2317 results about "Spark plug" patented technology

A system for an engine of a vehicle, comprising of at least one combustion chamber located in the engine, a delivery system configured to deliver a fuel and a substance to the combustion chamber, an ignition system including a spark plug configured to ignite the fuel within the combustion chamber, and a control system configured to vary a number of sparks performed by the spark plug in relation to a combustion event of the combustion chamber responsive to a condition of the ignition system.

The present invention relates to improved spark plugs for igniting a fuel charge in an internal combustion engine, and is particularly concerned with an improved spark plug construction which improves combustion pressure and fuel mileage and diminishes exhaust pollution. The spark plug includes a center electrode and a ground electrode. In one embodiment, the ground electrode has an elongate edge that extends past the major dimension of the center electrode. The elongate edge can either be positioned substantially tangentially to or within a "zone" outside of the center electrode's periphery. Preferably, the edge of the center electrode and the lower interior edge of the ground electrode will be presented towards one another such that the edges are or are among the closest portions within the sparking region.

A spark plug and fuel injector combination. The spark plug has a central channel that funnels fuel into the lower portion of the spark plug, where it is superheated. A solenoid system causes a needle valve to rise up to allow a measured quantity of fuel to be injected into a cylinder through a nozzle, where it vaporizes upon exiting the spark plug. A spring releases the needle valve to close the nozzle. The spark plug also has an ignition ring on the base. The ignition ring produces an encompassing spark, which produces complete combustion of the vaporized fuel. This produces more power and better fuel economy.

A system and method for enhanced combustion control in an internal combustion engine is disclosed. A fuel supply system has a fuel injector positioned to directly inject fuel into a combustion chamber, and it is capable of performing a split injection wherein a first fuel injection in each engine cycle precedes a second fuel injection that occurs during compression stroke in the same engine cycle. A spark plug produces a spark to ignite a first air/fuel mixture portion created due to the second fuel injection, initiating a first stage combustion. The first stage combustion raises temperature and pressure high enough to cause auto-ignition of a second air/fuel mixture portion surrounding the first air-fuel mixture portion, initiating a second stage combustion. An engine controller is programmed to perform control over initiation timing of the second stage combustion in response to at least one of the engine speed and load. This control is accomplished by varying at least one of a fuel injection timing of the first fuel injection, a fuel injection timing of the second fuel injection, spark timing, a proportion of fuel quantity of the second fuel injection to the total fuel injected in each engine cycle, and an EGR rate in response to at least one of engine speed and load.

A method of operating an internal combustion engine having at least one combustion chamber including a first spark plug and a second spark plug, wherein the first spark plug is configured to operate at a higher temperature than the second spark plug, the method comprising of varying at least a resulting ratio of an amount of a fuel and an amount of a fluid delivered to the combustion chamber responsive to a first condition, and selectively using at least one of the first spark plug and the second spark plug to ignite at least one of the fuel and the fluid delivered to the combustion chamber.

A pre-chamber spark plug that includes a shell. Additionally, the pre-chamber spark plug includes an insulator disposed within the shell. In a particular embodiment, a center electrode has a first portion surrounded by the insulator, and a second portion that extends from the insulator into a pre-chamber. The pre-chamber defined by the shell. In a further embodiment, a ground electrode is attached to the insulator. In particular embodiments, the ground electrode is tubular in shape and includes an inner spark surface ring spaced in surrounding relation to the center electrode to create a spark gap, an outer ring attached to the shell, and a plurality of rounded spokes connecting the inner and outer rings. In a particular embodiment, the ground and center electrodes accommodate attachment of precious metal alloys to increase electrode surface life. In another embodiment the ground electrode and insulator is coaxial to the center electrode.

A spark plug having a particular firing end configuration that satisfies numerous dimensional ranges for improved performance. The spark plug generally includes a shell, an insulator, and center and ground electrodes, with the electrodes each having a copper core for improved thermal conductivity and a noble metal insert for improved erosion and corrosion resistance. The noble metal insert for the center electrode is preferably in the form of a cylindrical Ir-based tip, which is received within a complimentary recess formed in the center electrode. The noble metal insert for the ground electrode is in the form of a flat Pt-based pad attached to a surface of the ground electrode. Various dimensional ranges are provided for the various components of the spark plug assembly, both individually and in combination with other dimensions.

A method and apparatus to maximize spark plug life in pre-chamber spark plugs operating with ultra-lean mixtures and/or elevated engine BMEP is presented. Electrode erosion is reduced by spreading discharge energy over a wider surface area, maintaining fuel concentration in the spark gap, controlling gas static pressure during discharge, and maintaining safe electrode temperature. Energy is spread via a swirling effect created by periphery holes in an end cap, resulting in a lower specific energy discharge at the electrodes. Divergently configured electrodes reduce the spark voltage at high operating pressures and the energy required for ignition. The flow field generated at the electrodes prevents electrical shorts due to water condensation and avoids misfire. The center electrode insulation provides an effective heat transfer path to prevent electrode overheating and pre-ignition. The volume behind the electrodes provides a volume for burnt products from previous combustion cycles and leads to more reliable ignition.

In a multiple discharge ignition control apparatus, a battery, an energy storage coil and a first IGBT are connected in series. Further, the energy storage coil, a diode, a primary coil and a second IGBT are connected in series. The energy storage coil is connected with a capacitor through the diode, and a secondary coil is connected with a spark plug and a resistor for current detection. An ignition control circuit switches the IGBTs between ON and OFF each time the secondary current detected by the resistor reaches a positive or negative discharge holding current in multiple discharge operation. A booster circuit is provided in addition to the energy storage coil and its output is feedback-controlled.

In an automatic stop device that automatically stops the operation of an internal combustion engine after a predetermined automatic stop condition is satisfied, a load acting on the engine is removed when the automatic stop condition is satisfied. When the automatic stop condition is satisfied, the between the magnitude of the load on the internal combustion engine before and after of the automatic stop condition is satisfied is determined, and an ignition timing retard amount of an ignition plug is decided such that the retard amount is increased as the difference becomes greater. The ignition timing is retarded by the retard amount substantially at the same moment as the load removing operation before the automatic stop control is initiated.

A modular system for constructing an atmospheric pressure plasma source. A plasma torch module may be constructed by reassembling the structural components of two (2) different models of spark plugs. Each module can produce a plasma torch having a radius of about 1 cm or more, a height of about 6 cm, and a peak density exceeding 1013 cm-3. A set of modules, each connected in series, may be used with a ballasting capacitor such that an array can be operated while sharing a common power supply to produce a plasma having a relatively large volume and a relatively high density. A system having a number of plasma torch modules may be used in applications for absorbing radiation, reducing air drag and igniting fuel.

An insert for use in allowing spark plugs, fasteners, couplings for hydraulic fittings and pipe threads of a given dimension to be used in a material.

A prechamber spark plug may have a prechamber having a pre-determined aspect ratio and hole pattern to achieve particular combustion performance characteristics. The aspect ratio and hole pattern may induce a rotational flow of fuel-air in-filling streams inside the prechamber volume. The rotational flow of the fuel-air mixture may include both radial flow and axial flow characteristics based on the aspect ratio and hole pattern. Axial flow characteristics can include a first axial direction proximate the periphery of the rotational flow and a counter second axial direction approaching the center of the rotational flow. The radial and axial flow characteristics may further include radial air-fuel ratio stratification and/or axial air-fuel ratio stratification. The rotational flow, the radial flow and the axial flow may be adjusted by alteration of the aspect ratio and hole pattern to achieve particular combustion performance characteristics in relation to a wide variety of spark gap geometries.

When a maximum value of vibration intensity (maximum vibration intensity) (Vmax) acquired from a vibration sensor (33) in a low engine speed/high engine load (operating region (R)) is equal to or greater than a given threshold value (X), a spark timing of a spark plug (16) is shifted from a point set in a normal state on a retard side with respect to a compression top dead center, farther toward the retard side. Then, when a maximum vibration intensity (Vmax2) acquired after the spark timing retard is greater than a maximum vibration intensity (Vmax1) acquired before the spark timing retard, it is determined that preignition occurs. This technique makes it possible to reliably detect preignition using the vibration sensor, while distinguishing the preignition from knocking. An in-cylinder pressure sensor for detecting an in-cylinder pressure of an engine may be used to determine the presence or absence of the preignition, in the same manner.

Noble metallic tips, made of a Pt alloy or an Ir alloy, are fixed to electrode base materials. The electrode base materials are an alloy containing a chief element selected from the group consisting of Ni, Fe, and Co and a plurality of additive elements. At least two kinds of additive elements contained in this alloy have a standard free energy of formation smaller than that of the chief element.

A cylinder head cooling structure and an oil temperature control system are provided for an internal combustion engine having a plurality of cylinders, each having a plurality of intake ports and a plurality of exhaust ports. The engine includes cooling oil jackets surrounding the spark plugs in the cylinder head, a thermostat attached to the front surface of the crankcase independently of an oil filter, and an oil temperature sensor disposed on a rear face of the cylinder block above the crankcase in an oil supply path formed on the cylinder rear face for supplying oil to the oil jackets. Oil passages conducting oil into the oil jacket are provided between two separate parts of a bifucated intake port and between two separate parts of a bifurcated exhaust port, and only cooling system oil reaching high temperatures is allowed to flow through the thermostat, thereby improving temperature control response.

A spark plug having a center electrode and a ground electrode wherein the spark portion of at least one of the center electrode and ground electrode includes a base material and a protective material that substantially prevents corrosion of the base material.

The invention relates to a spark-ignition engine with a highly structural compression ratio greater than 15:1, throttle regulation, externally supplied ignition and with direct fuel injection into a precombustion chamber, which is connected to the main combustion chamber via an overflow channel. The fuel is injected into the precombustion chamber during the compression stroke and is ignited by a spark plug located in a manner that is as central as possible. The invention relates to a spark-ignition engine with a highly structural compression ratio greater than 15:1, throttle regulation, externally supplied ignition and with direct fuel injection into a precombustion chamber, which is connected to the main combustion chamber via an overflow channel. The fuel is injected into the precombustion chamber during the compression stroke and is ignited by a spark plug located in a manner that is as central as possible.

A method of operating an internal combustion engine having a combustion chamber with a piston and a spark plug, comprising during a first mode, bringing the temperature of the combustion chamber to auto-ignition temperature by adjusting engine operating conditions and producing auto-ignition in said combustion chamber without requiring spark from said spark plug; and during a second mode, bringing the temperature of the combustion chamber close to auto-ignition temperature by adjusting engine operating conditions, forming a small cloud of stratified air-fuel mixture near said spark plug, igniting said fuel cloud by a spark form said spark plug, and then causing cylinder pressure to rise, thereby producing auto-ignition at other sites in said combustion chamber wherein said first mode is implemented in a first operating range and said second mode is implemented only in a second operating range where engine speed and load are lower than said first operating range.

A method of operating an internal combustion engine having a combustion chamber with a piston, comprising: inducting at least air and fuel vapors from a fuel vapor system; and adjusting an operating condition of the engine so that a mixture of air and fuel in the combustion chamber, including said fuel vapor, approaches, but does not achieve, said autoignition temperature; and performing a spark from the spark plug so that said mixture substantially auto-ignites.

Improvement of combustion stability in retard ignition at the time of starting in a cold state, high output in a full throttle condition, reduction of smoke, and prevention of wear of the cylinder liner caused by oil dilution, are to be attained. In connection with the flow of fuel into each hole and a fuel inflow angle which is determined by the axis of each hole formed in a plate, the fuel inflow angle of an hole directed to a spark plug is set large to reduce an effective flow path area, thereby making the amount of fuel in the hole smaller than in other holes. A shallow cavity is formed in a piston crown face and a small prominence confronting fuel sprays is formed within the cavity.

An electrode for an ignition device is made from a Ni-based nickel-chromium-iron alloy which has improved resistance to high temperature oxidation, sulfidation, corrosive wear, deformation and fracture includes, by weight of the alloy: 14.5-25% chromium; 7-22% iron; 0.2-0.5% manganese; 0.2-0.5% silicon; 0.1-2.5% aluminum; 0.05-0.15% titanium; 0.01-0.1% total of calcium and magnesium; 0.005-0.5% zirconium; 0.001-0.01% boron, and the balance substantially Ni. It may also include at least one rare earth element selected from the group consisting of: yttrium, hafnium, lanthanum, cerium and neodymium in amounts ranging from 0.01-0.15% by weight, and incidental impurities, including cobalt, niobium, molybdenum, copper, carbon, lead, phosphorus or sulfur. These total of these impurities will typically be controlled to limits of 0.1% cobalt, 0.05% niobium, 0.05% molybdenum, 0.01% copper, 0.01% carbon, 0.005% lead, 0.005% phosphorus and 0.005% sulfur. The ignition device may be a spark plug which includes a ceramic insulator, a conductive shell, a center electrode disposed in the ceramic insulator having a terminal end and a sparking end with a center electrode sparking surface, and a ground electrode operatively attached to said shell having a ground electrode sparking surface, the center electrode sparking surface and the ground electrode sparking surface defining a spark gap therebetween. At least one of the center electrode or the ground electrode includes the solution-strengthened Ni-based nickel-chromium-iron alloy. The Ni-based nickel-chromium-iron alloy electrodes of the invention may also include a core with thermal conductivity greater than that of the Ni-based nickel-chromium-iron alloy, such as copper or silver or their alloys.

A pre-chamber spark plug that includes a shell, and an end cap attached to the shell. Additionally, the pre-chamber spark plug includes an insulator disposed within the shell. In a particular embodiment, a center electrode has a first portion surrounded by the insulator, and a second portion that extends from the insulator into a pre-chamber. The pre-chamber defined by the shell and end cap. In a further embodiment, a ground electrode is attached to the shell. In particular embodiments, the ground electrode is tubular in shape and includes an inner spark surface ring spaced in surrounding relation to the center electrode to create a spark gap, an outer ring attached to the shell, and a plurality of rounded spokes connecting the inner and outer rings. In a particular embodiment, the ground and center electrodes accommodate attachment of precious metal alloys to increase electrode surface life.

A ground-electrode spark portion 32 is formed from a noble metal which contains Pt as a main component, and is joined to a main metal portion of the ground electrode 4 via an alloy layer which has a thickness ranging from 0.5 μm to 100 μm and in which the noble metal that constitutes the ground-electrode spark portion 32 and the metal that constitutes the main metal portion of the ground electrode 4 are alloyed with each other. The ground-electrode spark portion 32 is configured such that a distal end surface 32t facing a spark discharge gap g is smaller in diameter than a bottom surface 32u joined to the ground electrode 4; and the distal end surface 32t is protrusively located beyond the side surface 4s of the ground electrode 4. When the ground-electrode spark portion 32 is viewed in plane from the distal end surface 32t, a portion of the surface of the ground-electrode spark portion 32 is viewed as a peripheral exposed-region surface 32p which is exposed on the side surface 4s of the ground electrode 4 so as to surround the distal end surface 32t.

A method for manufacturing a spark plug which reduces the generation of spatters and the possibility of insufficient weld strength resulting from penetration depth insufficiency of a weld metal portion is disclosed. In accordance with the method, a chip joint face formation portion of a center electrode is formed from a heat-resistant alloy predominantly containing Fe or Ni. A noble metal chip is attached to a chip joint face of the chip joint face formation portion to thereby form a chip-attached assembly. A full-circled laser-beam weld metal portion is formed on the chip-attached assembly in such a manner as to intrude into the noble metal chip and into the chip joint face formation portion. A graded-index-type fiber optic cable is used as an optical transmission path extending between a laser beam generator and an optical emission section. A laser beam which is transmitted from the laser beam generator through the cable irradiates the chip-attached assembly while being condensed.

An ignition device performs spark ignition to a fuel mixture in a combustion chamber (13) of an internal combustion engine (100, 101) by using a spark plug (50). The spark plug (50) comprises a first electrode (51), a second electrode (52, 11a, 11b, 21), and an insulating member (53, 11c) which is formed from dielectric substance and interposed between the first electrode (51) and the second electrode (52, 11a, 21). By impressing an alternating current between the first electrode (51) and the second electrode (52, 11a, 21), non-equilibrium plasma discharge between the insulating member (53, 11e) and one of the first electrode (51) and the second electrode (52, 11a, 21) is promoted. Igniting the fuel mixture by the non-equilibrium plasma discharge achieves a high ignition performance is achieved with low energy consumption.

The related multifunction container-pipe gas blast experiment system comprises: an experiment device with two ball containers and pipe all arranged with sensor hole, gas in-out hole, vacuum-pressure gauge interface, discharging blast hole and an ignition hole; a gas distributing device with a steel bottle, a distribution meter, a tank and delivery pipe,; an ignition device with an electric spark generator, a spark plug and wire; a test device with a vacuum-pressure gauge, a pressure transmitter, a flame sensor and sensor wire; and a data acquisition and process part with multichannel data collector and software.

An ion current detection device of an internal combustion engine includes a detection voltage generation device which applies a voltage to an ignition plug to generate an ion current in a cylinder of the engine. A current to voltage conversion circuit detects and converts the generated ion current to a voltage signal. A bandpass filter extracts an ac component within a specified frequency range from the voltage signal produced by the current to voltage conversion circuit. An ion current threshold detection portion produces an ion current detection signal when the detected ion current exceeds a predetermined threshold current. A filter characteristic control circuit controls the characteristic of the bandpass filter to suppress the sensitivity of the filter for a predetermined period of time right after the ion current detection signal is detected and, after the predetermined period of time, increase the sensitivity of the filter for detection of the ac signal with the specific frequency.

An apparatus and method to detect combustion conditions using ion signals for use in a feedback control of a reciprocation engine is presented. The ion signals are used as a feedback signal to control EGR and diesel injection timing. The apparatus is an ignition system with a spark plug type of sensor. The ignition system is used to provide a cold start mechanism for diesel engines and start of combustion for spark ignition engines. The ignition is combined with ion sensing feedback that can control the engine.

The invention discloses a constant-volume combustion bomb system for simulating self-combustion of gas at the tail end of a gasoline engine. The constant-volume combustion bomb system consists of a constant-volume combustion device, a fuel supply system, an ignition system, a high-speed photography system, a gas intake and exhaust system, a data acquisition system and a single-chip control system, wherein the constant-volume combustion device comprises a combustion bomb body with a cylindrical cavity; a main spark plug is mounted on the upper end surface of the combustion bomb body, at the end close to an oil injector, and an auxiliary spark plug is mounted close to the left end of the combustion bomb body; and the combustion bomb body is provided with a left window, a front window and a rear window and is further provided with the oil injector, a high-frequency response temperature sensor, a high-frequency response cylinder pressure sensor, a pressure transmitter mounting hole, a temperature transmitter mounting hole, an exhaust port and an intake channel. According to the invention, the main spark plug is adopted to simulate the normal flame ignition while the auxiliary spark plug is adopted to simulate self-combustion of gas at the tail end, so that self-combustion of gas at the tail end of the gasoline engine at all times can be simulated without the need of reaching high temperature and high pressure, and the constant-volume combustion bomb system is used for researching the influence of self-combustion of different tail-end gases to the cylinder internal pressure and detonation.