Appeal No. 1997-0281 Page 3
Application No. 08/351,874
BACKGROUND
The invention at issue is an ignition system that
provides high energy ignition sparks at consistent voltage
levels. Ignition systems for igniting fuel in turbine engines
have been used widely since the 1950s. Historically, a gas-
filled device containing a spark gap has functioned as a
switch in these ignition systems. Such devices, however,
deteriorated with time and repeated sparking events.
Recently, solid-state switches have been substituted for gas-
filled spark gap devices. Although such switches are more
reliable over time than gas-filled spark gap devices, the
solid-state switches require external control circuitry, which
increases the parts count needed to implement an ignition
system. The invention provides a solid-state switch for a gas
turbine ignition system that possesses the reliability of
recent solid-state switches and reduces the parts count needed
to start an ignition system.
Claim 13, which is representative for our purposes,
follows:
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