An electrode tip assembly for a spark plug includes an electrode tip that is formed on an electrode base using an additive manufacturing process, such as a powder bed fusion technique, after which the electrode base is welded to an electrode body. The electrode base includes a welding side and an additive manufacturing side, and the electrode tip includes a plurality of laser deposition layers built on the additive manufacturing side of the electrode base.

In a cross section including a central axis, a value L/D obtained by dividing an axial length L of an overlap portion where a metal contact surface located on a metal shell and on which a packing is in contact with the metal shell overlaps a projection plane located on the metal shell and on which a contact surface located on an insulator and on which the packing is in contact with the insulator is projected in a direction orthogonal to the central axis by a difference D between a radius of an outer circumference of a tube portion at a connection position to a step portion and a radius of an outer circumference of a leg portion at a connection position to the step portion is 1.2 or more. This ensures the force of constraint in the radial direction provided by the packing on the insulator.

A plasma jet plug includes a rod-shaped central electrode, an insulator having an axial hole, a metal shell disposed around the insulator, an orifice electrode electrically connected to the metal shell and located at a distal end side of the insulator, and a gasket that contacts an outer surface of the insulator and an inner surface of the metal shell. The insulator includes a first member, a second member and an inorganic seal layer. The first member has the axial hole and includes a large-diameter portion and a small-diameter portion. The second member has a through hole into which the small-diameter portion is inserted. The second member has an outer surface that contacts the gasket. The inorganic seal layer seals a gap between the first member and the second member. In a section including the axis, the sum of seal lengths is greater than or equal to 3 mm.

A plasma jet plug includes a rod-shaped central electrode, an insulator having an axial hole, a metal shell disposed around the insulator, an orifice electrode electrically connected to the metal shell and located at a distal end side of the insulator, and a gasket that contacts an outer surface of the insulator and an inner surface of the metal shell. The insulator includes a first member, a second member and an inorganic seal layer. The first member has the axial hole and includes a large-diameter portion and a small-diameter portion. The second member has a through hole into which the small-diameter portion is inserted. The second member has an outer surface that contacts the gasket. The inorganic seal layer seals a gap between the first member and the second member. In a section including the axis, the sum of seal lengths is greater than or equal to 3 mm.

A batch of spark plugs. Each spark plug has a longitudinal axis, a central electrode oriented in the direction of the longitudinal axis, a ground electrode oriented at an angle to the longitudinal axis, such that a spark gap is formed between a tip of the central electrode and a tip of the ground electrode, and an outer thread for screwing the spark plug in the longitudinal direction into an inner thread of a cylinder head of a combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine, and has an annular contact surface oriented perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis and intended for bringing the spark plug to rest against the cylinder head. After the spark plugs have been screwed into the inner thread of the cylinder head, the ground electrodes have the same orientation with regard to a rotation about the longitudinal axis of the spark plug relative to the combustion chamber.

A batch of spark plugs. Each spark plug has a longitudinal axis, a central electrode oriented in the direction of the longitudinal axis, a ground electrode oriented at an angle to the longitudinal axis, such that a spark gap is formed between a tip of the central electrode and a tip of the ground electrode, and an outer thread for screwing the spark plug in the longitudinal direction into an inner thread of a cylinder head of a combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine, and has an annular contact surface oriented perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis and intended for bringing the spark plug to rest against the cylinder head. After the spark plugs have been screwed into the inner thread of the cylinder head, the ground electrodes have the same orientation with regard to a rotation about the longitudinal axis of the spark plug relative to the combustion chamber.

A spark plug capable of suppressing the occurrence and growth of a crack and oxide scale between an electrode tip and a melt portion, satisfies the relationships of C1≧D1 and C2≧D2, where C1 is a distance between a reference line RL and a point Pa5, D1 is a distance between the reference line RL and a point Pa1, C2 is a distance between the reference line RL and a point Pa6 and D2 is a distance between the reference line RL and a point Pa2.

A spark plug capable of suppressing the occurrence and growth of a crack and oxide scale between an electrode tip and a melt portion, satisfies the relationships of C1≧D1 and C2≧D2, where C1 is a distance between a reference line RL and a point Pa5, D1 is a distance between the reference line RL and a point Pa1, C2 is a distance between the reference line RL and a point Pa6 and D2 is a distance between the reference line RL and a point Pa2.

A spark plug having a housing, an insulator situated in the housing, a center electrode situated in the insulator and a ground electrode situated on the housing, the ground electrode and the center electrode being situated toward each other in such a way that the ground electrode and the center electrode form a spark gap, and the center electrode rest with a center electrode head on a seat developed on an inner side of the insulator, and the center electrode having an electrode base body and a core situated in the electrode base body, the core being made from a material that has a higher heat conductivity than the material of the electrode base body, the electrode base body having a diameter that is not greater than 1.7 mm.

A spark plug having a housing, an insulator situated in the housing, a center electrode situated in the insulator and a ground electrode situated on the housing, the ground electrode and the center electrode being situated toward each other in such a way that the ground electrode and the center electrode form a spark gap, and the center electrode rest with a center electrode head on a seat developed on an inner side of the insulator, and the center electrode having an electrode base body and a core situated in the electrode base body, the core being made from a material that has a higher heat conductivity than the material of the electrode base body, the electrode base body having a diameter that is not greater than 1.7 mm.