Electrical connectors – Having spark or glow plug cover – Having removable closure
Patent
1995-10-18
1997-07-22
Abrams, Neil
Electrical connectors
Having spark or glow plug cover
Having removable closure
439127, H01R 1344
Patent
active
056498306
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
The present invention relates to ignition leads used in spark-ignition, internal combustion engines. There are now common engines in which access to the spark plugs is severely restricted. In a typical example, each spark plug is seated at the bottom of a well defined by other components of the engine. This gives rise to some difficulty in the removal of and replacement of ignition leads connected with the spark plugs of some engines To overcome this problem, some new vehicles are fitted by the vehicle assembler with a substantially rigid carrier for each spark plug lead. The carrier includes a lower portion for gripping an elastomeric boot associated with the ignition lead and an upper portion adapted to serve as a handle. The handle facilitates manipulation of the boot, which contains a termination of the ignition lead, to engage the termination with and disengage the termination from a terminal of the spark plug.
The length of rigid carrier required differs from one engine to another. It is therefore necessary for a variety of rigid carriers to be manufactured and for an appropriate carrier for use in conjunction with a particular engine to be selected. In a case where a skilled person selects and installs the rigid carrier with a replacement ignition lead, the known carriers may be satisfactory. However, in cases where the person who selects the carrier is unskilled, the existence of a variety of carriers, differing in respect of their lengths, is likely to lead to difficulties for example the selection and purchase of a rigid carrier which is unsuitable for the particular engine with which the replacement carrier and ignition lead are to be used.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided in or for a spark ignition internal combustion engine having a spark plug, an ignition lead connected with the plug and a boot covering a connection between the lead and the plug, a carrier for the boot which carrier comprises a stem and a hollow holder for the boot, the holder and the stem having respective interfitting formations which releasably retain the holder in a selected one of a plurality of alternative positions relative to the stem.
By selecting an appropriate position of the holder relative to the stem, the carrier can be adjusted for use in conjunction with a variety of engines.
In the preferred carrier the stem is hollow, the holder comprises at least two components, each of which extends around only a part of the circumference of the boot, and at least a part of the holder is embraced by the stem so that the stem retains said components in assembled relation with the boot.
According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of connecting m a spark plug of an internal combustion engine an ignition lead having a termination for engaging a terminal of the plug, wherein there is provided a holder for the termination and an elongate stem, the holder is assembled with the termination, the holder is assembled with the stem and is adjusted to a selected position along the stem and wherein the stem is used as a handle during application of the termination to the plug.
Preferably, when the holder has been adjusted to a selected position along the stem, a projection on one of the holder and the stem snaps into an opening in the other of the holder and the stem m retain the holder in the selected position relative to the stem.
There is also provided in accordance with the invention a set of components for use in a method according to the second aspect, the set comprising first and second components adapted to be assembled with each other to form a holder and a hollow stem adapted to receive a portion of the lead and to receive a portion of the holder the stem and at least one of said first and second components having respective formation, for co-operation to releasably restrain movement of the holder relative to the stem.
An example of an assembly embodying he first aspect of the invention and of a method embod
REFERENCES:
patent: 5178550 (1993-01-01), Fusselman et al.
Ellsom Leslie Phillip
Tillsley Martin Barrie
Abrams Neil
Lemark Auto Accessories Limited
Patel T. C.
Silverman Arnold B.
Towner Alan G.
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