US3889160A - Spark-producing arrangement for a lighter with a battery - Google Patents

Spark-producing arrangement for a lighter with a battery Download PDF

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Publication number
US3889160A
US3889160A US394749A US39474973A US3889160A US 3889160 A US3889160 A US 3889160A US 394749 A US394749 A US 394749A US 39474973 A US39474973 A US 39474973A US 3889160 A US3889160 A US 3889160A
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United States
Prior art keywords
voltage
spark
flame
storage capacitor
winding
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Expired - Lifetime
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US394749A
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English (en)
Inventor
Claus Christian Cobarg
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Braun GmbH
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Braun GmbH
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Publication date
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Publication of US3889160A publication Critical patent/US3889160A/en
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    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F23—COMBUSTION APPARATUS; COMBUSTION PROCESSES
    • F23Q—IGNITION; EXTINGUISHING-DEVICES
    • F23Q2/00—Lighters containing fuel, e.g. for cigarettes
    • F23Q2/28—Lighters characterised by electrical ignition of the fuel
    • F23Q2/285—Lighters characterised by electrical ignition of the fuel with spark ignition
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F23—COMBUSTION APPARATUS; COMBUSTION PROCESSES
    • F23Q—IGNITION; EXTINGUISHING-DEVICES
    • F23Q3/00—Igniters using electrically-produced sparks
    • F23Q3/004—Using semiconductor elements

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a spark-producing device employing a battery for use especially in lighters having voltage transducers capable of oscillations for producing a high voltage spark and including a cut-in an'd cut-out switch which is operable by the operating member of the spark-producing device itself so as to throw the voltage transducer into and out of the circuit.
  • Spark-producing arrangements employing batteries are already known in which a storage capacitor is charged up directly from the battery and is discharged through a high voltage ignition transformer by operating an actuating contact.
  • Such an arrangement has a disadvantage in that the ignition transformer must have a very high transformer ratio and a multi-cell battery is necessary. For such reasons a spark-producing device of the above kind is relatively bulky.
  • Another spark-producing device employing a battery became known which has a voltage transducer capable of oscillations and through which a storage capacitor is charged to a voltage which is several times higher than the battery voltage itself. After charging up the capacitor, the storage capacitor becomes discharged through an ignition transformer after a switch becomes operated. As is evident from the above, an additional transformer is necessary for the oscillating part of the voltage transducer.
  • the last mentioned arrangement operates with a single cell battery and its ignition transformer requires a relatively small transformer ratio and, therefore, its volume can be kept relatively small.
  • the disadvantage of the above-mentioned sparkproducing arrangement resides in that it remains in operation for as long as the operating switch of the lighter is closed, even after ignition has taken place. In the case of pocket lighters, such repeated and superfluous ignition will lead to a quick exhaustion of the battery.
  • an object of the present invention to provide an improved spark-producing arrangement employing a battery which does not have the abovementioned disadvantages of known spark-producing devices and which is capable of increasing thereby the operating life of the battery.
  • a flame sensing means is provided within the spark-producing arrangement which controls a cut-out member of the ignition device.
  • a sparkproducing arrangement employing a battery and having a transistorized voltage transdusing arrangement therein
  • the cut-out member is preferably provided in the feedback path of the voltage transducer and located in the base circuit of the transducer.
  • the flame sensing means forms the cut-out member itself.
  • FIG. 1 illustrates the circuit connections of a sparkproducing device employing a battery according to the present invention
  • FIGS. 2a-f illustrate various flame sensing devices which can be used in connection with this sparkproducing arrangement according to the present invention.
  • FIG. 1 DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS With reference to the circuit diagram of FIG. 1, it is seen that it includes a battery 1, which preferably has a voltage of 1.5 volts, and an electrolyte capacitor 2, which is connected parallel to the battery 1.
  • the fact that such a type of capacitor is used has the advantage that even when the battery has been relatively fully discharged, the spark-producing arrangement of the present invention will still be capable of proper functioning.
  • the circuit diagram further includes a npn-type transistor 5, which obviously can also be a pnp-type and, in the latter case, it is required only to change the voltage polarities.
  • the emitter of the transistor 5 is connected to the negative terminal of the battery 1, while the collector is connected over the primary winding 6 of an oscillation transformer 9, with the make-contact of an operating switch 10, the other contact point of which is returned to the positive terminal of the battery 1.
  • the oscillating transformer 9 further includes a feedback winding 7 as well as a secondary winding 8.
  • the feedback winding 7 is connected with one end thereof to the base of the transistor 5 and with the other end thereof to a tap-joint of a voltage divider circuit feeding the base of the transistor 5 and comprising the resistors 3 and 4.
  • One end of the voltage divider circuit is connected to ground, namely. at one end of the resistor 4,
  • the secondary winding 8 of the oscillating transformer 9 has a Villard-type rectifier arrangement coupled thereto which includes a storage capacitor 11, diodes 12 and 13 and another storage capacitor 14.
  • the primary winding 15 of a high voltage ignition transformer 17 is connected through a series circuit, including a thyristor 18.
  • the secondary side 16 of the high voltage ignition transformer 17 is in circuit connection with a spark gap 21.
  • a flame-sensitive sensing means which controls a cut-out switch member of the ignition arrangement.
  • the resistor 3 in the voltage divider circuit feeding the base of transistor 5 is replaced by a switch member which is placed in the operating range of the burning flame which includes a resistive part, the resistance of which increases with increasing flame temperature.
  • PTC positive temperature co-efficient
  • switching member which has a resistance characteristic decreasing with increasing temperature.
  • NTC negative temperature co-efficient
  • FIG. 2e Another embodiment possible for sensing the flame temperature and to acting as a cut-out switch is when the resistor 4 is replaced by an infrared sensor, such as, by an infra-red sensitive photo-resistor. This type of arrangement is illustrated in FIG. 2e.
  • a so-called ionization gap 22, illustrated in FIG. 2f which can be in the form of a pair of wire tips placed at a small distance with respect to each other.
  • Such an ionization gap could then be used to replace the resistor 4. It is, however, assumed and required that the resistor 3 always has a value which is considerably larger than the resistance of the ionization gap 22.
  • the resistance of the gap 22 at an operating flame lies between I and 20 M ohms. It is also noted that that, for the generally illustrated transistor 5, it is preferred to use a FET-type transistor which requires a very slight base current.
  • the gap 22 may be arranged in such a manner that the gap 22 controls a switching member such as an FET transistor which lies parallel with the resistor 4.
  • the circuit of the oscillating arrangement must be designed in such a manner that when the operating switch is closed, then the oscillation will start.
  • the above requirement can be obtained by the appropriate dimensioning of the switching elements, especially by appropriately selecting the bias voltage for the base of the transistor 5, the winding ratio of the primary winding 6 and the feedback winding 7.
  • the circuit arrangement illustrated in FIG. I operates as follows:
  • the circuit diagram illustrated in FIG. 1 is designed in such a manner that the oscillations will continue after the storage capacitor 14 has discharged and the above described oscillating process keeps repeating itself.
  • the voltage transducer or oscillator will turn itself off only when the gas or whatever fuel is used is already burning.
  • the resistor 3, as above described can be made as a PTC resistor which is placed in the operating range of the flame. Due to the heat produced by the flame, the resistance of the PTC resistor 3 will increase itself considerably within a short period of time so that the bias voltage of the transistor base will be reduced to a value which is too small for another cycle of oscillation. It is assumed that the oscillating state of the voltage transducer or oscillator portion is relatively difficult to upset by changing the bias voltage of the transistor base.
  • the resistor is a NTC resistor. as illustrated in FIG. 2c, then the resistance value of such a reistor will decrease considerably through the exposure to the heat of the flame and thereby the bias voltage to the base of transistor 5 will be reduced with the consequence, as mentioned above in connection with the PTC resistor, namely the oscillation will stop.
  • the resistor 4 can be replaced by an infra-red sensitive photo-resistor as illustrated in FIG. 22. Such a photo-resistor reduces its resistance value when radiation hits it, so that it will have a similar effect as when a NTC resistor is used.
  • the switching arrangement illustrated in FIG. 1 can be modified several ways.
  • a self-cleaning or wiping contactor can be used, which, after having been operated once allows the sparking to go on only for a certain number of times before the switch can be operated again.
  • an excessive use of the battery is avoided and this is especially advantageous in the event other operating deffects are present or when the fuel tank is empty.
  • a spark-producing circuit comprising a source of DC. voltage, an oscillating means including spark means coupled to said course of DC. voltage, a sensing means placed adjacent said flame and sensing the presence of the flame for turning off said oscillating means when a flame is present, said oscillating means comprises a voltage transducer means having a primary, a
  • a transistor device having a base electrode connected to said feedback winding, a primary winding connected to said collector electrode, a voltage dividing circuit including said sensor means connected through said feedback winding to the base electrode of said transistor device, an operating switch means connecting said voltage divider circuit to one terminal of said DC.
  • a discharge circuit connected to said secondary winding and including a storage capacitor means and a thyristor device connected in a series therewith and capable of producing a high voltage pulse when the charge in said storage capacitor attains a predetermined breakdown voltage of said thyristor means, a high voltage step-up transformer means having a primary winding connected in series with said storage capacitor means and said thyristor means and a secondary winding, a spark gap means connected in series with said secondary winding of said step-up transformer means, whereby a spark is produced in said spark gap means when said storage capacitor discharges over said thyristor device.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Ignition Installations For Internal Combustion Engines (AREA)
  • Lighters Containing Fuel (AREA)
US394749A 1972-09-06 1973-09-06 Spark-producing arrangement for a lighter with a battery Expired - Lifetime US3889160A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
DE2243695A DE2243695A1 (de) 1972-09-06 1972-09-06 Batterie-zuendvorrichtung

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US3889160A true US3889160A (en) 1975-06-10

Family

ID=5855586

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US394749A Expired - Lifetime US3889160A (en) 1972-09-06 1973-09-06 Spark-producing arrangement for a lighter with a battery

Country Status (5)

Country Link
US (1) US3889160A (fr)
JP (1) JPS4967769A (fr)
DE (1) DE2243695A1 (fr)
ES (1) ES418483A1 (fr)
FR (1) FR2198095A1 (fr)

Cited By (15)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE2654461A1 (de) * 1975-12-03 1977-06-16 Lucas Industries Ltd Funkenzuendungssystem
US4034270A (en) * 1973-12-07 1977-07-05 Johnson Controls, Inc. Self-inhibiting spark generating arrangement
US4054936A (en) * 1976-03-16 1977-10-18 Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. Gas ignition device
US4094140A (en) * 1976-08-24 1978-06-13 Hideki Ohue Timepiece-gas lighter assembly
US4521825A (en) * 1982-10-20 1985-06-04 Technical Components Pty. Ltd. Gas ignition circuits
US4565519A (en) * 1983-01-21 1986-01-21 Advanced Mechanical Technology, Inc. Burner ignition system
US5065073A (en) * 1988-11-15 1991-11-12 Frus John R Apparatus and method for providing ignition to a turbine engine
US5148084A (en) * 1988-11-15 1992-09-15 Unison Industries, Inc. Apparatus and method for providing ignition to a turbine engine
US5245252A (en) * 1988-11-15 1993-09-14 Frus John R Apparatus and method for providing ignition to a turbine engine
US5473502A (en) * 1992-09-22 1995-12-05 Simmonds Precision Engine Systems Exciter with an output current multiplier
US5754011A (en) * 1995-07-14 1998-05-19 Unison Industries Limited Partnership Method and apparatus for controllably generating sparks in an ignition system or the like
US5864208A (en) * 1996-08-13 1999-01-26 Eg&G Corporation Spark gap device and method of manufacturing same
US20090194082A1 (en) * 2008-02-06 2009-08-06 Honda Motor Co., Ltd. Transistor type ignition apparatus for internal combustion engine
WO2014042665A1 (fr) * 2012-09-11 2014-03-20 American Eagle Instruments, Inc. Appareil et procédé d'irrigateur de décharge électrique
US10898705B2 (en) 2012-09-11 2021-01-26 G&H Technologies, Llc Electrical discharge irrigator apparatus and method

Families Citing this family (17)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JPS5186270U (fr) * 1974-12-20 1976-07-10
JPS5191330U (fr) * 1975-01-18 1976-07-21
JPS5522370Y2 (fr) * 1975-01-18 1980-05-28
JPS5190137U (fr) * 1975-01-18 1976-07-19
JPS52118165U (fr) * 1976-03-04 1977-09-07
JPS52130760A (en) * 1976-04-26 1977-11-02 Mansei Kogyo Kk Automatic dischar geproof device for gas lighter
JPS5315980A (en) * 1976-07-28 1978-02-14 Automob Antipollut & Saf Res Center Lap ignitor for burner
JPS53110279U (fr) * 1977-02-10 1978-09-04
JPS53141268U (fr) * 1977-04-14 1978-11-08
JPS53128480A (en) * 1977-04-15 1978-11-09 Mitsumi Electric Co Ltd Automatic ignition stopping circuit for continuous gas igniter
JPS5473071U (fr) * 1977-11-01 1979-05-24
JPS5473070U (fr) * 1977-11-01 1979-05-24
JPS54178672U (fr) * 1978-06-03 1979-12-17
JPS55815A (en) * 1978-06-19 1980-01-07 Toshiba Corp Ignition device
JPS5514480A (en) * 1978-07-19 1980-01-31 Toshiba Corp Ignitor
DE2847154A1 (de) * 1978-10-30 1980-05-08 Rowenta Werke Gmbh Batteriefeuerzeug mit automatischer abschaltung der zuendeinrichtung
ES2033360T3 (es) * 1987-05-08 1993-03-16 Siemens Aktiengesellschaft Instalacion para la combustion controlada de mezclas de hidrogeno-aire inflamables en el contenedor de instalaciones de reactor nuclear refrigeradas por agua.

Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3045148A (en) * 1962-07-17 Ignition system with transistor control
US3338288A (en) * 1964-02-28 1967-08-29 Whirlpool Co Electronic spark ignitor
US3488131A (en) * 1964-10-26 1970-01-06 Whirlpool Co Electronic spark ignitor control for fuel burner
US3589848A (en) * 1968-08-06 1971-06-29 Liberty Combustion Corp Oil burner control system
US3681001A (en) * 1970-05-15 1972-08-01 Liberty Combustion Corp Fluid fuel igniter control system

Patent Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3045148A (en) * 1962-07-17 Ignition system with transistor control
US3338288A (en) * 1964-02-28 1967-08-29 Whirlpool Co Electronic spark ignitor
US3488131A (en) * 1964-10-26 1970-01-06 Whirlpool Co Electronic spark ignitor control for fuel burner
US3589848A (en) * 1968-08-06 1971-06-29 Liberty Combustion Corp Oil burner control system
US3681001A (en) * 1970-05-15 1972-08-01 Liberty Combustion Corp Fluid fuel igniter control system

Cited By (25)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4034270A (en) * 1973-12-07 1977-07-05 Johnson Controls, Inc. Self-inhibiting spark generating arrangement
DE2654461A1 (de) * 1975-12-03 1977-06-16 Lucas Industries Ltd Funkenzuendungssystem
US4261025A (en) * 1975-12-03 1981-04-07 Lucas Industries Limited Spark discharge ignition systems for gas turbine engines
US4054936A (en) * 1976-03-16 1977-10-18 Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. Gas ignition device
US4094140A (en) * 1976-08-24 1978-06-13 Hideki Ohue Timepiece-gas lighter assembly
US4521825A (en) * 1982-10-20 1985-06-04 Technical Components Pty. Ltd. Gas ignition circuits
US4565519A (en) * 1983-01-21 1986-01-21 Advanced Mechanical Technology, Inc. Burner ignition system
US5561350A (en) * 1988-11-15 1996-10-01 Unison Industries Ignition System for a turbine engine
US5148084A (en) * 1988-11-15 1992-09-15 Unison Industries, Inc. Apparatus and method for providing ignition to a turbine engine
US5245252A (en) * 1988-11-15 1993-09-14 Frus John R Apparatus and method for providing ignition to a turbine engine
US5399942A (en) * 1988-11-15 1995-03-21 Unison Industries Limited Partnership Apparatus and method for providing ignition to a turbine engine
US5065073A (en) * 1988-11-15 1991-11-12 Frus John R Apparatus and method for providing ignition to a turbine engine
US5473502A (en) * 1992-09-22 1995-12-05 Simmonds Precision Engine Systems Exciter with an output current multiplier
US6353293B1 (en) 1995-07-14 2002-03-05 Unison Industries Method and apparatus for controllably generating sparks in an ignition system or the like
US6034483A (en) * 1995-07-14 2000-03-07 Unison Industries, Inc. Method for generating and controlling spark plume characteristics
US5754011A (en) * 1995-07-14 1998-05-19 Unison Industries Limited Partnership Method and apparatus for controllably generating sparks in an ignition system or the like
US20020101188A1 (en) * 1995-07-14 2002-08-01 Unison Industries, Inc. Method and apparatus for controllably generating sparks in an ingnition system or the like
US7095181B2 (en) 1995-07-14 2006-08-22 Unsion Industries Method and apparatus for controllably generating sparks in an ignition system or the like
US5864208A (en) * 1996-08-13 1999-01-26 Eg&G Corporation Spark gap device and method of manufacturing same
US20090194082A1 (en) * 2008-02-06 2009-08-06 Honda Motor Co., Ltd. Transistor type ignition apparatus for internal combustion engine
WO2014042665A1 (fr) * 2012-09-11 2014-03-20 American Eagle Instruments, Inc. Appareil et procédé d'irrigateur de décharge électrique
US10232164B2 (en) 2012-09-11 2019-03-19 G & H Technologies, Llc Electrical discharge irrigator apparatus and method
US10898705B2 (en) 2012-09-11 2021-01-26 G&H Technologies, Llc Electrical discharge irrigator apparatus and method
US20210162202A1 (en) * 2012-09-11 2021-06-03 G & H Technologies, Llc Electrical discharge irrigator apparatus and method
US12115364B2 (en) * 2012-09-11 2024-10-15 Endo-Logic, Llc Electrical discharge irrigator apparatus and method

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
DE2243695A1 (de) 1974-03-14
FR2198095A1 (fr) 1974-03-29
JPS4967769A (fr) 1974-07-01
ES418483A1 (es) 1976-04-01

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