Ignition system

Claim 2

In an ignition system for generating energy pulses for firing spark plugs in combustion chambers of an engine thereby igniting a combustible fuel mixture within said combustion chambers comprising: a. a source of electrical energy,

Claim 3

b. an inductive means for generating inductive pulses for storing and releasing electromagnetic energy, and c. a contact breaking means for periodically making and breaking a circuit between said source of electrical energy and said inductive means whereby said inductive means receives energy from said source of electrical energy through said contact breaking means in one condition of said contact breaking means and releases said energy to said spark plugs in a second condition of said contact breaking means, the improvement comprising: 1. a pulse generating means for generating short pulses in addition to said inductive pulses, said pulses being of short duration and having fast rise time relative to said inductive pulses, 2. combining means for combining said short pulses and said inductive pulses, and 3. means for isolating said contact breaking means from said inductive means at least for the duration of said short duration pulse, whereby a pulse produced by an existing inductive ignition system is caused to have improved rise time and the contact breaking means are protected during a destructive portion of said pulse by the addition of the recited means, said combining means combining said short pulses having a first polarity and produced by said pulse generating means with said inductive pulses having a second polarity produced by said inductive means by coupling said pulse generator across said inductive means so that the inductive pulses and the short pulses are of opposite polarity, said isolating means being poled and connected between said inductive means and said contact breaker means for conduction responsive to said inductive pulses and for isolation responsive to said short pulses.

Claim 4

b. an inductive means for generating inductive pulses for storing and releasing electromagnetic energy, and c. a contact breaking means for periodically making and breaking a circuit between said source of electrical energy and said inductive means whereby said inductive means receives energy from said source of electrical energy through said contact breaking means in one condition of said contact breaking means and releases said energy to said spark plugs in a second condition of said contact breaking means, the improvement comprising: 1. a pulse generating means for generating short pulses in addition to said inductive pulses, said pulses being of short duration and having fast rise time relative to said inductive pulses, 2. combining means for combining said short pulses and said inductive pulses, and 3. means for isolating said contact breaking means from said inductive means at least for the duration of said short duration pulse, whereby a pulse produced by an existing inductive ignition system is caused to have improved rise time and the contact breaking means are protected during a destructive portion of said pulse by the addition of the recited means, said combining means combining said short pulses having a first polarity and produced by said pulse generating means with said inductive pulses having a second polarity produced by said inductive means by coupling said pulse generator across said inductive means so that the inductive pulses and the short pulses are of opposite polarity, said isolating means being poled and connected between said inductive means and said contact breaker means for conduction responsive to said inductive pulses and for isolation responsive to said short pulses.

Claim 5

An ignition system defined in claim 1 wherein said timing means comprises: a. a second capacitance, and b. an inductance coil connected to said second capacitance for turning off said controlled rectifier means.

Claim 6

In an ignition system for generating engery pulses for firing sparkplugs in combustion chambers of an engine thereby igniting a combustible fuel mixture within said combustion chambers comprising: a source of electrical energy, an inductive means for generating inductive pulses for storing and releasing electromagnetic energy, and a contact breaking means for periodically making and breaking a circuit between said source of electrical energy and said inductive means whereby said inductive means receives energy from said source of electrical energy through said contact breaking means in one condition of said contact breaking means and releases said energy to said spark plugs in a second condition of said contact breaking means, the improvement comprising: a. a pulse generating means for generating short pulses in addition to said inductive pulses, said pulses being of short duration and having fast rise time relative to said inductive pulses, b. combining means for combining said short pulses having a first polarity and produced by said pulse generating means with said inductive pulses having a second polarity produced by said inductive means by coupling said pulse generator across said inductive means so that the inductive pulses and the short pulses are of opposite polarity, c. means for isolating said contact breaking means from said inductive means at least for the duration of said short duration pulse, said isolating means being poled and connected between said inductive means and said contact breaker means for conduction responsive to said inductive pulses and for isolation responsive to said short pulses, d. a high voltage dc to dc converter, e. a diode steering circuit responsive to said contact breaking means, f. a first capacitance g. said steering circuit causing current to charge said first capacitance and cause a voltage buildup thereon responsive to said second condition of said contact breaking means, h. a pulse transformer means responsive to said voltage buildup for providing a triggering pulse, i. a controlled rectifier means connected to said pulse transforming means responsive to said triggering pulse for providing a conductive path from said dc to dc high voltage converter to said inductive means and said isolating means, and j. a timing means connected across said conductive path formed by said controlled rectifier means for controlling the duration of conduction of said controlled rectifier means and the duration of said short pulse.

Claim 7

In an ignition system for generating engery pulses for firing sparkplugs in combustion chambers of an engine thereby igniting a combustible fuel mixture within said combustion chambers comprising: a source of electrical energy, an inductive means for generating inductive pulses for storing and releasing electromagnetic energy, and a contact breaking means for periodically making and breaking a circuit between said source of electrical energy and said inductive means whereby said inductive means receives energy from said source of electrical energy through said contact breaking means in one condition of said contact breaking means and releases said energy to said spark plugs in a second condition of said contact breaking means, the improvement comprising: a. a pulse generating means for generating short pulses in addition to said inductive pulses, said pulses being of short duration and having fast rise time relative to said inductive pulses, b. combining means for combining said short pulses having a first polarity and produced by said pulse generating means with said inductive pulses having a second polarity produced by said inductive means by coupling said pulse generator across said inductive means so that the inductive pulses and the short pulses are of opposite polarity, c. means for isolating said contact breaking means from said inductive means at least for the duration of said short duration pulse, said isolating means being poled and connected between said inductive means and said contact breaker means for conduction responsive to said inductive pulses and for isolation responsive to said short pulses, d. a high voltage dc to dc converter, e. a diode steering circuit responsive to said contact breaking means, f. a first capacitance g. said steering circuit causing current to charge said first capacitance and cause a voltage buildup thereon responsive to said second condition of said contact breaking means, h. a pulse transformer means responsive to said voltage buildup for providing a triggering pulse, i. a controlled rectifier means connected to said pulse transforming means responsive to said triggering pulse for providing a conductive path from said dc to dc high voltage converter to said inductive means and said isolating means, and j. a timing means connected across said conductive path formed by said controlled rectifier means for controlling the duration of conduction of said controlled rectifier means and the duration of said short pulse.

Claim 8

An ignition system defined in claim 3 wherein said poled isolation means comprises a diode.

Claim 9

An ignition system defined in claim 3 wherein said poled isolation means comprises a controlled -- conduction device, whereby said contact breaking means are isolated from said inductive means for the duration of said short pulse and of said inductive pulse.