Patent Application
20070114898
The present invention relates to a plasma jet spark plug for an internal combustion engine which generates plasma to ignite an air-fuel mixture and to an ignition system for the plasma jet spark plug.
Conventionally, when an internal combustion engine such as automobile engine runs at low load (hereinafter referred to as “low load operation”), such as while starting or during idling, accidental firing due to unstable combustion tends to occur. In response, lowering the mixture ratio of air and fuel (hereinafter referred to as “the A/F ratio”) is performed to facilitate smooth ignition and prevent stalling. However, such an adjustment causes excessive fuel consumption. Therefore, improvement in the ignition characteristics of a spark plug, which achieves secure ignition and a stable combustion of the air-fuel mixture despite a high A/F ratio has been demanded.
A plasma jet spark plug is known as a spark plug with high ignitability as disclosed in Laid Open Japanese Patent Application Publication No. S56-98570. As used herein, “ignitability” refers to the ability of a spark plug or plasma jet spark plug to ignite the air-fuel mixture in the cylinder of an internal combustion engine. Such a plasma jet spark plug (igniter plug) includes a small electric discharge space and a circumferential face of a spark discharge gap between a center electrode and a ground electrode which is surrounded by an insulating material such as ceramic. High voltage is applied between the center electrode and the ground electrode in order to generate a spark discharge. The dielectric breakdown caused by the spark discharge causes a current flow at relatively low voltage. Further, the spark discharge transits and generates plasma in the spark discharge space to ignite the air-fuel mixture by supplying energy.
Plasma has a high ignitability and provides stable combustion at low load operation. However, plasma tends to cause an increase in temperature of a spark plug due to its high energy, thereby resulting in a significant wearing of the electrode of the spark plug. Japanese Patent Publication No. S56-98570 also discloses that plasma is generated to ignite the air-fuel mixture at low load operation. On the contrary, only the spark discharge is performed at the time of high load operation (hereinafter referred to as “high load operation”), such as at high speed running of an internal combustion engine, to prevent wearing out of the electrode as well as to improve the ignitability.
However, since a plasma jet spark plug according to the above-noted Japanese patent application has a construction in which a spark discharge gap is surrounded by a face made of an insulating material, a spark discharge ignites an air-fuel mixture, which is included in the spark discharge gap, at high load operation where only an ignition by the spark discharge is performed. Thus, poor ignitability and slow combustion may occur because a flame core cannot be formed in a flow of the air-fuel mixture in a combustion chamber.
The present invention is accomplished in view of the foregoing problems of the prior art and an object of the present invention is to provide a plasma jet spark plug which can improve the ignitability and durability thereof by forming a part of a spark discharge gap in the outside of the electric discharge space which generates plasma. An ignition system for the plasma jet spark plug is also provided.
A plasma jet spark plug according to a first aspect of the invention comprises: a center electrode, an insulator having a bore extending in an axial direction of the center electrode, accommodating a front end of the center electrode therein and holding the center electrode, a metal shell surrounding the insulator in a radial direction so as to hold the insulator therein, a ground electrode including one end bonded to a front end face of the metal shell and the other end bent towards a front end of the insulator and forming a spark discharge gap with the center electrode, and a cavity forming a discharge space surrounded by an inner circumferential face of said axial bore which extends from an opening portion at a front end of the bore and a front end face of the center electrode, wherein plasma formed in the discharge space is shot out from the opening portion when a spark discharge occurs in the spark discharge gap.
In addition to the construction according to the first aspect of the invention, a plasma jet spark plug according to a second aspect of the invention includes a spark discharge gap comprising: an aerial discharge gap in which a spark is discharged between the other end of the ground electrode and a surface of a front end portion of the insulator, an outer creeping discharge gap in which a spark is discharged between an originating point of the aerial discharge gap on the surface of the front end portion of the insulator and the opening portion along the surface of the insulator and an inner creeping discharge gap in which a spark is discharged between the opening portion and the center electrode along an inner circumferential face of the cavity.
In addition to the construction according to the first or the second aspect of the invention, a plasma jet spark plug according to a third aspect of the invention includes a spark discharge cavity in which the length of the cavity in the axial direction is greater than the inner diameter of the cavity.
Finally, a fourth aspect of the invention is an ignition system which applies voltage to a plasma jet spark plug according to any one of aspects one, two or three, wherein the ignition system comprises: a spark discharge voltage applying means in which voltage is applied to the plasma jet spark plug so as to generate a spark discharge in the spark discharge gap due to a dielectric breakdown, a capacitor which stores energy and supplies energy to the spark discharge gap so that plasma may be formed along with the spark discharge generated by said spark discharge voltage applying means, charging means which charges the capacitor so that plasma may be formed at the time of the spark discharge, switching means which switches on and off an electric connection between the capacitor and the charging means, and control means which controls the switching means, wherein the charging means does not charge the capacitor when the spark discharge voltage applying means generates only the spark discharge and the charging means charges the capacitor when the spark discharge voltage applying means generates spark discharge and the capacitor supplies energy to said spark discharge gap.
Since a plasma jet spark plug according to the first aspect of the invention has a construction such that one end of the ground electrode is bent towards a front end portion of the insulator in which a cavity is included so that plasma may be formed and shot out from an opening portion, a spark may be discharged outside the cavity in a spark discharge gap formed between the ground electrode and a center electrode. That is, since the air-fuel mixture in a combustion chamber can be ignited not only inside the cavity but also outside the cavity, ignitability may be improved compared to the case where the ignition is performed inside the cavity, despite the fact that the ignition is caused by only the spark discharge without plasma. Therefore, in the situation where high ignitability is required, such as while starting an internal combustion engine or while idling, the ignition can be performed by shooting out plasma. On the other hand, in the situation where high ignitability is not required, such as during high speed running of an internal combustion engine, the ignition can be performed by only the spark discharge.
The high energy of a plasma is likely to cause significant overheating and wearing out of an electrode of a plasma jet spark plug. However, when an ignition method is properly used according to the operational status, i.e., low or high speed operation, of an internal combustion engine as mentioned above, the degree of electrode consumption may be minimized, thereby resulting in improved durability of the plasma jet spark plug. Further, because the number of times it is necessary to utilize high energy for forming plasma is reduced, it leads to less consumption of energy resources, such as a battery and an improvement of fuel consumption.
When a spark discharge gap comprises an aerial discharge gap, an outer creeping discharge gap and an inner creeping discharge gap according to the second aspect of the invention, effective ignition of an air-fuel mixture may be achieved by the spark discharged in the aerial discharge gap and the outer creeping discharge gap without forming plasma. Further, despite the fact that a plasma jet spark plug is fouled, the plasma jet spark plug of the present invention can clean the surface of the front end portion of the insulator because high energy plasma may shoot out.
In order to securely form such plasma, the length of the cavity in the axial direction is preferably greater than the inner diameter of the cavity as mentioned in the third aspect of the invention. When the inner diameter of the cavity is equal to or greater than the length (depth) thereof, the shape of the plasma may not be formed like a column of flame, i.e., a flame-like shape. In order to improve ignition, the plasma preferably ignites the air-fuel mixture in a location distant from the insulator or the ground electrode which both cause a flame inhibiting action. For that purpose, plasma is preferably shot out with a flame-like shape.
Further, with an ignition system according to the fourth aspect of the invention, the plasma jet spark plug according to any one of aspects one through three of the invention can be properly and effectively used according to the operational status of the internal combustion engines. Therefore, the durability of the electrode of a plasma jet spark plug may be improved. Furthermore, it is possible to reduce the consumption of energy resources, such as a battery and improve the fuel consumption.
An embodiment of a plasma jet spark plug embodying the present invention and an ignition system for the plasma jet spark plug will now be described with reference to the drawings. First, referring to
As shown in
The insulator 10 is a tubular insulating member including an axial hole or bore 12 in the axis “O” direction, which is formed by sintering alumina or the like as is commonly known. A flange portion 19 having the largest outer diameter is formed almost at the center in the axis “O” direction and a back end body portion 18 is formed at the back end therefrom. A front end body portion 17 having a smaller outer diameter than that of the back end body portion 18 is formed near the front end from the flange portion 19. A long leg portion 13 having a smaller outside diameter than that of the front end body portion 17 is formed nearer the front end from the front end body portion 17. The diameter of the long leg portion 13 gradually becomes smaller toward the front end, and the long leg portion 13 is exposed to the combustion chamber when the plasma jet spark plug 100 is assembled in an internal combustion engine (not shown). An area formed between the long leg portion 13 and the front end body portion 17 assumes a step form.
As shown in
The center electrode 20 is a rod-shaped electrode comprising nickel-system alloys or the like such as Inconel® 600 or 601 in which a metal core 23 comprising copper or the like with excellent thermal conductivity is provided. Inconel is a registered trademark of Huntington Alloys Corporation of Huntington, West Virginia. A disk-shaped electrode tip 25 comprising a noble metal is welded to the front end portion 21 so as to integrate it with the center electrode 20. Suitable noble metals include platinum, rhodium and tantalum. As mentioned above, the center electrode 20 is accommodated in the reduced diameter portion 15 of the axial hole or bore 12 while exposing the electrode tip 25 to the cavity 60. The diameter of the back end of the center electrode 20 is expanded like a flange shape, and this flange portion is located in contact with a step portion that extends to the reduced diameter portion 15 of the axial hole or bore 12.
As shown in
Next, the ground electrode 30 shown in
The metal shell 50 shown in
Annular ring members 6, 7 are interposed between the tool engagement flats 51 and a caulking portion 53 of the metal shell 50 and the back end body portions 18 of the insulator 10. Further, talc powder 9 is filled between both ring members 6, 7. The caulking portion 53 is formed at the back end of the tool engagement flats 51, and the insulator 10 is pushed toward the front end in the metal shell 50 through the ring members 6, 7 and the talc 9 by caulking the caulking portion 53. Thus, a step portion between the front end body portion 17 and the long leg portion 13 is supported by a step portion 56 formed in the inner periphery of the metal shell 50 through an annular packing 80. As a result, the metal shell 50 and the insulator 10 are integrated. Airtightness between the metal shell 50 and the insulator 10 is maintained by the packing 80, which prevents combustion gas from flowing past. A flange portion 54 is formed between the tool engagement flats 51 and the screw portion 52, and a gasket 5 is inserted and fitted in the vicinity of the back end of the screw portion 52, that is, on a seat surface 55 of the flange portion 54.
In the plasma jet spark plug 100 according to this embodiment, a spark discharge gap formed between the ground electrode 30 and the center electrode 20 includes three discharge gaps, i.e., an aerial discharge gap, an outer creeping discharge gap and an inner creeping discharge gap. The aerial discharge gap is located where a dielectric breakdown occurs between the electrode tip 33 of the front end portion 31 of the ground electrode 30 and the front end portion 11 of the insulator 10, which is indicated by an arrow “A” in
Next, with reference to
The ignition system 200 includes a spark discharge circuit portion 210 which comprises a capacitive discharge ignition or CDI type power supply circuit. The spark discharge circuit portion 210 is electrically connected to the center electrode 20 of the plasma jet spark plug 100 through a diode 201 for preventing reverse current flow. The spark discharge circuit portion 210 is controlled by a controlling circuit portion 220 connected to an ECU (electronic control unit) in an automobile or other motor vehicle. The spark discharge circuit portion 210 is a power circuit portion for performing a so-called “trigger discharge” which causes a dielectric breakdown by applying a high voltage (e.g., −20 kV) to the spark discharge gap and produces a spark discharge. In this embodiment, the direction of potential and the direction. of the diode 201 in the spark discharge circuit portion 210 are established so that current may flow into the center electrode 20 from the ground electrode 30 during the trigger discharge. The spark discharge circuit portion 210 is equivalent to a “spark discharge voltage applying means” in the present invention.
Further, the ignition system 200 includes a plasma discharge circuit portion 230 which is controlled by a controlling circuit portion 240 connected to the ECU (electronic control unit) of an automobile. The plasma discharge circuit portion 230 is also connected to the center electrode 20 of the plasma jet spark plug 100 through a diode 202 for preventing current backflow. The plasma discharge circuit portion 230 is a power circuit portion for supplying high energy to the spark discharge gap where the dielectric breakdown is caused by the trigger electric discharge performed by the spark discharge circuit portion 210 and producing the plasma.
The plasma discharge circuit portion 230 includes a capacitor 231 for storing electric charge. One end of the capacitor 231 is grounded and the other end is electrically connected to the center electrode 20 through the diode 202. Further, a high voltage generation circuit 233 which generates the high voltage (e.g., −500V) of negative polarity is connected to the other end of capacitor 231 so that electric charge may be stored by the capacitor 231. Further, the high voltage generation circuit 233 is connected to the controlling circuit portion 240 so as to be able to control the output electric power based on a signal from the controlling circuit portion part 240. Similarly to the above, in this embodiment, when the energy for generating plasma is supplied to the spark discharge gap from the capacitor 231, the direction of potential and the direction of the diode 202 in the high voltage generation circuit 233 are established so that current may flow into the center electrode 20 from the ground electrode 30. It is noted that the controlling circuit portion part 240 is equivalent to a “switching means control means” in the present invention and the high voltage generation circuit 233 which switches output electric power based on the signal from the controlling circuit portion part 240 is equivalent to a “switching means” in the present invention. Furthermore, the high voltage generation circuit 233 charges the capacitor 231 according to the output electric power, and is equivalent to a “charging means” in the present invention.
In addition, the ground electrode 30 of the plasma jet spark plug 100 is grounded through the metal shell 50 as shown in
Next, operation of the plasma jet spark plug 100 connected to the ignition system 200 for igniting the air-fuel mixture will be explained. The ignition system 200 controls the discharge operation of the plasma jet spark plug 100. For example, at high load operation, such as at high speed operation of the internal combustion engine, only a spark discharge generated by a trigger electric discharge is implemented in the spark discharge gap. On the other hand, at low load operation, such as during starting of the internal combustion engine or during idling operation, the plasma, which is formed along with the trigger discharge, is shot out.
When the controlling circuit portion 240 shown in
When the controlling circuit portion 220 receives the information, which indicates ignition timing, from the ECU, the controlling circuit portion 220 controls the spark discharge circuit portion 210 so that the high voltage may be applied to the plasma jet spark plug 100. With this operation, the insulation between the ground electrode 30 and the center electrode 20 is destroyed, thereby generating the trigger discharge. As shown in
When, the insulation of the spark discharge gap is destroyed by the trigger discharge, current can be fed to the spark discharge gap with a relatively low voltage. Therefore, the energy stored in the capacitor 231 is released and supplied to the spark discharge gap. Thus, plasma with high energy is generated in the small space cavity 60 surrounded by the wall. Because the inner diameter “d” of the cavity 60 is shorter than the length “e” of the cavity 60, the shape of the plasma is like a column of flame, i.e., a flame-like shape. The flame shoots out from the opening portion 14 of the front end portion 11 of the insulator 10 towards the outside, i.e., towards the combustion chamber. Then, the flame ignites the air-fuel mixture in the combustion chamber and the flame core grows therein so as to achieve combustion.
When the diameter “d” of the cavity 60 is equal to or longer than the length “e” of the cavity 60, the plasma may not be shaped like a flame. In order to improve the ignition, the plasma preferably assumes the flame shape and ignites the air-fuel mixture in a location distant from the insulator 10 or the ground electrode 30 which both cause a flame inhibiting action. For that purpose, the diameter “d” of the cavity 60 is preferably less than the length “e” of the cavity 60.
On the other hand, when the controlling circuit portion 240 shown in
It goes without saying that all kinds of modifications are possible in the present invention. For example, although the spark discharge circuit portion 210 employs a publicly known capacity electric discharge type (CDI) ignition circuit, other ignition methods, such as a full transistor type or a point type can also be employed.
For convenience, although the controlling circuit portion 220 and the controlling circuit portion 240 are constituted as an individual body, they may be integrated and the communication to the ECU may also be united. Alternatively, the ECU can directly control the spark discharge circuit portion 210 and the plasma discharge circuit portion 230.
Further, although two pieces of ground electrodes 30 are provided in this embodiment, the number of ground electrodes 30 may be only one or may be three or more.
Furthermore, current flows into the center electrode 20 from the ground electrode 30 in the present invention, however, the power supply or the circuit composition can be constituted such that current flows into the ground electrode 30 from the center electrode 20 by reversing the polarity. In detail, the high voltage generated from the high voltage generation circuit 233 is treated as a positive terminal, and the orientation of the diodes 201, 202 may be reversed. It is noted that the electrode tip 25 bonded to the center electrode 20 is relatively smaller than the electrode tip 33 of the ground electrode 30 in the construction. Therefore, current preferably flows into the ground electrode 30 from the center electrode 20 when considering the wearing out of the electrode of the center electrode 20 side.
The foregoing disclosure is the best mode devised by the inventors for practicing this invention. It is apparent, however, that devices incorporating modifications and variations will be obvious to one skilled in the art of plasma jet spark plugs and ignition systems. Inasmuch as the foregoing disclosure is intended to enable one skilled in the pertinent art to practice the instant invention, it should not be construed to be limited thereby but should be construed to include such aforementioned obvious variations and be limited only by the spirit and scope of the following claims.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| JP2005-337562 | Nov 2005 | JP | national |
