Patent ID: 9556847
Date: 2017-01-31
CPC Classifications: F02P,H01G,H01T

Claim:
1. A plasma ignition device comprising: a spark plug; a DC power supply for generating DC power used to generate spark discharge between electrodes of the spark plug; an AC power supply for generating AC power used to generate AC plasma between the electrodes between which the spark discharge has been generated; and a coupling section which couples the DC power and the AC power together and transmits resultant coupled power to the spark plug and which includes a capacitor for electrically connecting the AC power supply to the DC power supply and to the spark plug; the plasma ignition device further comprising: a power supply control section for controlling the DC power supply and the AC power supply while making a changeover between a first ignition mode in which the AC power is transmitted to the spark plug, and a second ignition mode in which transmission of the AC power to the spark plug is halted, and a capacitance control section for reducing, in the second ignition mode, capacitance of the capacitor as compared with that in the first ignition mode.