condition and also in accordance with engine speed, said pulse sequence producing means including gate period timing means (63, 136-137) responsive to an engine operating condition; counting and count storing means (32, 151 a for counting and for storing the count of pulses in each sequence of pulses produced by said pulse sequence producing means, the count counted during one cycle of operation of said transducer means (13) being thereby stored for the duration of the next cycle of operation of said transducer means; limiter means (54) interposed between an output (33) of said counting and count storing means (32) and in input of said pulse sequence producing means for limiting the number of pulses in each sequence of pulses produced by said pulse sequence producing means; comparison means (40, 170) for comparing the count of half waves of one polarity of said alternating current produced by said transducer means with the count stored in said counting and count storing means (32, 151a) and for producing a pulse at the moment of equality of said compared counts, and means responsive to said comparison means for initiating an ignition pulse in said ignition system for said engine in response to the output of said comparison.

Claim 7

Apparatus for timing ignition pulses of an internal combustion engine over a range of timing adjustment, comprising: an internal combustion engine having an electrical ignition system and having at least one driven shaft coupled to its crankshaft; rotary disk means coupled to a driven shaft of said engine and provided with at least one sequence of electrically detectable timing marks (12, 111) thereon; transducer means (13, 115) located adjacent said disk means for generating, during the nearby passage of a sequence of said timing marks, an alternating current and a direct current both flowing only during said nearby passage; means for counting the number of half waves of one polarity of said alternating current during passage of said timing marks; trigger generating means responsive to the direct current output of said transducer means (13); means for producing a sequence of pulse controlled in number in accordance with at least one engine operating condition and also in accordance with engine speed, said pulse sequence producing means including gate period timing means (63, 136-137) responsive to an engine operating condition; counting and count storing means (32, 151 a for counting and for storing the count of pulses in each sequence of pulses produced by said pulse sequence producing means, the count counted during one cycle of operation of said transducer means (13) being thereby stored for the duration of the next cycle of operation of said transducer means; limiter means (54) interposed between an output (33) of said counting and count storing means (32) and in input of said pulse sequence producing means for limiting the number of pulses in each sequence of pulses produced by said pulse sequence producing means; comparison means (40, 170) for comparing the count of half waves of one polarity of said alternating current produced by said transducer means with the count stored in said counting and count storing means (32, 151a) and for producing a pulse at the moment of equality of said compared counts, and means responsive to said comparison means for initiating an ignition pulse in said ignition system for said engine in response to the output of said comparison.

Claim 8

Apparatus according to claim 3 in which pulse shaping means (15) and second counting means (17) are provided in sequence between the output of said transducer (13) and an input of said comparison means (40) for supplying to said comparison means the count of half waves of a single polarity of the alternating current output of said transducer in one cycle of its operation.

Claim 9

Apparatus as defined in claim 3 in which said first gate period timing means (63) provides a gate the duration of which is dependent upon engine temperature and in which said pulse sequence producing means includes a pulse generator (57) of which the frequency is dependent upon another engine operating parameter.

Claim 10

Apparatus as defined in claim 3 in which said transducer (13, 115) is an electromagnetic transducer.

Claim 11

Apparatus as defined in claim 3 in which said transducer means (13, 115) is a photoelectric transducer.

Claim 12

Apparatus as defined in claim 3 in which the plurality of sequences of electrically detectable marks provided on said disk means (11, 110) respectively correspond to different cylinders of said engine.

Claim 13

Apparatus as defined in claim 3 in which an additional electrically detectable mark (112) is provided on said disk means in advance, with reference to the direction of rotation of said disk means, of the aforesaid sequence of electrically detectable marks, and in which also an additional transducer means (180) is provided in the neighborhood of said disk means for generating a pulse in response to the nearby passage of said additional mark.

Claim 14

Apparatus as defined in claim 10 in which the storage portion of said counting and count storage means (151a) consists of second counting means (151), storage means (160) and a transfer gate (165) interposed between the counting means and the storage means.

Claim 15

Apparatus for timing ignition pulses of an internal combustion engine over a range of timing adjustment, comprising: an internal combustion engine having an electrical ignition system and having at least one driven shaft coupled to its crankshaft; rotary disk means coupled to a driven shaft of said engine and provided with at least one sequence of electrically detectable timing marks (12, 111) thereon and also provided with an additional electrically detectable mark (112) in advance, with reference to the direction of rotation of said disk means, of each said sequence of electrically detectable marks; first transducer means (12, 115) located adjacent said disk means for generating, during the nearby passage of a sequence of said timing marks, an alternative current and a direct current both flowing only during said nearby passage; second transducer means (180) in the neighborhood of said disk means for generating a pulse in response to the nearby passage of said additional mark (112); means for counting the number of half waves of one polarity of said alternating current during passage of said timing marks; trigger generating means responsive to the direct current output of said transducer means (13); means for producing a sequence of pulses controlled in number in accordance with at least one engine operating condition and also in accordance with engine speed, said pulse sequence producing means including gate period timing means (63, 136-137) responsive to an engine operating condition; counting and count storing means (32, 151a) for counting and for storing the count of pulses in each sequence of pulses produced by said pulse sequence producing means, the count counted during one cycle of operation of said transducer means (13) being thereby stored for the duration of the next cycle of operation of said transducer means, the storage portion of said counting and count storing means (a) consisting of second counting means (151), storage means (160) and a transfer gate (165) interposed between the second counting means and the storage means, the counting input (150) of said second counting means (151) being connected to the output (121) of an AND-circuit (119) having a first input (118) connected to said transducer means (115) and a second input (120) connected to the output of a field effect transistor (141), and in which, Further, the counting pulses are supplied to the gate electrode (140) of said field effect transistor (141) through low-pass filter means comprising a capacitor (136) and a variable resistor (137), said AND-circuit, field effect transistor and filter means all being part of said pulse sequence producing means; comparison means (40, 170) for comparing the count of half waves of one polarity of said alternating current produced by said transducer means with the count stored in said counting and count storing means (32, 151a) and for producing a pulse at the moment of equality of said compared counts, and means responsive to said comparison means for initiating an ignition pulse in said ignition system for said engine in response to the output of said comparison.

Claim 16

Apparatus for timing ignition pulses of an internal combustion engine over a range of timing adjustment, comprising: an internal combustion engine having an electrical ignition system and having at least one driven shaft coupled to its crankshaft; rotary disk means coupled to a driven shaft of said engine and provided with at least one sequence of electrically detectable timing marks (12, 111) thereon and also provided with an additional electrically detectable mark (112) in advance, with reference to the direction of rotation of said disk means, of each said sequence of electrically detectable marks; first transducer means (12, 115) located adjacent said disk means for generating, during the nearby passage of a sequence of said timing marks, an alternative current and a direct current both flowing only during said nearby passage; second transducer means (180) in the neighborhood of said disk means for generating a pulse in response to the nearby passage of said additional mark (112); means for counting the number of half waves of one polarity of said alternating current during passage of said timing marks; trigger generating means responsive to the direct current output of said transducer means (13); means for producing a sequence of pulses controlled in number in accordance with at least one engine operating condition and also in accordance with engine speed, said pulse sequence producing means including gate period timing means (63, 136-137) responsive to an engine operating condition; counting and count storing means (32, 151a) for counting and for storing the count of pulses in each sequence of pulses produced by said pulse sequence producing means, the count counted during one cycle of operation of said transducer means (13) being thereby stored for the duration of the next cycle of operation of said transducer means, the storage portion of said counting and count storing means (a) consisting of second counting means (151), storage means (160) and a transfer gate (165) interposed between the second counting means and the storage means, the counting input (150) of said second counting means (151) being connected to the output (121) of an AND-circuit (119) having a first input (118) connected to said transducer means (115) and a second input (120) connected to the output of a field effect transistor (141), and in which, Further, the counting pulses are supplied to the gate electrode (140) of said field effect transistor (141) through low-pass filter means comprising a capacitor (136) and a variable resistor (137), said AND-circuit, field effect transistor and filter means all being part of said pulse sequence producing means; comparison means (40, 170) for comparing the count of half waves of one polarity of said alternating current produced by said transducer means with the count stored in said counting and count storing means (32, 151a) and for producing a pulse at the moment of equality of said compared counts, and means responsive to said comparison means for initiating an ignition pulse in said ignition system for said engine in response to the output of said comparison.

Claim 17

Apparatus for timing ignition pulses of an internal combustion engine over a range of timing adjustment, comprising: an internal combustion engine having an electrical ignition system and having at least one driven shaft coupled to its crankshaft; rotary disk means coupled to a driven shaft of said engine and provided with at least one sequence of electrically detectable timing marks (12, 111) thereon and also provided with an additional electrically detectable mark (112) in advance with reference to the direction of rotation of said disk means, of each said sequence of electrically detectable marks; first transducer means (12, 115) located adjacent said disk means for generating, during the nearby passage of a sequence of said timing marks, an alternating current and a direct current both flowing only during said nearby passage; second transducer means (180) in the neighborhood of said disk means for generating a pulse in response to the nearby passage of said additional mark (112); means for counting the number of half waves of one polarity of said alternating current during passage of said timing marks; trigger generating means responsive to the direct current output of said transducer means (13); means for producing a sequence of pulse controlled in number in accordance with at least one engine operating condition and also in accordance with engine speed, said pulse sequence producing means including gate period timing means (63, 136-137) responsive to an engine operating condition; count and count storing means (32, 151a) for counting and for storing the count of pulses in each sequence of pulses produced by said pulse sequence producing means, the count counted during one cycle of operation of said transducer means (130) being thereby stored for the duration of the next cycle of operation of said transducer means, the storage portion of said counting and count storing means (151a) consisting of second counting means (151), storage means (160) and a transfer gate (165) interposed between the second counting means and the storage means, said second transducer means (180) having its output connected to zero reset inputs of said first and second counting means and said storage means; comparison means (40, 170) for comparing the count of half waves of one polarity of said alternating current produced by said transducer means with the count stored in said counting and count storing means (32, 151a) and for producing a pulse at the moment of equality of said compared counts, and means responsive to said comparison means for initiating an ignition pulse in said ignition system for said engine in response to the output of said comparison.

Claim 18

Apparatus for timing ignition pulses of an internal combustion engine over a range of timing adjustment, comprising: an internal combustion engine having an electrical ignition system and having at least one driven shaft coupled to its crankshaft; rotary disk means coupled to a driven shaft of said engine and provided with at least one sequence of electrically detectable timing marks (12, 111) thereon and also provided with an additional electrically detectable mark (112) in advance with reference to the direction of rotation of said disk means, of each said sequence of electrically detectable marks; first transducer means (12, 115) located adjacent said disk means for generating, during the nearby passage of a sequence of said timing marks, an alternating current and a direct current both flowing only during said nearby passage; second transducer means (180) in the neighborhood of said disk means for generating a pulse in response to the nearby passage of said additional mark (112); means for counting the number of half waves of one polarity of said alternating current during passage of said timing marks; trigger generating means responsive to the direct current output of said transducer means (13); means for producing a sequence of pulse controlled in number in accordance with at least one engine operating condition and also in accordance with engine speed, said pulse sequence producing means including gate period timing means (63, 136-137) responsive to an engine operating condition; count and count storing means (32, 151a) for counting and for storing the count of pulses in each sequence of pulses produced by said pulse sequence producing means, the count counted during one cycle of operation of said transducer means (130) being thereby stored for the duration of the next cycle of operation of said transducer means, the storage portion of said counting and count storing means (151a) consisting of second counting means (151), storage means (160) and a transfer gate (165) interposed between the second counting means and the storage means, said second transducer means (180) having its output connected to zero reset inputs of said first and second counting means and said storage means; comparison means (40, 170) for comparing the count of half waves of one polarity of said alternating current produced by said transducer means with the count stored in said counting and count storing means (32, 151a) and for producing a pulse at the moment of equality of said compared counts, and means responsive to said comparison means for initiating an ignition pulse in said ignition system for said engine in response to the output of said comparison.

Claim 19

Apparatus for timing ignition pulses of an internal combustion engine over a range of timing adjustment, comprising: an internal combustion engine having an electrical ignition system and having at least one driven shaft coupled to its crankshaft; rotary disk means coupled to a driven shaft of said engine and provided with at least one sequence of electrically detectable timing marks (12, 111) thereon and also provided with an additional electrically detectable mark (112) in advance, with reference to the direction of rotation of said disk means, of each said sequence of electrically detectable marks; first transducer means (12, 115) located adjacent said disk means for generating, during the nearby passage of a sequence of said timing marks, an alternating current and a direct current both flowing only during said nearby passage; second transducer means (180) in the neighborhood of said disk means for generating a pulse in response to the nearby passage of said additional mark (112); means for counting the number of half waves of one polarity of said alternating current during passage of said timing marks; trigger generating means responsive to the direct current output of said transducer means (13); means for producing a sequence of pulses controlled in number in accordance with at least one engine operating condition and also in accordance with engine speed, said pulse sequence producing means including gate period timing means (63, 136-137) responsive to an engine operating condition; count and count storing means (32, 151a) for counting and for storing the count of pulses in each sequence of pulses produced by said pulse sequence producing means, the count counted during one cycle of operation of said transducer means (13) being thereby stored for the duration of the next cycle of operation of said transducer means, the storage portion of said counting and count storing means (151a) consisting of second counting means (151), storage means (160) and a transfer gate (165) interposed between the second counting means and the storage means; comparison means (40, 170) for comparing the count of half waves of one polarity of said alternating current produced by said transducer means with the count stored in said counting and count storing means (32, 151a) and for producing a pulse at the moment of equality of said compared counts; means responsive to said comparison means for initiating an ignition pulse in said ignition system for said engine in response to the output of said comparison, and null detection means (199) responsive to the output of said second counting means (151) and connected in circuit so that when a null condition in said second counting means is detected, the next output pulse at an output (181) of said second transducer means (180) is transmitted through said means responsive to the output of said comparison means for producing an ignition pulse for said engine.

Claim 20

Apparatus for timing ignition pulses of an internal combustion engine over a range of timing adjustment, comprising: an internal combustion engine having an electrical ignition system and having at least one driven shaft coupled to its crankshaft; rotary disk means coupled to a driven shaft of said engine and provided with at least one sequence of electrically detectable timing marks (12, 111) thereon and also provided with an additional electrically detectable mark (112) in advance, with reference to the direction of rotation of said disk means, of each said sequence of electrically detectable marks; first transducer means (12, 115) located adjacent said disk means for generating, during the nearby passage of a sequence of said timing marks, an alternating current and a direct current both flowing only during said nearby passage; second transducer means (180) in the neighborhood of said disk means for generating a pulse in response to the nearby passage of said additional mark (112); means for counting the number of half waves of one polarity of said alternating current during passage of said timing marks; trigger generating means responsive to the direct current output of said transducer means (13); means for producing a sequence of pulses controlled in number in accordance with at least one engine operating condition and also in accordance with engine speed, said pulse sequence producing means including gate period timing means (63, 136-137) responsive to an engine operating condition; count and count storing means (32, 151a) for counting and for storing the count of pulses in each sequence of pulses produced by said pulse sequence producing means, the count counted during one cycle of operation of said transducer means (13) being thereby stored for the duration of the next cycle of operation of said transducer means, the storage portion of said counting and count storing means (151a) consisting of second counting means (151), storage means (160) and a transfer gate (165) interposed between the second counting means and the storage means; comparison means (40, 170) for comparing the count of half waves of one polarity of said alternating current produced by said transducer means with the count stored in said counting and count storing means (32, 151a) and for producing a pulse at the moment of equality of said compared counts; means responsive to said comparison means for initiating an ignition pulse in said ignition system for said engine in response to the output of said comparison, and null detection means (199) responsive to the output of said second counting means (151) and connected in circuit so that when a null condition in said second counting means is detected, the next output pulse at an output (181) of said second transducer means (180) is transmitted through said means responsive to the output of said comparison means for producing an ignition pulse for said engine.

Claim 21

Apparatus as defined in claim 13 in which flipflop circuit means (126) are provided having a set input (125) responsive to the alternating current pulses from said first transducer means (115) and a reset input (127) connected to be responsive to the output of said second transducer means (180), and in which, further, a dynamic AND-circuit (191) is provided having a static input (190) connected to the noninverting output (128) of said flipflop circuit means (126) and having a dynamic input (192) connected to an output (173) of said comparison means (170).

Claim 22

Apparatus as defined in claim 3 for use with a magneto ignition system in which said disk means is part of a magneto generator and in which said electrically detectable marks are provided, accordingly, on a pole wheel of said magneto generator.

Claim 23

Apparatus as defined in claim 3 in which the electrical circuits of the various means linking said transducer means and said means for initiating an ignition pulse provided in at least one integrated circuit unit.