Spark plug having titanium diboride electrodes
AssigneeSouthwest Research Institute
InventorsCharles D. Wood, III, James Lankford, Jr., Cheryl R. Blanchard, James J. Cole, Gerald S. McAlwee
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Abstract
A spark plug for use in an internal combustion engine comprises an electrically nonconductive body member and a pair of electrodes formed of a material each having titanium diboride as its major component. Tests indicate that titanium diboride electrodes are extremely resistant to electrical erosion. The spark plugs embodying the present invention are particularly useful in continuous cycle or heavy duty cycle engines that have heretofore been the subject of severe electrode erosion.
Claims6
A spark plug for an internal combustion engine, said spark plug comprising:
- a body member formed of an electrically nonconductive material;
- a first electrode partially disposed within said body member and having a tip portion extending outwardly from said body member, said tip portion having an electrical charge transfer surface disposed thereon;
- a second electrode having an electrical charge transfer surface disposed on a predetermined portion thereof, said second electrode being spaced from said first electrode;
- and
- each of said electrical charge transfer surfaces disposed on said first and second electrodes being formed of a material having titanium diboride as its major component.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.