Spark plug having firing pad

1. A spark plug, comprising:

a shell having an axial bore;

an insulator having an axial bore and being disposed at least partially within the axial bore of the shell;

a center electrode disposed at least partially within the axial bore of the insulator;

a ground electrode attached to the shell and having a free end surface; and

a firing pad made of a precious metal material attached to the ground electrode with a weldment, the firing pad having a side surface at a peripheral edge (P) of the firing pad, wherein the free end surface of the ground electrode and the side surface of the firing pad are flush or nearly flush relative to each other, and the weldment is located inboard of the side surface of the firing pad along at least part of an extent where the free end surface of the ground electrode and the side surface of the firing pad are flush or nearly flush relative to each other.

2. A spark plug as defined in claim 1 , wherein the firing pad is a thin pad that has a greatest width dimension across its sparking surface that is at least several times larger than a greatest thickness dimension (T).

3. A spark plug as defined in claim 1 , wherein a shortest distance between the free end surface of the ground electrode and the side surface of the firing pad is less than or equal to approximately 0.7 mm.

4. A spark plug as defined in claim 1 , wherein the free end surface of the ground electrode and the side surface of the firing pad are flush relative to each other for at least some portion of the peripheral edge (P) of the firing pad.

5. A spark plug as defined in claim 1 , wherein the free end surface of the ground electrode includes a first free end surface and a second free end surface that intersect at a free end corner, the side surface of the firing pad includes a first side surface and a second side surface that intersect at a corner, and the first free end surface and first side surface are flush or nearly flush relative to each other, the second free end surface and second side surface are flush or nearly flush relative to each other, and the free end corner and corner are flush or nearly flush relative to each other.

6. A spark plug as defined in claim 1 , wherein the free end surface of the ground electrode is a trimmed free end surface produced via a trimming process, the side surface of the firing pad is a trimmed side surface produced via the same trimming process, and the trimmed side surface is situated at least in part at a weldment attaching the firing pad and ground electrode together.

7. A spark plug as defined in claim 1 , wherein, before attachment to the ground electrode, the firing pad has at least one protrusion projecting from a bottom surface of the firing pad, the at least one protrusion concentrating current flow therethrough during a resistance welding process.

8. A spark plug as defined in claim 1 , wherein the firing pad is a multi-layer firing pad with a base metal layer and a precious metal layer, the base metal layer composed of a nickel alloy material and attached to the ground electrode.

9. A spark plug as defined in claim 1 , wherein a shortest distance between the free end surface of the ground electrode and the side surface of the firing pad ranges between approximately 0% to 500%, inclusive, of a thickness dimension (T) of the firing pad.

10. A spark plug, comprising:

a shell having an axial bore;

an insulator having an axial bore and being disposed at least partially within the axial bore of the shell;

a center electrode disposed at least partially within the axial bore of the insulator;

a ground electrode attached to the shell and having a free end surface; and

a firing pad made of a precious metal material attached to the ground electrode, the firing pad having a side surface at a peripheral edge (P) of the firing pad, wherein the free end surface of the ground electrode and the side surface of the firing pad are flush or nearly flush relative to each other, and the firing pad is attached to the ground electrode via a keyhole weldment that is located at least in part inboard of the peripheral edge (P) of the firing pad, the keyhole weldment penetrating entirely through a thickness (T) of the firing pad and through a surface-to-surface interface between the ground electrode and firing pad where the keyhole weldment is inboard of the peripheral edge (P).

11. A spark plug, comprising:

a shell having an axial bore;

an insulator having an axial bore and being disposed at least partially within the axial bore of the shell;

a center electrode disposed at least partially within the axial bore of the insulator;

a ground electrode attached to the shell and having a free end surface; and

a firing pad made of a precious metal material attached to the ground electrode, the firing pad having a side surface at a peripheral edge (P) of the firing pad, wherein the free end surface of the ground electrode and the side surface of the firing pad are flush or nearly flush relative to each other, and a shortest distance between the free end surface of the ground electrode and the side surface of the firing pad is less than a shortest distance between the free end surface of the ground electrode and a weldment of the attached firing pad and ground electrode.

12. A spark plug, comprising:

a shell having an axial bore;

an insulator having an axial bore and being disposed at least partially within the axial bore of the shell;

a center electrode disposed at least partially within the axial bore of the insulator;

a ground electrode attached to the shell and having a free end surface; and

a firing pad made of a precious metal material attached to the ground electrode, the firing pad having a side surface at a peripheral edge (P) of the firing pad, wherein the free end surface of the ground electrode and the side surface of the firing pad are flush or nearly flush relative to each other, and the free end surface of the ground electrode is a trimmed free end surface produced via a trimming process, the side surface of the firing pad is a trimmed side surface produced via the same trimming process, and the trimmed side surface is situated at an unattached portion of the firing pad and is not situated at a weldment attaching the firing pad and ground electrode together.

13. A method of preparing a ground electrode and firing pad assembly, the method comprising the steps of:

trimming a free end portion of the ground electrode, leaving a trimmed free end surface;

locating the firing pad at the free end portion, the firing pad having a side surface located at or near the trimmed free end surface of the ground electrode; and

emitting a laser beam to the firing pad and inboard of the side surface at an extent of the side surface that is located at or near the trimmed free end surface.

14. A method as defined in claim 13 , wherein the step of locating the firing pad comprises resistance welding the firing pad at the free end portion.

15. A method of preparing a ground electrode and firing pad assembly, the method comprising the steps of:

laser welding the firing pad to a free end portion of the ground electrode, the laser welding producing a weldment, the firing pad having a side surface; and

trimming the free end portion of the ground electrode along a trim line situated at or near the side surface of the firing pad, wherein the weldment is positioned inboard of the side surface at least where the trim line is situated at or near the side surface.

16. A method as defined in claim 15 , wherein the trim line is situated inboard of the side surface of the firing pad and outboard of the weldment such that the trimming is carried out through an unattached portion of the firing pad.

17. A method as defined in claim 15 , wherein the trim line is situated at least in part through the weldment such that the trimming is carried out through the weldment.