Ignition apparatus having a spring for electrically connecting a spark plug

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10907605-B2
Application number	US-201916372486-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 2, 2019
Priority date	Oct 5, 2016
Publication date	Feb 2, 2021
Grant date	Feb 2, 2021

Abstract

An ignition apparatus for an internal combustion engine includes a spark plug, an ignition coil with a voltage connection, and a spring for electrically connecting the spark plug to the voltage connection. A continuous spring wire in the form of external turns extends from an ignition coil-side end of the spring to a spark plug-side end of the spring. The spring wire at the spark plug-side end continues in the form of internal turns within the external turns in a direction toward the ignition coil-side end.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An ignition apparatus for an internal combustion engine, comprising:
a spark plug;
an ignition coil with a voltage connection; and
a spring for electrically connecting the spark plug to the voltage connection, wherein
a continuous spring wire of the spring in the form of external turns extends from an ignition coil-side end of the spring to a spark plug-side end of the spring,
the continuous spring wire at the spark plug-side end continues in the form of internal turns within the external turns in a direction toward the ignition coil-side end, and
the internal turns at the spark plug-side end taper along a longitudinal axis of the spring in a direction away from the spark plug-side end such that the internal turns have a larger diameter at the spark-plug side end than at the ignition coil-side end.

2. The ignition apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein
a predominant length of the spring has a substantially cylindrical outer contour.

3. The ignition apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein
an electrical contact point of the spark plug is placed inside the internal turns and a wire end of the spring wire is further removed from the spark plug-side end of the spring than the electrical contact point.

4. The ignition apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein
an average distance between adjacent external turns is larger than an average distance between adjacent internal turns.

5. A spring for electrically connecting a spark plug to a voltage connection in an ignition apparatus, comprising:
a continuous spring wire formed with external turns configured to extend from an ignition coil-side end of the spring to a spark plug-side end of the spring, wherein
the continuous spring wire continues at the spark plug-side end of the spring forming internal turns within the external turns, the internal turns extending in a direction away from the spark plug-side end toward the ignition coil-side end and being configured to receive an electrical contact point of the spark plug, wherein the internal turns at the spark plug-side end taper along a longitudinal axis of the spring in a direction away from the spark plug-side end such that the internal turns have a larger diameter at the spark-plug side end than at the ignition coil-side end.

6. The spring as claimed in claim 5 , wherein
a predominant length of the spring has a substantially cylindrical outer contour.

7. The spring as claimed in claim 5 , wherein
a wire end of the continuous spring wire extends toward the ignition coil-side end of the spring farther than the electrical contact point of the spark plug.

8. The spring as claimed in claim 5 , wherein
an average distance between adjacent external turns is larger than an average distance between adjacent internal turns.

9. An internal combustion engine with an ignition apparatus as claimed in claim 1 .

10. A motor vehicle with an internal combustion engine as claimed in claim 9 .

Assignees

• Bayerische Motoren Werke Ag

Inventors

• Mayer Christian
• Pawlik Peter

Classifications

• F02P7/00

  Arrangements of distributors, circuit-makers or -breakers, {e.g. of distributor and circuit-breaker combinations} or pick-up devices (advancing or retarding ignition or control therefor F02P5/00; such devices per se, see the relevant classes of Section H, e.g. rotary switches H01H19/00, contact-breakers, distributors H01R39/00, generators H02K) · CPC title

• H01T13/04

  Means providing electrical connection to sparking plugs · CPC title

• F02D2400/22

  Connectors or cables specially adapted for engine management applications · CPC title

• F02P13/00

  Sparking plugs structurally combined with other parts of internal-combustion engines ({connection of ignition coil to spark plug connector F02P3/02;} with fuel injectors F02M57/06 {; spark plug connector per se H01T13/04 – H01T13/06; predominant aspects of sparking plug, see H01T13/40 – H01T13/44}) · CPC title

• F16F1/046

  with partial nesting of inner and outer coils (F16F3/04 takes precedence) · CPC title