Single core condenser discharge ignition system

Abstract

A breakerless condenser discharge ignition system for an internal combustion engine and excited by a rotating permanent magnet, consists of a single module, containing a number of windings and electrical components, mounted on one pole of a ferromagnetic core for producing high voltage output pulses for firing an associated spark plug.

I claim: 
     
       1. A capacitor discharge system for an internal combustion engine comprising a permanent magnet means rotated about a circular path in synchronism with the operation of said engine, a core of ferromagnetic material mounted adjacent said circular path and having one portion providing a path for the varying flux generated by the movement of said magnet means past said core, a charging winding and a transformer core portion, said charging winding being offset from said primary and secondary windings radially with respect to said circular path; said charging winding and primary winding being wound on said one core portion such that the voltages induced therein by said varying flux each includes half wave voltages of opposite polarity, a charging circuit including a capacitor connected across said charging winding and a diode poled to pass half wave voltages of one polarity for charging said capacitor and maintaining said capacitor charged when the voltage generated in said charging winding is opposite said one polarity, circuit means connecting said capacitor with said primary winding for discharging said capacitor through said primary winding and including an electronic switch means having anode, cathode and control electrodes, the anodecathode junction of said switch means interconnecting the ends of said charging winding and said primary winding which are simultaneously at the same polarity, said control electrode being connected to the other end of said primary winding, the polarity of which is opposite said same polarity, said switch means being nonconductive during the charging of said capacitor by said one polarity of the voltage generated in said charging coil and being rendered conductive by voltage generated in the primary winding opposite said same polarity whereby said capacitor is charged during one complete half cycle of voltage generated in the charging coil and discharged during the next half wave voltage generated in said charging winding. 
     
     
       2. A capacitor discharge system for an internal combustion engine as set forth in claim 1 in which said control electrode is connected by circuit means to the ends of both said primary winding and charging winding opposite to the ends of these windings interconnected by the cathode-anode junction of said electronic switch means. 
     
     
       3. A capacitor discharge system as set forth in claim 2 in which said circuit means connecting the control electrode to said primary and charging winding includes a resistor. 
     
     
       4. A capacitor discharge system as set forth in claim 3 in which said electrode switch means is a silicon control rectifier and the control electrode thereof is the gate of said rectifier, said gate electrode and the ends of said charging winding and primary winding opposite said same polarity being connected to ground potential. 
     
     
       5. A capacitor discharge system as defined in claim 3 further characterized by a thin walled cup-shaped housing received on said one portion of said core of ferromagnetic material and containing said primary winding, said secondary winding, said charging winding, said capacitor, and said electronic switch, and an insulated high tension conductor for connecting one end of said secondary winding to said spark plug, said housing also having a socket for receiving one end of said high tension conductor and means in said socket for making electrical connection between said one end of said conductor and one end of said secondary winding. .Iadd. 
     
     
       6.  In a capacitor discharge system for an internal combustion engine having permanent magnet means rotatable about a circular path in synchronism with the operation of said engine, a charge coil, a capacitor connected in circuit with said charge coil and an electronic switch means which is rendered conductive in response to a trigger pulse connected to said switch means for discharging said capacitor into the primary winding of a transformer ignition coil, the secondary winding of said transformer being connected to a spark gap device for said engine, the improvement in said system comprising an integral core of ferromagnetic material which includes a plurality of circumferentially spaced, radially extending leg portions disposed adjacent said circular path, one of said leg portions providing a path for varying flux generated by the movement thereby of said magnet means, said charge coil being connected to charge said capacitor and together with said transformer coil being disposed on said one leg portion, said charge coil and transformer coil being offset radially with respect to the circular path of said magnet means, said coils being wound such that voltages simultaneously induced therein by said varying flux in said one leg portion include half wave voltages of opposite polarity, said capacitor being charged by voltage of one polarity generated in said charge winding and said electronic switch means being rendered conductive by a trigger voltage the same as said one polarity which occurs during generation in the charge winding of a voltage opposite said one polarity which charges said capacitor whereby said capacitor is charged during one half cycle of voltage induced in the charging coil by changing flux in said one leg portion and discharged during the next half cycle of voltage induced in one of said coils by said changing flux in said one leg portion. .Iaddend. .Iadd.7. In a capacitor discharge ignition system as set forth in claim 6 wherein said charge coil is offset from said transformer coil in the direction of said rotating magnet means. .Iaddend. .Iadd.8. In a capacitor discharge ignition system as set forth in claim 6 wherein said core has three radially extending leg portions with said charge coil and said transformer coil disposed on the center leg portion of said core. .Iaddend. .Iadd.9. In a capacitor discharge system for internal combustion engines as set forth in claim 6 wherein said charge coil and transformer coils are essentially the only voltage generating coils employed in said system whereby capacitor charging, the electronic switch means triggering and the transformer ignition functions are all performed by said charging coil and transformer coil in the absence of a separate trigger coil. .Iaddend. .Iadd.10. In a capacitor discharge ignition system as set forth in claim 7 wherein said transformer coil includes a primary winding and secondary winding disposed in generally concentric relation on said one leg portion, said charge coil being offset a substantial distance from the secondary winding of the transformer coil. .Iaddend.