Spark plug cap with ignition voltage detective capacitor for internal combustion engine

• US 5,487,676 A
• Filed: 11/09/1993
• Issued: 01/30/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 11/10/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Maruyama, Shigeru, Takagi, Jiro, Baba, Shigeki, Hisaki, Takashi, Shimasaki, Yuichi, Kanehiro, Masaki, Akiyama, Eitetsu, Ishioka, Takuji
• Primary Examiner(s): Paumen, Gary F.
• Application Number:
  US08/149,378
• Time in Patent Office: 812 Days
• Field of Search: 324/399, 324/402, 439/125-128
• US Class Current: 439/125
• CPC Class Codes: F02P 17/12 Testing characteristics of the spark, ignition voltage or current testing of sparking plugs H01T13/60
• CPC Class Codes: F02P 2017/006 using a capacitive sensor
• CPC Class Codes: F02P 3/02 having inductive energy storage, e.g. arrangements of induction coils ignition coils structurally combined with sparking plugs F02P13/00; constructional details of ignition coils H01F38/12

Abstract

A spark plug cap covering the terminal of a spark plug for an internal combustion engine, made up of an insulative cap body, an ignition coil unit case housing the coil and having a terminal for the ignition coil, a first conductive shaft housed in the insulative cap body for carrying an ignition voltage produced by the ignition coil to the spark plug terminal, and a second conductor located around the first conductor keeping a predetermined distance therefrom separated by the insulative material of the cap body such that a capacitor is formed between the first and second conductors for detecting the ignition voltage. The cap is further provided with a first contact in the form of an annulus provided at the end of said insulative cap body and electrically connected with said second conductor, and a second contact in the shape of a leaf spring electrically connected with the terminal of said case, such that the second contact is brought into contact with the first contact when said case is threaded into said insulative cap body, thereby ensuring electrical connection therebetween.

Claims

1. A spark plug cap covering the terminal of a spark plug for an internal combustion engine, including;

an insulative cap body;

a case for housing an ignition coil to be attached to the insulative cap body and having a terminal for the ignition coil;

a first conductor housed in the insulative cap body for carrying an ignition voltage produced by the ignition coil to the spark plug terminal; and

a second conductor located around the first conductor keeping a predetermined distance therefrom while sandwiching an insulative material therebetween such that a capacitor is formed between the first and second conductors for detecting the ignition voltage;

wherein the improvement comprises;

a first contact provided at the end of said insulative cap body and electrically connected with said second conductor; and

a second contact electrically connected with the terminal of said case such that the second contact is brought into contact with the first contact when said case is attached to said insulative cap body.

2. A spark plug cap according to claim 1, wherein said case is attached to the insulative cap body through threading.

3. A spark plug cap according to claim 2, wherein said first contact is in the shape of an annulus centering on the longitudinal axis of the spark plug cap.

4. A spark plug cap according to claim 3, wherein said second contact is configured as a leaf spring.

5. A spark plug cap according to claim 1, wherein said first contact is electrically connected with said second conductor through a third conductor embedded in the insulative cap body.

6. A spark plug cap according to claim 5, wherein said third conductor is provided with a shield.

7. A spark plug cap according to claim 5, wherein said third conductor is shielded.

8. A spark plug cap according to claim 1, wherein said case is attached to the insulative cap body through insertion.

9. A spark plug cap according to claim 8, wherein said first contact is configured as a connector for receiving said second contact.

10. A spark plug cap covering the terminal of a spark plug for an internal combustion engine, including;

an insulative cap body;

a case for housing an ignition coil to be attached to the insulative cap body and having a terminal for the ignition coil;

a first conductor housed in the insulative cap body for carrying an ignition voltage produced by the ignition coil to the spark plug terminal;

a second conductor located around the first conductor keeping a predetermined distance therefrom while sandwiching an insulative material therebetween such that a capacitor is formed between the first and second conductors for detecting the ignition voltage; and

a shield for shielding the second conductor;

wherein the improvement comprises;

a first pair of contacts provided at the end of said insulative cap body, one of which being electrically connected with said second conductor while the other being connected to the shield; and

a second pair of contacts electrically connected with the terminal of said case such that the second pair of contacts are brought into contact with the first pair of contacts respectively when said case is attached to said insulative cap body.

11. A spark plug cap according to claim 10, wherein said case has a projection formed with screw threading on its outer surface and said insulative cap body has a threaded recess formed as a female screw to be mated with threading formed as the projection and said case is attached to the insulative cap body by threading the projection into the recess.

12. A spark plug cap according to claim 11, wherein said first pair of contacts are in the shape of an annulus centering on the longitudinal axis of the spark plug cap.

13. A spark plug cap according to claim 12, wherein said second pair of contacts are configured as leaf springs.

14. A spark plug cap according to claim 10, wherein said one of the first pair of contacts is electrically connected with said second conductor through a third conductor embedded in the insulative cap body.

15. A spark plug cap according to claim 14, wherein said other of the first pair of contacts is electrically connected with a member which shields the their conductor.

16. A spark plug cap according to claim 10, wherein said case has a projection and said spark plug cap has a recess and said case is attached to the insulative cap body by inserting the projection into the recess.

17. A spark plug cap according to claim 16, wherein said first pair of contacts are configured as connectors for receiving said second pair of contacts respectively.