Patent ID: 9617966
Date: 2017-04-11
CPC Classifications: F02P,H01T

Claim:
1. A high frequency plasma ignition device for the ignition of a fuel/air mixture in a combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine, comprising: a resonant series circuit having an inductive portion and a capacitive portion connected in series; a high-frequency generator having a first electrical terminal and a second electrical terminal for the resonant excitation of the resonant series circuit; a first electrical contact point being provided at which one end of the capacitive portion and one end of the inductive portion are connected together electrically; the capacitive portion having a second electrical contact point at an end which is remote from the first contact point and the inductive portion having a third electrical contact point at an end which is remote from the first contact point; an electrical connecting device being provided which connects the first terminal of the high-frequency generator to the third contact point electrically and the second terminal of the high-frequency generator to the second contact point electrically such that an output signal from the high-frequency generator is applied to the resonant series circuit via the second and third electrical contact points, a first electrode being connected electrically to the first electrical contact point and a second electrode being connected electrically to the second electrical contact point, such that there is available between a free end of the first electrode, which free end is remote from the first electrical contact point, and a free end of the second electrode, which free end is remote from the second electrical contact point, a voltage for igniting a plasma between said free ends of the first and second electrodes, which voltage is applied across the capacitive portion; and a third electrode electrically connected to the third electrical contact point, and a free end of the third electrode, which free end is remote from the third electrical contact point, is arranged such that a voltage for maintaining the plasma after ignition is available between said free end of the third electrode and the free end of the second electrode, which voltage is applied via the second and third electrical contact points.