Patent Description:
Any discussion of the related art throughout the specification should in no way be considered as an admission that such related art is widely known or forms part of common general knowledge in the field. <CIT> discloses an example of a known ion current detector device for use in an internal combustion engine. <CIT> discloses a spark plug with integrated ion current sensor. <CIT> discloses a device for measuring the ionization current in a combustion chamber. <CIT> discloses a spark plug with an ionization current detector electrode. Currently, spark plug-based ionization sensors use the sparking electrode of standard spark plugs to detect ionization in combustion chambers. This is typically done by circuits that are connected to the spark plugs to isolate and measure the ion current that flows during combustion.

Conventional sensors that use unmodified spark plugs typically result in masking or imperfect ion current signals generated during combustion. This occurs because of interference from the high voltage generated by the ignition coils that is applied to the sparking electrode to initiate combustion. In addition, conventional sensors use a circuit connected to the spark plug wire that operates simultaneously with the ignition system.

Described herein is a spark plug combustion ionization sensor. The spark plug combustion ionization sensor includes one or more dedicated ion current sensing electrodes. The dedicated electrode or electrodes can also be shielded and grounded to substantially reduce or eliminate interference from the high voltage applied to the sparking electrode of a spark plug to initiate the combustion process. Like the sparking electrode, the dedicated sensing electrode may typically extend from the upper portion of the spark plug, through the insulating body or a housing, such as a threaded metal housing, and into the combustion chamber. A sensing circuit can then be connected to the sensing electrode to monitor ion current in an engine's cylinder during combustion.

The present invention provides a spark plug, comprising: a sparking electrode; an electrically insulating body having a first end and a second end, wherein the electrically insulating body surrounds at least a portion of the sparking electrode, and wherein the sparking electrode exposed at the first end of the electrically insulating body; a housing surrounding a portion of the electrically insulating body, wherein the housing is adapted for mounting the spark plug in an engine cylinder head; a ground electrode connected to the housing, wherein the ground electrode is positioned to create a spark gap between the sparking electrode and the ground electrode; a sensing electrode extending through either the housing or the electrically insulating body, wherein the sensing electrode is electrically isolated from the sparking electrode, wherein a portion of the sensing electrode is exposed near the ground electrode; an insulating material substantially surrounding the sparking electrode along its length; and an electrically conductive shield substantially surrounding the insulating material along its length, the electrically-conductive shield being electrically isolated from the sensing electrode and the sparking electrode, wherein the electrically-conductive shield substantially reduces electromagnetic interference in the sensing electrode.

In a claimed embodiment, the sensing electrode is electrically isolated from the ground electrode.

In another claimed embodiment, the electrically conductive shield is configured to be conductively coupled to ground.

In another claimed embodiment, the housing comprises a metal and wherein the electrically conductive shield is conductively coupled to the metal.

In another claimed embodiment, the spark plug further comprises at least a second sensing electrode, wherein the second sensing electrode is electrically isolated from the sparking electrode and wherein a portion of the second sensing electrode is exposed at the first end of the electrically insulating body.

In another claimed embodiment, the sensing electrode is substantially tubular and substantially surrounds the sparking electrode along its length, further comprising: an insulating material disposed between the sparking electrode and the sensing electrode (<NUM>) along the length of the sparking electrode.

In yet another claimed embodiment, the housing comprises a metal and wherein the sensing electrode extends through the housing, further comprising insulating material substantially surrounding the sensing electrode along at least part of its length.

In another claimed embodiment, the spark plug further comprises at least a second sensing electrode, the second sensing electrode extending through the metal and comprising a conductive element exposed at the first end of the spark plug, further comprising insulating material substantially surrounding the second sensing electrode along its length.

In another claimed embodiment, the sensing electrode comprises a single conductive element.

In another claimed embodiment, the sensing electrode comprises a plurality of conductive elements, preferably wherein the plurality of conductive elements include a conductive rod and a resistor.

In another claimed embodiment, the sensing electrode comprises a conductive land on the electrically insulating body. In this embodiment, the sensing electrode may comprise a plurality of sensing electrodes configured as conductive lands, preferably wherein the spark plug further comprises conductive leads coupled to the conductive lands and extending through the electrically insulating body. Alternatively, the sensing electrode may be electrically isolated from the ground electrode. Alternatively, the housing may be threaded and comprise a metal.

In another claimed embodiment, the spark plug further comprises an insulating layer substantially surrounding the electrically conductive shield along its length, wherein the sensing electrode is substantially tubular and is disposed between the insulating layer and the electrically insulating body.

There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, some of the embodiments of the spark plug combustion ionization sensor in order that the detailed description thereof may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional embodiments of the spark plug combustion ionization sensor that will be described hereinafter some of which form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto. The scope of the claimed invention is set out in the appended claims.

Hereon in, "embodiment" can relate to an embodiment of the claimed invention (as per the appended claims) or to an embodiment that does not form part of the claimed invention but can represent background art useful for understanding the claimed invention.

Exemplary embodiments will become more fully understood from the detailed description given herein below and the accompanying drawings, wherein like elements are represented by like reference characters, which are given by way of illustration only and thus are not limitative of the example embodiments herein.

A spark plug according to the present invention is shown in <FIG>.

An exemplary spark plug combustion ionization sensor generally comprises a housing, a threaded section that can be screwed into a tapped hole in a cylinder head of an internal combustion engine, a sparking electrode and a ground electrode. In addition, an exemplary sensor may have a dedicated ion current sensing electrode that is electrically isolated from (a) ground and (b) the sparking electrode. As shown in the figures, the sensing electrode may be positioned so that there will not be a spark generated between the two-in other words, so that the spark or sparks will only be generated between the sparking electrode and the ground electrode. This can be accomplished by the distance between the sensing electrode and the sparking electrode, or by different orientations of the electrodes, due to turbulence of the air-fuel mixture in the combustion chamber.

With reference to the Figures, <FIG> and <FIG> show an outer shell (or housing) <NUM> that includes a threaded section 1b machined onto the outer housing for insertion into the tapped hole, as discussed above. The spark plug can be tightened to the proper torque with a standard size socket wrench engaged with hexagonal feature 1c of the outer housing. When the spark plug is installed, its housing <NUM> is seated against the engine's cylinder head by a tapered area or a compression washer (not shown). As with a conventional spark plug, seating the spark plug in the tapped hole creates a ground path for the ground electrode, which is in conductive contact with the threads and the spark plug seat.

The outer housing <NUM> surrounds insulating body <NUM>, which is made of electrically insulating material, which can be, for example, ceramic (i.e., sintered alumina, alumina silicate, silicon nitride, or mixtures of ceramics). A thin metal sealing washer <NUM> and an elastic O-ring <NUM> may be positioned between the contact areas of the outer housing <NUM> and the insulating body <NUM> to seal in the combustion gases and maintain pressure inside the combustion chamber, as shown in <FIG>. Body <NUM> typically has high dielectric strength combined with good thermal conductivity. The body <NUM> can accommodate either a single-piece sparking electrode <NUM> (see <FIG>) or a multipiece unit (e.g., <FIG> and <FIG>) that incorporates a radio frequency noisesuppressing resistor <NUM> and also includes a metal connection terminal <NUM>, a conductive rod <NUM>, and a conductive, corrosion-resistant sparking electrode <NUM>. Terminal <NUM> provides for a connection to ignition system <NUM> (<FIG>) to the sparking electrode <NUM> through a standard snap-fit connector or a threaded connector.

As also shown, the sensor spark plug also includes a i-shaped ground electrode 1a positioned to create a spark gap with the sparking electrode so that an ignition spark will be generated between the sparking electrode <NUM> and the ground electrode 1a to start the combustion process. <FIG> show different possible orientations of ground electrode 1a that are possible, and that may be used based on the in-cylinder turbulence generated by the tumble/swirl flow of the fuel-air mixture passing through the intake port of the engine.

In addition to the components mentioned above, <FIG> and <FIG> also show a dedicated, electrically-insulated sensing electrode <NUM> that extends into the combustion chamber. Ion current sensing electrode <NUM> is electrically isolated from sparking electrode <NUM> and ground electrode 1a. Sensing electrode <NUM> can be made out of an electrically conductive material that extends on one end into the combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine, and can be connected at the other end to a signal processing unit <NUM> as shown in <FIG>. Sensing electrode <NUM> can be a onepiece solid rod, or alternatively, it can be comprised of or connected to multiple elements such as a conductive rod, resistors, capacitors, or any set of components capable of carrying ion current through the body of the spark plug. In addition to the configuration shown in <FIG>; the sensing electrode <NUM> can also be configured as a tube, as shown in <FIG>. In this configuration, sensing electrode <NUM> can be arranged coaxially to surround sparking electrode <NUM>, with an insulating tube <NUM> serving to electrically isolate the two elements.

Referring again to <FIG>, the dedicated sensing electrode <NUM> is surrounded by an insulating tube <NUM> or other insulating material, which in turn is surrounded by electromagnetic interference shield <NUM>, which can be conductively coupled to ground. One possible way shield <NUM> can be coupled to ground is by laser welding to the outer housing <NUM>. Such a weld could, for example, be used in <FIG> where the shield <NUM> exits the top of outer housing <NUM>. In other configurations, such as that of <FIG>, where the shield is not necessarily adjacent to the outer housing, the shield can be grounded through an electrical connector, such as the electrical connector used to connect to the top end of sensing electrode <NUM>. Shielding the sensing electrode <NUM> has the advantage of minimizing the electromagnetic noise imposed on the ion current signal during sparking, or from any other possible source.

<FIG> shows an alternate arrangement, where sensing electrode <NUM> is still positioned within an insulating tube <NUM> or is insulating using other insulating material, but the resulting assembly is contained within the outer metal housing <NUM> of the spark plug, which as discussed above, is grounded. In this arrangement, a separate shield surrounding the sensing electrode is not required, since the grounded housing acts as a shield, Either configuration (e.g., 1A or 1B) can substantially reduce or eliminate electromagnetic interference in the sensed ion current signal, which allows for more accurate and simplified measurement of combustion within the cylinder. Further, as shown in <FIG>, the sensing electrode <NUM> can be substantially parallel to the sparking electrode <NUM>, or as shown in <FIG>, it can be at an angle to the sparking electrode if necessary to accommodate connectors or for better clearance with other parts of the spark plug.

Any number of known techniques can be used to make an electrical connection from the top of sensing electrode <NUM> to signal processing circuitry. For example, the top of electrode <NUM> can be configured to mate with a conventional automotive-type connector in order to allow wiring to a signal processing unit, such as signal processing unit <NUM> shown in <FIG>.

Other electrode configurations are possible. For example, as shown in <FIG>, multiple sensing electrodes <NUM> are arranged in a land-type configuration. In this configuration, the sensing electrodes comprise conductive lands on the spark plug's insulating body with electrically conductive leads or other elements passing through or on body <NUM> to the top end of the spark plug, where they can be connected as described herein to sensing circuitry. The conductive lands that comprise sensing electrodes <NUM> may also be printed using an electrically conductive material or alloy on the outer surface of body <NUM>.

As also shown in <FIG>, multiple sensing electrodes <NUM>, rather than the single element shown in <FIG> and <FIG>, can also be used. In this arrangement, electrodes <NUM> pass through multiple holes in body <NUM>. These holes and electrodes can be also used for multiple purposes, such as fuel injector nozzles or multiple sparking electrodes (as shown in <FIG>). Further, in a configuration with multiple sparking electrodes, some or all of the sparking electrodes can also be used for ion current measurement. One such configuration is shown in <FIG>. In this configuration, one or more of the sparking electrodes can be used as dedicated ion sensing probes, so that the electrodes are no longer used for sparking, but as discussed above, can be used in conjunction with a signal processing unit such as signal processing unit <NUM> in <FIG>, to measure ion current.

In some cases, it may be advantageous to modify the spark plug bore of the cylinder head in order to allow for an unconventional spark plug, as shown in <FIG>. This would allow for installation of an ion sensor assembly with different shapes and designs, to ensure the integrity of the ion current signal without the space constraints of conventional spark plug shapes and sizes. The spark plug shown in <FIG> can still include all the basic elements discussed above regarding <FIG>.

As shown in <FIG>, additional tubular elements can be added to an arrangement similar to <FIG>. In this claimed arrangement, the sparking electrode <NUM> is surrounded by insulator 11a, which in turn is surrounded by shield <NUM>, which can be grounded. Another insulating layer 11b surrounds shield <NUM>, which is further surrounded by sensing electrode <NUM>, configured here as a tube as in <FIG>. In this claimed embodiment, rather than surrounding an individual sensing electrode, shield <NUM> operates as a shield around the sparking electrode, so that even if multiple sensing electrodes are used, they will be shielded from electromagnetic noise.

In the claimed embodiment of <FIG>, the sparking electrode is also surrounded by an insulator <NUM> and shield <NUM>. In this claimed embodiment, a dedicated sensing electrode <NUM> can pass through the insulating body without the need for a shield immediately surrounding electrode <NUM>, since the sparking electrode is shielded.

Referring to <FIG>, in a typical spark-ignited internal combustion engine, an engine control unit <NUM> sends a spark timing command to the ignition system <NUM> of the desired engine cylinder to fire based on the firing order of the engine. Electric current flows to the sparking electrode <NUM> passing through the conducting rod <NUM> and the radio frequency noise cancelling resistor <NUM> (<FIG>) generating high voltage across the spark gap. A spark is then generated between the sparking electrode <NUM> and the ground electrode 1a when the voltage across the spark gap exceeds the dielectric strength of the air-fuel mixture within the spark gap, to initiate a flame kernel followed by the combustion process including flame propagation across the combustion chamber.

The energy released by the sparking and flame propagation ionizes the fuel-air mixture in the combustion chamber, producing ions and free electrons during the combustion process. To measure this combustion ionization, a DC or AC voltage can be supplied to the sensing electrode <NUM> to attract ions and electrons and complete the circuit between the insulated electrode and the engine block and/or in-cylinder multiengine components. Electrons and negative ions are attracted to the positively charged electrode tip while positive ions are attracted to the ground electrode or any ground path present in the cylinder. This movement of electrons and ions results in closing the ionization circuit, allowing ion current to flow through a resistor with a known value in the signal processing unit <NUM>. Ion current can be calculated in unit <NUM> by dividing the measured voltage across the resistor by the resistor value, or by other known means.

The ion current measured in this manner has a minimum of interference from the voltage generated to cause the ignition spark. For example, the ion current path is not the same path caused by the sparking electrode <NUM>, and may flow from the sensing electrode to ground in a different location than the ground electrode of the spark plug. For this reason and due to the shielding of the dedicated sensing electrode, the ionization current produced by the dedicated electrode provides a more accurate representation of combustion events within the cylinder, relatively unaffected by the sparking electrode.

An ion signal can be detected from the very first generation of free ions and electrons inside the combustion chamber through the sensing electrode without the interference of the electromagnetic noise generated by the ignition process. In cases of multi-sparking events where multiple sparks take place within the same engine cycle, the ion current signal can still be captured from start to finish with little or no interference from the ignition event.

Since the ion current signal is produced by ionizing the air-fuel mixture species depending on in-cylinder temperature, pressure, equivalence ratio and other operating parameters, it is possible to quantify the ionized species and obtain combustion and emission parameters using the measured ion current signal.

An in-cylinder combustion ionization signal obtained from the sensor can be used as a feedback signal to provide cycle-by-cycle and cylinder-by-cylinder control over the combustion process in internal combustion engines. Such control can be used to help engines meet stringent emission standards and also to achieve improved fuel economy. In addition, advanced combustion techniques such as lean homogeneous operation or lean stratified operation can be used successfully on engines using combustion feedback derived from the ion current signal. Combustion abnormalities such as engine knocking, misfires or late firing can also be detected with such a signal.

The claimed embodiments herein enable in-cylinder sensing such as the measurement of ion current signal through a dedicated electrically insulated probe introduced to the combustion chamber, without any interference from the ignition event caused by the high voltage generated by the ignition coils and applied to the sparking electrode to initiate combustion. Sparking operation can occur simultaneously with in-cylinder ion current sensing with minimum or no distortion to the shape of the ion current signal. The exemplary, dedicated ion current sensor also has the advantage of eliminating the need to use additional circuitry to separate or isolate the ion current signal from the spark generating voltage.

As discussed, since a single-purpose, isolated circuit can be used to measure ion current, the monitoring circuitry in signal processing unit <NUM> can be in operation continuously. For example, an AC or DC bias signal can be applied to one or more dedicated ion current sensing probes continuously, even when the spark command is present. Thus, as soon as conditions in the cylinder permit ion current flow, it can be measured by the sensing electrode and its associated circuitry in signal processing unit <NUM>.

Experiments have shown that it is advantageous to shield the electrically insulated ion current probe against electromagnetic interference from spark generation. Such shielding can be achieved by, for example, installing a metal tube around the electrically insulated sensing electrode, the metal tube also being conductively coupled to ground through the outer threaded housing. <FIG> show data recorded during experiments to test the effect of electromagnetic interference from the sparking event on the ion current signal. In the experiment, a time-based ignition command was fed to the ignition system <NUM> of the spark plug without running the engine. A shielded and also an unshielded ion current measurement electrode was used. <FIG> shows the results using an unshielded ion sensing electrode. A false signal corresponding to spark generation can be clearly seen. Had the engine been running, this undesired signal would be imposed on the ion current signal, making it more difficult to accurately measure the ion current. <FIG> shows the voltage measured at the shielded probe, which illustrates the effectiveness of the shield, because little or no voltage caused by unwanted electromagnetic interference is present.

<FIG> illustrates a comparison of signals as they would be present in a running engine with respect to a conventional ionization measurement system and the various embodiments disclosed herein. The solid line shows the ion current signal from a shielded, dedicated sensor as discussed and illustrated herein. The dotted line illustrates an ionization signal from a conventional spark plug ionization system, where the sparking electrode is also used as an ion current electrode. The unwanted current signal is typically present in any circuit arrangement because the same electrode and the same wire is used to carry the sensed current to the detection circuitry. As can be further seen in <FIG>, the signal from the conventional ionization system has significant voltage present that is not due to only ionization within the cylinder, but also due to electromagnetic interference that may need to be accounted for in order to utilize the desired ion current signal. When using the signal from a conventional ionization system, the actual ionization current signal is masked by electromagnetic interference present from the sparking voltage. As can be seen in <FIG>, it may be difficult or impossible to determine exactly when combustion (as indicated by ionization current) begins, due to voltage present from other sources in the detection circuit.

Claim 1:
A spark plug, comprising: a
sparking electrode (<NUM>);
an electrically insulating body (<NUM>) having a first end and a second end, wherein the electrically insulating body (<NUM>) surrounds at least a portion of the sparking electrode (<NUM>), and wherein the sparking electrode (<NUM>) exposed at the first end of the electrically insulating body (<NUM>);
a housing (<NUM>) surrounding a portion of the electrically insulating body (<NUM>), wherein the housing (<NUM>) is adapted for mounting the spark plug in an engine cylinder head;
a ground electrode (1a) connected to the housing (<NUM>), wherein the ground electrode (1a) is positioned to create a spark gap between the sparking electrode (<NUM>) and the ground electrode (1a);
a sensing electrode (<NUM>) extending through either the housing (<NUM>) or the electrically insulating body (<NUM>), wherein the sensing electrode (<NUM>) is electrically isolated from the sparking electrode (<NUM>), wherein a portion of the sensing electrode (<NUM>) is exposed near the ground electrode (1a);
characterized in that, the spark plug further comprises:
an insulating material substantially surrounding the sparking electrode (<NUM>) along its length; and
an electrically conductive shield (<NUM>) substantially surrounding the insulating material along its length, the electrically-conductive shield (<NUM>) being electrically isolated from the sensing electrode (<NUM>) and the sparking electrode (<NUM>), wherein the electrically-conductive shield (<NUM>) substantially reduces electromagnetic interference in the sensing electrode (<NUM>).