US 11,990,731 B2
Spark plug electrode and method of manufacturing same
David L. Francis, Sperry, IA (US); Scott J. Myers, Burlington, IA (US); and Joshua S. Farley, Mt. Pleasant, IA (US)
Assigned to FEDERAL-MOGUL IGNITION LLC, Southfield, MI (US)
Appl. No. 17/603,128
Filed by Federal-Mogul Ignition LLC, Southfield, MI (US)
PCT Filed Apr. 29, 2020, PCT No. PCT/US2020/030566
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Oct. 12, 2021,
PCT Pub. No. WO2020/223413, PCT Pub. Date Nov. 5, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2022/0200246 A1, Jun. 23, 2022
Int. Cl. H01T 13/32 (2006.01); H01T 13/16 (2006.01); H01T 13/39 (2006.01); H01T 21/02 (2006.01)
CPC H01T 13/32 (2013.01) [H01T 13/16 (2013.01); H01T 13/39 (2013.01); H01T 21/02 (2013.01)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A spark plug electrode, comprising:
a firing end;
a welding end;
a multi-piece core assembly at least partially extending between the firing end and the welding end and having a thermally conductive core portion and a weldable core portion,
the thermally conductive core portion has a first end and a second end, is located closer to the firing end than is the weldable core portion, and is configured to conduct heat within the electrode,
the weldable core portion has a first end and a second end, is located closer to the welding end than is the thermally conductive core portion, and is configured to be welded to a spark plug shell; and
a cladding surrounding the multi-piece core assembly along an entire length of the multi-piece core assembly,
wherein the thermally conductive core portion and the weldable core portion are arranged in series within the multi-piece core assembly such that the second end of the thermally conductive core portion is aligned with the first end of the weldable core portion, and material from the weldable core portion and material from the cladding are aligned on a welding surface that is configured to be joined to the spark plug shell.