The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Sep. 05, 2000
Filed:
Nov. 09, 1999
Richard Patten Bishop, Fairfax Station, VA (US);
Clark Davis Boyd, Hampton, VA (US);
Face International Corp., Norfolk, VA (US);
Abstract
Circuits for use in ignition systems are disclosed which use a resonating piezoelectric transformer along with complementary circuit components, to efficiently convert a DC first voltage to a transformer-output AC second voltage. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, a High Displacement Piezoelectric (HDP) transformer converts a DC voltage into an AC voltage which is rectified into a DC signal of sufficiently high voltage to create a spark across the spark gap of a spark plug. The transformer circuit may be a 'self resonating' circuit which relies on an initial pulse from turning on the DC power supply to cause the transformer to begin resonating. In a modified circuit the circuit is not 'self resonating' and instead has a phase shift oscillator sub-circuit that provides small pulse signals to start the transformer resonating when the circuit is initially turned on.