Abstract:
An ignition terminal assembly including a serpentine conduction element having an end and a formed terminal connected to said end.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
     This is a non-provisional application based upon U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 60/561,734, entitled “IGNITION TERMINAL”, filed Apr. 13, 2004. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to an electrical assembly, and, more particularly, to an ignition terminal assembly. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Gasoline engines are one type of internal combustion engines that have cylinder blocks, which contain individual cylinders. Each cylinder is closed at one end by a cylinder head that is attached to the engine block. A piston moves within the cylinder to transfer energy from expanding gases into mechanical movement. In a spark-ignition engine a cylinder head contains sparkplug holes, which are threaded to receive spark plugs therein. Each spark plug includes a central electrical terminal that is available for connection with a mating terminal that is electrically connected to a spark ignition system. 
     A high voltage ignition coil is typically placed in electrical connection with each spark plug at an appropriate time and an electrical excitation of the ignition coil causes a high voltage pulse to transfer from the coil along a conduction element through an ignition terminal to the spark plug. The spark plug has a gap across which the electrical high voltage arcs causing the fuel in the cylinder, which has been compressed by the piston to ignite. 
     Electromagnetic interference from the passing of high voltage to the spark plug and the arcing within the cylinder can lead to undesirable electromagnetic interference. 
     What is needed in the art is a cost effective terminal that effectively reduces electromagnetic interference. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention, in one form thereof, comprises an ignition terminal assembly including a serpentine conduction element having an end and a formed terminal connected to the end. 
     The present invention, in another form thereof, comprises a method of forming an ignition terminal assembly including the steps of forming a serpentine element in a planar form and bending the serpentine element into a quasi-cylindrical shape. 
     An advantage of the present invention is that the serpentine shape adds resistance to the terminal assembly and forms a resilient spring-like construct. 
     Yet another advantage is that the terminal may be formed from a planar material. 
     Yet another advantage of the present invention is that a serpentine conduction path may be formed around a resistive element. 
     Yet another advantage of the present invention is that the interaction of a serpentine conduction path and a resistive element allows a distributed resistive effect for reducing electromagnetic interference. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The above-mentioned and other features and advantages of this invention, and the manner of attaining them, will become more apparent and the invention will be better understood by reference to the following description of an embodiment of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
         FIG. 1  illustrates two elements of an embodiment of the ignition terminal assembly of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a side view of the ignition terminal assembly of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is another side view of the ignition terminal assembly of  FIGS. 1 and 2 ; and 
         FIG. 4  is an application of the ignition terminal assembly of  FIGS. 1–3  in a sparkplug interface module. 
       Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views. The exemplification set out herein illustrates one preferred embodiment of the invention, in one form, and such exemplification is not to be construed as limiting the scope of the invention in any manner. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly to  FIGS. 1–3 , there is illustrated an ignition terminal assembly  10  including a resistive element  12 , a serpentine conduction element  16 , a first terminal  18  and a second terminal  20 . Resistive element  12 , which may be a ferrite resistor  12  is of a generally cylindrical shape having an electrical resistive property. 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 , a flat form  14  is cut or stamped resulting in a serpentine conduction element  16 , first terminal  18  and a second terminal  20  all in a flat form. Serpentine conduction element  16  has a quasi-sinusoidal path that conductively links terminal  18  in terminal  20 . The quasi-sinusoidal shape of serpentine conduction element  16  increases the electrical resistance between terminal  18  and terminal  20 , due to its narrow cross-section. Additionally, the resilient nature of the material of ignition terminal assembly  10  allows serpentine conduction element  16  to provide a spring-like interaction between terminal  18  and terminal  20 . 
     Serpentine conduction element  16  along with first terminal  18  and second terminal  20  are formed into a cylindrical or quasi-cylindrical shape as shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 . Ferrite resistor  12  can be utilized as an internal form in the forming process of serpentine conduction element  16  or ferrite resistor  12  may be inserted therein after the forming of the cylindrical-like shape of serpentine conduction element  16 . As can be seen in  FIG. 2 , the peaks and valleys of the quasi-sinusoidal shape do not touch, thereby allowing a distributed resistive effect to occur between terminal  18  and terminal  20 . Ferrite resistor  12  co-acts with serpentine conduction element  16  to provide the distributed resistive effect. Serpentine conduction element  16  is in electrical contact with ferrite resistor  12  in a plurality of locations along the length of ferrite resistor  12 . If force is applied along a longitudinal axis of ignition terminal assembly  10 , serpentine conduction element  16  acts as a spring-like element and compresses or expands depending on the direction of the force applied thereto. The shape of serpentine conduction element  16 , as illustrated in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , can be described as a cylindrical serpentine shape. 
     Terminals  18  and  20  are formed and are either attached to serpentine conduction element  16  or are formed as an integral assembly as illustrated in  FIGS. 1–3 . Terminals  18  and  20  each have projections which interact with an open slot to thereby retain the shape of terminals  18  and  20 . 
     Referring now to  FIG. 4 , there is shown an assembly  22  that incorporates the use of ignition terminal assembly  10  therein. Assembly  22  may be a spark plug wire terminal or a separate ignition device either of which provide high voltage to terminal  20 . Assembly  10  can advantageously be used in either type of application. 
     While this invention has been described as having a preferred design, the present invention can be further modified within the spirit and scope of this disclosure. This application is therefore intended to cover any variations, uses, or adaptations of the invention using its general principles. Further, this application is intended to cover such departures from the present disclosure as come within known or customary practice in the art to which this invention pertains and which fall within the limits of the appended claims.