US 12,006,905 B2
Method and device for detecting the breakdown voltage between the electrodes of a spark plug connected to an ignition coil for a cylinder ignition system in an internal combustion engine
Eugenio Carugati, Rovellasca (IT); Stefano Silva, Cantù (IT); Marco Albi, Grosotto (IT); Pasquale Forte, Castiglione d'Orcia (IT); and Pierluigi Pozzi, Giussano (IT)
Assigned to ELDOR CORPORATION S.P.A., Orsenigo (IT)
Appl. No. 17/265,202
Filed by ELDOR CORPORATION S.P.A., Orsenigo (IT)
PCT Filed Jul. 30, 2019, PCT No. PCT/IB2019/056469
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Feb. 1, 2021,
PCT Pub. No. WO2020/026128, PCT Pub. Date Feb. 6, 2020.
Claims priority of application No. 102018000007781 (IT), filed on Aug. 2, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2021/0293216 A1, Sep. 23, 2021
Int. Cl. F02P 17/12 (2006.01); F02P 3/05 (2006.01); H01T 13/58 (2020.01); H01T 13/60 (2011.01)
CPC F02P 17/12 (2013.01) [F02P 3/051 (2013.01); H01T 13/58 (2013.01); H01T 13/60 (2013.01); F02P 2017/121 (2013.01)] 8 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of detecting a breakdown voltage between electrodes of a spark plug connected to an ignition coil for a cylinder ignition system in an internal combustion engine, said coil comprising a primary winding and a secondary winding, wherein:
the primary winding is connected to a voltage generator and is provided with a switch that can be switched between an open condition and a closed condition to initiate a breakdown and spark at the spark plug;
the secondary winding is connected to a spark plug;
said method comprising the steps of:
detecting a switching of said switch from the closed condition to the open condition;
detecting a value of a voltage on the primary winding during a time interval following said switching of the switch;
generating a first signal representative of a development of the value of said voltage during said time interval;
integrating said first signal to generate an integrated signal increasing over time during said time interval;
identifying an instant representative of the breakdown at ends of said spark plug when, during said time interval, a second signal representative of a current on the secondary winding exceeds a predetermined threshold value;
determining a breakdown voltage value according to a value of the integrated signal at the instant representative of said breakdown.