Electric igniter construction

Claim 2

An electric igniter assembly for fuel burner apparatus comprising in combination supporting means made of insulating material, a pair of electrical terminals carried by said supporting means, an electric igniter element made of molybdenum disilicide wire and having an igniting coiled portion and a pair of terminal portions extending therefrom, said pair of terminal portions being respectively connected to said pair of electrical terminals, metal shield means having top wall means, bottom mounting means and substantially tubular side wall means extending between said top wall means and said bottom mounting means, said bottom mounting means being secured to said supporting means in spaced relation to said pair of electrical terminals, said side wall means being disposed in spaced relation to said electric igniter element and said top wall means being spaced above the igniting coiled portion of said electric igniter element precluding electrical contact between said electric igniter element and said metal shield means, said top and side wall means defining an interior area in said metal shield means in which said electric igniter element is disposed, and port means in said side wall means whereby communication is established between exterior areas of said metal shield means and the interior area thereof, said port means including a pair of oppositely disposed ports located adjacent said top wall means to facilitate ignition of fuel from the burner apparatus by the igniting coiled portion.

Claim 3

An electric igniter assembly as recited in claim 1 wherein the insulating material of said supporting means is a ceramic material.

Claim 4

An electric igniter assembly as recited in claim 1 wherein said supporting means comprises an insulating casing having exterior channel means and wherein said bottom mounting means includes extension means disposed in said channel means.

Claim 5

An electric igniter assembly as recited in claim 3 wherein said exterior channel means includes a pair of channels in opposite walls of said casing and wherein said extension means includes a pair of extensions respectively extending from said side wall means and being respectively disposed in said pair of channels.

Claim 6

An electric igniter assembly as recited in claim 3 wherein said casing has a mounting aperture to facilitate mounting of the electric igniter assembly in igniting proximity to the fuel burner apparatus and wherein said extension means has opening means in alignment with said mounting aperture.

Claim 7

An Electric igniter assembly as recited in claim 3 wherein means defining an alignment arrangement is disposed between said metal shield means and said casing.

Claim 8

An electric igniter assembly as recited in claim 6 wherein said means defining an aligning arrangement comprises groove means in said casing and dimple means in said extension means for cooperation with said groove means.

Claim 9

An electric igniter assembly for fuel burner apparatus comprising in combination supporting means made of insulating material, a pair of electrical terminals carried by said supporting means, an electric igniter element made of molybdenum disilicide wire and having an igniting coiled portion and a pair of terminal portions extending therefrom, said pair of terminal portions being respectively connected to said pair of electrical terminals, metal shield means having top wall means, bottom mounting means and side wall means extending between said top wall means and said bottom mounting means, said bottom mounting means being secured to said supporting means in spaced relation to said pair of electrical terminals, said side wall means being disposed in spaced relation to said electric igniter element and said top wall means being spaced above the igniting coiled portion of said electric igniter element whereby electrical contact between said electric igniter element and said metal shield means is precluded, said top and side wall means defining an interior area in said metal shield means in which said electric igniter element is disposed, and port means in said side wall means whereby communication is established between exterior areas of said metal shield means and the interior area thereof, said port means including a pair of oppositely disposed ports located adjacent said top wall means to facilitate ignition of fuel from the burner apparatus by the igniting coiled portion, said side wall means including a pair of oppositely disposed side walls integrally extending from said top wall means and oppositely disposed tab walls integrally extending from said side walls, and said pair of oppositely disposed ports being respectively located in said tab walls.

Claim 10

An electric igniter assembly for fuel burner apparatus comprising in combination supporting means made of insulating material, a pair of electrical terminals carried by said supporting means, an electric igniter element made of molybdenum disilicide wire and having an igniting coiled portion and a pair of terminal portions extending therefrom, said pair of terminal portions being respectively connected to said pair of electrical terminals, metal shield means having top wall means, bottom mounting means and side wall means extending between said top wall means and said bottom mounting means, said bottom mounting means being secured to said supporting means in spaced relation to said pair of electrical terminals, said side wall means being disposed in spaced relation to said electric igniter element and said top wall means being spaced above the igniting coiled portion of said electric igniter element whereby electrical contact between said electric igniter element and said metal shield means is precluded, said top and side wall means defining an interior area in said metal shield means in which said electric igniter element is disposed, and port means in said side wall means whereby communication is established between exterior areas of said metal shield means and the interior area thereof, said port means including a pair of oppositely disposed ports located adjacent said top wall means to facilitate ignition of fuel from the burner apparatus by the igniting coiled portion, said side wall means including a pair of oppositely disposed side walls integrally extending from said top wall means and oppositely disposed tab walls integrally extending from said side walls, and said pair of oppositely disposed ports being respectively located in said tab walls.

Claim 11

An electric igniter assembly as recited in claim 8 wherein said supporting means comprises a ceramic casing and wherein said pair of electrical terminals are fixedly supported in said ceramic casing.

Claim 12

An electric igniter assembly as recited in claim 8 wherein each of said oppositely disposed ports has a step-like configuration to enhance turbulance of fuel entering the interior area of said metal shield means.

Claim 13

An electric igniter assembly as recited in claim 8 wherein said ports means further includes ports located in said side walls to facilitate air-fuel mixtures in the interior area in said metal shield means.

Claim 14

An electric igniter assembly as recited in claim 8 wherein said port means further includes ports located in adjacent portions of said side walls and said tab walls to provide air intake for the interior area of said metal shield means.

Claim 15

An electric igniter assembly as recited in claim 8 wherein said supporting means comprises a ceramic casing having a pair of channels in opposite exterior walls and wherein said bottom mounting means includes a pair of mounting extensions respectively fixed in said pair of channels.

Claim 16

An electric igniter assembly for fuel burner apparatus comprising a support member formed of insulating material; a pair of electrical terminals mounted in said support member; an electric igniter element of molybenum disilicide wire having an intermediate coiled portion and two substantially parallel terminal portions respectively connected to said electrical terminals so as to mount said igniter element on said support member in cantilever fashion; and metal shield means supported by and exteriorially of said support member to form an apertured cover about and surrounding said igniter element to protect said ignitEr element, said shield means including first ports adjacent said igniter element for enabling communication of fuel from a burner to the interior of the shield means, second ports adjacent said electrical terminals for establishing air circulation through said shield means to cool the connections of the electrical terminals to said terminal end portions of the electric igniter element, and third ports providing proper air-fuel flow into the shield means.

Claim 17

An electric igniter assembly for fuel burner apparatus comprising a support member formed of insulating material; a pair of electrical terminals mounted in said support member; an electric igniter element of molybenum disilicide wire having an intermediate coiled portion and two substantially parallel terminal portions respectively connected to said electrical terminals so as to mount said igniter element on said support member in cantilever fashion; and metal shield means supported by and exteriorially of said support member to form an apertured cover about and surrounding said igniter element to protect said ignitEr element, said shield means including first ports adjacent said igniter element for enabling communication of fuel from a burner to the interior of the shield means, second ports adjacent said electrical terminals for establishing air circulation through said shield means to cool the connections of the electrical terminals to said terminal end portions of the electric igniter element, and third ports providing proper air-fuel flow into the shield means.