US3906918A - Spark ignition apparatus for internal combustion engines - Google Patents

Spark ignition apparatus for internal combustion engines Download PDF

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Publication number
US3906918A
US3906918A US389498A US38949873A US3906918A US 3906918 A US3906918 A US 3906918A US 389498 A US389498 A US 389498A US 38949873 A US38949873 A US 38949873A US 3906918 A US3906918 A US 3906918A
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US
United States
Prior art keywords
sensor
casing
shaft
housing
internal combustion
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
US389498A
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English (en)
Inventor
John Longstaff-Tyrrell
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Lucas Electrical Co Ltd
Original Assignee
Lucas Electrical Co Ltd
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Lucas Electrical Co Ltd filed Critical Lucas Electrical Co Ltd
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of US3906918A publication Critical patent/US3906918A/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F02—COMBUSTION ENGINES; HOT-GAS OR COMBUSTION-PRODUCT ENGINE PLANTS
    • F02P—IGNITION, OTHER THAN COMPRESSION IGNITION, FOR INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES; TESTING OF IGNITION TIMING IN COMPRESSION-IGNITION ENGINES
    • F02P7/00—Arrangements of distributors, circuit-makers or -breakers, e.g. of distributor and circuit-breaker combinations or pick-up devices
    • F02P7/06—Arrangements of distributors, circuit-makers or -breakers, e.g. of distributor and circuit-breaker combinations or pick-up devices of circuit-makers or -breakers, or pick-up devices adapted to sense particular points of the timing cycle
    • F02P7/067—Electromagnetic pick-up devices, e.g. providing induced current in a coil
    • F02P7/0677—Mechanical arrangements

Definitions

  • the sensor is sensitive to the angular position of a member which rotates with the shaft.
  • a housing is carried by the casing and receives the components of an electronic circuit which is operated in response to the output from the sensor.
  • the electronic circuit in response to the output from the sensor breaks and restores an electric circuit through the primary winding of the ignition coil of the ignition system of the vehicle.
  • Supported by the housing is a vacuum actuator the moving rod of which is coupled to the sensor.
  • FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic representation of FIG.
  • This invention relates to spark ignition apparatus for internal combustion engines.
  • Apparatus includes a hollow casing, a shaft rotatable in the casing and driven by the engine in use, a sensor adjustably mounted within the casing for angular movement about the rotational axis of the shaft and sensitive to the angular position of a member rotating with said shaft, a housing carried by said casing and receiving components of an electronic circuit operable in use in response to the output from said sensor to break and restore an electric circuit through the primary winding of an ignition coil, and a vacuum actuator supported by said housing and coupled to said sensor, the actuator in use communicating with the inlet manifold of the internal combustion engine and adjusting the position of said sensor relative to the casing in accordance with the pressure conditions in the inlet manifold.
  • said vacuum actuator is adjustably mounted on said housing so that a rest position of said sensor can be adjusted.
  • said sensor is part of a transformer and includes a pair of windings and said member includes a plurality of similar angularly spaced parts each part, when adjacent the sensor, altering the magnetic coupling between said windings and so altering the output of the sensor.
  • At least some of said components received by said housing are in heat exchange relationship with housing.
  • the casing is closed by an insulating cap carrying a plurality of terminals for connections to respective sparking plugs of the internal combustion engine and said shaft carries a distributor arm which rotates with said shaft and in use distributes electrical sparking pulses to said terminals in turn.
  • FIG. 1 is a plan view of part of spark ignition apparatus in accordance with one example of the invention.
  • HO. 2 is a side elevational view of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1.
  • the apparatus includes a hollow cylindrical metal casing 11 within which is rotatably mounted a driven shaft 12.
  • the shaft 12 is driven in use by the internal combustion engine with which the apparatus is associated and the shaft 12 carries a moulded synthetic resin cylinder 13 which retates with the shaft, and which includes, adjacent its periphery four parallel axially extending equi-angularly spaced ferrite rods 14.
  • Within the casing 11 is an annular metal base plate 15 which is fixed to the casing, and through which the shaft 12 extends with clearance.
  • Ro tatably mounted on the base plate 15 for movement about the axis of the shaft 12 is a timing plate 16 and carried by the timing plate 16 is a sensor 17.
  • the sensor is mounted for movement towards and away from the axis of the shaft 12, so that the sensor can be set in the optimum position in relation to the periphery of the cylinder 13. Once set, it is not intended that the position of the sensor 17 should be adjusted, other than for the purpose of maintenance.
  • a generally rectangular metal housing 18 Secured to the exterior of the casing 11 is a generally rectangular metal housing 18.
  • the housing 18 is secured to the casing 11 by screws one of which is shown at 19, the screws 19 extending through the wall of the casing 11, and co-operating with the base plate 15 to retain the base plate 15 in position within the casing 11.
  • Slidably mounted on the housing 18 is a vacuum unit 21 which in use is coupled by way of a flexible conduit to the inlet manifold of the internal combustion engine.
  • the vacuum unit 21 includes a diaphragm which is moved, in use, in response to pressure changes in the inlet manifold of the engine, and coupled to the diaphragm is a push rod which extends through the housing 18 and an aperture in the casing 11, and which is connected to the timing plate 16.
  • the timing plate, and therefore the sensor 17 are moved relative to the casing 11 about the axis of the shaft 13 in accordance with variation in the pressure in the inlet manifold of the engine.
  • the insulating cap carries four equi-angularly spaced terminals for connection to the four sparking plugs of the internal combustion engine, and the cap additionally carries a centre terminal electrically connected to a spring loaded contact within the cap which bears upon one end of a conductor carried on an insulating distributor arm 23 rotating with the shaft 12.
  • the conductor of the distributor arm 23 passes close to each of said four terminals on the cap in turn.
  • the centre terminal of the cap is electrically connected to the high tension terminal of a conventional ignition coil, and so receives sparking pulses, the sparking pulses being distributed by the distributor arm 23 to the spark plug terminals of the cap in turn, as the shaft 12 rotates.
  • the sensor 17 comprises an E-shapcd ferrite core two of the three parallel limbs of which terminate at their free ends adjacent the cylindrical surface of the cylinder 13.
  • Each of the three limbs of the core is encircled by a respective winding, and so when one of the ferrite rods 14 is adjacent said two limbs of the core, then the magnetic coupling between the respective two windings is substantially increased.
  • the three windings constitute part of an oscillator which in turn constitutes part of an electronic control circuit controlling current flow in the primary winding of the ignition coil of the spark ignition system of the internal combustion en gine.
  • the electronic circuit includes an amplifier, and components of the oscillator and amplifier are carried by the hollow housing 18.
  • a power transistor 24 and a power resistor 25 are secured to the exterior of the housing 18, and are in heat exchange relationship with the housing 18 so that these components can dissipate heat both by radiation to the atmosphere, conduction to the atmosphere, and conduction to the housing 18, and through the housing 18 to the casing 11.
  • the housing 18 and casing 11 between them carry all of the components of the electronic control circuit, and additionally carry terminals whereby the necessary electrical connections to a battery, and the ignition coil can be made.
  • the apparatus described above can be substituted for the ignition distributor of a conventional spark ignition system.
  • the vacuum unit 21 is slidably mounted on the housing 18. ln order to permit the rest position of the sensor 17 relative to the casing 11 to be set, the vacuum unit 21 is provided with a screw threaded shank which extends into the housing 18, and mounted for rotation. but not axial movement within the housing 18 is a thumb wheel 26 in screw-threaded engagement with the shank of the vacuum unit 21. The vacuum unit 21 is held against rotation. and so rotation of the thumb wheel 26 moves the vacuum unit 21 and the sensor 17 relative to the casing 11. It will be appreciated. that if desired the screw-threaded shank of the unit 21 and the thumb wheel 26 can be dispensed with, the vacuum unit 21 being fixed in position relative to the housing 18.
  • the sensor 17 is connected to the remaining components of the oscillator by means of a flexible lead 27, and the arrangement of the electronic control circuit is such that the substantial increase in the magnetic coupling between said pair of windings of the sensor 17 when any one of the four ferrite rods 14 is adjacent the respective poles of the core of the sensor 17 causes the oscillator to operate, the output signal of the oscillator being amplified. and being used to switch off a transistor which is associated with the primary winding of the ignition coil. so breaking the electrical circuit through the primary winding of the ignition coil, and causing a sparking pulse to be generated in the secondary winding of the coil. When the ferrite rod moves out of the proximity of the sensor 17 the oscillator ceases.
  • a spark ignition apparatus which comprises:
  • timing means rotatably mounted with respect to said shaft within said casing;
  • a sensor mounted to said timing means so as to be rotatably adjustable with respect to said shaft along with said timing means;
  • said semiconductor electronic circuit component means being mounted on said housing means which further serve to dissipate heat generated by said component means during use;
  • a vacuum actuator supported by said housing means and coupled to said sensor.
  • said actuator in communication with the inlet manifold of said engine for adjusting the angular position of said sensor relative to said casing according to the pressure conditions in the inlet manifold of said engine.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Electromagnetism (AREA)
  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Ignition Installations For Internal Combustion Engines (AREA)
  • Measuring Fluid Pressure (AREA)
US389498A 1972-08-18 1973-08-20 Spark ignition apparatus for internal combustion engines Expired - Lifetime US3906918A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB3860272A GB1430585A (en) 1972-08-18 1972-08-18 Spark ignition apparatus for internal combustion engines

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US3906918A true US3906918A (en) 1975-09-23

Family

ID=10404521

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US389498A Expired - Lifetime US3906918A (en) 1972-08-18 1973-08-20 Spark ignition apparatus for internal combustion engines

Country Status (10)

Country Link
US (1) US3906918A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
JP (1) JPS4967029A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
AR (1) AR200020A1 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
BR (1) BR7306280D0 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
DE (1) DE2341272A1 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
ES (1) ES417988A1 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
FR (1) FR2196671A5 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
GB (1) GB1430585A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
IN (1) IN138688B (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
IT (1) IT994156B (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE2804286A1 (de) * 1977-02-02 1978-08-03 Hitachi Ltd Zuendanordnung

Families Citing this family (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE2935412A1 (de) * 1979-09-01 1981-03-19 Robert Bosch Gmbh, 7000 Stuttgart Kontaktlos gesteuerte spulenzuendanlage fuer brennkraftmaschinen
IT1178556B (it) * 1984-10-04 1987-09-09 Magneti Marelli Spa Struttura di modulo elettronico e relativo montaggio sul distributore di accensione di motori a combustione interna

Citations (12)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US1018137A (en) * 1910-05-25 1912-02-20 Wilson D Craig Wright Double or twin interrupter for ignition systems.
US1833083A (en) * 1928-05-25 1931-11-24 Worthington Pump & Mach Corp Spark distributor
US2773140A (en) * 1954-02-23 1956-12-04 Globe Union Inc Circuit control apparatus for condenser-discharge ignition systems
US2782247A (en) * 1950-08-17 1957-02-19 Gen Motors Corp Ignition distributor and coil unit
US3289020A (en) * 1963-12-09 1966-11-29 Holley Carburetor Co Ignition distributor
US3304926A (en) * 1964-05-07 1967-02-21 Clinton Augis Company Transistorized ignition apparatus
US3328614A (en) * 1964-08-24 1967-06-27 Gen Motors Corp Breakerless ignition control unit
US3370190A (en) * 1965-09-09 1968-02-20 Motorola Inc Electromagnetic pickup device
US3581725A (en) * 1968-09-09 1971-06-01 Silicon Systems Inc Transistorized ignition system
US3638630A (en) * 1970-05-20 1972-02-01 Gen Motors Corp Internal combustion engine ignition distributor cap and coil assembly
US3795236A (en) * 1972-01-14 1974-03-05 Lucas Industries Ltd Ignition distributor
US3820521A (en) * 1971-11-11 1974-06-28 Lucas Industries Ltd Vehicle ignitions systems

Family Cites Families (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JPS4528178Y1 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) * 1967-10-30 1970-10-30

Patent Citations (12)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US1018137A (en) * 1910-05-25 1912-02-20 Wilson D Craig Wright Double or twin interrupter for ignition systems.
US1833083A (en) * 1928-05-25 1931-11-24 Worthington Pump & Mach Corp Spark distributor
US2782247A (en) * 1950-08-17 1957-02-19 Gen Motors Corp Ignition distributor and coil unit
US2773140A (en) * 1954-02-23 1956-12-04 Globe Union Inc Circuit control apparatus for condenser-discharge ignition systems
US3289020A (en) * 1963-12-09 1966-11-29 Holley Carburetor Co Ignition distributor
US3304926A (en) * 1964-05-07 1967-02-21 Clinton Augis Company Transistorized ignition apparatus
US3328614A (en) * 1964-08-24 1967-06-27 Gen Motors Corp Breakerless ignition control unit
US3370190A (en) * 1965-09-09 1968-02-20 Motorola Inc Electromagnetic pickup device
US3581725A (en) * 1968-09-09 1971-06-01 Silicon Systems Inc Transistorized ignition system
US3638630A (en) * 1970-05-20 1972-02-01 Gen Motors Corp Internal combustion engine ignition distributor cap and coil assembly
US3820521A (en) * 1971-11-11 1974-06-28 Lucas Industries Ltd Vehicle ignitions systems
US3795236A (en) * 1972-01-14 1974-03-05 Lucas Industries Ltd Ignition distributor

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE2804286A1 (de) * 1977-02-02 1978-08-03 Hitachi Ltd Zuendanordnung
US4224917A (en) * 1977-02-02 1980-09-30 Hitachi, Ltd. Ignition device

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
AR200020A1 (es) 1974-10-15
AU5873773A (en) 1975-02-06
JPS4967029A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1974-06-28
DE2341272A1 (de) 1974-02-28
BR7306280D0 (pt) 1974-06-27
GB1430585A (en) 1976-03-31
FR2196671A5 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1974-03-15
ES417988A1 (es) 1976-03-16
IT994156B (it) 1975-10-20
IN138688B (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1976-03-13

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