Glow plug controller

A glow plug controller for use in connection with a diesel engine having a block defining a recess, said glow plug controller comprising:

• a) a generally tubular housing having an outer wall surface defining threads adapted for engaging said housing in said recess of said engine block;
• b) a temperature sensor within said housing;
• c) glow plug controller circuitry within said housing and being coupled to said temperature sensor for controlling glow plug operation as a function of a temperature sensed by the temperature sensor;
• d) conductive coupling circuitry for conductively coupling said glow plug controller circuitry to circuitry external to said housing;
• and
• e) said temperature sensor and the glow plug controller circuitry mounted on a printed circuit board, the board supported within the tubular housing and configured such that the temperature sensor is located within a portion of said housing which is located within said recess when said housing is engaged in said recess by said threads.

A glow plug controller for a diesel engine, the glow plug controller comprising:

• a) a housing having a portion adapted for fixed mounting within a recess in a block of the diesel engine;
• b) circuitry, including a temperature sensor and glow plug controller circuitry for controlling glow plug operation as a function of a temperature sensed by the temperature sensor, said glow plug controller circuitry and the temperature sensor disposed on a printed circuit board positioned within the housing, the temperature sensor being located within said housing portion extending into the recess of said engine block;
• and
• c) means for conductively coupling said glow plug controller circuitry to other circuitry external to said housing.

A glow plug controller comprising:

• a) a housing comprising first and second interfitting parts and having a threaded portion adapted for mounting in a threaded recess of a diesel engine;
• b) one of said parts defining structure including a pair of U-shaped channels for mounting thereon a printed circuit board and for holding said printed circuit board substantially fixed with respect to said one of said housing parts, and for maintaining said circuit board rigidly fixed within the housing formed by the interfitting of said two parts together;
• and
• c) circuitry, including a temperature sensor and glow plug controller circuitry for controlling glow plug operation as a function of a temperature sensed by the temperature sensor, said glow plug controller circuitry and the temperature sensor disposed on the printed circuit board, the temperature sensor being located within the threaded portion of the housing.

A glow plug controller for use in connection with a diesel engine having a block defining a jacket for engine coolant, said glow plug controller comprising:

• a) a housing adapted for mounting in a recess of the engine block;
• b) circuitry, including a temperature sensor and glow plug controller circuitry for controlling glow plug operation as a function of a temperature sensed by the temperature sensor, said glow plug controller circuitry and the temperature sensor being mounted on a printed circuit board disposed within the housing, the printed circuit board configured such that the temperature sensor is located within a portion of the housing extending into the recess of the engine block, the temperature sensor being thermally coupled to the exterior of said housing by a path of low thermal resistance;
• and
• c) means for coupling said glow plug controller circuitry to circuitry external to said housing.