IP Library Granted Patent US 8,890,398
Granted Patent B2
US 8,890,398 · App. 13/334,055 · Granted Nov 18, 2014

Spark plug for gasoline engines

Inventors: Alexander Schenk (Waiblingen, DE); Werner Niessner (Steinheim, DE)
Assignee: Federal-Mogul Ignition GmbH
H01T13/32H01T13/14
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,890,398
App. No.
13/334,055
Granted
Nov 18, 2014
Kind
B2
Abstract

Described is a spark plug for gasoline engines with an elongated hollow body made of metal, said body having a forward end with an undercut formed by an interior annular shoulder of the body and a rear end, with an elongated ceramic insulator which is mounted in the body and has a rear end that projects beyond the rear end of the body and has a forward end beyond which the forward end of the body projects, with a center electrode which is inserted into the insulator, projects beyond the forward end thereof, and is connected to a metal connection pin in an electrically conductive manner, said connection pin projecting beyond the rear end of the insulator, and with at least one ground electrode which starts from the forward end of the body and is approached to the center electrode to an electrode distance (EA) to form a spark gap.

Claims (26)

1. A Spark plug for gasoline engines comprising:

an elongated hollow body made of metal, said body having a forward end with an undercut formed by an interior annular shoulder of the body and a rear end;

an elongated ceramic insulator which is mounted in the body and has a rear end that projects beyond the rear end of the body and has a forward end beyond which the forward end of the body projects;

a center electrode which is inserted into the insulator, projects beyond the forward end of the insulator and the forward end of the body, and is connected to a metal connection pin in an electrically conductive manner;

and at least one ground electrode which starts from the forward end of the body and is approached to the center electrode to an electrode distance between the at least one ground electrode and the center electrode to form a spark gap;

characterized in that the distance of the center electrode from the annular shoulder is greater than or equal to the 1.2-fold electrode distance;

that the distance of the exposed forward end of the insulator from the metal body is greater than or equal to the 1.2-fold electrode distance;

that the distance of the forward end of the insulator from a front side of the annular shoulder is no more than 2 mm plus the 1.2-fold electrode distance;

and that the distance of the exposed forward end of the insulator from the metal body is greater than or equal to the 1.2-fold electrode distance.

2. A spark plug according to claim 1 , characterized in that the distance of the forward end of the insulator from the front side of the annular shoulder is no more than 1.5 mm plus the 1.2-fold electrode distance.

3. A spark plug according to claim 1 , characterized in that the distance of the forward end of the insulator from the front side of the annular shoulder is no more than 1.3 mm plus the 1.2-fold electrode distance.

4. A spark plug according to claim 1 , characterized in that the front side of the annular shoulder coincides with the front side of the body.

5. A spark plug according to claim 1 , characterized in that the annular shoulder is delimited by a cylindrical bore the length of which is less than the thickness of the circumferential wall of the metal body, said circumferential wall being adjacent to the annular shoulder.

6. A spark plug according to claim 1 , characterized in that the annular shoulder has a conical upper side that faces the insulator.

7. A spark plug according to claim 6 , characterized in that the angle (90°-a) measured between the longitudinal axis of the center electrode and the conical upper side of the annular shoulder is 50° to 60°.

8. A spark plug according to claim 6 , characterized in that the angle (90°-a) measured between the longitudinal axis of the center electrode and the conical upper side of the annular shoulder is 30° to 75°.

9. A spark plug according to claim 1 , characterized in that a cavity of the body is a stepped bore extending throughout the body.

10. A spark plug according to claim 1 , characterized in that the forward end of the insulator is blunt.

11. A spark plug according to claim 10 , characterized in that the annular shoulder partially overlaps the forward end of the insulator.

12. A spark plug according to claim 11 , characterized in that the insulator is tapering towards its forward end and that the tapering section of the insulator is arranged immediately adjacent to the forward blunt end thereof.

13. A spark plug according to claim 10 , characterized in that the insulator is tapering towards its forward end and that the tapering section of the insulator is arranged immediately adjacent to the forward blunt end thereof.

14. A spark plug according to claim 1 , characterized in that the center electrode is tapering in the area between the forward end of the insulator and the narrowest point of the annular shoulder.

15. A spark plug according to claim 1 , characterized in that the insulator is tapering towards its forward end.

16. A spark plug according to claim 15 , characterized in that the angle (f3) between the longitudinal axis of the center electrode and the conically tapering surface of the insulator is less than 10°.

17. A spark plug according to claim 16 , characterized in that the angle (6) is 5° to 7°.

18. A spark plug according to claim 15 , characterized in that the insulator is tapering conically towards its forward end.

Assignments (4)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 19, 2022
From: WILMINGTON TRUST, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
To: TENNECO INC.; TENNECO AUTOMOTIVE OPERATING COMPANY INC.; TENNECO INTERNATIONAL HOLDING CORP.; THE PULLMAN COMPANY; TENNECO GLOBAL HOLDINGS INC.; CLEVITE INDUSTRIES INC.; TMC TEXAS INC.; CARTER AUTOMOTIVE COMPANY LLC; FEDERAL-MOGUL WORLD WIDE LLC; FELT PRODUCTS MFG. CO. LLC; MUZZY-LYON AUTO PARTS LLC; FEDERAL-MOGUL POWERTRAIN LLC; FEDERAL-MOGUL POWERTRAIN IP LLC; FEDERAL-MOGUL PISTON RINGS, LLC; FEDERAL-MOGUL IGNITION LLC; FEDERAL-MOGUL MOTORPARTS LLC; FEDERAL-MOGUL CHASSIS LLC; F-M MOTORPARTS TSC LLC; F-M TSC REAL ESTATE HOLDINGS LLC; FEDERAL-MOGUL VALVE TRAIN INTERNATIONAL LLC; FEDERAL-MOGUL SEVIERVILLE, LLC; BECK ARNLEY HOLDINGS LLC; FEDERAL-MOGUL FILTRATION LLC; FEDERAL-MOGUL FINANCING CORPORATION; FEDERAL-MOGUL PRODUCTS US LLC
Reel/Frame 061975/0218 →
CONFIRMATORY GRANT OF SECURITY INTERESTS IN UNITED STATES PATENTS Recorded Oct 9, 2018
From: TENNECO INC.; TENNECO AUTOMOTIVE OPERATING COMPANY INC.; TENNECO INTERNATIONAL HOLDING CORP.; THE PULLMAN COMPANY; TENNECO GLOBAL HOLDINGS INC.; CLEVITE INDUSTRIES INC.; TMC TEXAS INC.; CARTER AUTOMOTIVE COMPANY LLC; FEDERAL-MOGUL WORLD WIDE LLC; FELT PRODUCTS MFG. CO. LLC; MUZZY-LYON AUTO PARTS LLC; FEDERAL-MOGUL POWERTRAIN LLC; FEDERAL-MOGUL POWERTRAIN IP LLC; FEDERAL-MOGUL PISTON RINGS, LLC; FEDERAL-MOGUL IGNITION LLC; FEDERAL-MOGUL MOTORPARTS LLC; FEDERAL-MOGUL CHASSIS LLC; F-M MOTORPARTS TSC LLC; F-M TSC REAL ESTATE HOLDINGS LLC; FEDERAL-MOGUL VALVETRAIN INTERNATIONAL LLC; FEDERAL-MOGUL SEVIERVILLE, LLC; BECK ARNLEY HOLDINGS LLC; FEDERAL-MOGUL FILTRATION LLC; FEDERAL-MOGUL FINANCING CORPORATION; FEDERAL-MOGUL PRODUCTS US LLC
To: WILMINGTON TRUST, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS COLLATERAL TRUSTEE
Reel/Frame 047223/0001 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 8, 2014
From: SCHENK, ALEXANDER; NIESSNER, WERNER
To: BORGWARNER BERU SYSTEMS GMBH
Reel/Frame 031914/0169 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 15, 2013
From: BORGWARNER BERU SYSTEMS GMBH
To: FEDERAL-MOGUL IGNITION GMBH
Reel/Frame 030216/0011 →
Priority Claims (2)
DE 10 2010 061 507 · Dec 22, 2010 · national
DE 10 2011 002 167 · Apr 19, 2011 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20120326591A1 · Dec 27, 2012