EP3260779A1 - Glühkerze - Google Patents

Glühkerze Download PDF

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Publication number
EP3260779A1
EP3260779A1 EP17176803.9A EP17176803A EP3260779A1 EP 3260779 A1 EP3260779 A1 EP 3260779A1 EP 17176803 A EP17176803 A EP 17176803A EP 3260779 A1 EP3260779 A1 EP 3260779A1
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EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
heating coil
end portion
sheath tube
glow plug
coil
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.)
Granted
Application number
EP17176803.9A
Other languages
English (en)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP3260779B1 (de
Inventor
Tomo-O Tanaka
Yosuke Yatsuya
Toshiyuki Sakurai
Masayuki Segawa
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.)
Niterra Co Ltd
Original Assignee
NGK Spark Plug Co Ltd
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Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by NGK Spark Plug Co Ltd filed Critical NGK Spark Plug Co Ltd
Publication of EP3260779A1 publication Critical patent/EP3260779A1/de
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP3260779B1 publication Critical patent/EP3260779B1/de
Active legal-status Critical Current
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical

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Classifications

    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F23—COMBUSTION APPARATUS; COMBUSTION PROCESSES
    • F23Q—IGNITION; EXTINGUISHING-DEVICES
    • F23Q7/00—Incandescent ignition; Igniters using electrically-produced heat, e.g. lighters for cigarettes; Electrically-heated glowing plugs
    • F23Q7/001—Glowing plugs for internal-combustion engines
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F23—COMBUSTION APPARATUS; COMBUSTION PROCESSES
    • F23Q—IGNITION; EXTINGUISHING-DEVICES
    • F23Q7/00—Incandescent ignition; Igniters using electrically-produced heat, e.g. lighters for cigarettes; Electrically-heated glowing plugs
    • F23Q7/001—Glowing plugs for internal-combustion engines
    • F23Q2007/004—Manufacturing or assembling methods

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a glow plug.
  • a glow plug typically includes a heater, which is a heating element, at a front-end portion in an axial direction.
  • a sheath heater is known as one of such heaters.
  • the sheath heater includes a cylindrical sheath tube whose front-end portion is closed and a heating coil that is located in the sheath tube and that generates heat as a result of transmission of electricity. In such a sheath heater, the front-end portion of the heating coil is welded to the front-end portion of the sheath tube.
  • a coil composed of, for example, an Fe-Cr-Al alloy is used for the heating coil.
  • the temperature of the heating coil becomes 1000°C or more during heating by the heater.
  • the heating coil melts and becomes disconnected when the temperature of the heating coil locally increases excessively.
  • the heating coil is formed of a metal having a higher melting point to inhibit the coil from becoming disconnected due to the melt of the heating coil and to improve the durability of the glow plug.
  • a glow plug including a heating coil whose main component is tungsten (W) or molybdenum (Mo), which is a metal having a high melting point is proposed (for example, see PTL 1 to PTL 4).
  • the heating coil is composed of tungsten (W) or molybdenum (Mo)
  • a metal such as nickel (Ni) or iron (Fe)
  • forming the sheath tube diffuses into the heating coil at a joint between the heating coil and the sheath tube during heating by the heater.
  • the melting point of the metal of which the heating coil is composed decreases, disconnection is likely to occur, and there is a possibility that the heat resistance of the heating coil decreases.
  • the melting point of the heating coil which exhibits a melting point of about 3000°C, locally decreases to less than 1500°C.
  • the diffusion of the metal of which the sheath tube is composed into the heating coil progresses mainly at a crystal grain boundary of the metal of which the heating coil is composed. Accordingly, the diffusion leads to grain boundary embrittlement in the heating coil. Consequently, the heating coil is likely to become disconnected at the location where the grain boundary embrittlement progresses when a stress is applied thereto, and there is a possibility that the durability of the heater and the glow plug further decreases.
  • the present invention has been accomplished to solve the above problems and can be achieved as the following aspects.
  • the present invention can be achieved as various aspects other than the above aspects.
  • the present invention can be achieved as aspects of a method of manufacturing the glow plug, a heater for the glow plug, and a method of manufacturing the heater for the glow plug.
  • Fig. 1 is an explanatory view of a glow plug 10 according to a first embodiment of the present invention.
  • the glow plug 10 according to the first embodiment functions as a heat source that assists ignition, for example, when internal combustion engines including a diesel engine start.
  • the glow plug 10 includes a sheath heater 800 that generates heat as a result of transmission of electricity, a metal shell 500, and a center rod 200 as main components.
  • the exterior structure of the glow plug 10 is illustrated on the right-hand side of an axial line O of the glow plug 10, and the sectional structure thereof is illustrated on the left-hand side of the axial line O.
  • the side of the sheath heater 800 in an axial direction OD parallel to the axial line O of the glow plug 10 is referred to as a "front-end side”
  • the side of the center rod 200 in the axial direction OD is referred to as a "rear-end side”.
  • the metal shell 500 is a member obtained by forming a metallic material such as carbon steel into a tubular shape.
  • the metal shell 500 holds the sheath heater 800 at the end portion thereof on the front-end side.
  • the metal shell 500 holds the center rod 200 at the end portion thereof on the rear-end side with an insulating member 410 and an O-ring 460 interposed therebetween.
  • the position of the insulating member 410 in the direction of the axial line O is fixed in a manner in which a ring 300 in contact with the rear end of the insulating member 410 is crimped along with the center rod 200.
  • the insulating member 410 electrically insulates the metal shell 500 and the center rod 200 from each other.
  • the metal shell 500 accommodates a portion of the center rod 200 extending from the insulating member 410 to the sheath heater 800.
  • the metal shell 500 includes a tool engagement portion 520 and an external thread portion 540.
  • An axial hole 510 is formed inside the metal shell 500.
  • the axial hole 510 is a through-hole formed along the axial line O and has a diameter larger than the diameter of the center rod 200.
  • a gap for electrically insulating the periphery of the axial hole 510 and the center rod 200 from each other is formed between the periphery of the axial hole 510 and the center rod 200 with the position of the center rod 200 with respect to the axial hole 510 set.
  • the sheath heater 800 is press-fitted in and joined to the axial hole 510 on the front-end side.
  • the external thread portion 540 is to be screwed into an internal thread formed on an internal combustion engine (not illustrated) and attached thereto.
  • the tool engagement portion 520 is to engage a tool (not illustrated) used to attach and detach the glow plug 10.
  • the center rod 200 is a member obtained by forming a conductive material into a cylindrical shape (rod shape).
  • the center rod 200 is assembled along the axial line O with the center rod 200 inserted in the axial hole 510 of the metal shell 500.
  • a center rod front-end portion 210 which is a front-end portion of the center rod 200, is inserted in the sheath heater 800.
  • An external thread portion 290 is formed at the rear end of the center rod 200. The external thread portion 290 protrudes from the metal shell 500 on the rear-end side and is fitted in an engagement member 100.
  • Fig. 2 is an explanatory view of the detailed structure of the sheath heater 800.
  • the sheath heater 800 includes a sheath tube 810, a heating coil 820 serving as a heating element, a control coil 830, and an insulator 870.
  • Fig. 2 components other than the heating coil 820, the control coil 830, and the center rod 200 are illustrated by their section.
  • the sheath tube 810 is a tubular member that extends in the axial direction OD and has a closed front end. Inside the sheath tube 810, the heating coil 820, the control coil 830, and the insulator 870 are accommodated.
  • the sheath tube 810 includes a side surface portion 814, a sheath tube front-end portion 813, and a sheath tube rear-end portion 819.
  • the side surface portion 814 is a portion that extends in the axial direction OD and that is formed such that the outer diameter of the cross section (section perpendicular to the axial line O) is constant over the entire length in the axial direction OD.
  • the sheath tube front-end portion 813 is a portion that is formed on the front-end side of the side surface portion 814 such that the diameter gradually decreases and the sheath tube front-end portion 813 is rounded toward the outside.
  • the sheath tube rear-end portion 819 is an opened end portion on the rear-end side of the sheath tube 810.
  • the center rod front-end portion 210 is inserted in the sheath tube 810 from the sheath tube rear-end portion 819.
  • the sheath tube 810 is electrically insulated from the center rod 200 by using a packing 600 and the insulator 870.
  • the packing 600 is an insulating member interposed between the center rod 200 and the sheath tube 810.
  • the sheath tube 810 is electrically connected to the metal shell 500 in a manner in which the outer surface thereof is in contact with the metal shell 500.
  • the sheath tube 810 contains at least one metal selected from nickel (Ni) and iron (Fe). More specifically, the sheath tube 810 may be composed of a metallic material containing nickel (Ni) or iron (Fe) as a main component. For example, the sheath tube 810 may be composed of a nickel-based alloy such as inconel 601 ("inconel" is a registered trademark) or Alloy 602, or stainless steel such as SUS310S.
  • inconel 601 inconel
  • Alloy 602 or stainless steel such as SUS310S.
  • the heating coil 820 is a spiral coil formed of a conductive material.
  • the heating coil 820 is located inside the sheath tube 810 so as to extend in the axial direction OD and generates heat as a result of transmission of electricity.
  • the heating coil 820 includes a coil front-end portion 822, which is the end portion on the front-end side, a spiral portion 823 spirally wound, and a heating coil rear-end portion 829, which is the end portion on the rear-end side.
  • the heating coil 820 is electrically connected to the sheath tube 810 in a manner in which the coil front-end portion 822 is welded to the sheath tube 810.
  • the heating coil 820 contains at least one selected from tungsten (W) and molybdenum (Mo) as a main component.
  • the phrase "to contain at least one selected from tungsten (W) and molybdenum (Mo) as a main component” means that the content percentage (mass%) of at least one selected from tungsten (W) and molybdenum (Mo) is 50 mass% or more.
  • the content percentage of the main component of the heating coil 820 is preferably 80 mass% or more, more preferably 90 mass% or more, further preferably 99 mass% or more. In the case where at least one selected from tungsten (W) and molybdenum (Mo) is the main component as above, the melting point of the heating coil 820 can be increased.
  • the heating coil 820 contains additional elements, each of which is at least one element selected from potassium (K), aluminum (Al), silicon (Si), lanthanum (La), thorium (Th), and cerium (Ce), in addition to the main component.
  • the additional elements exist at the crystal grain boundary of the main component at least in a surface layer including at least the outer surface of the coil front-end portion 822. The additional elements that exist in the coil front-end portion 822 will be described in detail later.
  • the control coil 830 is located on the rear-end side of the heating coil 820 and formed of a conductive material having a larger temperature coefficient of electrical resistivity than the temperature coefficient of the material of which the heating coil 820 is formed.
  • the control coil 830 can be formed of, for example, a nickel-based alloy such as a nickel (Ni)-chrome (Cr) alloy or an iron (Fe)-chrome(Cr)-aluminum (Al) alloy.
  • the control coil 830 formed of such a material controls power supplied to the heating coil 820.
  • the control coil 830 includes a control coil front-end portion 831, which is the end portion on the front-end side, and a control coil rear-end portion 839, which is the end portion on the rear-end side.
  • the control coil front-end portion 831 is welded to the heating coil rear-end portion 829 of the heating coil 820 and is thereby electrically connected to the heating coil 820.
  • the control coil rear-end portion 839 is joined to the center rod front-end portion 210 of the center rod 200 and is thereby electrically connected to the center rod 200.
  • the insulator 870 is formed of powder of an electrically insulating material.
  • the powder of the insulating material of which the insulator 870 is composed include powder of a magnesium oxide (MgO).
  • the insulator 870 is filled inside the sheath tube 810 and electrically insulates the sheath tube 810, the heating coil 820, the control coil 830, and the center rod 200 from each other in spaces therebetween.
  • Fig. 3 is an enlarged schematic sectional view of the structure of the front-end portion of the sheath heater 800.
  • the section in Fig. 3 is the section of the sheath heater 800 cut along a line crossing the axial line O, and the spiral portion 823 and coil front-end portion 822 of the heating coil 820, the sheath tube 810, and the insulator 870 are illustrated.
  • the central axis of the sheath heater 800 coincides with the axial line O of the glow plug 10.
  • the coil front-end portion 822 is formed on the axial line O so as to extend linearly along the axial line O.
  • a melt portion 816 is formed at the sheath tube front-end portion 813.
  • the melt portion 816 is in contact with the outer surface of the coil front-end portion 822.
  • the composition of the melt portion 816 is the same as a portion of the sheath tube 810 other than the melt portion 816.
  • the melt portion 816 is a portion whose composition has been changed when the heating coil 820 has been welded to the sheath tube 810 and the front-end portion of the sheath tube 810 has melted once.
  • the heating coil 820 having a higher melting point does not substantially melt, and only a tubular member, which will be the sheath tube 810, melts. Accordingly, as illustrated in Fig. 3 , the coil front-end portion 822 is surrounded by and embedded in the melt portion 816.
  • the additional elements exist at the crystal grain boundary of the main component of which the heating coil 820 is composed at least in a surface layer 825 including at least the outer surface of the coil front-end portion 822 (specifically, the surface layer including the outer surface in contact with the melt portion 816), as described above.
  • Each additional element is at least one element selected from potassium (K), aluminum (Al), silicon (Si), lanthanum (La), thorium (Th), and cerium (Ce), as described above.
  • the metal of which the sheath tube 810 is composed can be inhibited from diffusing into the heating coil 820 from the melt portion 816 via the crystal grain boundary.
  • the elements of which the sheath tube 810 is composed diffuse at the coil front-end portion 822 via the crystal grain boundary faster than when the elements pass through the inside of a crystal grain. Accordingly, in the case where the additional elements exist at the crystal grain boundary, the metal of which the sheath tube 810 is composed can be inhibited from diffusing into the heating coil 820.
  • the cross section of a wire forming the heating coil 820 is a section perpendicular to the direction in which the wire forming the heating coil 820 extends.
  • the cross section of the wire forming the heating coil 820 is substantially circular, and the cross section of the coil front-end portion 822 extending in the axial direction OD is substantially constant.
  • the additional elements exist at the crystal grain boundary of the main component of which the heating coil 820 is composed in the surface layer 825.
  • the diameter D of the cross section corresponds to the length of the longest line segment of line segments, each of which passes through the center of gravity of the cross section and has endpoints that are on the outer circumference of the cross section.
  • the content of the additional elements of the heating coil 820 is preferably 5 ppm or more so that the additional elements thus exist at the crystal grain boundary of the main component in the surface layer 825. In this way, it is easy for the additional elements to exist at the crystal grain boundary of the main component of which the heating coil 820 is composed at least in the surface layer 825 of the coil front-end portion 822 of the heating coil 820.
  • the content of the additional elements of the heating coil 820 is preferably 10 ppm or more, more preferably 30 ppm or more, further preferably 50 ppm or more, from the viewpoint of an improvement in the effect of inhibiting metal diffusion into the heating coil 820.
  • the content of the additional elements of the heating coil 820 is preferably 200 ppm or less.
  • the insulator 870 for example, powder of a magnesium oxide (MgO), is filled in the space between the heating coil 820 and the sheath tube 810, as described above.
  • the additional elements and MgO can react with each other in the sheath tube 810. The reaction between the additional elements and MgO increases adhesion between the heating coil 820 and the insulator 870.
  • the content of the additional elements of the heating coil 820 is, for example, more than 200 ppm, the content of the additional elements is excessive, and there is a possibility that the heating coil 820 and the insulator 870 excessively adhere to each other.
  • the thermal expansion coefficient of tungsten (W) or molybdenum (Mo) of which the heating coil 820 is composed is lower than the thermal expansion coefficient of MgO. Accordingly, there is a possibility that during heating by the sheath heater 800, a large stress due to a difference in the thermal expansion coefficient is produced at a location at which the additional elements and MgO react with each other and the adhesion between the heating coil 820 and the insulator 870 is increased.
  • the heating coil 820 is likely to become disconnected. Accordingly, the content of the additional elements of the heating coil 820 is preferably 180 ppm or less, more preferably 150 ppm or less, further preferably 120 ppm or less, from the viewpoint of an improvement in the effect of inhibiting the heating coil 820 from becoming disconnected due to the reaction between the additional elements and MgO and the effect of inhibiting the durability of the glow plug 10 from decreasing due to the disconnection.
  • the additional elements may be added to and mixed with the material of the heating coil 820 in advance so that the heating coil 820 contains the additional elements.
  • the content of the additional elements means the total content of the several kinds of additional elements.
  • the cross section of the coil front-end portion 822 may be subjected to mirror polishing and subsequently thermal etching, and the resulting surface may be observed with a scanning transmission electron microscope (STEM) to check whether a precipitate exists.
  • STEM scanning transmission electron microscope
  • the kind of the additional elements that exist may be identified in a manner in which the concentration of the additional elements is measured near the crystal grain boundary in an image obtained by the STEM with an energy dispersive X-ray spectrometer (EDS).
  • EDS energy dispersive X-ray spectrometer
  • a magnification during the observation with the STEM may be 5000 times or more.
  • the content of the additional elements of the heating coil 820 that the glow plug 10 includes can be measured in the following manner. That is, after the heating coil 820 is detached from the sheath heater 800 and the insulator 870 is mechanically removed, the content may be measured by ICP atomic emission spectroscopy (high frequency inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy). In the case where the content of the additional elements in the coil front-end portion 822 located in the melt portion 816 is measured, a component of the sheath tube 810 may be removed from the surface of the wire by using a mechanical method or an acid before the measurement.
  • ICP atomic emission spectroscopy high frequency inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy
  • the additional elements that exist at the crystal grain boundary in the surface layer 825 of the heating coil 820 may exist in a state of a reduced metal or a state of an oxide.
  • the majority of the additional elements typically exist in a state of an oxide because the additional elements are exposed to a high temperature during manufacturing processes of the glow plug 10.
  • the additional elements which exist as an oxide, are more stable than in the case where the additional elements exist as a metal, and the stability of the effect of inhibiting metal diffusion from the melt portion into the heating coil can be improved.
  • the grain of a metallic precipitate grows when the metallic precipitate is exposed to a high temperature during the use of the glow plug 10. This causes the additional elements dispersed at the crystal grain boundary to aggregate, the locations at which metal diffusion is prevented by the additional elements at the crystal grain boundary decrease, and the effect of inhibiting metal diffusion gradually decreases.
  • the additional elements exist as an oxide, which is more stable (more unlikely to aggregate) than a metal, the effect of inhibiting metal diffusion can be stable for a longer period of time.
  • the additional elements exist as an oxide can be checked by measurement with the EDS, that is, by measurement of the concentration of the additional elements and oxygen atoms near the crystal grain boundary.
  • Fig. 4 is a flow chart illustrating a method of manufacturing the glow plug 10.
  • the manufacture of the glow plug 10 begins with welding of the heating coil 820, the control coil 830, and the center rod 200 (step T100). Specifically, the heating coil 820 and the control coil 830 are welded to each other, and the control coil rear-end portion 839 and the center rod front-end portion 210 are welded to each other. Subsequently, the coil front-end portion 822 and the front-end portion of the sheath tube 810 are welded to each other (step T110). In the step T110, a process of welding the coil front-end portion 822 and the front-end portion of the sheath tube 810 is also referred to as a "welding process".
  • Figs. 5A and 5B illustrate the welding process in the step T110.
  • the front-end portions of the sheath tube 810 and the heating coil 820 are illustrated, and the sheath tube 810 is illustrated by its section.
  • an extension 810p that is a tubular member extending in the axial direction OD is first prepared as a member for forming the sheath tube 810.
  • the extension 810p includes a front-end portion 813p having an opening 815 and is formed such that the diameter gradually decreases toward the opening 815.
  • the coil front-end portion 822 is inserted into the front-end portion 813p (opening 815) of the prepared extension 810p and located there ( Fig. 5A ).
  • the front-end portion 813p is melted by, for example, arc welding from the outside of the front-end portion 813p and solidified to close the opening 815, and the coil front-end portion 822 and the sheath tube front-end portion 813 are welded to each other ( Fig. 5B ).
  • the coil front-end portion 822 is surrounded by and embedded in the melt portion 816.
  • the melt portion 816 which does not substantially contain the component of the heating coil 820, is formed.
  • the insulator 870 is filled in the sheath tube 810 (step T120).
  • the insulator 870 covers the heating coil 820, the control coil 830, and the center rod 200 and is filled in the gap formed in the sheath tube 810.
  • the assemble of the sheath heater 800 is finished.
  • the sheath heater 800 is subjected to a swaging process (step T130).
  • the swaging process is a process of applying a striking force to the sheath heater 800 to decrease the diameter of the sheath heater 800 and densifying the insulator 870 filled in the sheath tube 810.
  • a striking force is applied to the sheath heater 800 by swaging, the striking force is transmitted to the inside of the sheath heater 800, and the insulator 870 is densified.
  • the sheath heater 800 and the metal shell 500 are assembled together, and the glow plug 10 is assembled (step T140) to complete the glow plug 10.
  • the sheath heater 800 integrated with the center rod 200 is press-fitted into the axial hole 510 of the metal shell 500 and secured thereto, the O-ring 460 and the insulating member 410 are engaged with the center rod 200 at the rear-end portion of the metal shell 500, and the engagement member 100 is tightened with the external thread portion 290 of the center rod 200 formed at the rear end of the metal shell 500.
  • the glow plug 10 is subjected to an aging process. Specifically, transmission of electricity to the assembled glow plug 10 causes the sheath heater 800 to generate heat, and an oxide film is formed on the outer surface of the sheath heater 800.
  • the additional elements exist at the crystal grain boundary of the main component of which the heating coil 820 is composed at least in the surface layer 825 of the coil front-end portion 822 of the heating coil 820 containing at least one selected from tungsten (W) and molybdenum (Mo) as the main component. Accordingly, during heating by the sheath heater 800, at least one metal selected from nickel (Ni) and iron (Fe) and contained in the melt portion 816 can be inhibited from diffusing from the melt portion 816 into the heating coil 820 along the crystal grain boundary of the main component of which the heating coil 820 is composed.
  • the melting point of the heating coil 820 can be inhibited from decreasing due to diffusion of the metal of which the sheath tube 810 is composed into the heating coil 820. Accordingly, the heating coil 820 is inhibited from melting and becoming disconnected when the glow plug 10 is used, and the durability of the glow plug 10 can be improved. In addition, in the case where the additional elements exist at the crystal grain boundary of the main component in the surface layer 825, the grain boundary embrittlement in the heating coil 820 is inhibited from progressing, and the durability of the sheath heater 800 and the glow plug 10 can be inhibited from decreasing.
  • the temperature of the front-end portion (for example, a portion about 2 mm from the front-end portion of the sheath heater 800 toward the rear-end side in the axial direction OD) of the heating coil 820 becomes high during heating by the sheath heater 800.
  • Ni or Fe of which the sheath tube 810 is composed can be greatly inhibited from diffusing at such a high-temperature portion, and accordingly, the heating coil 820 can be greatly inhibited from becoming disconnected.
  • Fig. 6 is an enlarged schematic sectional view of the structure of the front-end portion of a sheath heater 800a according to a second embodiment as in Fig. 3 .
  • the sheath heater 800a according to the second embodiment is used with the sheath heater 800a installed in the glow plug 10 instead of the sheath heater 800 according to the first embodiment.
  • components shared with the first embodiment are designated by like reference numbers, and a detailed description thereof is omitted.
  • a coil front-end portion 822a which is the front-end portion of a heating coil 820a, is joined to the sheath tube 810 with the coil front-end portion 822a embedded in the melt portion 816, as in the first embodiment.
  • the coil front-end portion 822a is not formed so as to extend linearly in the axial line O, but the entire heating coil 820a is spirally wound as in the case of the spiral portion 823 according to the first embodiment.
  • the sheath heater 800a is manufactured, when the extension 810p and the heating coil 820a are welded to each other, as illustrated in Fig. 5A and Fig.
  • the spiral coil front-end portion 822a may be inserted into the opening 815 of the front end of the extension 810p.
  • the front-end portion 813p may be melted by, for example, arc welding from the outside of the front-end portion 813p and solidified to close the opening 815, and the coil front-end portion 822a and the sheath tube front-end portion 813 may be welded to each other.
  • the additional elements exist at the crystal grain boundary of the main component of the heating coil 820a at least in the surface layer 825 of the coil front-end portion 822a embedded in the melt portion 816, and accordingly, the same effects as in the first embodiment can be achieved.
  • Fig. 7 is an enlarged explanatory view of the structure of the front-end portion of a sheath heater 800b according to a third embodiment.
  • the sheath heater 800b according to the third embodiment is used with the sheath heater 800b installed in the glow plug 10 instead of the sheath heater 800 according to the first embodiment.
  • components shared with the first embodiment are designated by like reference numbers, and a detailed description thereof is omitted.
  • a sheath tube 810b and the insulator 870 are illustrated by their section.
  • the sheath tube 810b forming the sheath heater 800b includes an extension 811 and a lid portion 812b.
  • the extension 811 is a cylindrical member that extends in the axial direction OD and that forms the entire side surface of the sheath tube 810b.
  • the lid portion 812b is located at the front end of the extension 811 such that an outer surface thereof is exposed to the outside of the sheath tube 810b and closes the front-end portion of the sheath tube 810b.
  • the coil front-end portion 822 is joined to the lid portion 812b by welding. Specifically, the lid portion 812b and the coil front-end portion 822 are connected to each other with the melt portion 816 interposed therebetween.
  • the extension 811 and the lid portion 812b are joined to each other by welding, and a joint 817 is formed between the extension 811 and the lid portion 812b.
  • a discoid member having a constant thickness is used as the lid portion 812b, and the joint 817 is formed in an annular shape extending through the sheath tube 810b in the thickness direction.
  • the melt portion 816 is a joint at which the lid portion 812b has melted.
  • the joint 817 is a joint at which at least one of the lid portion 812b and the extension 811 has melted.
  • the extension 811 can be formed of the same material as the sheath tube 810 according to the first embodiment.
  • the compositions of the extension 811 and the lid portion 812b may be the same or different.
  • the lid portion 812b contains at least one metal selected from nickel (Ni) and iron (Fe). Accordingly, the melt portion 816 also includes at least one metal selected from nickel (Ni) and iron (Fe).
  • the coil front-end portion 822 and the lid portion 812b are first welded to each other to form the melt portion 816 in the step T110 in Fig. 4 .
  • the lid portion 812b may have at the central portion a through-hole or a recessed portion for inserting and welding the coil front-end portion 822.
  • the coil front-end portion 822 does not substantially melt, and the lid portion 812b melts, so that the melt portion 816 is formed.
  • the heating coil 820 the front end of which is welded to the lid portion 812b may be inserted into the extension 811, and the lid portion 812b may be welded to the front end of the extension 811 to form the joint 817.
  • the additional elements exist at the crystal grain boundary of the main component of the heating coil 820 at least in the surface layer 825 of the coil front-end portion 822 embedded in the melt portion 816, and accordingly, the same effects as in the first embodiment can be achieved.
  • the lid portion 812b can be formed in various shapes other than a discoid shape.
  • the joint 817 that joints the lid portion 812b and the extension 811 to each other may be formed in a shape other than an annular shape extending through the sheath tube 810b in the thickness direction.
  • the melt portion 816 and the joint 817 may at least partially overlap.
  • Fig. 8 is an enlarged explanatory view of the structure of the front-end portion of a sheath heater 800c according to a fourth embodiment.
  • the sheath heater 800c according to the fourth embodiment is used with the sheath heater 800c installed in the glow plug 10 instead of the sheath heater 800 according to the first embodiment.
  • components shared with the first to third embodiments are designated by like reference numbers, and a detailed description thereof is omitted.
  • components other than the heating coil 820a are illustrated by their section.
  • a sheath tube 810c forming the sheath heater 800c includes the extension 811 and a lid portion 812c.
  • the lid portion 812c is formed in a cylindrical shape with a step including a thinner closing portion 840 and a thicker protrusion 842, that is, in a rivet shape.
  • the closing portion 840 closes the front-end portion of the sheath tube 810c while the front-end surface thereof is exposed to the outside.
  • the protrusion 842 is formed so as to protrude from the closing portion 840 to the inside of the sheath tube 810c and is joined to the coil front-end portion 822a of the heating coil 820a by welding.
  • the protrusion 842 and the coil front-end portion 822a are connected to each other with the melt portion 816 interposed therebetween.
  • the extension 811 and the closing portion 840 are also joined to each other by welding, and the joint 817 is formed between the extension 811 and the closing portion 840.
  • the joint 817 is formed in an annular shape extending through the sheath tube 810c in the thickness direction.
  • the melt portion 816 is a joint at which the lid portion 812c (protrusion 842) has melted.
  • the joint 817 is a joint at which at least one of the lid portion 812c (closing portion 840) and the extension 811 has melted.
  • the extension 811 can be formed of the same material as the sheath tube 810 according to the first embodiment.
  • the compositions of the extension 811 and the lid portion 812c may be the same or different.
  • the lid portion 812c contains at least one metal selected from nickel (Ni) and iron (Fe). Accordingly, the melt portion 816 also includes at least one metal selected from nickel (Ni) and iron (Fe).
  • the coil front-end portion 822a is not embedded in the melt portion 816 formed in the sheath tube 810c but is wound around the outer circumference of the protrusion 842.
  • the melt portion 816 is formed in a region including the outer surface of the protrusion 842 in contact with the coil front-end portion 822a of the heating coil 820a.
  • the additional elements exist at the crystal grain boundary of the main component of the heating coil 820a at least in the surface layer 825 of the coil front-end portion 822a in contact with the melt portion 816 at the protrusion 842, as in the first embodiment.
  • the coil front-end portion 822a is first wound around and welded to the protrusion 842 of the lid portion 812c to form the melt portion 816 in the step T110 in Fig. 4 .
  • the coil front-end portion 822a does not substantially melt, and the protrusion 842 melts, so that the melt portion 816 is formed.
  • the heating coil 820a the front end of which is welded to the lid portion 812c may be inserted into the extension 811, and the closing portion 840 of the lid portion 812c may be welded to the front end of the extension 811 to form the joint 817.
  • the additional elements exist at the crystal grain boundary of the main component of the heating coil 820a at least in the surface layer 825 of the coil front-end portion 822a in contact with the melt portion 816 formed at the protrusion 842, and accordingly, the same effects as in the first embodiment can be achieved.
  • the joint 817 that joints the lid portion 812c and the extension 811 to each other may be formed in a shape other than an annular shape extending through the sheath tube 810c in the thickness direction.
  • the joint 817 may be formed of the whole of a portion of the closing portion 840 that is exposed to the outside of the sheath tube 810c.
  • the joint 817 may be formed so as to extend to at least a part of the protrusion 842.
  • the melt portion 816 is formed as a result of the sheath tube 810, 810b, or 810c only being melted and does not substantially contain the material of which each heating coil is composed.
  • a different structure may be used.
  • a mixed layer containing the material of which each heating coil is composed may be formed in a region (region including the boundary with the coil front-end portion) of the melt portion 816 near the surface of the heating coil. That is, the melt portion 816 may contain the material of which each heating coil is composed, provided that the melt portion 816 contains the same material as a portion of the sheath tube other than the melt portion 816.
  • the sheath heaters 800 and 800a to 800c have the heating coils 820 and 820a and the control coil 830.
  • a different structure may be used.
  • a single coil in which the rear-end portion of the heating coil is connected to the center rod front-end portion 210 may be provided.
  • three or more coils connected to each other in series may be provided.
  • the extension 811 and the lid portions 812b and 812c are joined to each other by welding with the joint 817 interposed therebetween.
  • a different structure may be used.
  • the extension 811 and the lid portions 812b and 812c may be joined by, for example, a crimping method.
  • Fig. 9 and Fig. 10 illustrate the summary of the kind of the additional elements, the content of the additional elements, and the evaluation results of the samples.
  • the heating coils 820 formed of different tungsten (W) wires having a diameter of 0.2 mm and containing different contents of various kinds of additional elements other than tungsten were prepared, and the sheath heaters 800 were manufactured, and the glow plugs 10 were assembled.
  • the heating coils 820 were manufactured under the same conditions, and the glow plugs 10 were assembled.
  • the heating coils 820 of the samples which were manufactured under the same conditions, after the glow plugs 10 were assembled, the content of the additional elements contained in each heating coil 820 was investigated.
  • other heating coils 820 of the samples which were manufactured under the same conditions, after the glow plugs 10 were assembled, whether the additional elements existed at the crystal grain boundary at least in the surface layer of the coil front-end portion of each heating coil was investigated.
  • the samples after the glow plugs 10 were assembled, the other heating coils 820, which were manufactured under the same conditions, were used for operational durability tests of the glow plugs 10.
  • the samples 1 to 23 illustrated in Fig. 9 contain only one kind of additional elements.
  • the samples 24 to 29 illustrated in Fig. 10 contain several kinds of additional elements selected from potassium (K), aluminum (Al), silicon (Si), lanthanum (La), thorium (Th), and cerium (Ce).
  • K potassium
  • Al aluminum
  • Si silicon
  • La lanthanum
  • Th thorium
  • Ce cerium
  • the heating coils 820 of the samples 24 to 29 were manufactured in a manner in which two kinds of additional elements were added in the same amount.
  • the sheath heaters and the glow plugs were manufactured in accordance with the first embodiment (for example, Fig. 2 ).
  • the front-end portion of each heating coil 820 was welded directly to the sheath tube.
  • the kind and content of the additional elements of the heating coil 820 of each sample are illustrated in Fig. 9 and Fig. 10 .
  • the other conditions shape of the components and the material of each component other than the heating coil) are the same in all of the samples.
  • each sample glow plug 10 was disassembled, and each heating coil 820 was detached from the sheath heater. After the insulator 870 was mechanically removed, the content of the additional elements of the heating coil 820 was measured by ICP atomic emission spectroscopy (high frequency inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy). The content of the additional elements thus measured was substantially equal to the amount of the additional elements added to a raw material (tungsten) when the heating coil 820 was manufactured.
  • ICP atomic emission spectroscopy high frequency inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy
  • the additional elements existed at the crystal grain boundary of the main component (tungsten) of which the heating coil 820 was composed in the surface layer 825 of the heating coil 820 of each sample.
  • the cross section of the coil front-end portion 822 was subjected to mirror polishing and subsequently thermal etching, and the resulting surface was observed with a scanning transmission electron microscope (STEM) to check whether a precipitate existed at the crystal grain boundary.
  • STEM scanning transmission electron microscope
  • the concentration of the additional elements at the crystal grain boundary in an image obtained by the STEM was measured with an energy dispersive X-ray spectrometer (EDS), and it was thereby confirmed that the additional elements caused the observed precipitate to be produced.
  • the magnification during the observation by the STEM was 5000 times. In Fig.
  • the column of "PRECIPITATE” includes the term “PRESENCE” in the case where the presence of the additional elements at the crystal grain boundary of the main component was confirmed.
  • the column of "PRECIPITATE” includes the term “ABSENCE” in the case where the presence of the additional elements at the crystal grain boundary of the main component was not confirmed.
  • the samples in which the presence of the additional elements at the crystal grain boundary of the main component was confirmed it was confirmed from the result of the EDS that at least some of the additional elements existed as an oxide at the crystal grain boundary.
  • the location of the disconnection was checked.
  • the location of the disconnection was checked with an X-ray CT apparatus. Specifically, the location of the disconnection of the heating coil 820 was identified in an X-ray CT image enlarged 1000 times. The location of the disconnection was measured by using as a criterion the location of the rear end of a region of the heating coil 820 in which the component of the sheath tube 810 existed on the surface.
  • the location (also referred to below as the "tube component rear-end location") of the rear end of the region of the heating coil 820 in which the component of the sheath tube 810 existed on the surface refers to the location of a region of the surface of the heating coil 820 in contact with the melt portion 816 on the rear-end side in the axial direction OD.
  • the column of "FRONT END OF DISCONNECTED PORTION” includes the symbol “ ⁇ ” in the case where the location of the disconnection was a location within 10 mm from the tube component rear-end location on the rear-end side in the axial direction OD.
  • the column of "FRONT END OF DISCONNECTED PORTION” includes the symbol “ ⁇ ” in the case where the location of the disconnection was further away than the location 10 mm from the tube component rear-end location on the rear-end side in the axial direction OD.
  • the cause of the disconnection of the heating coil 820 is that the metal of which the sheath tube 810 is composed diffuses into the heating coil 820 and that the melting point of the heating coil 820 locally decreases.
  • the location of the disconnection of the heating coil 820 was the location within 10 mm from the tube component rear-end location on the rear-end side in the axial direction OD.
  • the metal of which the sheath tube 810 was composed was not inhibited from diffusing into the heating coil 820, and the heating coil 820 became disconnected near the tube component rear-end location, because the presence of the additional elements at the crystal grain boundary of tungsten in the surface layer 825 of the heating coil 820 was not confirmed.
  • the disconnection cycle of the samples 1 and 2 was less than ten thousand cycles. From the above result, in Fig. 9 , the column of "DECISION" for the samples 1 and 2 includes the symbol " ⁇ ".
  • the presence of the additional elements at the crystal grain boundary of tungsten in the surface layer 825 of the heating coil 820 was confirmed.
  • the location of the disconnection of the heating coil 820 was further away than the location 10 mm from the tube component rear-end location on the rear-end side in the axial direction OD.
  • the presence of the through-hole in the sheath tube 810 of the samples 3 to 20 was confirmed.
  • the cause of the disconnection of the heating coil 820 of the samples 3 to 20 was not diffusion of the metal of which the sheath tube 810 was composed into the heating coil 820 but was the oxidation of the heating coil 820 (tungsten) due to oxygen that entered via the through-hole.
  • the disconnection cycle of the samples 3 to 20 was more than ten thousand cycles. From the above result, in Fig. 9 , the column of "DECISION" for the samples 3 to 20 includes the symbol " ⁇ ".
  • the presence of the additional elements at the crystal grain boundary of tungsten in the surface layer 825 of the heating coil 820 was confirmed.
  • the location of the disconnection of the heating coil 820 was further away than the location 10 mm from the tube component rear-end location on the rear-end side in the axial direction OD.
  • the presence of a through-hole in the sheath tube 810 of the samples 21 to 23 was not confirmed.
  • the location of the disconnection was further away than the location 10 mm from the tube component rear-end location on the rear-end side in the axial direction OD, as described above. For this reason, it is thought that the cause of the disconnection of the heating coil 820 of the samples 21 to 23 was not diffusion of the metal of which the sheath tube 810 was composed into the heating coil 820. Since the presence of a through-hole in the sheath tube 810 was not confirmed, it is thought that the cause of the disconnection of the heating coil 820 of the samples 21 to 23 was not oxidation of the heating coil 820 due to oxygen that entered via the through-hole.
  • the presence of the additional elements at the crystal grain boundary of tungsten in the surface layer 825 of the heating coil 820 was confirmed.
  • the location of the disconnection of the heating coil 820 was further away than the location 10 mm from the tube component rear-end location on the rear-end side in the axial direction OD.
  • the presence of the through-hole in the sheath tube 810 was confirmed.
  • the cause of the disconnection of the heating coil 820 of the samples 24 to 28 was not diffusion of the metal of which the sheath tube 810 was composed into the heating coil 820 but was the oxidation of the heating coil 820 (tungsten) due to oxygen that entered via the through-hole, as in the case of the samples 3 to 20.
  • the disconnection cycle of the samples 24 to 28 was more than ten thousand cycles. From the above result, in Fig. 10 , the column of "DECISION" for the samples 24 to 28 includes the symbol " ⁇ ".
  • the presence of the additional elements at the crystal grain boundary of tungsten in the surface layer 825 of the heating coil 820 was confirmed.
  • the location of the disconnection of the heating coil 820 was further away than the location 10 mm from the tube component rear-end location on the rear-end side in the axial direction OD.
  • the presence of a through-hole in the sheath tube 810 was not confirmed.
  • the cause of the disconnection of the heating coil 820 of the sample 29 was that the additional elements and the insulator 870 (MgO) reacted with each other and excessively adhered to each other, as in the samples 21 to 23.
  • an effect of the present invention that is, inhibiting disconnection due to diffusion of the metal of which the sheath tube 810 was composed was achieved.
  • the additional elements and the insulator 870 (MgO) reacted with each other, and the disconnection cycle was thereby less than ten thousand cycles. Accordingly, the column of "DECISION" includes the symbol " ⁇ ".
  • the present invention is limited neither to the above embodiments, the example, nor the modifications and can be achieved with various structures without departing from the concept of the present invention.
  • the technical features in the embodiments, the example, and the modifications corresponding to the technical features in the aspects described in the summary of the invention can be appropriately replaced or combined in order to solve part or all of the above problems or in order to achieve part or all of the above effects.
  • Technical features described as unessential features can be appropriately removed.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Resistance Heating (AREA)
EP17176803.9A 2016-06-22 2017-06-20 Glühkerze Active EP3260779B1 (de)

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Citations (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JPH11237045A (ja) 1998-02-20 1999-08-31 Jidosha Kiki Co Ltd セラミックスヒーター又はセラミックスグロープラグ及びそれらの製造方法
DE102007013990A1 (de) * 2007-03-23 2008-09-25 Osram Gesellschaft mit beschränkter Haftung Material für Elektroden oder Leuchtkörper und Elektrode bzw. Leuchtkörper
WO2011162074A1 (ja) 2010-06-22 2011-12-29 日本特殊陶業株式会社 グロープラグ及びその製造方法、並びに、加熱装置
DE102013211789A1 (de) * 2013-06-21 2014-12-24 Robert Bosch Gmbh Glühstiftkerze für Glühtemperaturregelung
DE102013212283A1 (de) * 2013-06-26 2014-12-31 Robert Bosch Gmbh Glührohr für eine regelbare Glühstiftkerze
JP2015078784A (ja) 2013-10-15 2015-04-23 日本特殊陶業株式会社 グロープラグ
JP2015099008A (ja) 2013-10-15 2015-05-28 日本特殊陶業株式会社 グロープラグ

Family Cites Families (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JPS63236282A (ja) * 1987-03-24 1988-10-03 株式会社東芝 蒸着用タングステン線
JP5989896B2 (ja) * 2013-04-27 2016-09-07 京セラ株式会社 セラミックヒータ
JP6619981B2 (ja) * 2014-10-07 2019-12-11 日本特殊陶業株式会社 グロープラグ

Patent Citations (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JPH11237045A (ja) 1998-02-20 1999-08-31 Jidosha Kiki Co Ltd セラミックスヒーター又はセラミックスグロープラグ及びそれらの製造方法
DE102007013990A1 (de) * 2007-03-23 2008-09-25 Osram Gesellschaft mit beschränkter Haftung Material für Elektroden oder Leuchtkörper und Elektrode bzw. Leuchtkörper
WO2011162074A1 (ja) 2010-06-22 2011-12-29 日本特殊陶業株式会社 グロープラグ及びその製造方法、並びに、加熱装置
DE102013211789A1 (de) * 2013-06-21 2014-12-24 Robert Bosch Gmbh Glühstiftkerze für Glühtemperaturregelung
DE102013212283A1 (de) * 2013-06-26 2014-12-31 Robert Bosch Gmbh Glührohr für eine regelbare Glühstiftkerze
JP2015078784A (ja) 2013-10-15 2015-04-23 日本特殊陶業株式会社 グロープラグ
JP2015099008A (ja) 2013-10-15 2015-05-28 日本特殊陶業株式会社 グロープラグ

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