Ignition System

The present invention relates to an ignition system for an automobile and, particularly to an ignition system for converting the direct current for igniting an engine.

An example of a known ignition system for an automobile is shown in FIG. 3 which includes a battery 1 for supplying power which is converted into a high voltage signal by a DC-DC converter 2. This converted voltage signal is supplied to an ignition condenser or capacitor 4 through a discharging circuit 3 including a thyristor 3a. An LC resonance circuit is formed by a condenser 2a, a choke coil 3b and the condenser 4. The LC resonance circuit discharges a charged capacitance of the condenser 2a to the condenser 4 which is charged with almost twice the voltage of the DC-DC converter output voltage. The charged energy of the condenser 4 corresponds to an ignition energy for one spark. An engine computer 5 supplies a pulse signal which indicates the ignition duration in accordance with a throttle, engine revolution, etc. An ignition control circuit 6 consists of a control circuit 6a, an oscillator 6b and a switching transistor 6c. The control circuit 6a supplies an ignition signal SA in accordance with the pulse signal of the engine computer 5. The oscillator 6b oscillates in a certain period while the ignition signal SA is applied. This oscillator 6b consists of a mono-stable multi-vibrator and serves to determine the charge and discharge time of the condenser 4 in accordance with a charge signal SC and a discharge signal SB, respectively. The switching transistor 6c turns ON when the discharge signal SB is applied and allows the discharged current to flow from the condenser 4 to the choke coil 7 and a transformer 8. Another LC resonance circuit is formed by the condenser 4, the choke coil 7 and the transformer 8. A discharged current increases along with the oscillation period of the LC resonance circuit and becomes a maximum voltage when the discharge of the condenser 4 is completed. The primary current of the transformer 8 is connected to ground. The second current of the transformer 8 is connected to a spark plug 10 so that the magnetic energy of the transformer at the second current converts into a spark. The known circuit includes a clamp circuit 11 for setting the voltage applied to the switching transistor 6c to a predetermined voltage level.

In the known ignition system, the oscillator 6b is a self oscillator and determines the charge and discharge time of the condenser 4. Consequently, the ignition system is not able to change the discharge durations of the spark plug 10 in order to stabilize the engine combustion.

An object of the present invention is to provide an ignition system for improving the above-mentioned drawbacks of the known system and, particularly to provide an ignition system which can change the discharge durations of the spark plugs.

The present invention provides an ignition system for an automobile comprising a spark circuit including a spark plug, a power supply circuit connected to the spark circuit, a switching circuit connected to the power supply circuit for supplying power from the power supply circuit to the spark circuit, a device for supplying an ignition timing signal, a distributing circuit for sending the ignition signal to operate the switching circuit, and a control circuit for disabling the distributing circuit for a predetermined period of time when the ignition timing signal is received.

In accordance with the invention, the control circuit disables the operation of the distributing circuit for a predetermined period of time once the ignition signal is received. After the predetermined period of time, the control circuit serves to enable the distributing circuit which operates to send the ignition signal for producing a spark.

The foregoing and other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following more particular description of a preferred embodiment of the invention as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a circuit diagram of an ignition system in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a timing chart showing the ignition timing signal and the discharge current of the ignition system in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is a circuit diagram of a known ignition system.

As shown in FIG. 1, the ignition system according to the invention includes input circuits 20-23. The input circuit 20 is an ignition timing signal input circuit comprising a wave shaping circuit which receives an ignition timing signal IGM. The input circuit 21 is a wave shaping circuit which receives a first distribution signal SEL 1 and outputs the shaped first distribution signal to a distributing circuit 31. The input circuits 22 and 23 are also wave shaping circuits which receive distribution signals SEL 2 and SEL 3, respectively.

The ignition timing signal input circuit 20 is connected to a terminal G of the distributing circuit 31, and outputs a logical "HIGH" signal when the ignition timing signal IGM is a logical "HIGH" signal, and outputs a logical "LOW" signal when the ignition timing signal IGM is a logical "LOW" signal. When the ignition timing signal IGM is "HIGH", the input circuit 20 allows the distributing circuit 31 to receive and supply the distributing signals SEL 1, SEL 2 and SEL 3. The output of the signal input circuit 20 is also connected to the base of the switching transistor 24c through a differentiation circuit and an invertor. When the ignition timing signal IGM changes from "HIGH" to "LOW", the transistor 24c discharges the capacitor 24b, and the transistor 24c outputs a "HIGH" signal to the terminal G1A of the distribution circuit 31 which prohibits the distribution circuit 31 from providing any output signals. This prohibiting time period is determined from the time constants of a charging resistor 24a and the capacitor 24b. A terminal G2B of the distributing circuit 31 is connected to a voltage watching circuit 43. When the voltage watching circuit 43 detects the power decrease, it sends a signal to the terminal G2B which disables the distributing circuit 31.

A driving circuit 25 for the thyristor 25a turns the thyristor 25a ON when the ignition timing signal IGM changes from "HIGH" to "LOW" so that the condenser 26 starts charging.

A switching circuit 27 turns ON in accordance with the logical "HIGH" signal of the first distributing signal SEL1 and turns OFF in accordance with the logical "LOW" signal of the first distributing signal SEL1. Switching circuits 28 and 29 operate in the same manner in accordance with the distributing signals SEL2 and SEL3, respectively.

Terminals COIL1, COIL2 and COIL3 are connected to terminals COILn. A choke coil 40 and a transformer 41 are connected to spark plug 42. The coil 40 and the transformer 41 form an LC resonance circuit which functions to transfer a discharging current from the condenser 26 to the spark plug. The DC-DC converter 30 converts a direct current voltage into a high voltage. A constant voltage circuit 44 supplies a constant voltage +Vc to the circuits of the ignition system. Circuits (not shown) including coil 40 and transformer 41 are connected to second and third spark plugs, respectively.

The operation of the inventive ignition system will now be described.

When the first distribution signal SEL1 is applied to the distributing circuit 31, the spark plug 42 requires a signal in order to spark. The ignition timing signal IGM shown in FIG. 2 is applied to the ignition input circuit 20. When the timing signal IGM changes from "HIGH" ("H") to "LOW" ("L") at time t0, the thyristor driving circuit 25 turns ON the thyristor 25a to charge the condenser 26. On the other hand, when the ignition timing signal IGM is "L", the distributing circuit 31 disables the distributing circuit 31 once it receives the "L" signal at terminal G. Further, the capacitor 24b is discharged when the ignition timing signal IGM is "L" and starts charging with the time constant determined by the resistor 24a and the capacitor 24b. This also prevents the distributing circuit 31 from providing ignition signals.

At the time t1 in FIG. 2, the ignition timing signal IGM becomes "H" and this "H" signal is applied to the terminal G of the distributing circuit 31. In response, the distributing circuit 31 provides the first distributing signal SEL1. The switching circuit 27 turns ON in response to the "H" signal from the distributing circuit 31. The discharging current from the condenser 26 flows through the coil 40 and the transformer 41. This discharging current is increased by the LC resonance circuit formed by coil 40 and transformer 41. This discharging current becomes a maximum when the discharging of the condenser 26 is completed. Then, the magnetic energy at the second side of the transformer 41 changes into a spark at the spark plug 42. This process continues at times t3, t4, and t5 as shown in FIG. 2. The same process occurs when the distributing signals SEL2 or SEL3 is applied to the distributing circuit 31.

Thus, the distributing circuit 31 is disabled from providing output signals between the time condenser 26 starts charging (in response to the ignition timing signal IGM) and the time when the charge of the condenser 26 charges to a predetermined level. During the time that the condenser 26 is being charged, the charged current of the condenser 26 is not discharged. Further, once the condenser 26 is charged, the spark plug 42 can be sparked by applying the power from the power circuit through the spark circuit including coil 40, transformer 41 and spark plug 42. Consequently, when the condenser 26 is not charged, the spark plug can be sparked independently. Thus, the duration of the spark can be controlled.

While the invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to a preferred embodiment thereof, it will be understood by those in the art that the foregoing and other changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.