FYI - Patent 5704321 - Traveling spark ignition system

[Peter Gargano]

I've been searching the patent acrhives (at least they provide free
information, unlike the SAE's $10/article charge, and they only have
the last 18 months, or so, on-line [AND you have to print it out too])

So, I found this (forget sparks, PLASMA is the way to go, dont work about
lean mixtures either!)

!  US patent 05704321 abstract:
!
!  A plasma injector for an internal combustion engine, in one embodiment,
!  includes two spaced apart and parallel donut shaped disk electrodes,
!  between which a horizontally outward moving plasma is formed via a high
!  voltage applied across the electrodes. The present invention is
!  characterized by its efficient use of input electrical energy via electronic
!  circuitry for driving the plasma injector. An ignition source provides an
!  ignition plasma kernel which is several orders of magnitude larger than
!  that produced by conventional spark plugs. Use of very lean combustible
!  mixtures, in which the dilution of the mixture is achieved by use of exhaust
!  gas recirculation, is made possible by the present ignition system.
!  Considerable improvement in engine efficiency, and a major reduction in
!  NOx exhaust gas pollutants are obtained via the present ignition.

Here's the actual patent:

     http://www.patents.ibm.com/details?pn=US05704321__

-- 
Peter Gargano     peter at mail.techedge.com.au
   http://www.techedge.com.au/teinfo.htm
Ph: +61 2 6251 5519     Fax: +61 2 6251 6646