An igniter having at least two electrodes spaced from each other by an insulating member having a substantially continuous surface along a path between the electrodes. The electrodes extend substantially parallel to each other for a distance both above and below said surface. The insulating member has a channel (recess) for receiving at least a portion of a length of at least one of said electrodes below and to said surface of the insulating member. The surface of the insulating member may preferably be augmented with a conductivity enhancing agent. The insulating member and electrodes are configured so that an electric field between the electrodes at said surface does not have abrupt field intensity changes, whereby when a potential is applied to the electrodes sufficient to cause breakdown to occur between the electrodes, discharge occurs at said surface of the insulating member to define a plasma initiation region.

A spark plug having multiple spark gaps, where at least one of the spark gaps is located within a prechamber. The spark plug may include a first center wire assembly, a second center wire assembly, an insulator, a metallic shell, a first sparking area with a prechamber cap and a ground electrode for a prechamber spark gap, and a second sparking area with a ground electrode for a main chamber spark gap. The spark plug is designed to maximize engine performance and/or operation by utilizing the multiple spark gaps, where the prechamber spark gap may be used for certain operating conditions where such a spark gap is advantageous and the separate main chamber spark gap may be used for other conditions where a main chamber spark gap is advantageous.

An igniter having at least two electrodes spaced from each other by an insulating member having a substantially continuous surface along a path between the electrodes. The electrodes extend substantially parallel to each other for a distance both above and below said surface. The insulating member has a channel (recess) for receiving at least a portion of a length of at least one of said electrodes below and to said surface of the insulating member. The surface of the insulating member may preferably be augmented with a conductivity enhancing agent. The insulating member and electrodes are configured so that an electric field between the electrodes at said surface does not have abrupt field intensity changes, whereby when a potential is applied to the electrodes sufficient to cause breakdown to occur between the electrodes, discharge occurs at said surface of the insulating member to define a plasma initiation region.

An igniter having at least two electrodes spaced from each other by an insulating member having a substantially continuous surface along a path between the electrodes. The electrodes extend substantially parallel to each other for a distance both above and below said surface. The insulating member has a channel (recess) for receiving at least a portion of a length of at least one of said electrodes below and to said surface of the insulating member. The surface of the insulating member may preferably be augmented with a conductivity enhancing agent. The insulating member and electrodes are configured so that an electric field between the electrodes at said surface does not have abrupt field intensity changes, whereby when a potential is applied to the electrodes sufficient to cause breakdown to occur between the electrodes, discharge occurs at said surface of the insulating member to define a plasma initiation region.

A multi-ignition coil control system includes a spark plug including first and second center electrodes, and first and second ground electrodes spaced apart from the center electrodes by a predetermined distance, a first ignition coil including a primary coil, and a secondary coil in which a discharge current is generated by electromagnetic induction with the primary coil, and a second ignition coil including a primary coil, and a secondary coil in which a discharge current is generated by electromagnetic induction with the primary coil, wherein one end of the secondary coil of the first ignition coil and one end of the secondary coil of the second ignition coil are electrically connected to one of the center electrodes, and the other end of the secondary coil of the first ignition coil and the other end of the secondary coil of the second ignition coil are electrically connected to the other of the center electrodes.

A multi-ignition coil control system includes a spark plug including first and second center electrodes, and first and second ground electrodes spaced apart from the center electrodes by a predetermined distance, a first ignition coil including a primary coil, and a secondary coil in which a discharge current is generated by electromagnetic induction with the primary coil, and a second ignition coil including a primary coil, and a secondary coil in which a discharge current is generated by electromagnetic induction with the primary coil, wherein one end of the secondary coil of the first ignition coil and one end of the secondary coil of the second ignition coil are electrically connected to one of the center electrodes, and the other end of the secondary coil of the first ignition coil and the other end of the secondary coil of the second ignition coil are electrically connected to the other of the center electrodes.

A passive prechamber spark plug for use in a combustion chamber of a vehicle engine includes an upper prechamber having an upper opening where the upper prechamber is connectable to the combustion chamber via the upper opening. An air ignition spark is formable via an upper air spark gap. A central electrode is disposed in an upper region of the upper prechamber where a base of the upper prechamber opposite the upper region is an insulator. An electrically conductive element or a slot is guided by the insulator continuously from the upper prechamber into a lower region under the base and the lower region is either a lower prechamber or is arrangeable directly in the combustion chamber. An earth electrode is disposed in the lower region such that a lower air-surface gap spark gap is formed between the earth electrode and the electrically conductive element or the slot.

A passive prechamber spark plug for use in a combustion chamber of a vehicle engine includes an upper prechamber having an upper opening where the upper prechamber is connectable to the combustion chamber via the upper opening. An air ignition spark is formable via an upper air spark gap. A central electrode is disposed in an upper region of the upper prechamber where a base of the upper prechamber opposite the upper region is an insulator. An electrically conductive element or a slot is guided by the insulator continuously from the upper prechamber into a lower region under the base and the lower region is either a lower prechamber or is arrangeable directly in the combustion chamber. An earth electrode is disposed in the lower region such that a lower air-surface gap spark gap is formed between the earth electrode and the electrically conductive element or the slot.

A spark plug having multiple spark gaps, where at least one of the spark gaps is located within a prechamber. The spark plug may include a first center wire assembly, a second center wire assembly, an insulator, a metallic shell, a first sparking area with a prechamber cap and a ground electrode for a prechamber spark gap, and a second sparking area with a ground electrode for a main chamber spark gap. The spark plug is designed to maximize engine performance and/or operation by utilizing the multiple spark gaps, where the prechamber spark gap may be used for certain operating conditions where such a spark gap is advantageous and the separate main chamber spark gap may be used for other conditions where a main chamber spark gap is advantageous.

A spark plug having multiple spark gaps, where at least one of the spark gaps is located within a prechamber. The spark plug may include a first center wire assembly, a second center wire assembly, an insulator, a metallic shell, a first sparking area with a prechamber cap and a ground electrode for a prechamber spark gap, and a second sparking area with a ground electrode for a main chamber spark gap. The spark plug is designed to maximize engine performance and/or operation by utilizing the multiple spark gaps, where the prechamber spark gap may be used for certain operating conditions where such a spark gap is advantageous and the separate main chamber spark gap may be used for other conditions where a main chamber spark gap is advantageous.