Patents by Inventor Kenji Nunome

Kenji Nunome 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: 8866370
    Abstract: A spark plug including a center electrode and a ground electrode having a core portion and an outer layer covering the core portion, the core portion being formed from a material having a thermal conductivity higher than that of the outer layer. At least a portion in which thickness of the outer layer is 0.5 mm or less is present at a cross-section perpendicular to a direction in which the ground electrode is extended. Further, the composition of the electrode material forming the outer layer is as follows: Ni is 96 mass % or more, total of at least one kind selected from Y and rare earth elements is 0.05 mass % or more, Al is 0.5 mass % or less, and Si is 0.5 mass % or more and 1.5 mass % or less, where the total of Ni, Y, rare earth elements, Al, Si does not exceed 100 mass %.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2014
    Assignee: NGK Spark Plug Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tsutomu Shibata, Takaaki Kikai, Kenji Nunome, Osamu Yoshimoto
  • Patent number: 8664842
    Abstract: A spark plug including a center electrode and a ground electrode having a gap between the center electrode and the ground electrode, the ground electrode has an outer layer which is formed from an Ni-based alloy and a core portion which is covered by the outer layer and formed from a material having a thermal conductivity higher than that of the outer layer. Further, the melting point of the Ni-based alloy forming the outer layer is 1150° C. or more and 1350° C. or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2014
    Assignee: NGK Spark Plug Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tomoo Tanaka, Tsutomu Shibata, Osamu Yoshimoto, Takaaki Kikai, Takehito Kuno, Kenji Nunome
  • Patent number: 8410674
    Abstract: A spark plug includes a tubular metallic shell; a tubular insulator in the tubular metallic shell located at a front end of the metallic shell and having an axial hole extending in the axial direction; and a center electrode inserted into the axial hole. The center electrode has a space-forming portion which forms, in cooperation with a wall surface of the axial hole, an annular space open frontward in the axial direction, and a main body portion extending rearward from the rear end of the space-forming portion. The thickness of the insulator is 0.6 mm or less as measured on a cross section and contains the front end of the metallic shell. The axial distance between the boundary portion and the front end of the metallic shell is 0.4 mm or greater, where the boundary portion is formed between the space-forming portion and the main body portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2013
    Assignee: NGK Spark Plug Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kenji Nunome
  • Publication number: 20120293061
    Abstract: A spark plug including a center electrode and a ground electrode having a gap between the center electrode and the ground electrode, the ground electrode has an outer layer which is formed from an Ni-based alloy and a core portion which is covered by the outer layer and formed from a material having a thermal conductivity higher than that of the outer layer. Further, the melting point of the Ni-based alloy forming the outer layer is 1150° C. or more and 1350° C. or less.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 11, 2011
    Publication date: November 22, 2012
    Applicant: NGK SPARK PLUG CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tomoo Tanaka, Tsutomu Shibata, Osamu Yoshimoto, Takaaki Kikai, Takehito Kuno, Kenji Nunome
  • Patent number: 8288929
    Abstract: A spark plug comprising a center electrode, a first noble metal tip joined to the center electrode, an insulator, a metallic shell, a ground electrode joined to the metallic shell and including an outer layer and an inner layer, and a second noble metal tip joined to the ground electrode by way of a melted portion, wherein in a cross section of the ground electrode, the protrusion height A of the second noble metal tip is 0.4mm or more, the ground electrode includes a substantially flat joining surface to which the second noble metal tip is joined and an outwardly curved surface, the inner layer has at the joining surface side a substantially flat surface or recessed surface, and the minimum distance F between the melted portion and the inner layer is 0.1mm or more.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2012
    Assignee: NGK Spark Plug Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenji Nunome, Yoshikuni Sato
  • Publication number: 20120256530
    Abstract: A spark plug including a center electrode and a ground electrode having a core portion and an outer layer covering the core portion, the core portion being formed from a material having a thermal conductivity higher than that of the outer layer. At least a portion in which thickness of the outer layer is 0.5 mm or less is present at a cross-section perpendicular to a direction in which the ground electrode is extended. Further, the composition of the electrode material forming the outer layer is as follows: Ni is 96 mass % or more, total of at least one kind selected from Y and rare earth elements is 0.05 mass % or more, Al is 0.5 mass % or less, and Si is 0.5 mass % or more and 1.5 mass % or less, where the total of Ni, Y, rare earth elements, Al, Si does not exceed 100 mass %.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 19, 2011
    Publication date: October 11, 2012
    Applicant: NGK SPARK PLUG CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tsutomu Shibata, Takaaki Kikai, Kenji Nunome, Osamu Yoshimoto
  • Patent number: 8283846
    Abstract: The object of the invention is to provide a spark plug including a central electrode and/or a ground electrode with a gap, which can suppress generation of corrosion-like generated foreign substances while maintaining high thermal conductivity and high strength. The gap between the central electrode and the ground electrode with at least one of the central electrode and the ground electrode formed from an electrode material including 96% by mass or more of Ni, in which the electrode material includes a total content of from 0.05% by mass to 0.45% by mass of at least one selected from a group consisting of Y and rare earth elements, 0.05% by mass or more of Mn, and a total content of 0.01% by mass or more of at least one selected from a group consisting of Ti, V, and Nb, and the ratio (a/b) of the total content (a) of Ti, V, and Nb to the content (b) of Mn is from 0.02 to 0.40.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2012
    Assignee: NGK Spark Plug Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tsutomu Shibata, Takehito Kuno, Tomoo Tanaka, Kenji Nunome, Shoichiro Nagatomo
  • Patent number: 8242673
    Abstract: A spark plug has a center electrode, a ceramic insulator having an axial hole to support the center electrode therein, a metal shell holding the ceramic insulator, and a ground electrode, one end portion of which is fixedly connected with the metal shell, the other end portion of which is located apart from an outer circumferential surface of a top end portion of the center electrode for defining a spark discharge gap therebetween. The ceramic insulator is provided with recesses at an edge portion between a top end surface of the ceramic insulator and an inner circumferential surface of the axial hole. When defining first and second imaginary circles with the axis being their respective centers as circles passing through portions of the recesses whose radial distances from the axis are a maximum and a minimum respectively, a difference of diameters of the first and second imaginary circles is 0.08 mm or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2012
    Assignee: NGK Spark Plug Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kenji Nunome
  • Publication number: 20120153800
    Abstract: A spark plug includes a tubular metallic shell; a tubular insulator in the tubular metallic shell located at a front end of the metallic shell and having an axial hole extending in the axial direction; and a center electrode inserted into the axial hole. The center electrode has a space-forming portion which forms, in cooperation with a wall surface of the axial hole, an annular space open frontward in the axial direction, and a main body portion extending rearward from the rear end of the space-forming portion. The thickness of the insulator is 0.6 mm or less as measured on a cross section and contains the front end of the metallic shell. The axial distance between the boundary portion and the front end of the metallic shell is 0.4 mm or greater, where the boundary portion is formed between the space-forming portion and the main body portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2011
    Publication date: June 21, 2012
    Applicant: NGK Spark Plug Co., LTD.
    Inventor: Kenji NUNOME
  • Patent number: 8164242
    Abstract: A spark plug (100) includes: a center electrode (2); and a ground electrode (30) which is to be exposed in a combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine and which forms a spark discharge gap with the center electrode (2), wherein at least one of the center electrode (20) and the ground electrode (30) contains an electrode material whose principal component is Ni and in which an intermetallic compound is precipitated at least intergranularly and intragranularly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignees: NGK Spark Plug Co., Ltd., Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Osamu Yoshimoto, Kenji Nunome, Yoshihiro Nakai, Taichiro Nishikawa, Toru Tanji, Kazuo Yamazaki
  • Patent number: 8164243
    Abstract: A spark plug having a center electrode; an insulator having an axial hole extending in the direction of an axis; a metallic shell; a ground electrode extending from a front end portion of the metallic shell; a center-electrode-side noble metal chip joined to a distal end surface of the center electrode; and a ground-electrode-side noble metal chip joined to a distal end surface of the ground electrode, the ground-electrode-side noble metal chip having a distal end surface facing toward a side surface portion of the center-electrode-side noble metal chip, and the ground electrode being bent at an angle that falls within a range of 120° to 140° inclusive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignee: NGK Spark Plug Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenji Nunome, Yoshikuni Sato
  • Patent number: 8129891
    Abstract: A spark plug (100) including a noble metal tip (80) disposed on a distal end portion (31) of a ground electrode (30). The noble metal tip (80) is joined to the top surface of an intermediate member (81), which is a member separate from the ground electrode (30). The bottom surface of the intermediate member (81) is joined to the ground electrode (30), whereby the noble metal tip (80) is fixed to the ground electrode (30). The intermediate member (81) is formed such that its average hardness is higher than the average hardness of a portion of the ground electrode (30), excluding an intermediate portion (33) to be bent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2012
    Assignee: NGK Spark Plug Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kenji Nunome
  • Patent number: 8120235
    Abstract: A spark plug including a center electrode and a ground electrode. A center electrode noble metal tip is joined to a leading end portion of a center electrode, and a ground electrode noble metal tip is joined to a center-electrode-side side surface of the ground electrode. A distal end portion of the ground electrode noble metal tip protrudes from a distal-end surface of the ground electrode by 0.1 mm to 1.5 mm. A center-electrode-side side surface of the ground electrode noble metal tip projects from a center-electrode-side side surface by 0.15 mm to 0.6 mm. The ground electrode includes chamfered portions. Thickness lengths and widthwise lengths of the respective chamfered portions achieved within a cross section perpendicular to a center axis of the ground electrode are set to 0.2 mm or more.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2012
    Assignee: NGK Spark Plug Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenji Nunome, Hiroaki Kuki, Hiroyuki Kameda, Kazumasa Yoshida
  • Publication number: 20120013241
    Abstract: The object of the invention is to provide a spark plug including a central electrode and/or a ground electrode, which can suppress generation of corrosion-like generated foreign substances while maintaining high thermal conductivity and high strength. The spark plug according to the invention is a spark plug including a central electrode and a ground electrode provided to have a gap between the central electrode and the ground electrode with at least one of the central electrode and the ground electrode formed from an electrode material including 96% by mass or more of Ni, in which the electrode material includes a total content of from 0.05% by mass to 0.45% by mass of at least one selected from a group consisting of Y and rare earth elements, 0.05% by mass or more of Mn, and a total content of 0.01% by mass or more of at least one selected from a group consisting of Ti, V, and Nb, and the ratio (a/b) of the total content (a) of Ti, V, and Nb to the content (b) of Mn is from 0.02 to 0.40.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 15, 2010
    Publication date: January 19, 2012
    Applicant: NGK SPARK PLUG CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tsutomu Shibata, Takehito Kuno, Tomoo Tanaka, Kenji Nunome, Shoichiro Nagatomo
  • Publication number: 20110043093
    Abstract: A spark plug (100) including a noble metal tip (80) disposed on a distal end portion (31) of a ground electrode (30). The noble metal tip (80) is joined to the top surface of an intermediate member (81), which is a member separate from the ground electrode (30). The bottom surface of the intermediate member (81) is joined to the ground electrode (30), whereby the noble metal tip (80) is fixed to the ground electrode (30). The intermediate member (81) is formed such that its average hardness is higher than the average hardness of a portion of the ground electrode (30), excluding an intermediate portion (33) to be bent.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 23, 2009
    Publication date: February 24, 2011
    Applicant: NGK SPARK PLUG CO. , LTD.
    Inventor: Kenji Nunome
  • Publication number: 20100264803
    Abstract: A spark plug including a center electrode and a ground electrode. A center electrode noble metal tip is joined to a leading end portion of a center electrode, and a ground electrode noble metal tip is joined to a center-electrode-side side surface of the ground electrode. A distal end portion of the ground electrode noble metal tip protrudes from a distal-end surface of the ground electrode by 0.1 mm to 1.5 mm. A center-electrode-side side surface of the ground electrode noble metal tip projects from a center-electrode-side side surface by 0.15 mm to 0.6 mm. The ground electrode includes chamfered portions. Thickness lengths and widthwise lengths of the respective chamfered portions achieved within a cross section perpendicular to a center axis of the ground electrode are set to 0.2 mm or more.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 20, 2008
    Publication date: October 21, 2010
    Applicant: NGK SPARK PLUG CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kenji Nunome, Hiroaki Kuki, Hiroyuki Kameda, Kazumasa Yoshida
  • Publication number: 20090309474
    Abstract: A spark plug has a center electrode, a ceramic insulator having an axial hole to support the center electrode therein, a metal shell holding the ceramic insulator, and a ground electrode, one end portion of which is fixedly connected with the metal shell, the other end portion of which is located apart from an outer circumferential surface of a top end portion of the center electrode for defining a spark discharge gap therebetween. The ceramic insulator is provided with recesses at an edge portion between a top end surface of the ceramic insulator and an inner circumferential surface of the axial hole. When defining first and second imaginary circles with the axis being their respective centers as circles passing through portions of the recesses whose radial distances from the axis are a maximum and a minimum respectively, a difference of diameters of the first and second imaginary circles is 0.08 mm or less.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 10, 2009
    Publication date: December 17, 2009
    Applicant: NGK SPARK PLUG CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Kenji NUNOME
  • Publication number: 20090302733
    Abstract: A spark plug having a center electrode; an insulator having an axial hole extending in the direction of an axis; a metallic shell; a ground electrode extending from a front end portion of the metallic shell; a center-electrode-side noble metal chip joined to a distal end surface of the center electrode; and a ground-electrode-side noble metal chip joined to a distal end surface of the ground electrode, the ground-electrode-side noble metal chip having a distal end surface facing toward a side surface portion of the center-electrode-side noble metal chip, and the ground electrode being bent at an angle that falls within a range of 120° to 140° inclusive.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 29, 2009
    Publication date: December 10, 2009
    Inventors: Kenji Nunome, Yoshikuni Sato
  • Publication number: 20090289540
    Abstract: A spark plug comprising a center electrode, a first noble metal tip joined to the center electrode, an insulator, a metallic shell, a ground electrode joined to the metallic shell and including an outer layer and an inner layer, and a second noble metal tip joined to the ground electrode by way of a melted portion, wherein in a cross section of the ground electrode, the protrusion height A of the second noble metal tip is 0.4 mm or more, the ground electrode includes a substantially flat joining surface to which the second noble metal tip is joined and an outwardly curved surface, the inner layer has at the joining surface side a substantially flat surface or recessed surface, and the minimum distance F between the melted portion and the inner layer is 0.1 mm or more.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 17, 2008
    Publication date: November 26, 2009
    Applicant: NGK SPARK PLUG CO., LTD
    Inventors: Kenji Nunome, Yoshikuni Sato
  • Publication number: 20090009048
    Abstract: A spark plug (100) includes: a center electrode (2); and a ground electrode (30) which is to be exposed in a combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine and which forms a spark discharge gap with the center electrode (2), wherein at least one of the center electrode (20) and the ground electrode (30) contains an electrode material whose principal component is Ni and in which an intermetallic compound is precipitated at least intergranularly and intragranularly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 3, 2008
    Publication date: January 8, 2009
    Applicants: NGK SPARK PLUG CO., LTD., SUMITOMO ELECTRIC INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Osamu YOSHIMOTO, Kenji NUNOME, Yoshihiro NAKAI, Taichiro NISHIKAWA, Toru TANJI, Kazuo YAMAZAKI