Patent · US Expired

Method and system for controlling the spark ignition of ignition elements in an internal combustion engine

US4785789A · kind A · utility

5Cited by
8References
16Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJan 7, 1988
Grant dateNov 22, 1988
Priority date
Expiry dateJan 7, 2008

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC F)Mechanical Engineering; Lighting; Heating
  • CPC primaryF02B2075/027
  • WIPO fieldEngines, pumps, turbines
  • WIPO sectorMechanical engineering

Abstract

Disclosed is a method and system for controlling, in a multi-cylinder four-stroke internal combustion engine, the spark ignition in at least two cylinders, the pistons of which simultaneously assume a top dead center position. The method and system achieve a more reliable start with low supply voltage. For this purpose, the charging and discharging of an ignition capacitor is controlled by a control unit in such a way that, when the pistons in a pair of cylinders pass through the same crankshaft angle range close to the top dead center position, ignition is generated in first one and then the other of the pair of cylinders. Between the times for generating the ignition, the ignition capacitor is charged as a function of supply voltage so that a full charge is utilized for generating the ignition sparks in the cylinders.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.