Federal-Mogul Ignition Company

Federal-Mogul Ignition Gmbh

Shuwei Ma

James D Lykowski

Richard L Keller

William John Walker, Jr

John Antony Burrows

Kevin J Kowalski

John William Hoffman

Mark McMurray

Keith Firstenberg

Kevin Miller

James L May

Michael E Saccoccia

Myron Jeffery Schmenk

Matthew C Ware

Nicholas Ritsema

Brian A Bolduc

David Walker

A spark plug electrode made from a ruthenium-based material that includes one or more of the following characteristics: an equiaxed grain structure, a grain structure with an average grain size that is less than or equal to 50 μm, a grain structure with an average porosity that is less than or equal to 2%, and/or a grain structure with an average non-homogeneity ratio that is less than or equal to 6%. In one example, the ruthenium-based material is a binary alloy that includes rhodium from 1 wt % to 15 wt %, inclusive, and the balance ruthenium. In a different example, the ruthenium-based material is a ternary alloy that includes rhodium from 1 wt % to 15 wt %, inclusive, rhenium from 0.5 wt % to 5 wt %, inclusive, and the balance ruthenium. A powder metallurgy method is also provided for manufacturing the spark plug electrode.

Spark plug electrode having ruthenium-based material

A spark plug having a firing pad with minimal silicon diffusion and limited silicon oxidation at grain boundaries that can cause undesirable vertical cracking. In one embodiment, the firing pad has a multilayer structure having a base layer and a firing layer, wherein the base layer is a non-precious metal based material having silicon, and wherein the firing layer is a precious metal based material having yttrium in an amount of 0.1 to 0.5 wt %, inclusive. After at least 190 hours of isothermal treatment of at least 1000° C., an extent of vertical cracking from the sparking surface does not exceed 50% of a thickness of the firing pad or the firing layer.

Spark plug

An electrode material for a spark plug includes 22-46 wt % iron (Fe), inclusive, 20-40 wt % nickel (Ni), inclusive, 13-42 wt % cobalt (Co), inclusive, and one or more additional elements selected from aluminum (Al), titanium (Ti), chromium (Cr), boron (B), and niobium (Nb), wherein the electrode material has a coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) from room temperature to 200&#xb0; C. that is less than or equal to 11.0&#xd7;10/&#xb0; C. In another example, the electrode material includes greater than or equal to 32 wt % iron (Fe), greater than or equal to 36 wt % nickel (Ni), and one or more additional elements selected from aluminum (Al), chromium (Cr), and cobalt (Co). In advantageous embodiments, the electrode material includes greater than or equal to 22 wt % cobalt (Co). Replacing nickel with a higher percentage of cobalt can help reduce the coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) of the electrode material.

Electrode material for a spark plug

A metal shell for a spark plug is made from a steel material that has increased carbon content and, in some embodiments, boron as well. The steel material is well-suited for extrusion because of its ductility, while maintaining requisite strength. The spark plug shell may have a reduced outer diameter (OD) at a crimped hot lock region, such as the case when the shell is used in smaller diameter spark plugs, such as M8 and M10 plugs. According to a non-limiting example, the spark plug shell steel material comprises 0.20-0.55 wt % carbon, inclusive.

Spark plug shell and method of manufacture

A spark plug suppressor and a method of producing a spark plug suppressor from a suppressor precursor liquid that may be cured at a temperature below 300&#xb0; C. The spark plug suppressor may include particles or grains dispersed in a matrix of electrically conducting material, electrically semiconducting material, or electrically non-conducting material. The suppressor may include a conductive glass seal component and a resistive suppressor component. The resistive suppressor component may be at least partially embedded in the glass seal component, and the glass seal component may seal a center electrode of the spark plug, a terminal of the spark plug, or both the center electrode and the terminal.

Spark plug with a suppressor that is formed at low temperature

An electrode material that may be used in spark plugs and other ignition devices including industrial plugs, aviation igniters, glow plugs, or any other device that is used to ignite an air/fuel mixture in an engine. In one embodiment, the electrode material is a ruthenium-based material that includes ruthenium (Ru) as the single largest constituent on a wt % basis, and at least one of rhenium (Re) or tungsten (W). The electrode material may further include one or more precious metals and/or rare earth metals. The electrode material may be used to form the center electrode, the ground electrode, firing tips, or other firing tip components.

Electrode for spark plug comprising ruthenium-based material

An electrode material that may be used in spark plugs and other ignition devices for igniting an air/fuel mixture in an engine. The electrode material has a metal ceramic composite structure and includes a particulate component embedded or dispersed within a matrix component such that the electrode material has a multi-phase microstructure. In an exemplary embodiment, the matrix component includes platinum (Pt) and one or more additive metals like nickel (Ni) or palladium (Pd), and the particulate component includes an electrically conductive ceramic, such as titanium diboride (TiB). A liquid phase or a solid phase sintering process may be used, depending on the particular constituency of the electrode material.

Electrode material for a spark plug and method of making the same

An electrode material for use with spark plugs and other ignition devices. The electrode material is a two-phase composite material that includes a matrix component and a dispersed component embedded in the matrix component. In a preferred embodiment, the matrix component is a precious-metal based material and the dispersed component includes a material that exhibits a high melting point and a low work function such as, for example, carbides, nitrides, and/or intermetallics. A process for forming the electrode material into a spark plug electrode is also provided.

A method of manufacturing an electrode material for use in spark plugs and other ignition devices. The electrode material may be manufactured into a desirable form by hot-forming a layered structure that includes a ruthenium-based material core, an iridium-based interlayer disposed over an exterior surface of the ruthenium-based material core, and a nickel-based cladding disposed over an exterior surface of the iridium-based material interlayer. The elongated layered wire produced by the hot-forming then has its nickel-based cladding removed to derive an elongated electrode material wire that includes the ruthenium-based material core encased in the iridium-based material. The elongated electrode material wire can be used to make many different spark plug/ignition device components.

Method of manufacturing spark plug electrode material

An electrode core material that may be used in electrodes of spark plugs and other ignition devices to provide increased thermal conductivity to the electrodes. The electrode core material is a precipitate-strengthened copper alloy and includes precipitates dispersed within a copper (Cu) matrix such that the electrode core material has a multi-phase microstructure. In several exemplary embodiments, the precipitates include: particles of iron (Fe) and phosphorous, particles of beryllium, or particles of nickel and silicon.

Electrode core material for spark plugs

A method of making a spark plug electrode includes several steps. One step includes providing an inner core of a ruthenium (Ru) based alloy or an iridium (Ir) based alloy. Another step includes providing an outer skin over a portion or more of the inner core in order to produce a core and skin assembly. The outer skin can be made of platinum (Pt), gold (Au), silver (Ag), nickel (Ni), or an alloy of one of these. Yet another step includes increasing the temperature of the core and skin assembly. And another step includes hot forming the core and skin assembly at the increased temperature.

Spark plug electrode and spark plug manufacturing method

A method of making an electrode material for use in spark plugs and other ignition devices including industrial plugs, aviation igniters, glow plugs, or any other device that is used to ignite an air/fuel mixture in an engine. The electrode material is a ruthenium-based material that includes ruthenium as the single largest constituent. The disclosed method includes hot-forming a layered structure that includes a ruthenium-based material core, an interlayer having a refractory metal disposed over the ruthenium-based material core, and a nickel-based cladding disposed over the interlayer.

Method of manufacturing a ruthenium-based spark plug electrode material into a desired form and a ruthenium-based material for use in a spark plug

A method of making an electrode material for use in a spark plug and other ignition devices including industrial plugs, aviation igniters, glow plugs, or any other device that is used to ignite an air/fuel mixture in an engine. The electrode material is a ruthenium-based material that includes a 'fibrous' grain structure. The disclosed method includes hot-forming a ruthenium-based material into an elongated wire that includes the 'fibrous' grain structure while intermittently annealing the ruthenium-based material as needed. The intermittent annealing is performed at a temperature that maintains the &#x201c;fibrous&#x201d; grain structure.

Method of making ruthenium-based material for spark plug electrode

A spark plug () includes a center electrode () and a ground electrode (). The electrodes () include a core () formed of a copper (Cu) alloy and a clad () formed of a nickel (Ni) alloy enrobing the core (). The Cu alloy includes Cu in an amount of at least 98.5 weight percent, and at least one of Zr and Cr in an amount of at least 0.05 weight percent. The Cu alloy includes a matrix of the Cu and precipitates of the Zr and Cu dispersed in the Cu matrix. The Ni alloy of the clad () includes Ni in an amount of at least 90.0 weight percent. The Ni alloy also includes at least one of a Group 3 element, a Group 4 element, a Group 13 element, chromium (Cr), silicon (Si), and manganese (Mn) in a total amount sufficient to affect the strength of the Ni alloy.

Spark plug including electrodes with low swelling rate and high corrosion resistance

An electrode material for use with spark plugs and other ignition devices, where the electrode material includes ruthenium (Ru), plus one or more additional constituents like precious metals, refractory metals, active elements, metal oxides, or a combination thereof. In one example, the electrode material is a multi-phase material that has a matrix phase including ruthenium (Ru) and one or more precious metals, refractory metals and/or active elements, and a dispersed phase including a metal oxide. The metal oxide may be provided in particle form or fiber/whisker form, and is dispersed throughout the matrix phase. A powder metallurgy process for forming the electrode material into a spark plug electrode is also provided.

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Ann Arbor, MI, United States of America

Shuwei Ma