US 11,715,935 B2 · Traveling spark igniter

Abstract

An igniter having at least two electrodes spaced from each other by an insulating member having a substantially continuous surface along a path between the electrodes. The electrodes extend substantially parallel to each other for a distance both above and below said surface. The insulating member has a channel (recess) for receiving at least a portion of a length of at least one of said electrodes below and to said surface of the insulating member. The surface of the insulating member may preferably be augmented with a conductivity enhancing agent. The insulating member and electrodes are configured so that an electric field between the electrodes at said surface does not have abrupt field intensity changes, whereby when a potential is applied to the electrodes sufficient to cause breakdown to occur between the electrodes, discharge occurs at said surface of the insulating member to define a plasma initiation region.

Claims20

Dependent claims

An igniter having at least two electrodes spaced from each other by an insulating member having a continuous surface along a path between the at least two electrodes, the at least two electrodes extending parallel to each other in a first direction for a distance both above and below said continuous surface, the insulating member being shaped with a first inset channel for receiving at least a portion of a length of a first electrode of said at least two electrodes below and to said continuous surface of the insulating member and a second inset channel for receiving at least a first side of at least a portion of a length of a second electrode of said at least two electrodes and exposing at least a second side of the portion of the length of the second electrode, the first and second sides facing in directions perpendicular to the first direction, wherein said continuous surface of the insulating member defines a plasma initiation region for when a potential is applied to the at least two electrodes sufficient to cause breakdown to occur between the at least two electrodes.

An igniter, comprising:

an insulating member shaped with:
a first inset channel;
second and third inset channels disposed on different respective sides of the first inset channel;
and
a surface spacing apart the first, second, and third inset channels;
a first electrode having at least a portion of a length thereof received in the first inset channel below and to the surface of the insulating member;
a second electrode having at least a portion of a length thereof received in the second inset channel below and to the surface of the insulating member;
and
a third electrode having at least a portion of a length thereof received in the third inset channel below and to the surface of the insulating member,
wherein:
at least two of the first, second, and third electrodes are configured as an anode and a cathode, respectively;
and
the surface of the insulating member defines a plasma initiation region for when a potential is applied to at least the anode and the cathode sufficient to cause breakdown to occur between at least the anode and the cathode.

10 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Traveling spark igniter

Life of this patent

Traveling spark igniter

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20