Engine kill switch and control assembly

Abstract

A speed regulating circuit in communication with an ignition circuit having a primary coil coupled to an ignition member to cause an ignition event within an engine, the speed regulating circuit being arranged to selectively prevent energy from the primary coil from being discharged to the ignition member to selectively prevent an ignition event. In at least some implementations, the speed regulating circuit includes a bidirectional or bilateral triode thyristor having an anode coupled to the primary coil and an anode coupled to ground, and an input gate that may be selectively actuated to route to ground energy received at the triode thyristor from the primary coil to inhibit transfer of energy from the primary coil to the ignition member. The triode thyristor may be selectively actuated, for example, as a function of engine speed, such as an engine speed above a threshold speed.

1 . A speed regulating circuit in communication with an ignition circuit having a primary coil coupled to an ignition member to cause an ignition event within an engine, the speed regulating circuit arranged to selectively prevent energy from the primary coil from being discharged to the ignition member to selectively prevent an ignition event, wherein the speed regulating circuit includes a bidirectional or bilateral triode thyristor having an anode coupled to the primary coil and an anode coupled to ground, and an input gate that may be selectively actuated so that energy received at the triode thyristor from the primary coil PRI is routed to ground thereby inhibiting or preventing transfer of energy from the primary coil to the ignition member. 
     
     
         2 . The circuit of  claim 1  wherein a microcontroller is communicated with the input gate to control actuation of the triode thyristor. 
     
     
         3 . The circuit of  claim 2  wherein the triode thyristor is actuated when the engine speed is above a threshold speed. 
     
     
         4 . The circuit of  claim 1  which also includes a charge coil adapted to have induced therein an alternating current, and a microcontroller coupled to the charge coil and powered by a negative portion of the alternating current, and wherein the microcontroller provides a negative voltage signal to the input gate of the triode thyristor. 
     
     
         5 . The circuit of  claim 2  which includes a charge coil adapted to have induced therein an alternating current, and a power circuit, the power circuit includes a capacitor, a diode and a transistor, wherein an emitter of the transistor is coupled to both the microcontroller and a capacitor, a collector of the transistor is coupled between a resistor and the diode, and a base of the transistor is coupled to the resistor, and wherein, negative portions of the alternating current flow through the emitter and the base and the capacitor is charged by the negative portions of the alternating current, and wherein the capacitor is coupled to the microcontroller to power the microcontroller. 
     
     
         6 . The circuit of  claim 5  wherein the microcontroller provides a negative voltage signal to the input gate of the triode thyristor. 
     
     
         7 . The circuit of  claim 6  wherein the triode thyristor is arranged to pass through to ground both positive and negation portions of the alternating current. 
     
     
         8 . The circuit of  claim 2  which includes a kill switch that is coupled to the microcontroller and when the kill switch is actuated the microcontroller actuates the triode thyristor to prevent at least one ignition event. 
     
     
         9 . The circuit of  claim 8  wherein the kill switch is coupled to ground and two resistors that are coupled to different inputs of the microcontroller. 
     
     
         10 . The circuit of  claim 9  wherein the resistors are arranged as a voltage divider. 
     
     
         11 . The circuit of  claim 1  which includes an alternating current signal input and wherein the anode coupled to the primary coil is coupled to the alternating current signal input and not directly to the primary coil.