IP Library › Granted Patent US 8,970,096

Granted Patent B2

US 8,970,096 · App. 13/312,342 · Granted Mar 3, 2015

Anti-fouling spark plug and method of making

Inventors: Peter Unger (Morristown, NJ); Ron Rohrbach (Flemington, NJ); Jeff Boehler (Holland, OH); Jing Zheng (Findlay, OH)

Assignee: Fram Group IP LLC

H01T13/14 H01T13/38 H01T13/20 H01T21/02 C23C18/1216 C23C18/1283

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Quick Facts

Patent No.: US 8,970,096
App. No.: 13/312,342
Granted: Mar 3, 2015
Kind: B2

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Abstract

Disclosed herein is a spark plug comprising an insulative sleeve having a central axial bore and an exterior surface and a center electrode extending through the central axial bore of the insulative sleeve. The insulating sleeve is positioned within, and secured to, a metal shell that serves as a mounting platform and interface to an internal combustion engine. The metal sleeve also supports a ground electrode that is positioned in a spaced relationship relative to the center electrode so as to generate a spark gap. The insulating sleeve includes a shaped tip portion that resides in a recessed end portion of the metal shell. A coating is disposed on the exterior surface of the shaped tip portion of the insulative sleeve. The coating comprises a metal oxide, a noble metal, late transition metal, or a combination comprising two or more of the foregoing metals.

Claims (12)

1. A spark plug comprising

an insulative sleeve having a central axial bore and an exterior surface of a shaped tip portion, wherein a coating is disposed on the exterior surface of the shaped tip portion and the coating consisting essentially of vanadium oxide, wherein the coating is a continuous coating around a circumference of the insulative sleeve and the coating has thickness between about 1 and about 20 micrometers;

a center electrode extending through the central axial bore of the insulative sleeve;

a metal shell, wherein the insulative sleeve is positioned within, and secured to, the metal shell; and

a ground electrode supported by the metal shell and positioned in a spaced relationship relative to the center electrode so as to generate a spark gap.

2. The spark plug of claim 1 , wherein the coating is formed by applying a slurry to the insulative sleeve, wherein the slurry comprises particles having a maximum particle size of less than or equal to 125 micrometers.

3. The spark plug of claim 2 , wherein the particles have an average size of 10 to 100 nanometers.

4. The spark plug of claim 1 , wherein the coating extends between a base and a tip of the insulative sleeve.

5. The spark plug of claim 1 , wherein the coating has a thickness of between about 5 and about 15 micrometers.

6. The spark plug of claim 1 , wherein the coating is formed by applying a slurry to the insulative sleeve, wherein the slurry comprises vanadium oxide up to about 25 percent by weight of the coating.

7. The spark plug of claim 6 , wherein the vanadium oxide forms between about 0.5 and about 10 percent by weight of the slurry.

8. The spark plug of claim 7 , wherein the vanadium oxide forms between about 2.5 and about 5 percent by weight of the slurry.

Assignments (17)

RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jul 2, 2026

From: WILMINGTON SAVINGS FUND SOCIETY, FSB

To: JEFFERIES FINANCE LLC

Reel/Frame 075891/0705 →

SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 12, 2026

From: PGI NORTHSTAR LLC

To: FIRST HORIZON BANK

Reel/Frame 075410/0391 →

ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 4, 2026

From: FIRST BRANDS GROUP HOLDINGS, LLC; FIRST BRANDS GROUP INTERMEDIATE, LLC; FIRST BRANDS GROUP, LLC; CHAMPION LABORATORIES, INC.; FRAM GROUP IP LLC; PYLON MANUFACTURING CORP.; HEATHERTON HOLDINGS, LLC; TRICO PRODUCTS CORPORATION; STRONGARM, LLC

To: PGI NORTHSTAR LLC

Reel/Frame 075584/0001 →

LIEN Recorded Dec 8, 2025

From: JEFFERIES FINANCE LLC

To: WILMINGTON SAVINGS FUND SOCIETY, FSB

Reel/Frame 073892/0154 →

FIRST LIEN INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jun 18, 2025

From: AIRTEX INDUSTRIES, LLC; AIRTEX PRODUCTS, LP; APC INTERMEDIATE HOLDINGS, LLC; APC PARENT, LLC; ASC INDUSTRIES, INC.; AUTOLITE OPERATIONS LLC; AVM EXPORT, INC.; BPI ACQUISITION COMPANY, LLC; BPI EC, LLC; BPI HOLDINGS INTERNATIONAL, LLC; BRAKE PARTS INC CHINA LLC; BRAKE PARTS INC INDIA LLC; BRAKE PARTS INC LLC; CARDONE INDUSTRIES, INC.; CARRAND COMPANIES, INC.; CARTER CARBURETOR HOLDINGS, LLC; CARTER CARBURETOR, LLC; CARTER FUEL EXPORT, INC.; CARTER FUEL SYSTEMS, LLC; CHAMPION LABORATORIES, INC.; CWD HOLDING, LLC; CWD INTERMEDIATE HOLDINGS I, LLC; CWD INTERMEDIATE HOLDINGS II, LLC; CWD, LLC; DALTON CORPORATION; DALTON CORPORATION, KENDALLVILLE; MANUFACTURING FACILITY DALTON CORPORATION, ASHLAND; MANUFACTURING FACILITY DALTON CORPORATION, STRYKER MACHINING FACILITY CO.; DALTON CORPORATION, WARSAW MANUFACTURING FACILITY; EAGLE CASTING, LLC; EAGLE MACHINING, LLC; FIRST BRANDS GROUP INTERMEDIATE, LLC; FIRST BRANDS GROUP, LLC; FRAM GROUP IP LLC; FRAM GROUP OPERATIONS LLC; FRAMAUTO HOLDINGS, LLC; FUEL FILTER TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; GLOBAL REMAN VENTURES, LLC; HEATHERTON HOLDINGS, LLC; HOPKINS ACQUISITION, INC.; HOPKINS MANUFACTURING CORPORATION; HORIZON EURO FINANCE LLC; HORIZON GLOBAL AMERICAS INC.; HORIZON GLOBAL COMPANY LLC; HORIZON GLOBAL CORPORATION; HORIZON INTERNATIONAL HOLDINGS LLC; IBI INTERNATIONAL HOLDING COMPANY, INC.; INTERNATIONAL BRAKE INDUSTRIES, INC.; JASPER ACQUISITION CORP.; JASPER RUBBER PRODUCTS, INC.; KTRI HOLDINGS, INC.; KTRI OFFSHORE HOLDINGS, LLC; LONGMAN ENTERPRISES, INC.; PHNX ACQUISITION CORP.; PREMIER MARKETING GROUP, LLC; PYLON MANUFACTURING CORP.; PYLON SOUTH BEND, INC.; QUALIS AUTOMOTIVE, L.L.C.; QUALIS ENTERPRISES, LLC; QUALITOR ACQUISITION INC.; QUALITOR AUTOMOTIVE, LLC; QUALITOR SUBSIDIARY H, INC.; QUALITOR SUBSIDIARY S, INC.; QUALITOR, INC.; REMAN MANAGEMENT INTERNATIONAL LLC; SDC TX, LLC; SMART CHOICE, LLC; SPECIALTY PUMPS GROUP, INC.; STRONGARM, LLC; TAE BRAKES, LLC; TAE CHINA HOLDINGS, INC.; TMD INTERNATIONAL HOLDINGS LLC; TMD MEXICO LLC; TOLEDO MOLDING & DIE, LLC; TRANSPORTATION AFTERMARKET ENTERPRISE, LLC; TRICO HOLDING CORPORATION; TRICO PRODUCTS CORPORATION; TRICO TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION; TRIDONEX USA LLC; UCI ACQUISITION HOLDINGS (NO. 4) LLC; UCI INTERNATIONAL HOLDINGS PARENT, INC.; UCI INTERNATIONAL HOLDINGS, INC.; UCI INTERNATIONAL, LLC; UCI PENNSYLVANIA, INC.; UCI-AIRTEX HOLDINGS, INC.; UNITED COMPONENTS, LLC; UNIVERSAL AUTO FILTER LLC; VIPER ACQUISITION I, INC.; VIPER ACQUISITION, INC.; WALBRO LLC; WALBRO MIDCO LLC; WEM US CO.

To: GLAS USA LLC

Reel/Frame 071674/0688 →

CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE THE PATENT APPLICATION NUMBERS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 053377 FRAME: 0596. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT. Recorded Dec 19, 2022

From: CREDIT SUISSE AG, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH

To: JEFFERIES FINANCE LLC

Reel/Frame 062584/0429 →

ASSIGNMENT OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jul 31, 2020

From: CREDIT SUISSE AG, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH

To: JEFFERIES FINANCE LLC

Reel/Frame 053377/0596 →

RELEASE OF INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY SECURITY INTEREST Recorded May 25, 2020

From: ACQUIOM AGENCY SERVICES LLC

To: ASC INDUSTRIES, INC.; CARTER FUEL SYSTEMS, LLC; FRAM GROUP IP LLC; STRONGARM, LLC; TRICO PRODUCTS CORPORATION; TRICO GROUP, LLC; TRICO GROUP HOLDINGS, LLC

Reel/Frame 053313/0812 →

SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Apr 23, 2020

From: FRAM GROUP IP LLC

To: ACQUIOM AGENCY SERVICES LLC

Reel/Frame 052481/0586 →

ABL INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Mar 1, 2019

From: FRAM GROUP IP LLC

To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT

Reel/Frame 048479/0639 →

RELEASE OF ABL PATENT SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Feb 27, 2019

From: BMO HARRIS BANK N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT

To: FRAM GROUP IP LLC