Spark plug center electrode of alloy material including aluminum and chromium

• US 4,742,265 A
• Filed: 11/12/1986
• Issued: 05/03/1988
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/1986
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ford Motor Company
• Original Assignee: Ford Motor Company
• Inventors: Kazmer, Gerald P., Hoffman, David W., Giachino, Joseph M., Horn, William F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Moore, David K.
• Assistant Examiner(s): WIEDER, KENNETH A
• Application Number:
  US06/929,702
• Time in Patent Office: 538 Days
• Field of Search: 313/118, 313/141
• US Class Current: 313/141
• CPC Class Codes: H01T 13/39 Selection of materials for electrodes

Abstract

A spark plug for providing an ignition spark has a center electrode. At least a portion of the center electrode contains an alloy material from an alloy family of M-CrAlY wherein M is nickel, cobalt, iron or a combination of these elements and Cr is chromium, Al is aluminum, Y is an element from the group yttrium, zirconium, hafnium or titanium.

Claims

1. A spark plug for use in providing an ignition spark including:

a center electrode for providing a conductive path and a grounding electrode, spaced from said center electrode, for providing a conductive path so that a spark can be sustained between said center and grounding electrodes, at least a portion of said center electrode comprising an alloy material from an alloy family of M-CrAlY wherein M is selected from the group consisting of nickel, cobalt, iron and mixtures thereof and Cr is chromium;

Al is aluminum;

Y is an element selected from the group consisting of yttrium, zirconium, hafnium and titanium.

2. A spark plug as recited in claim 1 wherein said center electrode is formed throughout its volume of said alloy material.

3. A spark plug as recited in claim 1 wherein said center electrode has a copper core and has a cladding of said alloy material.

4. A spark plug as recited in claim 1 wherein said center electrode has a copper core, a nickel alloy cladding and a coating of said alloy material on a portion of said center electrode adjacent said grounding electrode.

5. A spark plug as recited in claim 1 wherein said center electrode is a generally cylindrical, elongated, electrical terminal.

6. A spark plug as recited in claim 4 wherein said alloy material coating is applied by electron beam vapor deposition.

7. A spark plug as recited in claim 4 wherein said alloy material coating is applied by ion plating.

8. A spark plug as recited in claim 4 wherein said alloy material coating is applied by sputtering.

9. A spark plug as recited in claim 4 wherein said alloy material coating is applied by plasma spraying.

10. A spark plug as recited in claim 4 wherein said alloy material coating is applied by arc source evaporation.

11. A spark plug as recited in claim 1 wherein said chromium is between 15-30% by weight of said alloy material, said aluminum is between 5-15% by weight of said alloy material and the element chosen from the group yttrium, zirconium, hafnium or titanium, is between 0-1% by weight of said alloy material.