Electrical connectors – Having spark or glow plug cover
Reexamination Certificate
1999-08-31
2001-06-19
Paumen, Gary F. (Department: 2833)
Electrical connectors
Having spark or glow plug cover
Reexamination Certificate
active
06247943
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to a connection between a high voltage terminal and a spark plug head and more particularly to a coiled spring disposed between the high voltage terminal and spark plug head and its method of assembly.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Electrical connections between a high voltage terminal and a spark plug head are well known in the art. Typically, a high voltage lead wire extends from a central high voltage source coil assembly. The lead wire contains a high voltage metal sheath with an insulating coating. The metal conductor sheath is connected to a connector usually formed of stamped sheet metal which forms an encircling clamp that snaps onto the spark plug head. An insulating boot is also provided to cover the connection between the high voltage lead wire and the spark plug. This arrangement does not provide any tolerance when assembling the connection. The resilient insulator boot must be sufficiently disposed over the spark plug before the connection can be made with the spark plug head. Furthermore, these prior art arrangements often result in the disconnection between the clamp and metal sheath when the lead wire is disconnected from the spark plug. In this case, the lead wire must be replaced.
It is also known to employ a spring within an electrical connection of a spark plug head. However, prior art connections employing springs are complex, costly, often undesirably and inadvertently connect the spring directly to the spark plug head, and do not provide a positive securement of the spring to the high voltage terminal. Moreover, the prior art devices require complicated techniques and specialized tools to assemble.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
To solve problems of the prior art such as the foregoing, the present invention provides a simplified design for an electrical connection between a spark plug head and a high voltage terminal facilitating easy assembly. A barrel shape coil spring is disposed within a connection portion of a case adjacent a high voltage terminal. A longitudinal rod is inserted into the connector portion and one end of the barrel shaped coil spring is forced over the nipple portion of the high voltage terminal in a snap fit fashion thereby positively securing the spring thereto. The connector portion of the case has a resilient insulator boot secured thereto and extends to and frictionally engages the ceramic insulator portion of the spark plug to maintain the connection. The case and insulator boot is forced onto the spark plug. The spark plug head engages an opposite end of the barrel shaped coil spring to form an electrical connection to the high voltage terminal. The insulator boot frictionally engages the ceramic insulator portion of the spark plug to maintain the connection. The barrel shape of the coil spring offers a smaller height with an increased working length thereby providing a larger tolerance between the high voltage terminal and the spark plug head. Other objects and features of the invention will appear in the course of the description thereof, which follows.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5679012 (1997-10-01), Murata
patent: 5749742 (1998-05-01), Bertuzzi, Jr. et al.
patent: 5949310 (1999-09-01), Nuebel et al.
patent: 5980284 (1999-09-01), Ho et al.
Lively Brian DeWayne
Moga Viorel
Paul Mark Albert
Delphi Technologies Inc.
Dobrowitsky Margaret A.
Nguyen Phuongchi
Paumen Gary F.
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