Patent Grant
10454252
The present application claims the benefit of priority of Japanese Patent Application No. 2017-190578 filed on Sep. 29, 2017, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.
1. Technical Field
This disclosure relates generally to a spark plug for internal combustion engines.
2. Background Art
Spark plugs are usually used to ignite fuel in internal combustion engines, such as automobile engines. Japanese Patent First Publication No. 2013-98042 discloses a spark plug equipped with a ground electrode and a center electrode. The ground electrode includes a ground electrode body and a ground electrode chip extending from the ground electrode body toward the center electrode. The ground electrode chip protrudes from the center of a width of the ground electrode body. The spark plug, as taught in the above publication, forms a spark gap between a surface of the ground electrode chip which faces the center electrode and the front end of the center electrode.
The end surface of the ground electrode chip which faces the center electrode slants downward toward the head of the length of the spark plug in a direction in which an air-fuel mixture flows through the spark gap. The spark gap, therefore, has the shortest interval between an upstream edge of the end surface of the center electrode chip and the front end of the center electrode and the longest interval between a downstream edge of the end of the center electrode chip and the front end of the center electrode. In other words, the spark gap gradually increases in the direction of the flow of the air-fuel mixture.
With the above arrangements of the spark plug, an initial spark will be created in the shortest interval of the spark gap which is located on the upstream side of the spark gap. This results in an increase in time it takes for the spark to be carried downward and then blown off in order to ensure the stability in igniting the air-fuel mixture using flame.
In the above spark plug, a starting point on the ground electrode where a spark is developed moves in the downstream direction on the end surface of the ground electrode chip which faces the center electrode. This causes a linear distance between the starting points on the center electrode and the ground electrode to increase and the spark to greatly expand in the downstream direction. Such an increase in linear distance between the starting points of the spark minimizes a risk that ends of the expanded spark are shorted and also facilitates the expansion of the spark, which leads to an increase in area of contact between the air-fuel mixture and the spark.
The above spark plug is, however, designed to have the starting point of a spark on the ground electrode which is movable in a range limited to the size of the ground electrode chip affixed to a portion of the width of the ground electrode body, thus having a limitation in expanding the spark. There is, therefore, still room for improvement in expanding the spark to enhance the stability in igniting the air-fuel mixture.
It is therefore an object of this disclosure to provide a spark plug for an internal combustion engine which has an enhanced ability to ignite an air-fuel mixture.
According to one aspect of this disclosure, there is provided a spark plug for an internal combustion engine which comprises: (a) a hollow cylindrical housing; (b) a hollow cylindrical porcelain insulator which is retained inside the housing; (c) a center electrode which is retained inside the porcelain insulator with a top portion thereof protruding outside the porcelain insulator; and (d) a ground electrode which defines a spark gap between itself and the center electrode.
The ground electrode includes an upright portion which extends from a front end of the housing to a front side of the spark plug and an extension which is bent from the upright portion inwardly in a radial direction of the spark plug.
If a direction which is oriented perpendicular both to an extension lengthwise direction that is a lengthwise direction of the extension and to a plug axial direction that is an axial direction of the spark plug is defined as a lateral direction, and sides opposed to each other in the lateral direction are defined as a Y1 side and a Y2 side, respectively, the extension has an inner slant portion which faces the center electrode and is inclined away from the center electrode from the Y1 side to the Y2 side.
The extension has a first and a second edge which are opposed to each other in the lateral direction. The inner slant portion continuously extends from the first edge to the second edge of the extension.
The inner slant portion of the ground electrode, as described above, extends continuously from the first edge to the second edge of the inner extension surface in the lateral direction, in other words, fully occupies the width of the ground electrode. This results in an increase in distance by which a starting point on the ground electrode where a spark is created is moved on the inner slant portion, thereby increasing a length of time during which the spark is moved downstream in a flow of the air-fuel mixture and then blown out, to increase the probability of successful ignition of the air-fuel mixture, which improves the ability of the spark plug to ignite the air-fuel mixture. The continuous extending of the inner slant portion between the first and second edges of the inner extension surface in the lateral direction, as described above, results in an increase in linear interval between starting points of the spark on the center electrode and the ground electrode, in other words, an increase in distance the starting point on the ground electrode is moved. This minimizes a risk that the spark is shorted early to ground and results in an increase in elongation of the spark to enhance the ability of the spark plug to ignite the air-fuel mixture.
As apparent from the above discussion, this disclosure provides a spark plug for an internal combustion engine which has enhanced ability to ignite an air-fuel mixture.
In this disclosure, symbols in brackets represent correspondence relation between terms in claims and terms described in embodiments which will be discussed later, but are not limited only to parts referred to in the disclosure.
The present invention will be understood more fully from the detailed description given hereinbelow and from the accompanying drawings of the preferred embodiments of the invention, which, however, should not be taken to limit the invention to the specific embodiments but are for the purpose of explanation and understanding only.
In the drawings:
First Embodiment
The spark plug 1 for an internal combustion engine according to an embodiment will be described below with reference to
The spark plug 1 includes, as shown in
The ground electrode 3 is, as illustrated in
The structure of the spark plug 1 will also be described below in detail.
In this disclosure, the plug axial direction Z is a longitudinal or lengthwise direction of the spark plug 1. The radial direction of the spark plug 1 will also be referred to below as a plug radial direction. One of sides opposed to each other in the longitudinal direction (i.e., the extension lengthwise direction X) of the extension 32 will be referred to as the X1 side, and the other side will be referred to as the X2 side.
The spark plug 1 is used as an igniter in internal combustion engines mounted in, for example, automotive vehicles or cogeneration systems. The spark plug 1 has ends opposed to each other in the plug axial direction Z. One of the ends of the spark plug 1 (which will also be referred to as a base end) is connected to an ignition coil, not shown. The other end of the spark plug 1 (which will also be referred to as a top end) is disposed inside a combustion chamber of the internal combustion engine. In this disclosure, the base end of the spark plug 1 connected to the ignition coil will also be referred to as a base end side, while the front end of the spark plug 1 disposed inside the combustion chamber will also be referred to as a front end side.
The porcelain insulator 12 is, as illustrated in
The center electrode 2 is arranged to have a center axis substantially aligned with the center axis of the spark plug 1. The center electrode 2 is of a cylindrical shape as a whole.
The ground electrode 3 is joined to the front end surface of the housing 11. The upright portion 31 is, as clearly illustrated in
The extension 32, as clearly illustrated in
The extension 32 is, as can be seen in
Specifically, the edge of the inner slant portion 320 on the X1 side, as clearly illustrated in
When viewed in the extension lengthwise direction X in
The extension 32, as illustrated in
The extension 32, as illustrated in
The ground electrode 3 is made of a metallic elongated plate. The ground electrode 3 is formed by bending the metallic elongated plate in a thickness-wise direction thereof and then cutting a portion of the plate to form the inner slant portion 320. More specifically, the ground electrode 3 is produced by bending a given portion of a length of the metallic plate which has a rectangular transverse section at right angles and cutting an end portion of the metallic plate to shape the inner slant portion 320. This also forms the upright portion 31 and the extension 32 which are located on opposite sides of the bend of the ground electrode 3.
After being made in the above way, the ground electrode 3 is joined at the upright portion 31 to the front end of the housing 11.
The spark plug 1 also includes, as illustrated in
An ignition device which is equipped with the spark plug 1 mounted in an internal combustion engine will be described below.
The spark plug 1 of the ignition device is, as demonstrated in
The flow F of air-fuel mixture around the spark gap G will be described below in detail with reference to
The mixture flow F moves in the lateral direction Y on the upstream side of the spark gap G. Upon passage of the air-fuel mixture through the spark gap G, the mixture flow F smoothly moves along the inner slant portion 320. In other words, when passing through the spark gap G, the mixture flow F curves or slants toward the tip of the spark plug 1, that is, away from the top of the center electrode 2 as the air-fuel mixture advances to the Y2 side.
Elongation of a spark S developed in the spark gap G resulting from the mixture flow F will be described below with reference to
The spark S is initially developed in the spark gap G when voltage is applied between the center electrode 2 and the ground electrode 3. At the initial stage of the spark discharge in the spark gap G, the spark S usually occurs, as demonstrated in
The spark S developed initially is then, as illustrated in
While the spark S is being elongated to the downstream side, a starting point on the ground electrode 3 (which will be referred to below as a ground starting point S1) where the spark S is developed is moved by the mixture flow F from the edge 290 (i.e., the end of the edge E1) to the downstream side. The movement of the ground starting point S1, as can be seen in
The beneficial advantages offered by the spark plug 1 will be described below.
The inner slant portion 320 of the ground electrode 3, as described above, extends continuously from the edge 390 to the other edge 395 of the inner surface 321 in the lateral direction Y, in other words, fully occupies the width of the ground electrode 3. This results in an increase in distance by which the ground starting point S1 where the spark S is created is moved on the inner slant portion 320, thereby increasing a length of time the spark S is moved downstream and then blown out to increase the probability of successful ignition of the air-fuel mixture, which improves the ability of the spark plug 1 to ignite the air-fuel mixture. The continuous occupation of the inner slant portion 320 between the edges of the inner surface 321 in the lateral direction Y (i.e., the width-wise direction of the ground electrode 3), as described above, results in an increase in linear interval between the starting points on the center electrode 2 and the ground electrode 3, in other words, an increase in distance the ground starting point S1 is moved. This minimizes a risk that the spark S is rapidly shorted to ground and results in an increase in elongation of the spark S to enhance the ability of the spark plug 1 to ignite the air-fuel mixture.
When viewed in the extension lengthwise direction X, the center C1 of the width of the inner surface 321 of the ground electrode 3 is, as described above, offset from the center C2 of the diameter of the front end surface 21 of the center electrode 2 to the Y2 side (i.e., the downstream side), so that the edge 395 of the inner surface 321 facing the Y2 side (i.e., the downstream side) is located farther away from the center electrode 2, thereby resulting in an increase in linear distance between the starting points of the spark S on the center electrode 2 and the ground electrode 3 to enhance the ability of the spark plug 1 to ignite the air-fuel mixture. The edge 390 of the inner surface 321 is located closer to the center electrode 2, so that the edge 390 of the inner surface 321 which faces the upstream side and lies closest to the base end of the spark plug 1 in the plug axial direction Z is located close to the center electrode 2, thereby resulting in a decreased size of the spark gap G, which enables the voltage required to initially develop the spark S to be lowered to reduce mechanical wear of the center electrode 2 and the ground electrode 3.
As apparent from thee above discussion, this embodiment provides the spark plug 1 which is capable of facilitating the ignition of the air-fuel mixture.
Second Embodiment
The outer extension surface 323 of the extension 32, as illustrated in
The ground electrode 3 is made of a metallic elongated plate. The ground electrode 3 is formed by bending the metallic elongated plate in the thickness-wise direction thereof and then cutting opposed portions of the plate to form the inner slant portion 320 and the outer slant portion 323a.
The flow F of air-fuel mixture around the spark gap G will be described below in detail with reference to
The mixture flow F moves in the lateral direction Y on the upstream side of the spark gap G. Upon passage of the air-fuel mixture through the spark gap G, the mixture flow F smoothly moves along the inner slant portion 320 and the outer slant portion 323a. In other words, when passing through the spark gap G, the mixture flow F curves or slants toward the tip of the spark plug 1 in the form of a mixture flow F1, that is, away from the top of the center electrode 2 as the air-fuel mixture advances to the Y2 side (i.e., the downstream side). Additionally, the outer slant portion 323a produces a mixture flow F1 which curves or slants toward the tip of the spark plug 1, that is, away from the top of the center electrode as the air-fuel mixture advances to the Y2 side. In brief, the extension 32 of the ground electrode 3 works to split the mixture flow F existing upstream of the spark gap G into two streams: the mixture flow F1 and the mixture flow F2 and direct them obliquely downstream away from the top of the center electrode 2.
Other arrangements or operations of the spark plug 1 are identical with those in the first embodiment, explanation thereof in detail will be omitted here.
In the second embodiment and following embodiments, the same reference numbers as employed in the first embodiment refer to the same parts unless otherwise specified.
The outer extension surface 323 is, as described above, equipped with the outer slant portion 323a which is inclined away from the top of the center electrode 2 from the upstream edge 380 to the downstream edge 385. This facilitates guiding a stream of air-fuel mixture to the top of the spark plug 1 through the spark gap G. This causes, as demonstrated in
Other beneficial advantages offered by the spark plug 1 of the second embodiment are identical with those in the first embodiment.
Third Embodiment
When viewed in the extension lengthwise direction X in
The joint 311 of the upright portion 31, as illustrated in
The upright portion 31 of the ground electrode 3 is, as clearly illustrated in
Other arrangements are identical with those in the first embodiment.
When viewed in the extension lengthwise direction X, the joint 311 is offset from the inner slant portion 320 in the lateral direction Y. In other words, when viewed in the extension lengthwise direction X, the center C1 of the width of the inner extension surface 321 of the ground electrode 3 is, as illustrated in
The spark plug 1 of this embodiment offers substantially the same other beneficial advantages as in the first embodiment.
Fourth Embodiment
The ground electrode 3, as can be seen in
The inner slant portion 320 is, like in the first embodiment, shaped to be inclined from the upstream edge 390 away from the top of the center electrode 2 to the downstream edge 395. The extension side surface 322 extends perpendicular to the lateral direction Y. The outer extension surface 323 extends perpendicular to the plug axial direction Z.
The ground electrode 3 is made by bending a metallic elongated plate in a thickness-wise direction thereof. The metallic elongated plate has a right-angled triangular cross section. The ground electrode 3 is bent to orient the extension 32 in the above described direction and joined to the housing 11.
Other arrangements are identical with those in the first embodiment.
The configuration of the ground electrode 3 improves the productivity thereof (i.e., the spark plug 1).
The configuration of the ground electrode 3 (i.e., the extension 32) assures an increased distance the starting point of a spark moves on the ground electrode 3 even when the mixture flow F passing through the spark gap G, as illustrated in
The spark plug 1 of this embodiment offers substantially the same other beneficial advantages as in the first embodiment.
Fifth Embodiment
The convex portion 34, as illustrated in
The convex portion 34 may be made of material different from that of the ground electrode 3. For example, the ground electrode 3 is made Ni alloy mainly containing nickel. The convex portion 34 is made of a noble metal such as Ir or Pt. The convex portion 34 is welded to the material of the ground electrode 3.
Other arrangements are identical with those in the first embodiment.
The convex portion 34 facilitates concentration of electrical field around the edges E2, thereby ensuring the stability of movement of the ground starting point S1 of the spark S, thereby resulting in an increase in time it takes for the spark S to be carried downstream and then blown off and also resulting in an increase in linear distance between the starting points on the center electrode 2 and the ground electrode 3. This enhances the ability of the spark plug 1 to ignite the air-fuel mixture.
The use of the high-stiffness noble metal as material of the convex portion 34 minimizes mechanical wear thereof.
The spark plug 1 of this embodiment offers substantially the same other beneficial advantages as in the first embodiment.
Sixth Embodiment
The groove 35 continuously extends, as illustrated in
Other arrangements are identical with those in the first embodiment.
The groove 35 serves to facilitate concentration of electrical field around the edges E3, thereby ensuring the stability of movement of the ground starting point S1 of the spark S, thereby resulting in an increase in time it takes for the spark S to be carried downstream and then blown off and also resulting in an increase in linear distance between the starting points on the center electrode 2 and the ground electrode 3. This enhances the ability of the spark plug 1 to ignite the air-fuel mixture.
The spark plug 1 of this embodiment offers substantially the same other beneficial advantages as in the first embodiment.
While the present invention has been disclosed in terms of the preferred embodiments in order to facilitate better understanding thereof, it should be appreciated that the invention can be embodied in various ways without departing from the principle of the invention. Therefore, the invention should be understood to include all possible embodiments and modifications to the shown embodiments which can be embodied without departing from the principle of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.
For instance, in each embodiment, the inner slant portion 320 may be formed in the shape of a concave curve, as illustrated in
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