Spark plug and method for assembling a spark plug
OwnerHarold P. Sponseller, Dale L. Byerlyinventors
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Abstract
A spark plug (20, 66) which includes a shell (22) having a ground electrode (24) formed integrally therewith into a predetermined final configuration, an annular insulator (34) with a bore (37) extending therethrough, and an electrode (48) positioned within the bore. The insulator is positioned within the opening of the shell by a press fit operation, and the electrode is also positioned within the bore of the insulator by a press fit method.
Claims11
A spark plug comprising:
- a shell with an opening therein;
- a ground electrode, said ground electrode being formed integrally in a single piece with said shell and having a portion extending generally transversely of said opening, said portion having a predetermined final configuration and position and having a spark gap portion thereon;
- an insulator, said insulator being securely retained in said opening of said shell, said insulator having a bore extending therethrough, said bore being aligned with said portion of said ground electrode;
- and
- a center electrode, said center electrode being securely retained in said bore and having a tip portion, said tip portion forming a spark gap with said spark gap portion of said portion of said ground electrode;
- said insulator being in circumferential compression and at least a portion of said center electrode being in circumferential compression.
A method for assembling a spark plug, the spark plug having a shell with an opening therein, a ground electrode formed integrally in a single piece with the shell and having a portion extending generally transversely of the opening, an insulator with a bore extending therethrough, and a center electrode, the insulator having an outside diameter which is at least slightly larger than an inside diameter of the opening of the shell, the center electrode having a portion with an outside diameter which is at least slightly larger than an inside diameter portion of the insulator, said method comprising:
- inserting the insulator in the opening of the shell by a press fit method;
- and
- inserting the center electrode in the bore of the insulator with the portion of the center electrode being engaged by the portion of the bore of the insulator, the step of inserting the center electrode being done by a press fit operation.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.