Patents by Inventor Keith Firstenberg

Keith Firstenberg has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 10418789
    Abstract: A spark plug suppressor and a method of producing a spark plug suppressor from a suppressor precursor liquid that may be cured at a temperature below 300° C. The spark plug suppressor may include particles or grains dispersed in a matrix of electrically conducting material, electrically semiconducting material, or electrically non-conducting material. The suppressor may include a conductive glass seal component and a resistive suppressor component. The resistive suppressor component may be at least partially embedded in the glass seal component, and the glass seal component may seal a center electrode of the spark plug, a terminal of the spark plug, or both the center electrode and the terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2019
    Assignee: Federal-Mogul Ignition LLC
    Inventors: Shuwei Ma, Keith Firstenberg, William J. Walker, Jr., Michael Saccoccia
  • Patent number: 9893495
    Abstract: An electrically conductive glass seal for providing a hermetic bond between an electrically conductive component and an insulator of a spark plug is provided. The glass seal is formed by mixing glass frits, binder, expansion agent, and electrically conductive metal particles. The glass frits can include silica (SiO2), boron oxide (B2O3), aluminum oxide (Al2O3), bismuth oxide (Bi2O3), and zinc oxide (ZnO); the binder can include sodium bentonite or magnesium aluminum silicate, polyethylene glycol (PEG), and dextrin; the expansion agent can include lithium carbonate; and the electrically conductive particles can include copper. The finished glass seal includes the glass in a total amount of 50.0 to 90.0 weight (wt. %), and electrically conductive metal particles in an amount of 10.0 to 50.0 wt. %, based on the total weight of the glass seal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Inventors: Keith Firstenberg, William J. Walker, Jr.
  • Publication number: 20180034247
    Abstract: A spark plug suppressor and a method of producing a spark plug suppressor from a suppressor precursor liquid that may be cured at a temperature below 300° C. The spark plug suppressor may include particles or grains dispersed in a matrix of electrically conducting material, electrically semiconducting material, or electrically non-conducting material. The suppressor may include a conductive glass seal component and a resistive suppressor component. The resistive suppressor component may be at least partially embedded in the glass seal component, and the glass seal component may seal a center electrode of the spark plug, a terminal of the spark plug, or both the center electrode and the terminal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 27, 2017
    Publication date: February 1, 2018
    Inventors: Shuwei Ma, Keith Firstenberg, William J. Walker, JR., Michael Saccoccia
  • Patent number: 9751797
    Abstract: An electrically conductive glass seal for providing a hermetic bond between an electrically conductive component and an insulator of a corona igniter is provided. The glass seal is formed by mixing glass frits, binder, expansion agent, and electrically conductive metal particles. The glass frits can include silica (SiO2), boron oxide (B2O3), aluminum oxide (Al2O3), bismuth oxide (Bi2O3), and zinc oxide (ZnO); the binder can include sodium bentonite or magnesium aluminum silicate, polyethylene glycol (PEG), and dextrin; the expansion agent can include lithium carbonate; and the electrically conductive particles can include copper. The finished glass seal includes the glass in a total amount of 50.0 to 85.0 weight (wt. %), and electrically conductive metal particles in an amount of 15.0 to 50.0 wt. %, based on the total weight of the glass seal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2017
    Assignee: Federal-Mogul Ignition Company
    Inventors: Keith Firstenberg, William J. Walker, Jr., Patrick J. Durham, James D. Lykowski
  • Patent number: 9685767
    Abstract: An electrically conductive glass seal for providing a hermetic bond between an electrically conductive component and an insulator of a corona igniter is provided. The glass seal is formed by mixing glass frits, binder, expansion agent, and electrically conductive metal particles. The glass frits can include silica (SiO2), boron oxide (B2O3), aluminum oxide (Al2O3), bismuth oxide (Bi2O3), and zinc oxide (ZnO); the binder can include sodium bentonite or magnesium aluminum silicate, polyethylene glycol (PEG), and dextrin; the expansion agent can include lithium carbonate; and the electrically conductive particles can include copper. The finished glass seal includes the glass in a total amount of 50.0 to 90.0 weight (wt. %), and electrically conductive metal particles in an amount of 10.0 to 50.0 wt. %, based on the total weight of the glass seal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2017
    Inventors: Keith Firstenberg, William J. Walker, Jr., Patrick J. Durham, James D. Lykowski
  • Patent number: 9651306
    Abstract: A method for drying a seal material for use in manufacturing an ignition device, e.g., a spark plug. A free-flowing or loose seal material having a moisture content is provided and brought together with a desiccant for a time sufficient to produce a dry seal material by reducing the moisture content of the loose seal material to a desired level. Thereafter, the dry seal material and the desiccant may be separated from one another so that the dry seal material can be used to form a seal within an internal bore of a spark plug.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2017
    Assignee: FEDERAL-MOGUL IGNITION COMPANY
    Inventor: Keith Firstenberg
  • Publication number: 20160344164
    Abstract: An electrically conductive glass seal for providing a hermetic bond between an electrically conductive component and an insulator of a spark plug is provided. The glass seal is formed by mixing glass frits, binder, expansion agent, and electrically conductive metal particles. The glass frits can include silica (SiO2), boron oxide (B2O3), aluminum oxide (Al2O3), bismuth oxide (Bi2O3), and zinc oxide (ZnO); the binder can include sodium bentonite or magnesium aluminum silicate, polyethylene glycol (PEG), and dextrin; the expansion agent can include lithium carbonate; and the electrically conductive particles can include copper. The finished glass seal includes the glass in a total amount of 50.0 to 90.0 weight (wt. %), and electrically conductive metal particles in an amount of 10.0 to 50.0 wt. %, based on the total weight of the glass seal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 1, 2016
    Publication date: November 24, 2016
    Inventors: Keith Firstenberg, William J. Walker
  • Publication number: 20160344165
    Abstract: An electrically conductive glass seal for providing a hermetic bond between an electrically conductive component and an insulator of a corona igniter is provided. The glass seal is formed by mixing glass frits, binder, expansion agent, and electrically conductive metal particles. The glass frits can include silica (SiO2), boron oxide (B2O3), aluminum oxide (Al2O3), bismuth oxide (Bi2O3), and zinc oxide (ZnO); the binder can include sodium bentonite or magnesium aluminum silicate, polyethylene glycol (PEG), and dextrin; the expansion agent can include lithium carbonate; and the electrically conductive particles can include copper. The finished glass seal includes the glass in a total amount of 50.0 to 90.0 weight (wt. %), and electrically conductive metal particles in an amount of 10.0 to 50.0 wt. %, based on the total weight of the glass seal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 1, 2016
    Publication date: November 24, 2016
    Inventors: Keith Firstenberg, William J. Walker, Patrick J. Durham, James D. Lykowski
  • Patent number: 9407069
    Abstract: An electrically conductive glass seal for providing a hermetic bond between an electrically conductive component and an insulator of a spark plug is provided. The glass seal is formed by mixing glass frits, binder, expansion agent, and electrically conductive metal particles. The glass frits can include silica (SiO2), boron oxide (B2O3), aluminum oxide (Al2O3), bismuth oxide (Bi2O3), and zinc oxide (ZnO); the binder can include sodium bentonite or magnesium aluminum silicate, polyethylene glycol (PEG), and dextrin; the expansion agent can include lithium carbonate; and the electrically conductive particles can include copper. The finished glass seal includes the glass in a total amount of 50.0 to 85.0 weight (wt. %), and electrically conductive metal particles in an amount of 15.0 to 50.0 wt. %, based on the total weight of the glass seal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2016
    Assignee: FEDERAL-MOGUL IGNITION COMPANY
    Inventors: Keith Firstenberg, William J. Walker, Jr.
  • Publication number: 20160043531
    Abstract: An electrically conductive glass seal for providing a hermetic bond between an electrically conductive component and an insulator of a spark plug is provided. The glass seal is formed by mixing glass frits, binder, expansion agent, and electrically conductive metal particles. The glass frits can include silica (SiO2), boron oxide (B2O3), aluminum oxide (Al2O3), bismuth oxide (Bi2O3), and zinc oxide (ZnO); the binder can include sodium bentonite or magnesium aluminum silicate, polyethylene glycol (PEG), and dextrin; the expansion agent can include lithium carbonate; and the electrically conductive particles can include copper. The finished glass seal includes the glass in a total amount of 50.0 to 85.0 weight (wt. %), and electrically conductive metal particles in an amount of 15.0 to 50.0 wt. %, based on the total weight of the glass seal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 10, 2015
    Publication date: February 11, 2016
    Inventors: KEITH FIRSTENBERG, WILLIAM J. WALKER, JR.
  • Publication number: 20160039712
    Abstract: An electrically conductive glass seal for providing a hermetic bond between an electrically conductive component and an insulator of a corona igniter is provided. The glass seal is formed by mixing glass frits, binder, expansion agent, and electrically conductive metal particles. The glass frits can include silica (SiO2), boron oxide (B2O3), aluminum oxide (Al2O3), bismuth oxide (Bi2O3), and zinc oxide (ZnO); the binder can include sodium bentonite or magnesium aluminum silicate, polyethylene glycol (PEG), and dextrin; the expansion agent can include lithium carbonate; and the electrically conductive particles can include copper. The finished glass seal includes the glass in a total amount of 50.0 to 85.0 weight (wt. %), and electrically conductive metal particles in an amount of 15.0 to 50.0 wt. %, based on the total weight of the glass seal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 10, 2015
    Publication date: February 11, 2016
    Inventors: KEITH FIRSTENBERG, WILLIAM J. WALKER, JR., PATRICK J. DURHAM, JAMES D. LYKOWSKI
  • Publication number: 20140259726
    Abstract: A method for drying a seal material for use in manufacturing an ignition device, e.g., a spark plug. A free-flowing or loose seal material having a moisture content is provided and brought together with a desiccant for a time sufficient to produce a dry seal material by reducing the moisture content of the loose seal material to a desired level. Thereafter, the dry seal material and the desiccant may be separated from one another so that the dry seal material can be used to form a seal within an internal bore of a spark plug.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 17, 2014
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Inventor: Keith Firstenberg