Abstract: A ground-electrode spark portion 32 is formed from a noble metal which contains Pt as a main component, and is joined to a main metal portion of the ground electrode 4 via an alloy layer which has a thickness ranging from 0.5 ?m to 100 ?m and in which the noble metal that constitutes the ground-electrode spark portion 32 and the metal that constitutes the main metal portion of the ground electrode 4 are alloyed with each other. The ground-electrode spark portion 32 is configured such that a distal end surface 32t facing a spark discharge gap g is smaller in diameter than a bottom surface 32u joined to the ground electrode 4; and the distal end surface 32t is protrusively located beyond the side surface 4s of the ground electrode 4.

Abstract: A ground-electrode spark portion 32 is formed from a noble metal which contains Pt as a main component, and is joined to a main metal portion of the ground electrode 4 via an alloy layer which has a thickness ranging from 0.5 ?m to 100 ?m and in which the noble metal that constitutes the ground-electrode spark portion 32 and the metal that constitutes the main metal portion of the ground electrode 4 are alloyed with each other. The ground-electrode spark portion 32 is configured such that a distal end surface 32t facing a spark discharge gap g is smaller in diameter than a bottom surface 32u joined to the ground electrode 4; and the distal end surface 32t is protrusively located beyond the side surface 4s of the ground electrode 4.

Abstract: A ground-electrode spark portion 32 is formed from a noble metal which contains Pt as a main component, and is joined to a main metal portion of the ground electrode 4 via an alloy layer which has a thickness ranging from 0.5 ?m to 100 ?m and in which the noble metal that constitutes the ground-electrode spark portion 32 and the metal that constitutes the main metal portion of the ground electrode 4 are alloyed with each other. The ground-electrode spark portion 32 is configured such that a distal end surface 32t facing a spark discharge gap g is smaller in diameter than a bottom surface 32u joined to the ground electrode 4; and the distal end surface 32t is protrusively located beyond the side surface 4s of the ground electrode 4.

Abstract: A spark plug used in an automotive internal combustion engine. The spark plug includes a center electrode. An insulator is disposed around the center electrode. A metal main body is disposed around the insulator. A ground electrode has a first end section connected to the metal main body, and a second end section located opposite to the center electrode. Additionally, a tip is formed of an alloy whose main component is Ir. The tip is secured to the ground electrode and serving as a spark consumption-resistant electrode material. The tip has an axis directed to the center electrode. In the spark plug, a molten and solidified section formed of alloy is disposed to fix the tip to the ground electrode. The molten and solidified section includes a surrounding molten and solidified section located surrounding a peripheral surface of a major part of the tip embedded in the ground electrode.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a spark plug is disclosed. In first step S10, a chip 1 including a flange portion 1b and a protrusion 1a protruding from a first face 1c of the flange portion 1b is manufactured. In second step S20, a second face 1d of the flange portion 1b is tentatively joined, through resistance welding, to a joint face 32 (42) of the electrode base metal of at least either one of a center electrode 30 and a ground electrode 40, the joint face 32 (42) being located on the side toward a discharge gap. In third step S30, the flange portion 1b is laser-welded to the joint face 32 (42) such that a weld portion 3 extends to points on the second face 1d of the flange portion 1b, the points being located inward of corresponding intersections of the second face 1d of the flange portion 1b and imaginary extension lines of the side surface of the protrusion 1a.

Abstract: A spark plug is disclosed, in which a center electrode has, at the end thereof which forms a spark discharge gap, a noble metal chip which has a straight rod portion of 1.0 mm or less in diameter and 0.2 mm or more in length; width of coverage K of a ground electrode on which a rectangular noble metal chip is welded satisfies a relation of −d≦K≦0.5 mm (where, d represents the diameter of the end face of the center electrode); and width w of a portion of the discharge plane 111A which falls within a range corresponded to the axial extension of the end face 22B of the noble metal chip 22 provided on the center electrode 2 satisfies a relation of w<2.1−K (in mm), where K is the foregoing width of coverage.

Abstract: A ground-electrode spark portion 32 is formed from a noble metal which contains Pt as a main component, and is joined to a main metal portion of the ground electrode 4 via an alloy layer which has a thickness ranging from 0.5 &mgr;m to 100 &mgr;m and in which the noble metal that constitutes the ground-electrode spark portion 32 and the metal that constitutes the main metal portion of the ground electrode 4 are alloyed with each other. The ground-electrode spark portion 32 is configured such that a distal end surface 32t facing a spark discharge gap g is smaller in diameter than a bottom surface 32u joined to the ground electrode 4; and the distal end surface 32t is protrusively located beyond the side surface 4s of the ground electrode 4.

Abstract: A tip portion of a center electrode 2 of a spark plug includes a tapered portion which is tapered such that the diameter reduces axially frontward. A convex portion 2k is formed at an axially intermediate position of the tapered portion so as to project radially outward with respect to an axis 30. The axially measured distance L2 between the vertex of the convex portion 2k (the convex vertex P) and the tip face 1D of an insulator is set to less than 0.5 mm. A heat release acceleration metal portion 2m, which is made of Cu or an alloy that contains a predominant amount of Cu, is present at a position located a distance L3 of 1.5 mm as measured axially rearward from the convex vertex P in order to suppress spark erosion by lowering the temperature of the center electrode 2. The heat release acceleration metal portion 2m is formed such that an electrode base material 2n, which encloses the heat release acceleration metal portion 2m, has a wall thickness W of not less than 0.

Abstract: A spark plug is disclosed, in which a center electrode has, at the end thereof which forms a spark discharge gap, a noble metal chip which has a straight rod portion of 1.0 mm or less in diameter and 0.2 mm or more in length; width of coverage K of a ground electrode on which a rectangular noble metal chip is welded satisfies a relation of −d≦K≦0.5 mm (where, d represents the diameter of the end face of the center electrode); and width w of a portion of the discharge plane 111A which falls within a range corresponded to the axial extension of the end face 22B of the noble metal chip 22 provided on the center electrode 2 satisfies a relation of w<2.1−K (in mm), where K is the foregoing width of coverage.

Abstract: A tip portion of a center electrode 2 of a spark plug includes a tapered portion which is tapered such that the diameter reduces axially frontward. A convex portion 2k is formed at an axially intermediate position of the tapered portion so as to project radially outward with respect to an axis 30. The axially measured distance L2 between the vertex of the convex portion 2k (the convex vertex P) and the tip face ID of an insulator is set to less than 0.5 mm. A heat release acceleration metal portion 2m, which is made of Cu or an alloy that contains a predominant amount of Cu, is present at a position located a distance L3 of 1.5 mm as measured axially rearward from the convex vertex P in order to suppress spark erosion by lowering the temperature of the center electrode 2. The heat release acceleration metal portion 2m is formed such that an electrode base material 2n, which encloses the heat release acceleration metal portion 2m, has a wall thickness W of not less than 0.

Abstract: A gasket for a threaded element such as a spark plug to be screwed into a threaded hole of a support such as a cylinder head is provided. The threaded element has a threaded portion and an annular seat portion. The gasket is installed on the threaded element and compressed between the seat portion and an outer surface of the support around a threaded hole, when the threaded element is screwed into the threaded hole, to provide a seal between the threaded portion and the threaded hole. The gasket is formed from an annular sheet metal and in the form of an annular strip of a cross section including a plurality of bent portions. The cross section is made by a plane including a center axis of the gasket and of a such a bent shape as to enable an imaginary reference line which is located on the above described plane and parallel with the center axis, to cross at least three portions of the cross section. The initial axial size of the gasket, i.e.

Abstract: A spark plug used in an automotive internal combustion engine. The spark plug comprises a center electrode. An insulator is disposed around the center electrode. A metal main body is disposed around the insulator. A ground electrode has a first end section connected to the metal main body, and a second end section located opposite to the center electrode. Additionally, a tip is formed of an alloy whose main component is Ir. The tip is secured to the ground electrode and serving as a spark consumption-resistant electrode material. The tip has an axis directed to the center electrode. In the spark plug, a molten and solidified section formed of alloy is disposed to fix the tip to the ground electrode. The molten and solidified section includes a surrounding molten and solidified section located surrounding a peripheral surface of a major part of the tip embedded in the ground electrode.

Abstract: A glow plug includes an inner pole and a ceramic heating rod disposed in and fixed to an outer shell at uppermost and lowermost pole fixed portions A, C and a heating rod fixed portion D. A ratio of L2/L1 is larger than 2, where L1 is a distance from the lower end of the inner pole to the lower end of the fixed portion C; and L2 is a distance from the lower end of the inner pole to the lower end of the fixed portion A. A ratio of L3/L4 is smaller than 15, wherein L3 is a distance from a middle point between the lower end of the inner pole and the upper end of the heating rod to the lower end of the fixed portion C; and L4 is a distance from the above middle point to the upper end of the fixed portion D.

Abstract: A glow plug includes an inner pole and a ceramic heating rod disposed in and fixed to an outer shell at uppermost and lowermost pole fixed portions A, C and a heating rod fixed portion D. A ratio of L2/L1 is larger than 2, where L1 is a distance from the lower end of the inner pole to the lower end of the fixed portion C; and L2 is a distance from the lower end of the inner pole to the lower end of the fixed portion A. A ratio of L3/L4 is smaller than 15, wherein L3 is a distance from a middle point between the lower end of the inner pole and the upper end of the heating rod to the lower end of the fixed portion C; and L4 is a distance from the above middle point to the upper end of the fixed portion D.