US 11,870,222 B2
Spark plug electrode and method of manufacturing the same
Werner Niessner, Steinheim (DE); and Daniel Konig, Rodental (DE)
Assigned to FEDERAL-MOGUL IGNITION GMBH, Neuhaus-Schierschnitz (DE)
Filed by FEDERAL-MOGUL IGNITION GMBH, Neuhaus-Schierschnitz (DE)
Filed on May 4, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/736,594.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/183,762, filed on May 4, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2022/0360053 A1, Nov. 10, 2022
Int. Cl. H01T 13/39 (2006.01); H01T 21/02 (2006.01)
CPC H01T 13/39 (2013.01) [H01T 21/02 (2013.01)] 14 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A spark plug electrode, comprising:
an electrode base;
an electrode tip that is formed on the electrode base and includes a precious metal-based material and a plurality of laser deposition layers, the laser deposition layers are stacked on one another; and
an intermediate layer that is located between the electrode base and the electrode tip, the intermediate layer has a coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) that is between that of the electrode base and the electrode tip;
wherein the intermediate layer includes a whole area connection between the electrode base and the electrode tip, in the whole area connection at least some solidified material from the electrode base has intermixed and/or interfused with at least some solidified material from the electrode tip,
wherein the whole area connection is non-uniform in thickness so that it is thicker in one section than it is in another section,
wherein the whole area connection has a lenticular shape and includes a center section and a radially outboard section, the center section is thicker, in an axial dimension, than the radially outboard section and is located towards a center of the whole area connection,
wherein the whole area connection has an uneven shape and includes a first outboard section and a second outboard section, the first outboard section is located on a first side of the whole area connection and is thicker, in an axial dimension, than the second outboard section which is located on a second side of the whole area connection.