Abstract: A high-voltage switch (18) with light sensitive zones is described which transmits the high voltage to the spark plugs. In order to transmit the light energy with the minimum possible loss from the light emitting element (20) to the light sensitive zones of the high-voltage switch (18), a light concentrating device is provided in a transition region from the light emitting element to the light sensitive zone. The light concentrating device can be a glass rod which acts as a lens or a light guide including optical fibers.

Abstract: A pressure sensor for detecting pressure in a combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine, particularly of a motor vehicle, has a housing, a sensor block arranged in the housing, at least one plunger arranged in the housing, at least one abutment arranged in the housing, a diaphragm closing the housing and contacting the plunger, an electrical evaluating circuit arranged in the housing and including electrical components, and a ceramic plate arranged in the housing so that the sensor block and the electronic components of the evaluating circuit are arranged in the ceramic plate and the ceramic plate at least partially contacts the abutment, and the electrical components of the evaluating circuit being located at a side of the plate which faces the diaphragm.

Abstract: A pressure sensor for detecting pressure in a combustion chamber of internal combustion engines has a housing, a sensor element composed of a piezoresistive material and arranged in the housing, a diaphragm, a punch introducing a pressure to be determined onto the sensor element and located between the diaphragm and the sensor element. The punch has a counterbearing, a hybrid has a base, and a preprocessing circuit has electronic components. The sensor element, the hybrid with its base and the electronic components of the preprocessing circuit are located on the counterbearing of the punch.

Abstract: The ignition system for an internal combustion engine includes an ignition coil having a primary coil and a secondary coil; a plurality of semiconductor switching elements connected with the secondary coil which change abruptly from a blocking state to a conducting state at a predetermined breakdown voltage corresponding to an ignition voltage, each of the semiconductor switching elements including at least one breakdown diode; an ignition line connected electrically to a higher voltage end of the secondary coil and another ignition line connected electrically to a lower voltage end of the secondary coil, each of the ignition lines being connected via one of the semiconductor switching elements to a spark plug and being of different length, wherein the semiconductor switching element in the one line has a different breakdown voltage than the semiconductor switching element in the other line.

Abstract: The invention relates to a semiconductor switch, in particular as an ignition voltage switch for applying an ignition voltage to a spark plug of an internal combustion engine, having a cascade circuit formed of series-connected semiconductor components for connecting an operating voltage through to a load, wherein the semiconductor components each have a depletion-layer capacitance, and the connection existing between each two semiconductor components forms a parasitic ground capacitance determined by the electrical field distribution. For symmetrical voltage distribution without additional wiring elements, it is provided that a breakover current (i.sub.k) flowing through the semiconductor components (T.sub.1 -T.sub.n) prior to attainment of the conductive state is located, relative to a displacement current (i.sub.ver), within the range i.sub.ver <i.sub.k <a.multidot.i.sub.ver, wherein the displacement current (i.sub.ver) is brought about by a voltage increase (du.sub.o /dt) in the operating voltage u.

Abstract: A pressure sensor for detecting pressure in a combustion chamber of internal combustion engines has a housing, a sensor element arranged in the housing and composed of a piezoresistive material, a diaphragm, and a punch arranged between the diaphragm and the sensor element and introducing a pressure to be determined onto the sensor element. The punch has an end facing the sensor element, at least the end of the punch is composed of relatively soft material.

Abstract: A pressure sensor for determination of pressure in a combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine, particularly for motor vehicles has a housing, a membrane associated with the housing, a sensor element, a plunger supplying a pressure to be determined to the sensor element and located in the housing. The housing has at least one housing opening and a shaft and the membrane closing the opening of the housing and is connected with the shaft of the housing in the region of a side wall so that a bottom of the membrane is flexible and a pressure to be determined is transferable to the plunger, a counter bearing for the plunger. A support is provided for a hybrid and composed of ceramic material and located on the counter bearing for the plunger. The sensor element is a piezoresistive measuring element and located on the hybrid so as to produce an electrical signal corresponding to the pressure.

Abstract: A high-voltage switch (10), which is usable particularly as an ignition voltage distributor for applying the ignition voltage to spark plugs of an internal combustion engine, comprises a cascade circuit of optoelectronic semiconductor elements (11) which are actuated by means of incident light radiation. A plurality of photo semiconductor elements (11) are controlled by a light-emitting element (12) via a biconvex cylinder lens (30). A distribution of the radiation by means of light guide fibers (37) is also possible. The light-emitting elements (12) which are operated with low voltage can be arranged in a housing (36) separate from the high-voltage side by means of the use of light guides (37), so that a complete galvanic separation is achieved.

Abstract: A high-voltage switch is suggested, particularly for ignition systems of internal combustion engines, which is characterized by a voltage-controlled electronic high-voltage switching unit which passes suddenly from the blocking state into the conducting state at a preselectable and predetermined voltage. The switching unit uses a state-changing or breakdown diode cascade (8) which switches through the voltage at the secondary winding (5) of an ignition coil (7) only after reaching the ignition voltage at the spark plug (1) of an internal combustion engine.

Abstract: A high-voltage switch is suggested which is usable particularly as an ignition voltage distributor for applying the ignition voltage to spark plugs of an internal combustion engine. The high-voltage switch comprises a cascade circuit of optoelectric semiconductor elements which are actuated or connected through by means of incident light radiation. Very high voltages can accordingly be switched in an exact manner, wherein a galvanic separation is provided between control circuit and high-voltage circuit. The control circuit can be operated with low voltage, so that use in connection with electronic ignition systems is particularly simple.

Abstract: A microphone serving as a pressure gradient sensor is connected by a pressure transmission tube to the collecting duct of the exhaust manifold of an internal combustion engine for detecting the pressure shock waves released by the opening of the exhaust valves of the engine when combustion occurs in the respective cylinders. An evaluation circuit connected to the sensor detects when such a pressure wave is missing, indicating a failure of ignition in the cylinder and reports the cylinder in which such failure occurs. The system has the advantage that failure of the fuel to ignite is detected and when there is a normal spark. The counter in the evaluation system identifies the cylinder when a failure has occured. The sensor can be disconnected under control of the crankshaft or the camshaft from the evaluation circuit except during brief intervals beginning just before an exhaust valve opens, in order to improve reliability.

Abstract: To reduce the size of a high-voltage semiconductor optically responsive switch, for example suitable to control the flow of ignition energy from an ignition coil (4) to a spark plug (ZK), a stack of disk or plate-shaped semiconductor chips (9) is formed with the major surfaces of the chips placed against each other and light responsive regions of the chips at the outer surface thereof to form an array of chips with a control surface (14). The light responsive regions (13) are large enough so that, at any position of the respective chips in the array, the can receive sufficient switching energy from a point source, such as a light emitting diode (17) (LED). Thus, a single LED can control all the semiconductor switching elements.

Abstract: A method of producing a spark plug for internal combustion engines comprising arranging a metal piece formed of a noble material on an end face of at least one metal electrode of the spark plug and directing laser beams onto an outer surface of the metal piece facing the spark gap to form an alloy zone between the one metal electrode and a wear-resistant layer facing the spark gap, the alloy zone consisting of materials of the metal electrode and the metal piece with the proportion of the material of the metal electrode continuously decreasing from an area abutting the metal electrode and consisting only of the metal electrode material, to an area abutting the wear-resistant layer which consists only of the material of the metal piece.

Abstract: A spark plug with creepage spark gap for internal combustion engines includes a plug housing having an annular side electrode, an insulator, surrounded by the plug housing over a longitudinal section, and a central electrode. The layer lies in a through-bore of the insulator and is exposed on the combustion chamber end side. The creepage spark gap is formed between the central electrode and the side electrode along a slideway on the surface of the insulator. To achieve a small plug capacitance with high-dielectric slideway, the insulator has, at least at the end section on the combustion chamber side, at least two coaxial material layers, having very different dielectric constants. These coaxial layers lie or partially lie against each other in a radial direction of the spark plug.

Abstract: A spark plug for internal combustion engines comprises a center electrode enclosed in an insulating body enclosed in a metal housing, and a ground electrode. The insulating body has an end portion which faces the combustion chamber. An electrical field develops, resulting in a surface spark gap between two electrodes on the surface of the insulating body at the end portion thereof. The insulating body is transversely divided into the upper portion and the lower portion, of which the lower portion facing the combustion chamber is made of a material having dielectric constant 5-50 times higher than that of the upper portion.

Abstract: An ignition plug suitable for igniting meager fuel vapor/air mixtures has a tubular metal housing, an insulating body which is divided into longitudinal portions and contains a connection pin and a middle electrode positioned in its through borehole. A longitudinal portion of the insulating body, which longitudinal portion is enclosed by the metal housing, consists of dielectric material and, together with the metal housing and the connection pin, forms a capacitor which has a capacity of 120 to 500 pF, chiefly 200 to 400 pF. In order to connect electrial flashovers between the connection pin and the metal housing in the areas of the separating surfaces of the insulating body annular electrical insulating elements are arranged between the separating surfaces which are made of the material elastic at all temperatures of the ignition plug.

Abstract: The energy transfer derived from the ignition spark in the first or breakdown phase of a sparking event is matched to the speed of propagation of the ignition or flame front within the combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine (ICE) 11. The number of spark flash-overs or breakdowns is made dependent on the conditions of the combustible mixture applied to the ICE, for example by providing signals representative of the mixture by sensing fuel and air throughput, as well as, preferably, speed, loading, and temperature of the engine.

Abstract: To increase the spark energy being transferred from a spark plug to a fuel-air mixture, so that the maximum energy transfer occurs during the initial breakdown phase and electrode deterioration at the spark plug is prevented upon occurrence of subsequent arc conduction and glow phases, an inductive circuit is connected in parallel to the spark gap which is so dimensioned that the inductance has a time constant which inhibits substantial current flow through the shunt circuit upon breakdown of the spark gap, but permits flow of current during an arc and glow phase of the spark at the spark gap through the shunt circuit so that energy is drained from the spark gap during the plasma and glow phase.

Abstract: A spark plug which has a capacitor located therein, connected in parallel to the main or ignition spark gap (13), additional includes a pilot or pre-spark gap (12) located within the insulator (18) of the spark gap, to control discharge of the capacitor (14) through the main spark gap (13). In accordance with the invention, the pre-spark gap (12) is located within a chamber (34) in the insulator which is filled with a pressurized gas, preferably nitrogen under pressure of between 2 to 100 bar, preferably 5 to 30 bar, with the electrodes (27, 27) defining the pre-spark gap being spaced, preferably, between about 0.1 to 1 mm from each other. Placing the pre-spark gap electrodes within a pressurized gas chamber increases the energy available at the main spark gap (13) for ignition even of very lean fuel-air mixtures.

Abstract: To increase the spark intensity delivered from a spark plug, an auxiliary spark gap (33) is serially connected with an auxiliary capacitor (37) and the main spark gap (42), the auxiliary capacitor being charged through a charging circuit including a resistor (45) connected in shunt to the auxiliary spark gap (33) and the auxiliary capacitor, and a further or second resistor (46) connected in shunt across the auxiliary capacitor and the ground or chassis electrode (15), and a shunt capacitor (51) is connected between the main spark plug terminal (27) and the ground or chassis or counter electrode (11, 15) so that, upon breakdown of the auxiliary spark gap, the main spark gap will have a voltage thereacross formed by the charge voltage of the main or shunt capacitor (51) and the additional voltage on the auxiliary capacitor (37) which had been charged through the resistors connected across the auxiliary capacitor and to the main spark plug terminal (27) and the ground terminal or electrode (15) respectively.