US3181522A - Control switch arrangement for a spark plug ignition circuit - Google Patents

Description

s. KOFINK 3,181,522

CONTROL SWITCH ARRANGEMENT FOR A SPARK PLUG IGNITION CIRCUIT Filed May 2. 1960 United States Patent E 7,6 1 Claim. (Cl. 123-148) This invention relates generally to switch mechanisms and concerns in particular the control of switches for electric circuits in power systems, such as heaters for automotive vehicles.

It is one of the objects of the invention to provide means afi'ording highly economical, very sensitive and positive control of a switch mechanism in an electric circuit to which any suitable consumer unit, such as a spark plug and like device of a combustion engine or like power aggregate is connected.

It is another and important object of this invention to provide means aiming at a switch control system of great simplicity, which takes up only a minimum of space and whose driving power is derived from the exhaust or compressed gas of an internal combustion engine.

Yet a further object of the invention resides in the provision of means conducive to a very compact and eflicacious control system of the aforesaid type, in which a predetermined pressure (low pressure, overpressure and like working conditions) influences or regulates the operation of an electric switch system which is operatively connected to a power source or aggregate.

In known heaters, in particular in heaters used in automotive vehicles with spark ignition, the circuit breakers are either operated by the motor shaft which drives the blower, or by parts of the internal combustion engine. These devices, however, require complicated and additional transmission parts which take up considerable space.

It is therefore still another object of the present inven tion to provide means overcoming these and other disadvantages of the prior art.

The problem underlying the invention is to provide means devising a spark ignition device devoid of rotating parts, which problem is solved by the provision of movable parts of a circuit breaker, which parts are controlled by the pulses produced by an internal combustion engine in the gas-conducting ducts thereof. These pulses may be derived from the suction line as well as from the exhaust line of the engine.

In accordance with the invention, a membrane box or housing is connected to a branch of the exhaust gas conducting line, the membrane contained in said bOX being exposed to the influences of pulsating gases and cooperating With the movable part of the interrupter or circuit breaker.

In the membrane housing or box the counter contact for the circuit breaker may be disposed in a manner known per se. Instead of a membrane a check valve or like device may be provided, whereby the valve plate is equipped with a movable contact part pertaining to the circuit breaker.

In both these solutions the movably arranged contact parts or carriers of the circuit breaker may be connected with the housing part and thereby readily grounded.

It is therefore still another object of the invention to provide means redounding to a quick-acting control mechanism of the type herein disclosed, which is devoid of any mechanical drive or actuating elements, is not subjected to any frictional wear and complies satisfactorily with heavy operational conditions inherent in combustion engines and like power aggregates.

These and other objects of the present invention will become further apparent from the following detailed description, reference being made to the accompanying drawing, showing preferred embodiments of the invention.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 shows, schematically and in section, an arrangement of a membrane-controlled circuit breaker and a circuit diagram connected therewith; and

FIG. 2 shows a view similar to that of FIG. 1, whereby the membrane-controlled circuit breaker is replaced by a valve-controlled interrupter.

Referring now more specifically to the drawing, there is disclosed in FIG. 1 a branch connection 1a connected to the exhaust gas line 1 of a combustion engine (not shown).

Joined to the branch connection 1a is a membrane housing 2 containing the membrane proper 2a. Membrane member 2a carries centrally thereof a movable contact element 3 which is located opposite and normally in spaced relation to the counter contact element Sax seated on the upper housing part 2b.

The upper housing part 2b is made from electrically non-conductive material, for example, plastic or plastic composition.

The membrane member 2a consists of a thin sheet material assuming a bellows form and responding to vibrations of a controlled stream of exhaust gas entering through an opening 1c of nozzle 1b, thereby flowing in the direction according to arrow A for actuation of membrane member 2a for closing contacts 3, 3a.

When gas flows in the direction of arrow B, a separation of the contacts 3, 3a is eliectuated. As soon as the contacts 3-, 3a are separated and thus brought into inoperative position, the pressure pulses from the exhaust gas are communicated to the partial stream flowing through opening 10 and influence the membrane 2a.

The circuit through primary winding 4, which is grounded at one side, is then closed and a high current surge produced which induces in the secondary Winding 4a a current which then discharges at the schematically shown electrodes 5a, 5b of the spark plug 5.

The interrupter counter contact 3a establishes then across the movable contact 3 a connection via the conductive membrane disk or member 2a and the lower part of the housing 2, which, in turn, is grounded by the branch part In of the exhaust.

A similar control arrangement or device is constituted by the circuit breaker construction of FIG. 2. As here shown, instead of a membrane, there is provided a check valve 6 having a valve plate 6c which applies under pressure of spring 6a against an open work support element 6b.

This element carries the movable circuit breaker contact 3'. The counter contact 3" is held by an insulating screw arrangement 7 which is made of plastic or plastic composition and hence is separated from the ground contacting parts of check valve 6, while the movable contact 3 is grounded across spring 6a.

Thus it will be seen that pulses emanating from the exhaust or like gas conduit 1 are communicated via branch 1a in accordance with the arrows to the valve place 6c in a manner similar to membrane member 20, as hereinabove stated with respect to FIG. 1.

It can thus be seen that there has been provided, according to this invention, a switch control arrangement for operating an electric circuit for the spark plug ignition of a power aggregate equipped with a conduit for fluid flow; a housing, means responsive to fluid pressure and including a displaceable member located in said housing and in communication with said conduit, and circuit breaker means in said ignition circuit for opening and closing the same, respectively, said breaker means including two cooperable contacts, respectively, supported in said housing, one of said contacts being movable to and fro the other contact and being operatively connected with said displaceable member, the other of said contacts being stationary and carried by a part of said housing, which is electrically insulated from the remainder of said housing.

Various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention and it is intended that such obvious changes and modifications be embraced by the annexed claim.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

An interrupter switch for the electrical spark ignition of a device having an exhaust gas conduit with a pulsating exhaust gas flow therethrough during operation of the device, comprising a closed housing, an extension conduit connected into the lower end of said housing and into said exhaust gas conduit, a member extending across said extension conduit adjacent the connection to said exhaust gasconduit and having an orifice opening therethrough, a movable member disposed across said housing exposed to the pulsating gas flow from said extension conduit, a spark ignition circuit, a first contact connected in said spark ignition circuit and mounted in a fixed location in said housing on a side thereof opposite from said extension conduit, and a second contact connected in said spark ignition circuit carried by said movable member on the same side of said housing as said first contact and being displaceable with said movable member into and out of engagement with said first contact in accordance with the pulsating gas flow in said conduit.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS RICHARD B. WILKINSON, Primary Examiner.

MAX L. LEVY, WALTER STOLWEIN, Examiners.

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