Igniter

An igniter that controls a current flowing in a coil unit for supplying a high voltage to a spark plug for use in an internal combustion engine, the igniter comprising:

• a metal block including an upper surface and a lower surface opposite said upper surface;
• a pyrogenic power element directly disposed on said upper surface of said metal block by soldering;
• a controller electrically connected to said pyrogenic power element to control the operation of said pyrogenic power element;
• a first lead frame which connects said metal block electrically to said coil unit;
• and
• a second lead frame to which said metal block is fixed,
• wherein said metal block has a first protrusion formed on said upper surface of said metal block to protrude upwardly from said upper surface of said metal block,
• wherein said first lead frame includes a first portion, a second portion, and a level difference part extending between said first portion and said second portion,
• wherein said first portion of said first lead frame includes a first through hole penetrating through said first portion such that said first lead frame is fixed to said upper surface of said metal block by inserting said first protrusion of said metal block into said first through hole of said first portion and by swaging a first end of said first protrusion,
• wherein, in a cross-sectional view, i) said first portion of said first lead frame is leveled with said pyrogenic power element on said upper surface of said metal block, and ii) said second portion of said first lead frame is disposed closer to said lower surface of said metal block than said first portion of said first lead frame is,
• wherein said metal block has a second protrusion, different from said first protrusion, formed on said upper surface of said metal block to protrude upwardly from said upper surface of said metal block,
• wherein said second lead frame includes a second through hole penetrating through said second lead frame such that said second lead frame is fixed to said metal block by inserting said second protrusion into said second through hole and by swaging a second end of said second protrusion, and
• wherein one end of said first lead frame is covered by single molding resin together with said metal block, said pyrogenic power element, said second lead frame, and said controller, and the other end of said first lead frame is exposed from said molding resin.