EP0480670A1 - Zündkerzen mit Universalkomponenten - Google Patents

Zündkerzen mit Universalkomponenten Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0480670A1
EP0480670A1 EP91309204A EP91309204A EP0480670A1 EP 0480670 A1 EP0480670 A1 EP 0480670A1 EP 91309204 A EP91309204 A EP 91309204A EP 91309204 A EP91309204 A EP 91309204A EP 0480670 A1 EP0480670 A1 EP 0480670A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
insulator
conducting material
heat conducting
spark
annular space
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
EP91309204A
Other languages
English (en)
French (fr)
Inventor
André Demeuter
Michael Lenk
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Cooper Industries LLC
Original Assignee
Cooper Industries LLC
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Cooper Industries LLC filed Critical Cooper Industries LLC
Publication of EP0480670A1 publication Critical patent/EP0480670A1/de
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01T—SPARK GAPS; OVERVOLTAGE ARRESTERS USING SPARK GAPS; SPARKING PLUGS; CORONA DEVICES; GENERATING IONS TO BE INTRODUCED INTO NON-ENCLOSED GASES
    • H01T21/00—Apparatus or processes specially adapted for the manufacture or maintenance of spark gaps or sparking plugs
    • H01T21/02—Apparatus or processes specially adapted for the manufacture or maintenance of spark gaps or sparking plugs of sparking plugs
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01T—SPARK GAPS; OVERVOLTAGE ARRESTERS USING SPARK GAPS; SPARKING PLUGS; CORONA DEVICES; GENERATING IONS TO BE INTRODUCED INTO NON-ENCLOSED GASES
    • H01T13/00—Sparking plugs
    • H01T13/02—Details
    • H01T13/16—Means for dissipating heat

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a spark plug comprising a central electrode, an insulator surrounding the central electrode, an outer shell and at least one ground electrode arranged to form a spark gap with an end of the central electrode protruding from the insulator, a portion of the shell being separated from the insulator by a substantially annular space extending along a predetermined length of the insulator and being open towards the spark gap.
  • the present invention also relates to a method of manufacturing spark plugs of this type and a range of such spark plugs.
  • Spark plugs such as defined above have no particular features with respect to conventional spark plugs and are, for example, disclosed in US patents 4,568,855 - 4,742,265 - 4,771,210 - 4,795,944 - 4,810,929 and 4,814,665. Such or similar spark plugs are well known through many other prior art patents and need not be described for the purpose of the present invention.
  • spark plug range it will firstly be explained what, in the present application, is meant by the term "range”.
  • range The different types of spark plugs produced by a spark plug manufacturing company are generally subdivided into ranges and sub-ranges, the criteria for the subdivision being principally one or more common characteristics of one or more of the components of the spark plugs.
  • the criteria for the subdivision into ranges is the size and the length of the thread as well as the size of the hexagon of the spark plug shell a manufacturing company may be forced to produce as many as 20 ranges of spark plugs.
  • range is to be understood as defined in the above example. i.e. a range is a series of spark plugs wherein the size and the length of the thread as well as the size of the hexagon of the spark plug shell is the same for all the plugs.
  • the for example 20 spark plug ranges of which each includes for example 50 types of plugs are generally further subdivided into sub-ranges, the criteria for the sub-ranges being said constructional differences other than those defining the ranges and which could for example be (a) plug shell with one ground electrode, (b) plug shell with two ground electrodes, (c) multi-metal central electrode, etc.
  • Each of the sub-ranges comprises a series of spark plugs which differ one from the other by characteristics defining more precisely for example (a) the single ground electrode, (b) the dual ground electrodes, (c)the multi-metal central electrode, etc.
  • All the spark plugs of one range i.e. all the spark plugs of the sub-ranges of said range, can be further characterised by the relative axial position of the insulator with respect to the shell of the spark plug, i.e. there could for example be a large (deep), a medium, or a small annular space between the insulator and the plug shell.
  • each of the spark plugs of such a sub-range can be designed in such a way that it works best within a certain heat range, heat range which is imposed by the type of engine said spark plug is to be used in.
  • the spark plugs designed for working at extreme heat ranges are generally known under the designation "cold plugs” and "hot plugs", the cold plugs being generally used in high specific power output (high performance) engines and the hot plugs in low specific power output engines.
  • the aforementioned depth variation of said annular space has been achieved using differently constructed shells and insulators for a given plug range.
  • a thermal gap is present between the shunt and the shell or insulator so that it has no effect on the transfer of heat in the region of the insulator nose.
  • the dimensions of the shunt are chosen such that it expands to provide a heat transfer path between the insulator and the shell at or above a predetermined design temperature so that the spark plug then behaves as a "cold" plug.
  • the present invention is concerned with spark plugs having fixed heat ratings.
  • a very important cost factor in prior art spark plug ranges is the fact that for each type of plug of the range a different insulator had to be designed, manufactured and stocked and it would therefore be desirable to provide a spark plug range in which this cost factor is substantially reduced.
  • the present invention provides a spark plug of the type defined hereinabove in which a portion of the insulator is separated from the shell by a substantially annular space extending along a predetermined portion of the insulator and being open towards the spark gap, and in which a portion of the annular space is filled with a heat conducting material arranged to make intimate contact with the insulator and the shell under all operating conditions of the spark plug.
  • the portion of the annular space remaining open to the spark gap with the heat conducting material in place determines the heat rating of the spark plug.
  • a spark plug range according to the invention may comprise several spark plugs having identical insulators, central electrodes, shells and ground electrodes, with different portions of the annular space being filled with heat conducting material so that different spark plugs in the range have different heat ratings.
  • the method of manufacturing spark plugs according to this invention comprises filling a portion of the annular space between the insulator and the shell with a heat conducting material so that it makes intimate contact with the insulator and the shell.
  • a conventional spark plug comprises a central electrode 1, and insulator 2 surrounding the central electrode 1, and an outer shell 3, made from electrically conductive material. Attached to the outer shell is a ground electrode 4 arranged to form a spark gap 5 with an end 6 of the central electrode 1 protruding from the insulator 2.
  • the insulator and shell are shaped so as to provide an annular space therebetween extending along a portion of the insulator and open towards the spark gap.
  • This space is indicated as 7(a) and 7(b) in figures 1(a) and 1(b) respectively.
  • the depth X of the annular space of the spark plug of figure 1(a) is less than that X′ of the spark plug of figure 1(b).
  • the insulators and shells are constructed differently in the two illustrated spark plugs in order to produce annular spaces 7(a), 7(b) of different dimensions.
  • the insulators 2 each have a flange 8 which rests on a seat 9 on the shells 3. The position of the flange and seat with respect to the ends of the insulators and shells respectively is different in the two spark plugs.
  • a spark plug comprising a central electrode 11, an insulator 12, a shell 13 and a ground electrode 14 is assembled according to any suitable method.
  • This may be a conventional method or the novel method of assembly described in our copending applicatlon filed simultaneously herewith entitled "Spark plug and method for making it".
  • the end portion of the resulting spark plug including the ground electrode is illustrated in figure 2(a).
  • the ground electrode 14 is in a straight position leaving clear the open end of the annular space 17 between the insulator 12 and the shell 13.
  • the depth Y of the annular space corresponds to that of a "hot" plug, i.e. it is relatively large.
  • the side walls of the annular space, defined by the inner surface of the shell and the outer surface of the insulator are preferably straight, i.e. without any stepped portion.
  • a quantity of heat conducting material is inserted in the annular space 17.
  • This may be in the form of powered metal, fed from a hopper 21 or a metal cylinder 22 or helical spring 23 shaped to fit in the annular space 17, as shown in figure 2(a) or a combination of the above.
  • the metal of the powder, spring or sleeve may, for example be copper.
  • Figure 2(b) illustrates a portion of the assembled spark plug after insertion of the heat conducting material 24. The shading in figure 2(b) is intended to indicate that the material , be it powder or solid metal, is loosely located in the annular space 17.
  • the material is then subject to a process whereby it is compressed and caused to make intimate contact with the inner surface of the shell 13 and the outer surface of the insulator 12.
  • This may be achieved using a stamp 25, illustrated in figure 2(b), shaped so as to enter the open end of the annular space 17 and compress the heat conducting material 24 without deforming the insulator 12 or the shell 13.
  • Stamping processes of this type are well known in the art and will not be described in detail herein.
  • the heat conducting material 24 can be compressed in such a way that it becomes bonded to itself (in the case of powder or a spring) and to the insulator 12 and shell 13.
  • FIG 3 illustrates three spark plugs which have been subjected to the process steps illustrated in figure 2.
  • the three plugs are identical in the regions shown and differ only by the depth Z, Z; Z ⁇ of heat conducting material 24 which has been inserted in the annular space 17. It will be understood that the result is three spark plugs having different heating ratings ranging from "cold” in figure 3(a) to "hot” in figure 3(c).
  • the three plugs illustrated in figure 3 are each filled with heat conducting material along a given portion of the length of the annular space 17 extending from its closed end towards its open end, that given portion being different in each plug whereby each plug has a different heat rating.
  • the intimate contact between the heat conducting material and the shell and the insulator provides a thermal transfer path for conducting heat away from the spark gap.
  • the heat conducting material should desirably be in intimate contact with the shell and the insulator over the entire facing surfaces of the material 24, shell 13 and insulator 12.
  • a range of spark plugs according to this invention could of course also include a spark plug having no filling in the annular space 17, being at the "hot" end of the range.
  • FIG. 1 illustrates the spark plug of figure 3(a) after this final step has been completed.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Manufacturing & Machinery (AREA)
  • Spark Plugs (AREA)
EP91309204A 1990-10-11 1991-10-08 Zündkerzen mit Universalkomponenten Withdrawn EP0480670A1 (de)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB9022164 1990-10-11
GB9022164A GB2248879A (en) 1990-10-11 1990-10-11 Spark plug assembly

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0480670A1 true EP0480670A1 (de) 1992-04-15

Family

ID=10683596

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP91309204A Withdrawn EP0480670A1 (de) 1990-10-11 1991-10-08 Zündkerzen mit Universalkomponenten

Country Status (4)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0480670A1 (de)
JP (1) JPH0696836A (de)
CA (1) CA2052975A1 (de)
GB (1) GB2248879A (de)

Cited By (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2007057239A1 (de) * 2005-09-16 2007-05-24 Robert Bosch Gmbh Zündkerze
EP2383847A1 (de) * 2008-12-25 2011-11-02 NGK Sparkplug Co., Ltd. Zündkerze
DE102016203465A1 (de) * 2016-03-03 2017-09-07 Robert Bosch Gmbh Zündkerze mit separatem Wärmeleitelement und separatem Dichtelement
US10931087B2 (en) 2016-08-04 2021-02-23 Ngk Spark Plug Co., Ltd. Ignition plug, control system, internal combustion engine, and internal combustion engine system
DE102021212103A1 (de) 2021-10-27 2023-04-27 Dkt Verwaltungs-Gmbh Zündkerze und Verfahren zur Herstellung einer Zündkerze

Families Citing this family (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
KR20030047635A (ko) * 2001-12-18 2003-06-18 국진환 자동차 내연기관(엔진)의 전기점화기(플러그)에 장착하는열 전도 센서
JP4653605B2 (ja) * 2005-09-13 2011-03-16 日本特殊陶業株式会社 スパークプラグの製造方法
JP5207309B2 (ja) * 2009-03-26 2013-06-12 日本特殊陶業株式会社 スパークプラグ

Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR573046A (fr) * 1922-11-13 1924-06-17 Bosch Robert Bougie d'allumage
DE691507C (de) * 1938-12-25 1940-05-29 Albert Ruprecht Zuendkerze
US3537160A (en) * 1966-01-31 1970-11-03 Magneti Marelli Spa Method for the manufacture of spark plugs for internal combustion engines

Family Cites Families (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB1164693A (en) * 1966-01-31 1969-09-17 Magneti Marelli Spa Spark Plug for Internal Combustion Engines
US4491101A (en) * 1983-09-06 1985-01-01 Strumbos William P Multiple heat-range spark plug

Patent Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR573046A (fr) * 1922-11-13 1924-06-17 Bosch Robert Bougie d'allumage
DE691507C (de) * 1938-12-25 1940-05-29 Albert Ruprecht Zuendkerze
US3537160A (en) * 1966-01-31 1970-11-03 Magneti Marelli Spa Method for the manufacture of spark plugs for internal combustion engines

Cited By (9)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2007057239A1 (de) * 2005-09-16 2007-05-24 Robert Bosch Gmbh Zündkerze
DE102005044267B4 (de) 2005-09-16 2018-06-14 Robert Bosch Gmbh Zündkerze
EP2383847A1 (de) * 2008-12-25 2011-11-02 NGK Sparkplug Co., Ltd. Zündkerze
US8633640B2 (en) 2008-12-25 2014-01-21 Ngk Spark Plug Co., Ltd. Spark plug
EP2383847A4 (de) * 2008-12-25 2015-04-22 Ngk Spark Plug Co Zündkerze
DE102016203465A1 (de) * 2016-03-03 2017-09-07 Robert Bosch Gmbh Zündkerze mit separatem Wärmeleitelement und separatem Dichtelement
US10931087B2 (en) 2016-08-04 2021-02-23 Ngk Spark Plug Co., Ltd. Ignition plug, control system, internal combustion engine, and internal combustion engine system
DE102021212103A1 (de) 2021-10-27 2023-04-27 Dkt Verwaltungs-Gmbh Zündkerze und Verfahren zur Herstellung einer Zündkerze
DE102021212103B4 (de) 2021-10-27 2023-05-17 Dkt Verwaltungs-Gmbh Zündkerze und Verfahren zur Herstellung einer Zündkerze

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
JPH0696836A (ja) 1994-04-08
GB9022164D0 (en) 1990-11-21
CA2052975A1 (en) 1992-04-12
GB2248879A (en) 1992-04-22

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