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U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Capacitor discharge ignition system having a charging control means

Patent ·
OSTI ID:6618877

The invention provides charging control circuitry for a capacitor descharge ignition system having power capacitors connected to be discharged by main electronic switches such as SCR's into ignition transformers to sequentially fire the engine's spark plugs. The charging control circuits each include a charging SCR to limit charging current flow to the main capacitor, unless a discharge pulse into the ignition transformer has occurred in the recent past. Thus if a short circuit in either the main capacitor or main SCR in one of the ignition circuits prevents that ignition circuit form properly functioning, the charging SCR will limit the flow of charging current to the defective circuit and allow the other ignition circuit to receive charging current. The gate of the charging SCR is controlled by an amplified signal from a memory capacitor which is charged by the discharge pulse from the corresponding ignition circuit. The same memory capacitor also provides power to drive an indicator such as a light emitting diode.

Assignee:
Brunswick Corp.
Patent Number(s):
US 4433668
OSTI ID:
6618877
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English