United States Patent [19]

[11] Patent Number:

[45]. Date of Patent:

Ward
[54]

HIGH EFFICIENCY VOLTAGE DOUBLING

IGNITION COIL FOR CD SYSTEM
PRODUCING PULSED PLASMA TYPE
IGNITION

4,677,960
Jul. 7, 1987

Primary ExaminerTony M. Argenbright

Attorney, Agent, or FirmJerry Cohen
[57]

ABSTRACT

[73] Assignee: Combustion Electromagnetics, Inc.,

Arlington, Mass.
[21] Appl. No.: 688,030
Dec. 31, 1984
[22] Filed:
[51] Int. Cl." ......................... F02P 3/08; FO2P 15/08;

A capacitive discharge pulsed plasma ignition system

which is suitable for retrofitting to standard automobile
engines, and easily adaptable to new engines, including
diesel engines, which has been substantially improved
by using a novel ultra-high efficiency ignition trans
former (coil) (3) with an optimized high current and
high voltage output. The ignition is preferably used
with a high pulse rate, high efficiency, multiple pulse
ignition box providing rapid pulsed plasma ignition
sites. The coil (3) has a low winding turns ratio of about

[52] U.S. Cl. .................................... 123/598; 123/634;

123/637; 336/96
[58] Field of Search ............... 123/606, 597, 598, 637,

and resistances, low loss in its core (3a), low secondary

capacitance (5), and is used in conjunction with a capac
itor (4) of capacitance between 1 and about 20 microfar

[75] Inventor: Michael A. V. Ward, Lexington,

Mass.

H01F 27/30

123/634, 143 B, 596; 315/209 R, 209 T; 336/96,

182, 185

[56]

References Cited
U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
2,840,623 6/1958 Middleton ........................... 123/634
3,566,202 2/1971 Carr .................................. 336/84 X
4,149,508 4/1979 Kirk, Jr. et al.
.... 123/606 X
4,291,661 9/1981 Gerry .................................. 123/606
4,369,758 1/1983 Endo ...
123/606 X

4,554,486 11/1985 Gerry .............................. 315/209 R

FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS

2339734 3/1975 Fed. Rep. of Germany ...... 123/634

73246 6/1977 Japan ................................... 123/634

16 VOLTAGE
.
LEVEL
SENSOR/
18

CONTROLLER

MULTI-PULSE
GENERATOR
CONTROLLER

40, low primary (1,11) and secondary (2,12) inductances

ads. The system uses voltage doubling at the spark gap

(9) through coil/capacitor design combination to fire a
wide spark gap (9) and provide a very high current. The
spark current has a high spark energy and long effective
duration through rapid pulsing at a high duty cycle of
the spark gap (9) with the pulse rate chosen to optimize
ignitability for any engine system. When the high effi
ciency coil (3) and capacitor (4) are thus used, a practi
cal, easily installed, low cost, ultra-high efficiency opti
mized pulsed plasma ignition system is provided ca
pable of producing ignition of very lean mixtures for
substantially reduced exhaust emissions and increased
engine efficiency.
34 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures

U.S. Patent Jul. 7, 1987

11 R1

Sheet 1 of 3
M 3a

4,677,960

R2 12

FIG. 1

10

..."
-

15

9b

14

- 10C

16 VOLTAGE .
LEVEL

SENSOR/
18

CONTROLLER

MULTI-PULSEl 17
GENERATOR
CONTROLLER

U.S. Patent Jul. 7, 1987

FIG 3

Sheet 2 of 3

4,677,960

U.S. Patent Jul 7, 1987

FIG. 5

Sheet 3 of 3

4,677,960

4,677,960

16
31. The system defined in claim 30 wherein said total

15
28. The system defined in claim 27 wherein V2 is in

the range of 24 to 32 Kilovolts.

29. The system defined in claim 28 wherein the
through resistance R is less than 100 ohms and wherein
the capacitor connected to the primary winding is
charged to a peak voltage V1 in the range of 300 to 1000
volts to provide a specified voltage V2 in said range.
30. The system defined in claim 29 wherein the total
output capacitance existing between the coil secondary

10

and ground is greater than 100 picofarads.

15

20

25

30

35

45

50

55

60

65

output capacitance is greater than 200 picofarads.

32. The system defined in claim 30 wherein input
voltage V1 is equal to 360 volts and capacitance of
capacitor C1 is approximately equal to 8 uf.
33. The system defined in claim 30 wherein input
voltage V1 is approximately equal to 600 volts and
capacitance of capacitor C1 is about equal to 3 uf.
34. The system defined in claim 30 wherein input
voltage V1 is approximately 1000 volts and C1 is about