阅读说明：本技术 火花塞 (Spark plug ) 是由 木村顺二 于 2019-07-10 设计创作，主要内容包括：本发明提供一种火花塞,能够抑制电极母材与熔融部的界面处的剥离。火花塞具备：沿着第一方向延伸的端头及具有沿第一方向延伸并经由熔融部而与端头连接的延伸部的电极母材。在包含端头的第一方向上的中心轴的截面中,在延伸部与熔融部的界面的两端在第一方向上处于相同位置的情况下,将两端之间的直线距离设为A,或者在两端中的一端在第一方向上处于比另一端靠前端侧的情况下,将从通过该一端并与中心轴垂直的直线与熔融部的外形线的交点至该一端的距离设为A。界面的长度B满足B/A≥1.2。(The invention provides a spark plug which can inhibit the stripping of an electrode base material and a melting part at an interface. The spark plug is provided with: the electrode includes a tip extending in a first direction and an electrode base material having an extension portion extending in the first direction and connected to the tip via a melting portion. In a cross section including a center axis in a first direction of the tip, when both ends of an interface between the extension portion and the melting portion are at the same position in the first direction, a linear distance between both ends is defined as a, or when one of both ends is located more toward a tip side than the other end in the first direction, a distance from an intersection point of a straight line passing through the one end and perpendicular to the center axis and an outline line of the melting portion to the one end is defined as a. The length B of the interface satisfies that B/A is more than or equal to 1.2.)

1. A spark plug is provided with:

a tip extending in a first direction from a rear end side toward a front end side; and

an electrode base material having an extension portion extending in the first direction and having a tip portion connected to a rear end portion of the tip via a melting portion,

in a cross section including a central axis in the first direction of the tip and along the first direction,

when both ends of a line indicating an interface between the extension portion and the melting portion are at the same position in the first direction, a linear distance between the both ends is defined as a, or,

when one of the two ends is located on the tip side of the other end in the first direction, a distance from the one end to an intersection point of a straight line passing through the one end and perpendicular to the central axis and the other end side of the outline of the melting portion is defined as A,

the length B of the line representing the interface satisfies B/A ≧ 1.2.

2. The spark plug of claim 1,

the line indicating the interface has at least one convex portion that is convex toward the tip end side.

3. The spark plug of claim 2,

a first vertex located on a most distal end side among the vertices of the convex portion is present in a first region located on the one end side with respect to the central axis or a second region located on the other end side with respect to the central axis, among lines representing the interface.

4. The spark plug of claim 3,

the line representing the interface has more than two of the projections,

a second vertex exists in the first region or the second region different from the region where the first vertex exists, the second vertex being at the same position as the first vertex in the first direction or being located next to the front end side of the first vertex.

5. The spark plug according to any one of claims 1 to 4,

in any cross section including the central axis, B/A is equal to or more than 1.2.

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a spark plug, and more particularly to a spark plug having a tip joined to an electrode base member.

Background

There is known a spark plug in which a tip is connected to an electrode base material via a fusion portion (for example, patent document 1).

[ patent document 1 ] Japanese patent laid-open publication No. 2017-228430

Disclosure of Invention

Problems to be solved by the invention

In such a spark plug, a technique is required to suppress the separation at the interface between the electrode base material and the melted portion so that the tip does not fall off from the electrode base material even if a crack progresses from the end of the interface between the electrode base material and the melted portion.

The present invention has been made to satisfy the above requirements, and an object of the present invention is to provide a spark plug capable of suppressing the separation at the interface between the electrode base material and the melted portion.

Means for solving the problems

In order to achieve the object, a spark plug according to the present invention includes: a tip extending in a first direction from a rear end side toward a front end side; and an electrode base material having an extension portion extending in the first direction and having a front end portion connected to a rear end portion of the tip via a melting portion. When both ends of a line representing an interface between the extension portion and the melting portion are at the same position in the first direction in a cross section along the first direction including a center axis in the first direction of the tip, and a linear distance between both ends is defined as A, or when one of both ends is located at a more front end side than the other end in the first direction, a distance from the one end to an intersection point of the line and the other end side of an outline line of the melting portion on a straight line passing through the one end and perpendicular to the center axis is defined as A, a length B of the line representing the interface satisfies B/A ≧ 1.2.

Effects of the invention

According to the spark plug of the first aspect, in a cross section including the center axis of the tip, a length B of a line representing an interface between the electrode base material and the melted portion and a length a of a line segment perpendicular to the center axis and including an end of the interface satisfy B/a ≧ 1.2. Thus, the crack is less likely to progress from one end to the other end of the interface between the electrode base material and the molten portion, and therefore, the separation at the interface can be suppressed.

According to the spark plug of the second aspect, the line indicating the interface has at least one convex portion that is convex toward the distal end side. Since the degree of progress of the crack from one end or the other end in the direction perpendicular to the central axis can be reduced by the convex portion, the peeling at the interface between the electrode base material and the molten portion can be further suppressed in addition to the effect of the first aspect.

According to the spark plug described in the third aspect, a first vertex located on the most distal side among the vertices of the convex portion is present in a first region on one end side of the central axis or a second region on the other end side of the central axis in a line representing the interface. Thereby, the degree of progress of the crack from one end or the other end in the direction perpendicular to the central axis can be further reduced as compared with the case where the first apex is present on the central axis. As a result, in addition to the effect of the second aspect, the peeling at the interface between the electrode base material and the molten portion can be further suppressed.

According to the spark plug of the fourth aspect, the line indicating the interface has two or more convex portions. A second vertex exists in a first region or a second region different from the region where the first vertex exists, the second vertex being at the same position as the first vertex in the first direction or being located next to the front end side of the first vertex. By the second apex, the degree of progression of the crack from one end or the other end in the direction perpendicular to the central axis can be reduced. Further, the degree of progress of the crack from one end or the other end in the direction perpendicular to the central axis can be further reduced as compared with the case where the second apex is present on the central axis. As a result, in addition to the effect of the third aspect, peeling at the interface can be further suppressed.

According to the spark plug of the fifth aspect, B/A.gtoreq.1.2 is satisfied in any cross section including the center axis. Thus, in addition to the effects of any one of the first to fourth aspects, the separation at the interface between the electrode base material and the molten portion can be further suppressed.

Drawings

Fig. 1 is a cross-sectional side view of a spark plug according to a first embodiment.

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a center electrode including a central axis of the tip.

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a ground electrode including a center axis of the tip.

Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a center electrode including a center axis of a tip of the spark plug of the second embodiment.

Fig. 5(a) is a side view of the electrode base material and the tip, and fig. 5(B) is a correlation diagram showing a relationship between B/a and a ratio of the length of the crack at the interface.

Description of the reference numerals

10 spark plug

22. 41 electrode base material

23. 43 extension part

24. 44 front end of the extension

25. 45, 71 fusion zone

25a, 45a, 71a outline

26. 46 end

27. 47 rear end of the head

50. 60, 72 interface

51. 61, 73 one end (end)

52. 62, 74 another end (end)

53. 63, 65, 75, 77, 79, 81 protrusions

54. 64, 76 first vertex

55. 67, 83 straight line

56. 84 intersection point

58. 68 first region

59. 69 second region

66. 78 second vertex

Distance A

C center shaft

Detailed Description

Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Fig. 1 is a cross-sectional side view of a spark plug 10 of the first embodiment, bounded by an axis O. In fig. 1, the lower side of the paper surface is referred to as the front end side of the spark plug 10, and the upper side of the paper surface is referred to as the rear end side of the spark plug 10. As shown in fig. 1, the spark plug 10 includes a center electrode 20 and a ground electrode 40.

The insulator 11 is a substantially cylindrical member having a shaft hole 12 formed along the axis O, and is formed of a ceramic such as alumina having excellent mechanical properties and high-temperature insulation properties. The insulator 11 has an annular rear-facing end surface 13 facing the rear end on the front end side of the inner peripheral surface formed by the shaft hole 12. The diameter decreases toward the front end side toward the rear end face 13.

The center electrode 20 is a rod-shaped member locked to the rear end surface 13. The front end of the center electrode 20 protrudes from the front end of the insulator 11 toward the front end side. The core member 21 of the center electrode 20, which mainly contains copper, is covered with a bottomed cylindrical electrode base member 22. The electrode base material 22 has a chemical composition containing 50 wt% or more of Ni. The core material 21 may be omitted.

The electrode base material 22 includes an extension 23 having a tip 24 protruding from the tip of the insulator 11. The extension 23 is a part of the electrode base material 22 and is formed in a cylindrical shape extending in the axial direction. A rear end 27 of a disk-shaped tip 26 is connected to the front end 24 of the extension 23 via a melting portion 25. In the present embodiment, the tip 26 has a chemical composition containing 1 or 2 or more of noble metals such as Pt, Rh, Ir, and Ru at 50 wt% or more. The discharge surface 28 of the tip 26 is opposite the ground electrode 40. The center electrode 20 is electrically connected to the terminal fitting 29 in the axial hole 12.

The terminal fitting 29 is a rod-shaped member to which a high-voltage cable (not shown) is connected, and is formed of a metal material having electrical conductivity (for example, mild steel). The terminal fitting 29 is fixed to the rear end side of the insulator 11 with the front end side inserted into the shaft hole 12.

A main metal fitting 30 is fastened and fixed to the outer periphery of the front end side of the insulator 11. The metal shell 30 is a substantially cylindrical member formed of a conductive metal material (for example, mild steel). The body metal fitting 30 includes a seat portion 31 protruding radially outward in a flange shape, and a threaded portion 32 formed on an outer peripheral surface on the tip end side of the seat portion 31. The screw portion 32 is fastened and fixed to a screw hole (not shown) of the engine (cylinder head) of the metal block 30. A ground electrode 40 is connected to the tip end of the metal shell 30.

The ground electrode 40 is a rod-shaped member formed of a metal material having conductivity. The ground electrode 40 includes an electrode base material 41 joined to the metal shell 30 and a tip 46. The electrode base material 41 includes a support portion 42 having an end portion joined to the body metal member 30, and an extension portion 43 joined to the support portion 42 by resistance welding, laser welding, or the like. The support portion 42 and the extension portion 43 have a chemical composition containing 50 wt% or more of Ni.

The extending portion 43 is formed in a cylindrical shape extending in the axial direction. A rear end 47 of a disk-shaped tip 46 is connected to the front end 44 of the extension 43 via a melting portion 45. In the present embodiment, the tip 46 has a chemical composition containing 50 wt% or more of 1 or 2 or more of noble metals such as Pt, Rh, Ir, and Ru. The discharge surface 48 of tip 46 is opposite the center electrode 20. A spark gap is formed between the discharge surface 48 of the tip 46 and the center electrode 20.

The front and rear ends of the extended portion 43 and the tip 46 of the ground electrode 40 are different from those of the spark plug 10 in that the portion of the extended portion 43 joined to the support portion 42 is the rear end and the discharge surface 48 of the tip 46 is the front end, in order to match the front and rear ends of the extended portion 23 and the tip 26 of the center electrode 20.

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the center electrode 20 including the center axis C of the tip 26. The center axis C is an axis passing through the center of gravity of the discharge surface 28 of the tip 26 and extending along the extension 23. Arrow F indicates a first direction from the rear end 27 of the tip 26 toward the discharge surface 28. In the present embodiment, the center axis C coincides with the axis O (see fig. 1) of the spark plug 10. The tip 26 is connected to the extension 23 via the fusion zone 25. The melting portion 25 fuses the tip 26 and the extension portion 23. A line indicating the interface 50 between the melting portion 25 and the extending portion 23 is divided into a first region 58 on the side of one end 51 of the interface 50 and a second region 59 on the side of the other end 52 of the interface 50 with respect to the central axis C.

In the present embodiment, the fusion zone 25 is formed by laser welding. Of the one end 51 and the other end 52 (2 ends of the interface 50) where the line indicating the interface 50 intersects the outer shape line 23a of the extension 23, the one end 51 is located on the tip side in the arrow F direction (first direction) than the other end 52. In this case, assuming that A is a distance on a straight line 55 from an intersection point 56 of a straight line 55 passing through the one end 51 and perpendicular to the central axis C and the outline 25a of the melting portion 25 to the one end 51, and B is a length of the interface 50 (a length along the interface 50 from the one end 51 to the other end 52), B/A is satisfied to be not less than 1.2.

In addition to the intersection point 56, the straight line 55 intersects the contour of the melting portion 25 at an intersection point 57. However, the intersection point at which the distance a from the one end 51 is determined is not an intersection point 57 (a portion hidden from view in the outer shape) which does not appear unless it is formed as a cut surface, but an intersection point 56 which intersects with an outer shape line 25a indicating the shape of a portion visible from the outer shape of the melting portion 25. The reason is that the length B is a length along the interface 50 from the intersection (the other end 52) of the outer line 23a of the extension portion 23 and the interface 50 to the one end 51, and therefore the intersection 56 of the straight line 55 and the outer line 25a is set as the intersection at which the distance a is obtained because matching with the length B is obtained.

The length B can be obtained by imaging a cross section including the central axis C and performing image processing, plotting 100 bisectors of the interface 50 (points at which the bisectors of the straight line 55 are projected onto the interface 50), and then summing the straight line distances between the points.

Here, since the spark plug 10 is repeatedly heated and cooled in the engine, cracks are likely to occur in the interface 50 between the extension portion 23 and the fusion portion 25 due to thermal stress. The cracks progress from one end 51 and the other end 52 of the interface 50 that is in contact with the high-temperature combustion gas. In the spark plug 10, in a cross section including the center axis C of the tip 26, the length B of the interface 50 and the length A of a line segment perpendicular to the center axis C and including one end 51 of the interface 50 satisfy B/A ≧ 1.2, and therefore, cracks hardly progress from the one end 51 to the other end 52 of the interface 50 or from the other end 52 to the one end 51. This can suppress the fracture of the interface 50 due to the progress of the crack.

The interface 50 has a convex portion 53 protruding toward the distal end side. The first apex 54 of the convex portion 53 located on the most distal side is located at a position other than the one end 51 and the other end 52 of the interface 50. Since the first apex 54 exists in the convex portion 53, the inclination direction of the convex portion 53 with respect to the central axis C changes with the first apex 54 as a boundary. Thus, the degree of progress of the crack in the direction perpendicular to the central axis C can be reduced by the convex portion 53. This can further suppress the peeling at the interface 50.

The first apex 54 of the convex portion 53 is present in the second region 59 on the other end 52 side of the center axis C in the interface 50. Thereby, the degree of progress of the crack from the other end 52 in the direction perpendicular to the central axis C can be further reduced as compared with the case where the first apex 54 exists on the central axis C. As a result, the peeling at the interface 50 can be further suppressed as compared with the case where the first vertex 54 exists on the central axis C.

The condition that B/A.gtoreq.1.2 is satisfied at the interface 50 of the melting portion 25 is more preferably satisfied at an arbitrary cross section including the central axis C. An arbitrary cross section including the central axis C is obtained by performing image processing. In this method, first, the center electrode 20 is polished at a small point perpendicular to the center axis C, and the cross-sectional photograph is repeatedly taken, and the resulting image is processed to construct the three-dimensional structure of the interface 50. Then, by measuring the length B and the distance a of the interface 50 of an arbitrary cross section including the central axis C of the obtained three-dimensional structure, it can be determined whether or not B/a is satisfied to be not less than 1.2 in the arbitrary cross section including the central axis C. By satisfying B/A.gtoreq.1.2 in any cross section including the central axis C, the peeling at the interface 50 can be further suppressed.

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the ground electrode 40 including the center axis C of the tip 46. The center axis C is an axis passing through the center of gravity of the discharge surface 48 of the tip 46 and extending along the extending portion 43. Arrow F indicates a first direction from the rear end 47 of the tip 46 toward the discharge surface 48. In the present embodiment, the center axis C coincides with the axis O (see fig. 1) of the spark plug 10. The tip 46 is connected to the extension 43 via the melting portion 45. A line indicating the interface 60 between the melting portion 45 and the extending portion 43 is divided into a first region 68 on the side of one end 61 of the interface 60 and a second region 69 on the side of the other end 62 of the interface 60 with respect to the central axis C.

In the present embodiment, the fusion zone 45 is formed by laser welding. One end 61 and the other end 62 (2 ends of the interface 60) where the line indicating the interface 60 intersects the outline lines 43a, 45a of the extension portion 43 and the melting portion 45 are at the same position in the direction of the arrow F (first direction). In this case, the linear distance A (length of the line segment) between the one end 61 and the other end 62 and the length B of the interface 60 satisfy B/A ≧ 1.2. The length B of the interface 60 is determined in the same manner as the length B of the interface 50. By satisfying B/A ≧ 1.2, the crack is difficult to progress from one end 61 to the other end 62 of the interface 60, or difficult to progress from the other end 62 to one end 61. This can suppress the fracture of the interface 60 due to the progress of the crack.

The interface 60 has a plurality of convex portions 63 and 65 which are convex toward the distal end side. The first vertex 64 of the convex portion 63 located on the most distal side is located in a first region 68 (not including the one end 61 and the central axis C) on the one end 61 side of the central axis C in the interface 60. The second apex 66 located on the most distal end side of the convex portion 65 is present in the second region 69 (not including the other end 62 and the central axis C) on the other end 62 side of the central axis C in the interface 60. The second vertex 66 is located next to the leading end side of the first vertex 64 in the first direction (arrow F direction).

Since the second apex 66 exists in the convex portion 65, the inclination direction of the convex portion 65 with respect to the central axis C changes with the second apex 66 as a boundary. The degree of progression in the direction perpendicular to the central axis C of the crack progressing from the other end 62 toward the one end 61 of the interface 60 can be reduced by the second apex 66 in addition to the first apex 64. This can further suppress the separation at the interface 60 in addition to the operational effect obtained at the interface 50 of the melted portion 25 of the center electrode 20.

Referring to fig. 4, a second embodiment is explained. In the first embodiment, the case where 1 or 2 convex portions are formed on the interfaces 50 and 60 is described. In contrast, in the second embodiment, a case where more convex portions are formed on the interface 72 will be described. Note that the same portions as those described in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the following description is omitted. Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the center electrode 70 including the center axis C of the tip 26 of the spark plug of the second embodiment.

The tip 26 is connected to the extension 23 via the fusion zone 71. In the present embodiment, the fusion zone 71 is also formed by laser welding. Of the one end 73 and the other end 74 (2 ends of the interface 72) indicating the intersection of the line of the interface 72 of the melting portion 71 and the extending portion 23 and the outline line 23a of the extending portion 23, the one end 73 is located on the tip side in the arrow F direction (first direction) than the other end 74. In this case, a distance A from an intersection point 84 of a straight line 83 passing through the one end 73 and perpendicular to the central axis C and the outline 71a of the melting portion 71 to the straight line 83 of the one end 73 and a length of the interface 72 (a length along the interface 72 from the one end 73 to the other end 74) B satisfy B/A ≧ 1.2.

The interface 72 has a plurality of projections 75, 77, 79, 81 projecting toward the distal end side. A first apex 76 on the most leading end side in the convex portion 75 is at the same position in the first direction (arrow F direction) as a second apex 78 on the most leading end side in the convex portion 77. The third apex 80 of the convex portion 79 on the most distal side and the fourth apex 82 of the convex portion 81 on the most distal side are located on the more rear side than the first apex 76 and the second apex 78 in the first direction (the arrow F direction). The second vertex 78 is present in the first region 58 (excluding the one end 73 and the central axis C) on the one end 73 side of the central axis C in the interface 72. The first apex 76 is present in the second region 59 on the other end 74 side of the center axis C (excluding the other end 74 and the center axis C) of the interface 72. According to this spark plug, the same operational effects as those achieved by the ground electrode 40 described in the first embodiment can be achieved.