One example provides a spark plug having a center electrode including at least one of a first material and a second material, the second material having a hardness rating greater than a hardness rating of the first material. The center electrode includes a region of first material disposed beyond an end surface of an insulative nose toward a firing end. The center electrode includes an electrode head, at least a portion of the electrode head disposed beyond the end surface of the insulative nose toward the firing end and having a cross-sectional area perpendicular to an axial centerline greater than a cross-sectional area of the end surface of the insulative nose. A shield element of the second material covers exposed surfaces of the region of first material disposed beyond the end surface of the insulative nose. An electrode wire extends from the electrode head into a central bore.

One example provides a spark plug having a center electrode including at least one of a first material and a second material, the second material having a hardness rating greater than a hardness rating of the first material. The center electrode includes a region of first material disposed beyond an end surface of an insulative nose toward a firing end. The center electrode includes an electrode head, at least a portion of the electrode head disposed beyond the end surface of the insulative nose toward the firing end and having a cross-sectional area perpendicular to an axial centerline greater than a cross-sectional area of the end surface of the insulative nose. A shield element of the second material covers exposed surfaces of the region of first material disposed beyond the end surface of the insulative nose. An electrode wire extends from the electrode head into a central bore.

One example provides a spark plug including a terminal end, a firing end, an axial centerline extending between the terminal end and the firing end, and an insulative core extending between the terminal end and the firing end, the insulative core including an insulative nose proximate to the firing end, and a central bore coincident with the axial centerline extending through the insulative core. A center electrode includes an electrode wire and an electrode head. The electrode head includes an electrode plate, in a plane perpendicular to the axial centerline, the electrode plate having a cross-sectional area greater than a cross-sectional area of the insulative nose, the electrode wire mechanically and electrically connected to the electrode plate, the electrode wire extending from a bottom side of the electrode plate into the central bore at the insulative nose to form an electrical and thermal pathway with the electrode head.

One example provides a spark plug including a terminal end, a firing end, an axial centerline extending between the terminal end and the firing end, and an insulative core extending between the terminal end and the firing end, the insulative core including an insulative nose proximate to the firing end, and a central bore coincident with the axial centerline extending through the insulative core. A center electrode includes an electrode wire and an electrode head. The electrode head includes an electrode plate, in a plane perpendicular to the axial centerline, the electrode plate having a cross-sectional area greater than a cross-sectional area of the insulative nose, the electrode wire mechanically and electrically connected to the electrode plate, the electrode wire extending from a bottom side of the electrode plate into the central bore at the insulative nose to form an electrical and thermal pathway with the electrode head.

A spark plug has an insulator having a through hole formed along an axial direction, a center electrode which is partially inserted into a portion of the through hole on a forward end side in the axial direction, and a glass seal portion which is in contact with the insulator and the center electrode within the through hole, in which the glass seal portion contains glass and an electrically conductive substance. The glass contains an Si component and a B component in a total amount of 50 mass % or more, as reduced to SiO.sub.2 and B.sub.2O.sub.3, a Zn component in an amount of 20 mass % to 35 mass % as reduced to ZnO, and an alkali metal component. The glass contains, as the alkali metal component, an Na component in an amount less than 1 mass % as reduced to Na.sub.2O.

A spark plug has an insulator having a through hole formed along an axial direction, a center electrode which is partially inserted into a portion of the through hole on a forward end side in the axial direction, and a glass seal portion which is in contact with the insulator and the center electrode within the through hole, in which the glass seal portion contains glass and an electrically conductive substance. The glass contains an Si component and a B component in a total amount of 50 mass % or more, as reduced to SiO.sub.2 and B.sub.2O.sub.3, a Zn component in an amount of 20 mass % to 35 mass % as reduced to ZnO, and an alkali metal component. The glass contains, as the alkali metal component, an Na component in an amount less than 1 mass % as reduced to Na.sub.2O.

An ignition plug includes: an insulator provided with a shaft hole formed therein; a metal fitting caulked to support the insulator from an outer periphery side thereof; and a talc material filled in an annular space provided between an outer peripheral surface of the insulator and an inner peripheral surface of the metal fitting. A first annular member and a second annular member are provided at an end portion of the annular space, the end portion being positioned in a center electrode side along the center axis in the annular space, the second annular member is in contact with the first annular member from an opposite side of the center electrode.

An ignition plug includes: an insulator provided with a shaft hole formed therein; a metal fitting caulked to support the insulator from an outer periphery side thereof; and a talc material filled in an annular space provided between an outer peripheral surface of the insulator and an inner peripheral surface of the metal fitting. A first annular member and a second annular member are provided at an end portion of the annular space, the end portion being positioned in a center electrode side along the center axis in the annular space, the second annular member is in contact with the first annular member from an opposite side of the center electrode.

A spark plug includes a center electrode, a tubular metallic shell which holds the center electrode therein in an insulated state, and a ground electrode which faces a forward end portion of the center electrode. The metallic shell has a penetration hole which penetrates the metallic shell in a direction intersecting an axial direction. The ground electrode has a press-fitted portion inserted into the penetration hole and fixed to the metallic shell, a projecting portion projecting toward an inner side of the metallic shell, and an insertion portion disposed between the press-fitted portion and the projecting portion, inserted into the penetration hole, and forming a space between the insertion portion and an inner surface of the penetration hole. An angle α formed between the inner surface of the penetration hole and an outer surface of the insertion portion falls within a range of 0°<α<90°.

A spark plug includes a center electrode, a tubular metallic shell which holds the center electrode therein in an insulated state, and a ground electrode which faces a forward end portion of the center electrode. The metallic shell has a penetration hole which penetrates the metallic shell in a direction intersecting an axial direction. The ground electrode has a press-fitted portion inserted into the penetration hole and fixed to the metallic shell, a projecting portion projecting toward an inner side of the metallic shell, and an insertion portion disposed between the press-fitted portion and the projecting portion, inserted into the penetration hole, and forming a space between the insertion portion and an inner surface of the penetration hole. An angle α formed between the inner surface of the penetration hole and an outer surface of the insertion portion falls within a range of 0°<α<90°.