Patent ID: 7121270

Claim:
An ignition system for providing energy across a spark gap comprising: a first series closed circuit including a DC power supply, a primary winding of an energy storage coil and a first switching device; the first circuit for supporting a charge of the energy storage coil when the first switching device is conducting, and a discharge of energy stored within the energy storage coil when the first switching device is nonconducting; a second series closed circuit including a secondary winding of the energy storage coil, a first diode and an energy storage capacitor, the diode for preventing a flow of current from the energy storage capacitor to the secondary winding of the energy storage coil; a third series closed circuit including the secondary winding of the energy storage coil, the first diode, a primary winding of an ignition coil and a second switching device; the second and the third series closed circuits for supporting the discharge of energy stored within the energy storage coil via the first diode to the energy storage capacitor when the second switching device is nonconducting, and to the ignition coil when the second switching device is conducting; a fourth series closed circuit including the energy storage capacitor, the primary winding of the ignition coil and the second switching device; the fourth circuit for supporting the discharge of energy stored within the energy storage capacitor to the ignition coil when the second switching device is conducting; a fifth series closed circuit including the DC power supply, a second diode, the primary winding of the ignition coil and the second switching device, the diode for providing a flow of current from the DC power supply to the primary winding of the ignition coil when the energy storage coil and the energy storage capacitor are discharged; the fifth circuit for supporting a charge of the ignition coil when the second switching device is conducting, and a discharge of energy stored within the ignition coil when the second switching device is nonconducting; and, a control circuit for generating a first control signal and a second control signal, the first control signal for operating the first switching device, and the second control signal for operating the second switching device, wherein the components within the ignition system are chosen to support generation of a continuous spark across the spark gap.