Heater and glow plug

• US 6,660,971 B2
• Filed: 05/28/2002
• Issued: 12/09/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/28/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NGK Spark PLUG Company Limited
• Original Assignee: NGK Spark PLUG Company Limited
• Inventors: Okuda, Kouji, Terada, Naoto
• Primary Examiner(s): Walberg, Teresa
• Assistant Examiner(s): DAHBOUR, HENRY
• Application Number:
  US10/155,228
• Publication Number:
  US 20020175157A1
• Time in Patent Office: 560 Days
• Field of Search: 361/264, 361/265, 361/266, 219/270, 219/544, 123/145.A, 123/145.R, 123/143.C, 313/118, 313/141, 313/142
• US Class Current: 219/270
• CPC Class Codes: F23Q 7/001 Glowing plugs for internal-combustion engines

Abstract

A heater comprising: a cylindrical metal shell having an engagement portion, the portion having a narrowed diameter; a cylindrical heating tube comprising a closed top end, a fitting portion, a smaller diameter portion, a base end side-larger diameter portion and a top end side-larger diameter portion, wherein a base end of the heating tube protrudes into an inside of the metal shell, the fitting portion is fitted into the engagement portion in interference fit, the smaller diameter portion comprises the base end of the heating tube, the smaller diameter portion has a smaller outer diameter than an inner diameter of the engagement portion, the base end side-larger diameter portion is formed between the fitting portion and the smaller diameter portion, the base end side-larger diameter portion has an outer diameter larger than or equal to the inner diameter of the engagement portion, the top end side-larger diameter portion is formed adjacent to a top end side of the fitting portion, and the top end side-larger diameter portion has an outer diameter larger than or equal to the inner diameter of the engagement portion.

Claims

1. A heater comprising:

a cylindrical metal shell having an engagement portion, the portion having a narrowed diameter;

a cylindrical heating tube comprising a closed top end, a fitting portion, a smaller diameter portion, a base end side-larger diameter portion and a top end side-larger diameter portion,

wherein a base end of the heating tube protrudes into an inside of the metal shell,

the fitting portion is fitted into the engagement portion in interference fit,

the smaller diameter portion comprises the base end of the heating tube,

the smaller diameter portion has a smaller outer diameter than an inner diameter of the engagement portion,

the base end side-larger diameter portion is formed between the fitting portion and the smaller diameter portion,

the base end side-larger diameter portion has an outer diameter larger than or equal to the inner diameter of the engagement portion,

the top end side-larger diameter portion is formed adjacent to a top end side of the fitting portion, and

the top end side-larger diameter portion has an outer diameter larger than or equal to the inner diameter of the engagement portion.

2. The heater according to claim 1, wherein the base end side-larger diameter portion is disposed, inside the metal shell, in an area with an axial length of 2 mm or less in an axial direction from a base end of an engagement face in the engagement portion to the base end side of the heating tube, the engagement face being in contact with the fitting portion.

3. The heater according to claim 1, wherein an outer diameter of the fitting portion is from 3.5 to 7.0 mm, the engagement portion has an engagement face being in contact with the fitting portion, and the engagement face has a length of 4.0 mm or greater in an axial direction.

4. The heater according to claim 1, wherein a diameter difference between an inner diameter of the engagement portion and an outer diameter of an end portion on the base end side in the smaller diameter portion lies in a range from 0.02 to 0.5 mm.

5. A glow plug comprising:

a cylindrical metal shell having an engagement portion, the portion having a narrowed diameter;

a cylindrical heating tube comprising a closed top end, a fitting portion, a smaller diameter portion, a base end side-larger diameter portion and a top end side-larger diameter portion,

wherein a base end of the heating tube protrudes into an inside of the metal shell,

the fitting portion is fitted into the engagement portion in interference fit,

the smaller diameter portion comprises the base end of the heating tube,

the smaller diameter portion has a smaller outer diameter than an inner diameter of the engagement portion,

the base end side-larger diameter portion is formed between the fitting portion and the smaller diameter portion,

the base end side-larger diameter portion has an outer diameter larger than or equal to the inner diameter of the engagement portion,

the top end side-larger diameter portion is formed adjacent to a top end side of the fitting portion, and

the top end side-larger diameter portion has an outer diameter larger than or equal to the inner diameter of the engagement portion.

6. The glow plug according to claim 5, wherein the base end side-larger diameter portion is disposed, inside the metal shell, in an area with an axial length of 2 mm or less in an axial direction from a base end of an engagement face in the engagement portion to the base end side of the heating tube, the engagement face being in contact with the fitting portion.

7. The glow plug according to claim 5, wherein an outer diameter of the fitting portion in from 3.5 to 7.0 mm, the engagement portion has an engagement face being in contact with the fitting portion, and the engagement face has a length of 4.0 mm or greater in an axial direction.

8. The glow plug according to claim 5, wherein a diameter difference between an inner diameter of the engagement portion and an outer diameter of an end portion on the base end side in the smaller diameter portion lies in a range from 0.02 to 0.5 mm.

9. A heater comprising:

a cylindrical metal shell having an engagement portion, the portion having a narrowed diameter;

a cylindrical heating tube comprising a closed top end, a fitting portion, a smaller diameter portion and a top end side-larger diameter portion,

wherein a base end of the heating tube protrudes into an inside of the metal shell,

the fitting portion is fitted into the engagement portion in interference fit,

the smaller diameter portion comprises the base end of the beating tube,

the smaller diameter portion has a smaller outer diameter than an inner diameter of the engagement portion,

the top end side-larger diameter portion is formed adjacent to a top end side of the fitting portion,

the top end side-larger diameter portion has an outer diameter larger than or equal to the inner diameter of the engagement portion, and

a diameter difference between an inner diameter of the engagement portion and an outer diameter of an end portion on the base end side in the smaller diameter portion lies in a range from 0.02 to 0.5 mm.

10. A glow plug comprising:

a cylindrical metal shell having an engagement portion, the portion having a narrowed diameter;

a cylindrical heating tube comprising a closed top end, a fitting portion, a smaller diameter portion and a top end side-larger diameter portion,

wherein a base end of the heating tube protrudes into an inside of the metal shell,

the fitting portion is fitted into the engagement portion in interference fit,

the smaller diameter portion comprises the base end of the heating tube,

the smaller diameter portion has a smaller outer diameter than an inner diameter of the engagement portion,

the top end side-larger diameter portion is formed adjacent to a top end side of the fitting portion,

the top end side-larger diameter portion has an outer diameter larger than or equal to the inner diameter of the engagement portion, and

a diameter difference between an inner diameter of the engagement portion and an outer diameter of an end portion on the base end side in the smaller diameter portion lies in a range from 0.02 to 0.5 mm.