US5355056A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Sparkplug voltage detecting probe device for use in internal combustion engine
Assignee: Niterra Co Ltd
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Filing: 1993-05-12
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Granted: 1994-10-11
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Expires: 2013-05-12
Abstract
Abstract In a sparkplug voltage detecting probe device for use in internal combustion engine comprising, a sensor is provided to form a static capacity between the sensor and an ignition coil which is connected to a spark plug. A sparkplug voltage divider circuit has a capacitor connected between the sensor and the ground. A release circuit has a resistor connected in parallel with the capacitor so as to provide a time constant of a RC path. A short circuit is provided to instantaneously release an electrical charge from the capacitor either immediately before establishing a spark voltage for the spark plug or immediately after initiating the spark action of the spark plug. A sparkplug voltage waveform detecting circuit detects a sparkplug voltage waveform divided by the sparkplug voltage divider circuit.
Inventors
- 👤 Shigeru Miyata
- 👤 Yasuo Ito
- 👤 Hideji Yoshida
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-04 05:06
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01R; G01R31/00; G01R31/005; G01R31/006; F; F02; F02P; F02P17/00; F02P17/12; F02P2017/006; F02P2017/123; F02P2017/125
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 5
Claim 1
Independent Claim
131 words
A sparkplug voltage detecting probe device for use in internal combustion engine comprising: a sensor provided to form a static capacity between the sensor and a secondary circuit of an ignition coil which is connected a spark plug; a sparkplug voltage divider circuit having a capacitor connected between the sensor and the ground; a release circuit having a resistor connected in parallel with the capacitor so as to provide a time constant of a RC path; a short circuit provided to instantaneously release an electrical charge from the capacitor either immediately before establishing a spark voltage for the spark plug or immediately after initiating the spark action of the spark plug; and a sparkplug voltage waveform detecting circuit which detects a sparkplug voltage waveform divided by the sparkplug voltage divider circuit.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
131 words
A sparkplug voltage detecting probe device for use in internal combustion engine comprising: a sensor provided to form a static capacity between the sensor and a secondary circuit of an ignition coil which is connected a spark plug; a sparkplug voltage divider circuit having a capacitor connected between the sensor and the ground; a release circuit having a resistor connected in parallel with the capacitor so as to provide a time constant of a RC path; a short circuit provided to instantaneously release an electrical charge from the capacitor either immediately before establishing a spark voltage for the spark plug or immediately after initiating the spark action of the spark plug; and a sparkplug voltage waveform detecting circuit which detects a sparkplug voltage waveform divided by the sparkplug voltage divider circuit.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
27 words
A sparkplug voltage detecting probe device as recited in claim 1, wherein the short circuit includes a transistor which is connected in parallel with the release circuit.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
66 words
A sparkplug voltage detecting probe device as recited in claim 1, wherein the short circuit includes a first PNP transistor and a first NPN transistor each connected in parallel with the capacitor, each base of which is connected to an electronic control unit which generates a reset pulse to energize either one of the two transistors immediately after initiating the spark action of the spark plug.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
64 words
A sparkplug voltage detecting probe device as recited in claim 3, wherein the short circuit further includes a second NPN transistor provided between the first PNP transistor and the electronic control unit, a collector of the second NPN transistor being connected to the base of the first PNP transistor, while a base of the second NPN transistor being connected to the electronic control unit.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1997-10-10 | 1998-04-11 | 1998-10-11 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2001-10-10 | 2002-04-11 | 2002-10-11 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2005-10-10 | 2006-04-11 | 2006-10-11 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |