Systems and arrangements for causing ignition in internal combustion engines.

Details of electrically actuated spark ignition systems, this includes the generation and supply of the ignition energy to the spark plugs.

Testing of and feedback about the ignition.

Control of the engine by using parameters of the ignition, e.g. the ignition timing or the ignition strength.

Installations wherein spark ignition is generated by a spark plug fed by a coil responsive to the field changes of a magnet fixed on a flywheel and rotating with it. This is used in most of small engines without battery, as well as on small piston airplanes.

Circuits specially adapted to ignition circuits without batteries, e.g. the arrangement of capacitors, coils, resistors, semiconductors. coils.

Circuits wherein the current which has been generated after a change of magnetic fields is transformed in (high) voltage by opening (here mechanically) the coil-plug circuit.

Circuits with switching capacitors to increase the voltage created by opening the coil-plug circuit.

Ignition installations comprising a battery, a switching circuit and an ignition transformer.

Circuits wherein a current is drawn into a coil storing magnetic energy and wherein the current is subsequently interrupted and the magnetic energy is discharged between the electrodes of a spark plug. In this group are mostly found:

Circuits for capacitive discharge ignition (CDI) wherein a discharge current from a capacitor is used to generate the spark, usually by discharging the output to an ignition coil.

Ignition installations having plugs with a high resistive, e.g. carbon, surface where a spark slowly propagates.

Ignition installation using a shock on a piezoelectrical crystal to trigger a spark.

Control of the ignition timing and arrangements therefore.

Conjoint control of ignition timing and other engine functions like control of fuel injection, e.g. control of fuel amount or air control, e.g. by throttle control.

Ignition installations with an electronic control unit which is the main application of modern ignition control.

Ignition control of pinking/knocking i.e. undesired too early ignition which results in a shock against all the mechanical pieces (pistons, valves, rods, crankshaft) resulting in a very characteristic noise. This phenomenon arises mostly in acceleration with a warm engine. When knock is detected by a microphone or high frequency vibrations in pressure, ionic or light sensor, the ignition should be directly retarded and afterwards, slowly set back to where it belongs to be.

Distributors, i.e. mechanical arrangements for distributing ignition signals as well as circuit makers and breakers, i.e. mechanical means for opening and closing ignition circuits. Furthermore it covers pickup-devices, i.e. means for detecting the current working phase or crank angle.

Pick-up devices which provide position information to the ignition timing control unit;Circuit-makers or -breakers.

Pick-up devices for detecting the engine position or cycle with electromagnetic means.

Means for generating higher frequency signals to increase the precision of crank (or cam) angle detection for ignition control.

Electric control of sparks not provided for in previous groups, e.g. for controlling the intensity or length of the luminous discharge between two conductors.

Systems for weakening or suppressing the spark for maximum speed control. Contains also engine speed limitation via ignition advance.

Plasma jet ignition plugs or similar arrangments including a massive ignition kernel and the liberation of high energy photons..

Means for protecting the engine or associated parts using ignition elements.

Combination of spark plugs with other elements of the engine, e.g. combination of a spark plug with a sensor.

Make the distinction with rod-type coils ("Stabspulen"), which are coils meant to be plugged on the plug connector and should be classified in F02P 3/02, and some very similar coils with electrodes really meant to be screwed in the cylinder head instead of the plug which should be classified in F02P 13/00

The type of ignition should be classified here while the way to generate and store the ignition energy should be classified in F02P 3/01 and F02P 3/05

Two or more spark plugs in one cylinder.

Testing and diagnosis of ignition installations in engines, e.g. for adjusting the ignition control or setup.

Testing of ignition by evaluating the quality of the ignition using ionic current measurements or primary or secondary current evaluation.

Ignition systems providing an incandescent heat source to induce or support ignition.

Circuits and control means for glow plug, e.g. supply of current to the glow plugs, control of activation and deactivation and monitoring of the glow plugs.

Ignition system that directly uses flames or burners to cause ignition in internal combustion engines, e.g. ignition using the glowing gaseous part of a fire.

Ignition systems using coherent light generator or high frequency electromagnetic waves causing plasma ignition or corona discharge ignition.

Ignition systems generating high frequency waves in the microwave range for causing ignition.