US3110051A

US3110051A - Means for removal of deposits from within a spark plug

Info

Publication number: US3110051A
Application number: US175623A
Authority: US
Inventors: Chalup Ludwig
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1962-02-26
Filing date: 1962-02-26
Publication date: 1963-11-12
Anticipated expiration: 1980-11-12

Description

L. CHALUP Nov. 12, 1963 MEANS FOR REMOVAL OF DEPOSITS FROM WITHIN A SPARK PLUG Filed Feb. 26, 1962 LUDWIG CHALUP.

3 3 -2. fir:

ATTORNEY.

United States Patent 3,110,051 WANS FUR REMGVAL 0F DEPGSITS FRQM WITHIN A SPARK PLUG Ludwig Chalup, 612 Glenmont Drive, Solana Beach, Calif. Filed Feb. 26, 1962, Ser. No. 175,623 3 Claims. ((11. -1641) This invention relates generally to an article of manufacture for use in the removal of deposits from within a spark plug.

Spark plugs are generally employed in internal combustion engine usage to provide a high intensity electric spark within the combustion chamber to ignite combustible material therein contained. During the process of the operation of the spark plug, some of the cornbustible materials are either ionized or otherwise decomposed and deposited within the spark plug, particularly on the walls opposite the insulator portion of the spark plug within its body. Such deposits, which may include carbon and lead oxides of various kinds, and other deposits, resulting from the use of the plug in the combustion zone, tend to build up on the internal portion of the spark plug. This build-up is deleterious to the operation of the spark plug. The build-up normally causes two important difiiculties in its operation. One of these is undue heating of the spark plug body as the deposit buildup prevents the rapid distribution of heat to the rest of the motor through the spark plug body. The other results when suflicient deposits have built up, to cause electrical shorting of the plug so that the plug no longer acts as an igniter, but instead transmits the current flow directly through its body, to ground, thus failing to ignite the combustible material.

There have been known in the art, various means and devices for cleaning the deposits or residues from the spark plug. Generally speaking, these prior art devices were either too cumbersome for the average user thereof to carry with him, or they had structural difficulty and failed to stand up under usage. Furthermore, I have found that under constant use of some of the prior art devices, they fail to provide the necessary removal action in order to positively remove these deposits from within the spark plug surfaces. Their short duration of usefulness is deplored.

The present invention overcomes these prior art deficiencies in that it is physically a small article of manufacture which is capable of removing through positive action, the deposits from within the spark plug. As the article removes the deposits, it continuously receives a sharpening of its removal edges. The present invention further provides removal edges not only along its longitudinal dimension, but also at the tip of its prongs. The latter edges are provided so that the carbon deposits may also be removed at the base of the internal surface at which the insulator and the internal surface of the spark plug body meet. All removal edges receive a sharpening action from the spark plug body as they traverse its surface.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an article of manufacture for removal of spark plug deposits, which is simple in manufacture and trouble free in operation.

It is another object of the present invention to provide an article of manufacture for removal of deposits from within a sparkplug, which exerts a continuous self-sharp ening action against the spark plug surface being cleaned, thus retaining the sharpness of its cutting edges.

It is another object of the present invention to provide in an article of manufacture for removal of deposits from within a spark plug, strengthened end prongs for deposit removal from the spark plug, to enhance the digging or cutting operation in deposit removal.

It is another object of the present invention to provide in an article of manufacture for removal of deposits from Within a spark plug, a plurality of V-shaped prongs having cutting edges along its exterior surfaces including the pointed radius edges thereof, to enhance the cutting and deposit removal operation of material.

It is another object of the present invention to provide in an article of manufacture for removal of deposits from within a spark plug, a plurality of prongs formed into a pattern along the circumference of a circle in excess of a semi-circle and less than a complete circle, to enhance the usefulness of said tool by an operator, enabling it to work in areas adjacent the electrode emanating from the spark plug body.

Objects and advantages other than those set forth above will be apparent from the following description when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a view in perspective pictorially representing the use and operation of and including the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a side view or" the article of manufacture for removal of deposits from within a spark plug;

FIGURE 3 is a front view in elevation of the said article of manufacture;

FIGURE 4 is a view of a flat development of the basic unitary article of manufacture with its handle removed;

FIGURE 5 is a View in section, through the body of the spark plug and the insulator, enlarged considerably, to illustrate the use of the article and the positioning of its plurality of prongs against the inner surface of the spark plug areas.

Adverting particularly to FIGURE 1, there is shown and exemplified a spark plug construction 10 having an electrode 12 and a center electrode 14, and presenting an internal or inner surface 16, upon which the carbon and other deposits heretofore spoken' of, usually are found to be deposited. Further exemplified for purposes of explanation only, are a pair of operators hands (not numbered) which may employ the article'of manu facture for removal of deposits from within a spark plug. The article of manufacture is hereinafter referred to as cleaning tool 18. It should be noted that cleaning tool 18 is physically inserted between the inner surface .16 of spark plug 10, and the center electrode 14. The cleaning tool 18 is then rotated clockwise, then counter-clockwise, in a back and forth type operation, to eli'ect the removal of carbon, lead oxides and other type deposits which have been deposited on the interior surface 16 thus enhancing the usability and operability of the spark plug.

FIGURES 2 and 3 exemplify the construction of cleaning tool 18 in greater detail. To further aid in the description of cleaning tool 18, which is shown in FIG- URES 2 and 3 with a handle 24} encompassing a handle portion 22, the handle 2%} has been removed from the handle portion 22 and illustrated in FIGURE 4 as a fiat or planar development of the basic unitary portion of tool 18 without the handle 21 Thus the handle portion 22 is exposed and the remainder of the tool is simplified to aid in its explanation and specification.

Emanating from the handle portion 22 there is a body portion 24 extending from the handle portion to a prong portion 26. I prefer in constructing the tool, to form it as a fiat blank, as shown in FIGURE 4, with the handle portion 22 and the prong portion 26 extending the width of the tool, as viewed in FIGURE 4, and extending along the width of the tool, and the body section 24 being recessed from the width of the tool. The tool

unitary portion

22, 24 and 26 is initially formed as a thin plate, having a slight thickness 28 as shown in FIGURE 3.

Thereafter the plate is formed into a circular pattern lying along the circumference of a circle, producing the tool 13 as shown in FIGURES 2 and 3. In so shaping the fiat developed plate of FIGURE 4, all of the prongs 26 will lie along the circumference of the circle and will thus present their edges slightly bowed against the internal surface of the spark plug 10, as shown in FIGURE 5.

The prong portion 26, of course, is the portion of the tool 18 which efiects the work action to remove the deposits. Prongs 26 are of two types. The first, a plurality of inverted V-shaped flexible prongs 3i emanate from the prong portion 26, and extend therefrom in an elongated pattern presenting prongs having greater longitudinal dimension than width dimension, and being integrally joined at their base 32 as prong portion 26. Integrally formed therewith, and likewise joined at the base of the prong portion 26 and emanating therefrom, are two end flexible prongs 34, each of'which has one side thereof continuing the V-shape of its adjacent prong 3t and the other side thereof perpendicularly arranged as viewed in FIGURE 4, with respect thereto, and forming the outer edge of the tool 18. The V-shaped prongs 31) together with the end prongs 34 define intermediate adjacent of the prongs, V-shaped

deposit receiving areas

36 and 38. Receiving areas 38 intermediate the V-shaped prongs 3%), are provided with a predetermined trough angle 40. The V-shaped receiving areas 36 intermediate V-shaped prong 3t} and the end prong 34 is provided with a trough angle 42 greater than the predetermined angle 40; The trough angle 42 is provided with greater angularity so as to provide enhanced flexibility in each of the end prongs 34. Further, the provision of the greater angularity to support the end prong structure aids in its initial cutting and digging action against the deposits on the interior surface 16 of the spark plug 10.

Each of the prongs 3t) and 34 present a plurality of scraping edges 44 along their sides and an additional scraping edge 46 at the vertex of the V-shape of the prongs 3t 34. Edges 44, and, to a certain degree, edges 46, as applied to remove the deposits from the plug, bear against the inner surface 16 and accept from the inner surface of 'the plug 10 a self-sharpening action of the edges, as the removal of the deposits from the inner surface of the plug is being effected, and edges 44, particularly, contact Surface 16. This is more readily shown in the enlargement of the plug 10, and cross-sections of the

prongs

30, 34, as shown in FIGURE 5. The action of the

prongs

30, 34 against the internal surface 12 of the plug 10 showing how the circular forming of the tool 18 causes the prongs 3034 to constantly present their edges 44 to the interior surface 12 at an attack or cutting angle with respect to the internal surface 12 due also in part to the slight bowing at 47 of FIGURE 5.

FIGURE 5 further illustrates the formation of the tool 18 into a circular pattern along the circumference of the circle, as defined by the interior surface 16 of plug 10, prongs 30, 34 lying substantially along that circumference. The extent of the tool along this circumference is an angle 50, in excess of a semi-circular circumferential dimension of 180 and less than that of a full circle. The body portion 24 is provided with a curved dimension less than the semi-circular dimension. This is desired in the present invention, so that the prong portion 26 may readily pass under and beyond the electrode 16, permitting the body portion 24 to butt against and limit the furthest rotational movement of the tool in the plug 19. Thus the entire internal surface 16 of the plug 16 will receive the scraping action of the

prongs

30, 34 to effect deposit removal.

Further, the tool 18 when fully inserted into the spark plug 10, will utilize its tip edges 46 of prongs 3t), 34 to provide the scraping action intermediate and at the junction of the internal surface 16 with he insul or of he 4 center electrode 14, generally shown as circular surface 52. The prongs 3t 34 as Well as the unitary part of tool 18, including handle portion 22, body portion 24, and

prong portion 26, is preferably constructed of a fully hardened stainless steel of, for example, between .015 and .020 inch thickness, and preferably less than .028 inch, generally known as Type 39'1'Stainless full hard steel, for best flexibility of the tool 18 and that of its prongs 3t 34.

I prefer also to provide each of the trough angles 46, 42 and the edges 46 at the vertex of each of the prongs 30, as with a curved vertex rather than an abrupt vertex with a point, so that the possibility of tearing of the metal is minimized.

To further enhance the use and function of the tool, I provide intermediate the terminating area between the body portion 24 and the prong portion 26, a shoulder area 54 which consists of a generally reversed curved or ogee shaped edge as shown in FIGURE 4. As tool 13 is operated in its rotation in plug 16, the surface '54 may come into contact with the electrode 12 of plug 16. Surface 54 provides for a freely engaging and releasing surface area from the electrode, and prevents binding of the two metal parts, thus enhancing the ease of operation of the cleaning tool 18.

The preferred embodiment of the cleaning tool utilizes three prongs 3t) and two end prongs 34, thus providing therebetween four V-shaped deposit receiving areas 3538, being therefore able to produce a tool of convenient size for the user thereof.

In operation the tool 18 is inserted into the plug 10, bringing its

prongs

30, 34 to bear against the inner surface 16 of the plug 11). Tool 18 is rotated back and forth with respect to the inner surface 16. The edges 44 cause removal of the deposits from the surface 16, which in turn are received in the receiving

areas

36, 38 of the tool 18. The tool 18 having completed its action, may be removed therefrom, carrying a portion of the deposits along, in the

deposit receiving areas

36, 38, and the remainder may be shaken from the plug 10 by inverting it, and letting the deposits fall out.

The particular embodiment of the invention illustrated and described herein, is illustrative only, and the invention includes such other modifications and equivalents as may readily appear to those skilled in the art, within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. An articleof manufacture for the removal of deposits from within a spark plug comprising:

(fl) a plurality of V-shaped flexible prongs joined together at their bases and having two end flexible prongs associated therewith, said end prongs being positioned one each at opposite extremities of said plurality of V-shaped prongs and extending in the same direction as the V-shaped prongs, said V-shaped prongs and said end prongs together defining therebetween V-shaped deposit receiving areas for removed deposits, said receiving areas intermediate the V-shaped prongs having a predetermined trough angle, the V-shaped areas intermediate the end prong and the next adjacent V-shaped prong having a trough angle greater than said predetermined trough angle, each of said prongs having a scraping edge extending the length of both sides and around the vertex of the prongs, the prongs being joined at their bases to form in a lateral cross-section a portion of a circle, said portion being greater than a semi-circular ircumferential dimension and less than a full circle;

(2) a body portion having a lateral cross-section chord forming part of said circle, said chord having a dimension less than a semi-circular dimension, said body portion extending in direction oppositely from, and carrying, said prongs;

(3) a handle portion extend-ing from the body portion for carrying the article;

(4) and a handle encompassing the handle portion for use by an operator in utilizing said article.

2. The invention in accordance With claim 1, in which each of the trough angles is defined by a pair of straight sides meeting at a curved vertex.

3. The invention in accordance with claim 1 in which said body portion has a circumferential dimension which is less than the circumferential dimension of said base portion and said body portion and said base portion are References Cited in the file of this patent connected to one another by a reversed curved edge hav- 10 310441093 UNITED STATES PATENTS Gender Sept. 6, 1921 Tarbox Nov. 6, 1923 Scott May 29, 1928 Malchow July 17, 1962

Claims

1. AN ARTICLE OF MANUFACTURE FOR THE REMOVAL OF DEPOSITS FROM WITHIN A SPARK PLUG COMPRISING: (1) A PLURALITY OF V-SHAPED FLEXIBLE PRONGS JOINED TOGETHER AT THEIR BASES AND HAVING TWO END FLEXIBLE PRONGS ASSOCIATED THEREWITH, SAID END PRONGS BEING POSITIONED ONE EACH AT OPPOSITE EXTREMITIES OF SAID PLURALITY OF V-SHAPED PRONGS AND EXTENDING IN THE SAME DIRECTION AS THE V-SHAPED PRONGS, SAID V-SHAPED PRONGS AND SAID END PRONGS TOGETHER DEFINING THEREBETWEEN V-SHAPED DEPOSIT RECEIVING AREAS FOR REMOVED DEPOSITS, SAID RECEIVING AREAS INTERMEDIATE THE V-SHAPED PRONGS HAVING A PREDETERMINED TROUGH ANGLE, THE V-SHAPED AREAS INTERMEDIATE THE END PRONG AND THE NEXT ADJACENT V-SHAPED PRONG HAVING A TROUGH ANGLE GREATER THAN SAID PREDETERMINED TROUGH ANGLE, EACH OF SAID PRONGS HAVING A SCRAPING EDGE EXTENDING THE LENGTH OF BOTH SIDES AND AROUND THE VERTEX OF THE PRONGS, THE PRONGS BEING JOINED AT THEIR BASES TO FORM IN A LATERAL CROSS-SECTION A PORTION OF A CIRCLE, SAID PORTION BEING GREATER THAN A SEMI-CIRCULAR CIRCUMFERENTIAL DIMENSION AND LESS THAN A FULL CIRCLE; (2) A BODY PORTION HAVING A LATERAL CROSS-SECTION CHORD FORMING PART OF SAID CIRCLE, SAID CHORD HAVING A DIMENSION LESS THAN A SEMI-CIRCULAR DIMENSION, SAID BODY PORTION EXTENDING IN DIRECTION OPPOSITELY FROM, AND CARRYING, SAID PRONGS; (3) A HANDLE PORTION EXTENDING FROM THE BODY PORTION FOR CARRYING THE ARTICLE; (4) AND A HANDLE ENCOMPASSING THE HANDLE PORTION FOR USE BY AN OPERATOR IN UTILIZING SAID ARTICLE.