Gm Global Technolgoy Operations, Inc.

Delphi Technologies, Inc.

Other

James Alva Boyer

Albert Anthony Skinner

Raymond O Butler, Jr

Richard E Ballentine

Dwayne Allen Huntzinger

James Tordt Wright

Robert C Buttry

Ronald J Kiess

Mark Albert Paul

Viorel N Moga

Harry Oliver Levers, Jr

Norman H Bracken

Jeffrey Dan Ogden

Kenneth P Senseman

Robert A Noel

Bobbie D Bridgewater

Donald Clayton Warner

Thomas E Welsh, Jr

Richard Laurence Haisley

David D Jackson

Matthew W Bell

James R Tumulty

Jerry L Sturdivant

Judith P Kraft

Patrick L Gibson

Mark A Paul

An ignition coil, spark plug, and pressure sensor for an internal combustion engine are, in a preferred embodiment, integrated into a single assembly and mounted directly on a plug hole of an internal combustion engine. A hard spark plug shell serves as a pressure member and on which a strain gage is affixed. Changes in the pressure in the combustion chamber deform the shell, causing a corresponding change in the resistance of the strain gage. A bridge circuit or the like is used to measure the resistance change thereby providing a direct indication of cylinder pressure.

Spark generating apparatus having strain gage cylinder pressure measurement feature

An ignition apparatus includes a high resistivity ferrite central core with a secondary winding disposed directly thereon. The ignition apparatus also includes, in a progressively coaxial fashion, a primary spool, a primary winding disposed on the spool, a case, and an outer core or shield of magnetically permeable material. The ignition apparatus exhibits reduced capacitance, and eliminates radial partial discharge at the inside diameter of the secondary winding.

Ignition system having a high resistivity core

A method for inhibiting or eliminating case erosion in a pencil ignition coil having an internal primary winding and an external secondary winding and shield. Three alternative means for resisting damage due to the partial discharge phenomenon arising from a high electric field in such coil configurations are provided: (i) applying an ozone resistant coating on the case; (ii) applying a coating on the case for eliminating partial discharge under the shield; and (iii) applying a polyimide tape covering to the case for resisting partial discharge under the shield. Several significant benefits include: an increased commercial value by allowing the use of an efficient internal primary winding which increases energy density and eliminates the need for a spool, thereby lowering the manufacturing costs, the processing costs falling well beneath that of liquid polymer processing, the ease of processing by coating or molding, the reduction of electrical noise, the improved durability even through thermal cycling, and the lowering of case manufacturing costs by allowing the use of lower cost plastic.

Erosion resistant pencil coil having external secondary winding and shield

A spark ignition assembly for use in a spark ignition system of an internal combustion engine, and an assembly method therefor. The spark ignition assembly includes a housing within which a spark plug, ignition coil and connector are housed. The spark plug has an insulator body, a first electrode and a ground electrode at a first end of the insulator body, and a terminal at an oppositely-disposed second end of the insulator body. The ignition coil is electrically connected to the terminal of the spark plug and to the connector, through which an electric voltage is applied to the ignition coil. The housing preferably contains a liquid injection molding (LIM) compound that surrounds the ignition coil and at least portions of the connector and spark plug.

Method of producing spark ignition assembly with integral spark plug and ignition coil

An ignition coil for an internal combustion engine improves high-voltage sealing performance and moreover reduces housing outer diameter. The ignition coil for an internal combustion engine is made up of a transformer portion of cylindrical configuration housed within a housing chamber of a case, a control-circuit portion, that is positioned on one end portion of this transformer portion, causing primary current of the transformer portion to be intermittent, and a connecting portion that is positioned on another end portion of the transformer portion, supplying secondary voltage of the transformer portion to a spark plug. A silicone rubber injection molding serves as the encapsulant while forming the high voltage boot to the plug.

Ignition coil for an internal combustion engine

A system and method of providing multicharge ignition are provided. The method and system preferably are adapted to trigger at least some of the multicharge events of the system and method in a current-dependent manner. Preferably, existing power train control units (PTCUs) can be used with the system and method, without the need for signals other than the timing signal (e.g., EST pulse) from the PTCU. The method comprises the steps of charging an inductive energy storage device by flowing electrical current through a primary side of the inductive energy storage device until a predetermined amount of energy is stored therein, discharging a portion of the predetermined amount of energy through a secondary side of the inductive energy storage device by opening a path of the electrical current through the primary side upon achieving the predetermined amount of energy in the inductive energy storage device, and repetitively closing and reopening the path to recharge and partially discharge, respectively, the inductive energy storage device, wherein reopening of the path is triggered based on the amount of energy stored in the inductive energy storage device. The multicharge ignition system comprises an inductive energy storage device and electronic ignition circuitry. The inductive energy storage device has primary and secondary sides inductively coupled to one another. The electronic ignition circuitry is connected to the primary side and is adapted to implement the aforementioned method.

System and method for providing multicharge ignition

An ignition coil, spark plug, and pressure sensor for an internal combustion engine are integrated into a single assembly and mounted directly on a plug hole of an internal combustion engine. A hard spark plug shell serves as a magnetostrictive section for pressure detection. A radially polarized biasing magnet is disposed adjacent the spark plug shell thereby generating an initial flux through a sensing winding. The sensing winding is wound about the lower end of the coil case to sense changes in the induction characteristics of the spark plug shell as a result of pressure changes in the cylinder. A first passive method of sensing pressure whereby the flux change due to the permeability change generates a signal voltage in the sensed coil. This voltage is proportional to the time rate of change of pressure which is integrated to produce a cylinder pressure waveform. A second active method employs an oscillator to drive the sensing circuit with a frequency at least ten times that of the pressure signal content. The frequency or amplitude of this signal is then modulated in response to the induction property change of the spark plug shell the induction changes The second method is capable of detecting both static and dynamic pressure.

Integrated spark plug ignition coil with pressure sensor for an internal

A spark plug and ignition coil having concentrically wound primary and secondary coils about a plastic coated iron core are integrated in a dielectric fluid filled assembly characterized by advantageous employment of structurally inherent capacitances for radio frequency attenuation.

Integrated ignition coil and spark plug

An ignition distributor where the rotor of the distributor is driven by the camshaft of an internal combustion engine. The end of the camshaft has an axially extending bore. The ignition distributor has a coupling. The coupling has an axially extending shaft portion that is located in the bore of the camshaft. The coupling has a laterally extending portion that has a radially extending slot. The camshaft carries a drive pin. One end of the drive pin is located in the slot with the pin engaging internal side wall surfaces of the slot. The pin forms a drive means for driving the coupling from the camshaft. The coupling drives the rotor of the distributor.

Ignition distributor drive

An ignition distributor rotor that is formed of electrical insulating material. The rotor has a retainer portion that is adapted to be pressed onto the end of a distributor drive shaft. This retainer portion has an axially extending wall that has an undulated shape defined by circumferentially spaced undulated portions. The inner surfaces between the undulated portions tightly engage outer surface portions of the shaft. One of the undulated portions is located in a slot in the shaft to form a driving connection between the shaft and the rotor. The retainer portion has a plurality of flexible circumferentially spaced latch arms. The ends of the latch arms are shaped to enter an annular groove on the distributor shaft to thereby lock the rotor from a axial movement relative to the distributor shaft.

Rotor for an ignition distributor

A distributor cap for an ignition distributor. The cap is formed of electrical insulating material. A plurality of electrical connector and terminal assemblies are molded into the cap. Each assembly is comprised of a length of plastic moldable material that supports a metallic insert and a metallic terminal. The ends of the length of plastic material are molded respectively to the insert and the terminal. The length of plastic material is plated or coated with a metallic material such as aluminum and this material also coats portions of the terminal and insert. The metallic coating on the length of plastic material electrically connects the terminal to the insert.

Distributor cap

Ignition apparatus for developing and applying sparks to the cylinders of an internal combustion engine. A plurality of a secondary spark developing units are respectively associated with the cylinders of the engine. Each secondary unit comprises a spark plug and a secondary winding carried by the spark plug that is connected to the electrodes of the spark plug. Magnetic flux is coupled to the secondary winding of the secondary units by a primary winding module. The module has a support portion and a plurality of spaced tubular members. A primary coil having a bore is located in each tubular member. A tubular flux carrying part formed of magnetic material is located about each primary coil. The module is supported by the engine in such a position that portions of the secondary units project into the bores when the module is mounted on an engine.

Internal combustion engine ignition apparatus having a primary winding

A method of securing terminals to a distributor cap and to the cap formed thereby. A molded thermoplastic distributor cap is provided which has bores formed in the towers of the cap. Die cast zinc terminals having ribs and recesses therebetween are partially inserted into the bores of the cap. With the terminals partially inserted into the cap they are engaged by an electrically heated head member which causes the terminals and cap material to heat up. When the cap material is heated to a flowable state the terminals are pushed into the cap and cap material is moved into the recesses to anchor the terminals in the cap. The terminals are provided with vent slots.

Method of securing metallic terminal to thermoplastic distributor cap

An ignition module that is adapted to be secured to an internal combustion engine. The module has a plastic housing and a metallic cover that is adapted to be secured to an engine. A plurality of ignition coils are located within the housing and cover. The lower wall of the plastic housing has conductors embedded therein that electrically connect the secondary windings of the coils to electrical connector assemblies that are carried by the housing and which are adapted to slip over the spark plugs of an engine. The connector assemblies include means for making an electrical connection to the terminals of the spark plugs. The ignition coils have laminated cores that are clamped between the housing and the cover. The cores directly contact the metallic cover so that the cores have a heat transfer path to the cover and are electrically connected to the cover.

Integrated direct ignition module

A voltage generating ignition distributor for an internal combustion engine that has a pickup coil and a magnetic rotor. In order to prevent high frequency voltages, developed at the gap between the rotor contact and the outer electrodes of the distributor cap, from distorting the voltage generated in the pickup coil the outer turns of the pickup coil are grounded through a capacitance. The outer turns of the pickup coil thus form a grounded shield for the inner turns of the pickup coil at the high frequency of the voltage at the rotor gap discharge.

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Anderson, IN, United States of America

James Alva Boyer