Ignition control apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9765748-B2
Application number	US-201414783901-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 11, 2014
Priority date	Apr 11, 2013
Publication date	Sep 19, 2017
Grant date	Sep 19, 2017

Abstract

An ignition control device comprises: a first switching element having a power source side terminal connected to an other end side of a primary coil and a first ground side terminal connected to a ground side; a second switching element having a second ground side terminal connected to the other end side of the primary coil; a third switching element having a third power source side terminal connected to the second power source side terminal in the second switching element, and a third ground side terminal connected to the ground side; and an energy storage coil. The energy storage coil is an inductor interposed in an electric power line connecting a non-ground side output terminal in a DC power source and the third power source side terminal in the third switching element, and stores energy from the turning on of the third switching element.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An ignition control apparatus for controlling operation of an ignition plug provided so as to ignite an air-fuel mixed gas, characterized in that the ignition control apparatus comprises:
an ignition coil provided with a primary winding which allows a current to pass as a primary current therethrough and a second winding connected to the ignition coil, an increase and a decrease in the primary current generating a secondary current passing through the secondary winding;
a DC power supply provided with a non-ground side output terminal, the non-ground side output terminal being connected to one end of the primary winding so that the primary current is made to pass through the primary winding;
a first switching element configured of a semiconductor switching element provided with a first control terminal, a first power side terminal, and a first ground side terminal, the semiconductor switching element controlling on and off states of current supply between the first power side terminal and the first ground side terminal based on a first control signal inputted to the first control terminal, the first power side terminal being connected to the other end side of the primary winding, the first ground side terminal being connected to a ground side;
a second switching element configured of a semiconductor switching element provided with a second control terminal, a second power side terminal, and a second ground side terminal, the semiconductor switching element controlling on and off states of current supply between the second power side terminal and the second ground side terminal based on a second control signal inputted to the second control terminal, the second ground side terminal being connected to the other end side of the primary winding;
a third switching element configured of a semiconductor switching element provided with a third control terminal, a third power side terminal, and a third ground side terminal, the semiconductor switching element controlling on and off states of current supply between the third power side terminal and the third ground side terminal based on a third control signal inputted to the third control terminal, the third power side terminal being connected to the second power side terminal of the second switching element, the third ground side terminal being connected to the ground side; and
an energy accumulation coil configured of an inductor, the inductor being interposed in a power line connecting the non-ground side output terminal of the DC power supply and the third power side terminal of the third switching element, the energy accumulation coil accumulating energy therein in response to turning on of the third switching element.

2. The ignition control apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the apparatus further comprises a capacitor connected in series to the energy accumulation coil between the non-ground side output terminal of the DC power and the ground side, the capacitor accumulating therein energy in response to an off state of the third switching element.

3. The ignition control apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the apparatus further comprises a controller controlling the second switching element and the third switching element, wherein the third switching element is turned off and the second switching element is turned on during an ignition discharge of the ignition plug so that the accumulated energy is discharged from the capacitor to supply the primary current to the primary winding, the ignition discharge being started by turning off of the first switching element.

4. The ignition control apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the first switching element includes a diode having a cathode and an anode, the cathode being connected to the first power side terminal, the anode being connected to the first ground side terminal.

5. The ignition control apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the apparatus further comprises a shut-off switch interposed in a current path between the primary coil and the first switching element, the shut-off switch being able to shut-off the current path.

6. The ignition control apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the apparatus comprises a fourth switching element interposed in a current path between the primary coil and the second ground side terminal of the second switching element; and
an additional switch interposed between the second ground side terminal and the ground side,
wherein the apparatus comprises a plurality of groups including the ignition plug, the ignition coil, the first switching element, and the fourth switching element.

7. The ignition control apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein the apparatus further comprises a failure detection resistor connected to the additional switch at a position of a side of the current path with respect to the additional switch.

8. The ignition control apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein a plurality of the fourth switching elements are connected to the single second switching element.

Assignees

• Denso Corp

Inventors

• Ishitani Masahiro
• Sugiura Akimitsu
• Toriyama Makoto
• Nakayama Satoru
• KONDOU Yuuki
• Morita Hisaharu
• Hayashi Naoto
• Tamei Yuuto
• Oono Takashi
• Takeda Shunichi

Classifications

• F02P3/0435 Primary

  with semiconductor devices (F02P3/0453, F02P3/051, F02P3/0552 take precedence) · CPC title

• F02P11/06

  Indicating unsafe conditions · CPC title

• F02P15/10

  having continuous electric sparks · CPC title

• F02P9/00

  Electric spark ignition control, not otherwise provided for · CPC title