DUAL INTERNAL ELECTRIC SPARK PLUG

BOUGIE D'ALLUMAGE A ELECTRODES JUMELEES

English Abstract

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE
A spark plug, consisting of a metal body, having in-
sulator means, in which is secured a pair of spaced-apart elec-
trodes, each of which has, integral therein, a solid state,
time-delay device, for improving engine performance and lessening
air pollution. Each of the electrodes with time-delay devices
extends from the top of the insulation means, for receiving the
high tension wires of an internal combustion engine, and the spark
plug includes two bottom and spaced-apart electrodes of the metal
body, the insulation means having an integral and projecting
shield, which is spaced apart from the electrodes. The structure
of this plug is such, that it is adaptable for both single and
dual, high voltage systems.

Claims

THE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION IN WHICH AN EXCLUSIVE
PROPERTY OR PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:
1. An improved dual internal electric spark plug, comprising,
in combination, an insulator, a casing around said insulator,
means for attaching said casing for attachment to an engine
cylinder head, and a pair of electrodes through said insulator,
one protruding end of each said electrode being designed for
connection to an electric wiring connector, and the opposite
protruding end comprising a positive contact positioned in
proximity to a corresponding substantially L-shaped anvil
negative contact formed on said casing, and each of said electrodes
being interrupted by a corresponding solid state H.V. time
delay device.
2. A dual electric spark plug, comprising a cylindrical
metal casing with a threaded barrel for insertion into an
opening of an internal combustion engine, an integral cap
nut, a pair of spaced apart electrodes secured within an
insulator, secured in said cylindrical metal casing, a pair of
solid state, time-delay devices secured in said insulator for
time-delay firing of the spark plug between its electrode
tips, and a pair of ground anvils, and shield means extending
from said insulator, between said electrode tips and said
ground anvils.
3. The combination according to claim 2, wherein said
insulator is fixedly secured in said cylindrical metal casing,
and said electrodes are fixedly secured in said insulator, and
said solid state time-delay devices are, one each, connected
electrically in series with said electrodes, and each electrode
is fixedly secured in said insulator, above the cap nut of said
cylindrical metal casing for maximum cooling thereof.

4. The combination according to claim 3, wherein said
insulator at the top of the spark plug is terminated by a pair
of projections which are spaced apart and integral of said
insulator, and each of said pair of projections, houses the
upper portion of one of said electrodes, and the bottom
portion of said insulator includes said shield means, which
comprises an extending and integral portion of said insulator,
which is disposed between said electrode tips and said pair
of ground anvils at the lower end of the spark plug.
5. A dual internal electric spark plug, comprising, in
combination, a cylindrical, elongated insulator, a metal casing
around a portion of said insulator, one end of said casing
forming a threaded barrel for securement in a threaded opening
of an internal combustion engine, and a pair of parallel,
spaced apart electrodes extending axially through said
insulator, said end of said casing having a pair of "L"
shaped anvils projecting therefrom, a tip of each of said
electrodes projecting from a first end of said insulator to
a point proximate a corresponding one of said anvils whereby to
form an axially extending spark gap between said tip and said
anvil, a flat shield formed across a center of said insulator
first end and projecting axially between each pair of said anvils
and tips, so as to separate said spark gaps from each other,
said shield extending a distance that is larger than a length
of said gaps between said anvils and said tips; opposite ends
of each electrodes projecting from an opposite second end of
said insulator being shaped for electrical connections, and
a longitudinally intermediate portion of each of said electrodes
having a solid state, time-delay device inserted therein.

6. The combination as set forth in claim 5 wherein
said solid state, time-delay devices of said two electrodes
are the same in terms of delay.
7. The combination as set forth in claim 5 wherein said
solid state, time-delay devices of said two electrodes are
not the same in terms of delay.
CLAIMS SUPPORTED BY SUPPLEMENTARY DISCLOSURE
8. A dual electric spark plug, comprising a cylindrical
metal casing with a threaded barrel for insertion into an
opening of an internal combustion engine, an integral cap nut,
a pair of spaced apart electrodes secured within an insulator,
secured in said cylindrical metal casing, a pair of solid state,
time-delay devices secured in said insulator for time-delay
firing of the spark plug between its electrode tips, and a pair
of ground anvils, and shield means extending from said
insulator, between said electrode tips and said ground anvils;
and wherein said time-delay devices are both diodes or both
semiconductors.
9. The combination according to claim 8, wherein said
insulator is fixedly secured in said cylindrical metal casing,
and said electrodes are fixedly secured in said insulator,
and said solid state time-delay devices are, one each,
connected electrically in series with said electrodes, and
each electrode is fixedly secured in said insulator, above
the cap nut of said cylindrical metal casing for maximum
cooling thereof.
10. The combination according to claim 9, wherein said

insulator at the top of the spark plug is terminated by a pair
of projections which are spaced apart and integral of said
insulator, and each of said pair of projections, houses the
upper portion of one of said electrodes, and the bottom
portion of said insulator includes said shield means, which
comprises an extending and integral portion of said insulator,
which is disposed between said electrode tips and said pair
of ground anvils at the lower end of the spark plug.
11. The spark plug of claim 8 wherein each said time-delay
device comprises at least one diode.
12. A dual internal electric spark plug, comprising,
in combination, a cylindrical, elongated insulator, a metal
casing around a portion of said insulator, one end of said
casing forming a threaded barrel for securement in a threaded
opening of an internal combustion engine, and a pair of
parallel, spaced apart electrodes extending axially through
said insulator, said end of said casing having a pair of "L"
shaped anvils projecting therefrom, a tip of each of said
electrodes projecting from a first end of said insulator and
being axially spaced from each of said anvils so as to form
an axially extending spark gap therebetween, a flat shield
formed across a center of said insulator first end and
projecting axially between each pair of said anvils and tips,
so as to separate said spark gaps from each other, said shield
extending a distance that is larger than a length of said gaps
between said anvils and said tips; opposite ends of each
electrodes projecting from an opposite second end of said
insulator being shaped for electrical connections, and a
longitudinally intermediate portion of each of said electrodes

having a solid state, time-delay device inserted therein,
said time-delay devices being both diodes or both semi-
conductors.
13. The combination as set forth in claim 12 wherein
said solid state, time-delay devices of said two electrodes
are the same in terms of delay.
14. The combination as set forth in claim 12 wherein said
solid state, time-delay devices of said two electrodes are not
the same in terms of delay.
15. The spark plug of claim 12, wherein each said time-
delay device comprises at least one diode.
16. The combination as set forth in claim 1, wherein
each said time-delay device comprises a plurality thereof,
selectively aligned between opposite ends of said electrodes.
17. The combination as set forth in claim 2, wherein
said time-delay devices are of different delay intervals.
18. The combination as set forth in claim 3, wherein
said delay devices comprise a plurality of diodes arranged for
either a negative or a positive system.
19. The combination as set forth in claim 4, wherein
said diodes are arranged alike, so as to prevent a flash
back across said electrodes.
20. The spark plug of claims 11 and 15 wherein each said

time-delay device comprises a plurality of diodes.
21. The spark plug of claims 11 and 15 wherein each said
diode is arranged to conduct in the same direction.
22. The spark plug of claims 11 and 15 wherein each said
time-delay device comprises a plurality of diodes and each
said diode is arranged to conduct in the same direction.
23. An improved dual internal electric spark plug, comprising,
in combination, an insulator, a easing around said insulator,
means for attaching said easing to an engine cylinder head, and
a pair of electrodes through said insulator, one protruding
end of said electrodes being designed for connection to
electric wiring connectors, and opposite protruding ends
comprising positive contacts respective to substantially "L"-
shaped anvil negative contacts formed on said casing, and each
of said electrodes being interrupted by solid state H.V. time
delay devices; a plurality of said time delay devices being
circularly arranged and extending axially in a rotatable
barrel inside said insulator, so that said time delay devices
are selectively aligned between adjacent ends of each said
electrode for preferred use.
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Description

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This invention relates to ignition devices, and
more particularly, to a dual internal electric spark plug.
This application relates to and describes an
improvement over the invention described in my prior
Canadian application Serial No. 274,830 filed March 28, 1977.
It is, therefore, the princi~al object of this
invention to provide a dual internal electric spark plug.
Another object of this invention is to provide
a dual internal electric spark plug, which will be of such
struc~ur-e,so as to be adaptable to the existing single
spark plug opening of an engine cylinder, while providing
a means of increasing engine performance, and simultaneously
decreasing air pollution by causing an engine to burn
fuel more cleanly.
Another object of this invention is to provide
dual internal electric spark plug, which will be adaptable
to both single and dual, high voltage systems of internal
combustion engines.
A further object of this invention is to provide
a dual internal electric spark plug, which will employ a
pair of solid state, time-delay devices in its high-tension
voltage receiving electrodes, within the insulation structure
of the spark plug, and delay in timing will be based on
the requirements of the plug, as desired by the
manufacturer. In effect, firing at the spark plug gaps
may be synchronized, or not.
Other objects of the invention are to provide
a dual internal electric spark plug, which is simple in
design, inexpensive to manufacture, rugged in construction,
and efficient in operation.
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Thus, in its broad aspect the invention provides an
improved dual internal spark plug, comprising, in combination,
an insulator, a casing around said insulator, means for attaching
said casing for attachment to an engine cylinder head, and a
pair of electrodes through said insulator, one protruding end
of said electrodes being designed for connection to electric
wiring connectors, and opposite protruding ends comprising
positive contacts respective to substantially L-shaped anvil
negative contacts formed on said casing, and each of said
electrodes being interrupted by solid state H.V. time-delay
device.
In a further aspect the invention provides dual
electric spark plug, comprising a cylindrical metal casing
with a threaded barrel for insertion into an opening of an
internal combustion engine, an integral cap nut, a pair of
spaced apart electrodes secured within an insulator, secured
in said cylindrical metal casing, a palr of solid state,
time-delay devices secured in said insulator for time-delay
firing of the spark plug between its electrode tips, and a
pair of ground anvils, and shield means extending from said
insulator, between said:electrode tips and said ground anvils.
These and other objects, will be readily evident
upon a study of the following specification and the
accompanying drawings, wherein: .
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FIGURE 1 is an enlarged vertical view of the present
invention, shown in elevation;
FIGURE 2 is a cross-sectional view taken on the long-
itudinal axis of Figure 1, and
FIGURE 3 is a bottom plan view of Figure 1.
According to this invention, a spark plug 10 is shown
to include a cylindrical metal casing 11, having a conventional
and integral cap nut lla, and an externally threaded barrel 12,
for being received in the conventional spark plug opening of a
cylinder of an internal combustion engine. Secured fixedly on
the interior of casing 11, is a cylindrical insulator 13, which
has exterior and annular ridges 14 for air cooling purposes.
Insulator 13 is terminated at the top of spark plug 10, by a
pair of projections 15, which are integral therewith. A pair of
spaced-apart electrodes 16 are fixedly secured in insulator 13,
and, in each, is electrically connected a solid state time-delay
device 16a.
~ It shall be noted, that the electronic values of the
~ - solid state time-delay devices 16a, may, or may not be the same
in terms of delay. This will be determlned by the application~
of the spark plug.
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-~ The electrode tips 17 of electrodes 16, extend from
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~ the bottom of insulator 13, and are spaced from the "L" shaped
:
ground anvils 18, which are integral of;the barrel 12. The
ground anvils 18 are spaced apart from tips 17, and the ends of
the ground anvils 18 are spaced apart from a projecting shield
19, which is integral of insuIator 13. The space between tips
17 and the ground anvils 18, is where the high voltage spark~
takes place.
At the top of electrodes 16 is a shank portion 20,
which is terminated by conventional tips 21 for receiving the
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high tension wires of the ignition system.
While various changes may be made in the detail con-
struction, it is understood that such changes will be within
the spirit and scope of the present invention, as is defined
by the appended claims.
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SUPPLEMENTARY DISCLOSURE
The solid-state time delay devices of the present invention
are preferably in the form of diodes or solid state semiconductors. In
each case the specific physical and electrical design requirements for a
given application will be specified by the user and the plugs will be
made up accordingly. Such factors as the physical environment; e.g.,
temperature, voltage, in which the plug is to be used will affect those
specific requirements.
The particular number and arrangement of the components of the time
delay devices can be varied as required to achieve the desired time
differential between sparks.
In drawings which illustrate embodiments of the invention, Figures
4 to 9 are circuit diagrams illustrating various combinations of diodes
which can be employed in the invention.
Figure 10 is a cross-sectional view taken along the longitudinal
axis of an embodiment of the invention wherein the time delay devices are
selectively adjustable to different values;
Figure 11 is a cross section of the embodiment of Figure 10 taken
along the line 11-11.
With reference to Figure 4, the diodes Dl and D2 may or may not
be electrically equal, depending on the requirements of the system. This
` applies to each of the other diodes D3 to D5~illustrated in other of the
Figures 5 to 9.
; The unidirectional nature of the diodes serves to prevent
flashback.
It is to be understood that Figures 4 to 6 are representative
examples only and that the invention is in no way limited by these examples.
Turning to Figures 10 and 11, an additional embodiment of the
invention is illustrated wherein the time delay device 16a in at least
one of the electrodes 16 is selectively adjustable. Thus, as illustrated
in the two drawings, four such time delay devices 16a representing at
least two different delay periods are provided. These are mounted
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in a rotatable barrel 22 constructed of insulator material. Barrel 22
is rotatably mounted in a chamher 23 in the insulator 13 by means of
spring-biased pin 24. The time delay devices 16a are also preEerably
spring biased to ensure good contact.
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