The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Aug. 01, 2006
Filed:
Mar. 28, 2003
Yutaka Taniguchi, Aichi, JP;
Masahide Sumi, Gifu, JP;
Yutaka Taniguchi, Aichi, JP;
Masahide Sumi, Gifu, JP;
NGK Spark Plug Co., Ltd., Aichi, JP;
Abstract
A method and apparatus for manufacturing a spark plug which avoids depth insufficiency of the weld metal portion or thickness insufficiency of the spark portion and which thus enhances the weld strength and service life of the spark portion. According to the method, a noble metal chip is attached to a chip joint face formed on a distal end of a center electrode of a spark plug workpiece, along the direction of the longitudinal axis of the workpiece, so as to form a chip-attached assembly. The chip-attached assembly is irradiated with a laser beam LB so as to form a laser-beam weld metal portion intruding into the noble metal chip and into the chip joint face, thereby forming a noble-metal spark portion having a discharge face. The position of the chip joint face of the center electrode as viewed along the direction of the longitudinal axis is detected, and on the basis of the detected position, the position of irradiation with the laser beam on the chip-attached assembly along the direction of the longitudinal axis is adjusted.