Capacitive discharge electronic ignition system for automobiles

Claim 1

Apparatus for providing ignition voltage to a spark plug in an ignition system, comprising: inverter means for producing a high frequency voltage from a DC power source; transformer means for stepping-up the high frequency voltage from said inverter means; rectifier means for rectifying the stepped-up voltage from said transformer; energy storage means, connected to said rectifier means, for storing a high voltage charge developed from said rectified voltage; ignition coil means, connected to said spark plug, for developing an ignition voltage; switch means, connected between said energy storage means and said ignition coil means, for discharging said energy storage means through said ignition coil means upon activation by a trigger pulse, said ignition coil including primary and secondary coils, said primary coil having a positive terminal connected to said DC power source and a negative terminal connected to said switch means, said secondary coil being connected to said spark plug; timing means for producing a trigger pulse for activating said switch means, said timing means including transistor means connected to said DC power source for producing said trigger pulse; delay means for triggering said transistor means in response to said pre-existing timing signal; and diode means in circuit with said transistor means for providing a triggering threshold level for said transistor means for utilizing a pre-existing timing signal of said ignition system to produce said trigger pulse.