Patents by Inventor Mai Moribe

Mai Moribe 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: 7994694
    Abstract: A spark plug (1) for an internal combustion engine includes: a cylindrical insulator (2) having an axial hole (4) penetrating in a direction of an axis (C1); a center electrode (5) partially inserted in the axial hole (4); a metal shell (3) surrounding an outer periphery of the insulator (2) and which is fixed to the insulator (2) by means of a crimped portion (20) provided at a rear end portion of the metal shell (3); and a ground electrode (27) joined to the metal shell (3) such that a portion of the ground electrode (27) opposes a leading end portion of the center electrode (5) via a spark discharge gap (33), wherein the insulator (2) has an annular groove portion (23) which opposes an inner edge of the crimped portion (20).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2011
    Assignee: NGK Spark Plug Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Mai Moribe, Akira Suzuki
  • Patent number: 7944134
    Abstract: A spark plug including: a center electrode including an electrode base member and a core member; an electrode tip joined to the center electrode via a molten bond; an insulator holding the center electrode; a metal shell holding the insulator; and a ground electrode joined to the metal shell. Relationships d?2.1 [mm] and ?0.09×d+0.33<Vb/(Va+Vb)<?0.2×d+0.75 are satisfied, where d is an outer diameter of the center electrode at a position 4 mm closer to the base end of the center electrode from the base end of the molten bond in the axial direction, and Va and Vb are volumes of the electrode base member and the core member, respectively, at a region between the base end of the molten bond and the position in the axial direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2011
    Assignee: NGK Spark Plug Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jiro Kyuno, Akira Suzuki, Mai Moribe, Yuichi Nakano, Mamoru Musasa
  • Patent number: 7906893
    Abstract: There is provided a spark plug of an internal combustion engine, including a cylindrical metal shell, an insulator retained in the metal shell and having a through hole in an axial direction of the spark plug and a center electrode fitted in the through hole of the insulator. The insulator includes a rear body portion, a middle body portion and a large-diameter portion located between and protruded radially outwardly from the rear and middle body portions to define a rear shoulder section connected to the rear body portion and a front shoulder section connected to the middle body portion. For strength improvements, the insulator has a first glaze layer extending over the rear body portion and the rear shoulder section of the large-diameter portion and a second glaze layer extending over at least part of the middle body portion from some point on the front shoulder section of the large-diameter portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2011
    Assignee: NGK Spark Plug Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Mai Moribe, Akira Suzuki, Toshitaka Honda
  • Publication number: 20090127998
    Abstract: A spark plug including: a center electrode including an electrode base member and a core member; an electrode tip joined to the center electrode via a molten bond; an insulator holding the center electrode; a metal shell holding the insulator; and a ground electrode joined to the metal shell. Relationships d?2.1 [mm] and ?0.09×d+0.33<Vb/(Va+Vb)<?0.2×d+0.75 are satisfied, where d is an outer diameter of the center electrode at a position 4 mm closer to the base end of the center electrode from the base end of the molten bond in the axial direction, and Va and Vb are volumes of the electrode base member and the core member, respectively, at a region between the base end of the molten bond and the position in the axial direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 21, 2008
    Publication date: May 21, 2009
    Applicant: NGK SPARK PLUG CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jiro KYUNO, Akira Suzuki, Mai Moribe, Yuichi Nakano, Mamoru Musasa
  • Patent number: 7449824
    Abstract: A spark plug is provided with a metal shell and a ceramic insulator to support therein a center electrode. The ceramic insulator includes a front portion with a stepped outer surface, a middle portion, a rear portion and a shoulder portion defined between the middle and rear portions. A difference between the outer diameters of the middle and rear portions of the ceramic insulator is 1.8 mm or smaller. The metal shell includes a radially inward protrusion to retain thereon the stepped outer surface of the ceramic insulator and a rear end portion crimped onto the shoulder portion of the ceramic insulator. An inner circumferential surface of the crimped shell portion has a region held in contact with the insulator shoulder portion with a radially innermost point of the crimped shell portion being spaced radially apart from the ceramic insulator and axially apart from the insulator shoulder portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2008
    Assignee: NGK Spark Plug Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Mai Moribe, Akira Suzuki
  • Publication number: 20080238280
    Abstract: There is provided a spark plug of an internal combustion engine, including a cylindrical metal shell, an insulator retained in the metal shell and having a through hole in an axial direction of the spark plug and a center electrode fitted in the through hole of the insulator. The insulator includes a rear body portion, a middle body portion and a large-diameter portion located between and protruded radially outwardly from the rear and middle body portions to define a rear shoulder section connected to the rear body portion and a front shoulder section connected to the middle body portion. For strength improvements, the insulator has a first glaze layer extending over the rear body portion and the rear shoulder section of the large-diameter portion and a second glaze layer extending over at least part of the middle body portion from some point on the front shoulder section of the large-diameter portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 26, 2008
    Publication date: October 2, 2008
    Applicant: NGK SPARK PLUG CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Mai MORIBE, Akira Suzuki, Toshitaka Honda
  • Publication number: 20080238284
    Abstract: A spark plug (1) for an internal combustion engine includes: a cylindrical insulator (2) having an axial hole (4) penetrating in a direction of an axis (C1); a center electrode (5) partially inserted in the axial hole (4); a metal shell (3) surrounding an outer periphery of the insulator (2) and which is fixed to the insulator (2) by means of a crimped portion (20) provided at a rear end portion of the metal shell (3); and a ground electrode (27) joined to the metal shell (3) such that a portion of the ground electrode (27) opposes a leading end portion of the center electrode (5) via a spark discharge gap (33), wherein the insulator (2) has an annular groove portion (23) which opposes an inner edge of the crimped portion (20).
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2008
    Publication date: October 2, 2008
    Applicant: NGK SPARK PLUG CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Mai MORIBE, Akira SUZUKI
  • Publication number: 20070046162
    Abstract: A spark plug is provided with a metal shell and a ceramic insulator to support therein a center electrode. The ceramic insulator includes a front portion with a stepped outer surface, a middle portion, a rear portion and a shoulder portion defined between the middle and rear portions. A difference between the outer diameters of the middle and rear portions of the ceramic insulator is 1.8 mm or smaller. The metal shell includes a radially inward protrusion to retain thereon the stepped outer surface of the ceramic insulator and a rear end portion crimped onto the shoulder portion of the ceramic insulator. An inner circumferential surface of the crimped shell portion has a region held in contact with the insulator shoulder portion with a radially innermost point of the crimped shell portion being spaced radially apart from the ceramic insulator and axially apart from the insulator shoulder portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2006
    Publication date: March 1, 2007
    Inventors: Mai Moribe, Akira Suzuki