GB2073127A

GB2073127A - Sparking Plug Presentation Assembly

Info

Publication number: GB2073127A
Application number: GB8011661A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: TYDEMAN D
Current assignee: TYDEMAN D
Priority date: 1980-04-09
Filing date: 1980-04-09
Publication date: 1981-10-14

Abstract

A sparking plug is provided with base and head portions (7 and 8) respectively enclosing the ends so as to provide a chess piece. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION A Sparking Plug Presentation Assembly Field of the Invention The invention relates to an assembly for the presentation of a sparking plug in a manner which preserves the sparking plug so as to enhance its saleability.

Background Art For many years, sparking plugs have been presented for sale wrapped in a paper parcel which is enclosed in a cardboard box. Although relatively effective in protecting the electrodes and terminal means at opposite ends of the sparking plug from contamination and in protecting the externally screw-threaded throat and the terminal means from damage by impact with other hard objects, this form of packaging is relatively expensive and results in uninteresting items which are difficult to present in an eyecatching way for the purpose of sales promotion.

In recent years, an attempt has been made to overcome these disadvantages by presenting sparking plugs for sale in so-called "blister packs" comprising a vacuum-formed sheet of transparent plastic material which is shaped so as to enclose, or at least partially enclose, one or more sparking plugs. As this form of packaging is readily produced by automatically operable machinery, there is a reduction in cost. This form of packaging is also reasonably robust and so is capable of preventing contamination and mechanical damage to the externally screwthreaded throat portion and electrodes at one end of the sparking plug and to the terminal means at the other end.Moreover, by exposing the sparking plug to view through the transparent plastic sheet, it is possible to provide a more interestinglooking item for display purposes and this effect can be enhanced by attaching the transparent plastic sheet to a suitably marked backing member, such as a colourfully printed cardboard sheet.

However, this form of packaging can be easily crushed and so the components at opposite ends of the sparking plug can be easily damaged.

Moreover, even when the sparking plug is visable through a blister pack, it does not present a particularly interesting display.

Disclosure of the Invention It is intended, by means of the present invention, to provide a presentation assembly for sparking plugs so that the sparking plugs can be presented in a manner in which at least the screw-threaded throat portion and the adjacent electrodes are physically protected so as to enhance the saleability of the sparking plugs.

According to the invention, there is provided an assembly, for the presentation of a sparking plug, comprising a sparking plug having an elongate portion, a screw-threaded throat portion and sparking electrodes at one end and terminal means at the other end, characterised in that a first removable cover member encloses the throat portion and the electrodes at said one end.

Similarly, in a preferred embodiment of the invention, a second removable cover member encloses the terminal means at the other end of the sparking plug.

In each case, where there is either one or two cover members, each cover member may be shaped so as to have an eye-catching exterior and, in one preferred embodiment of the invention, where there are first and second removable cover members, they may constitute base and head portions, respectively, of a chess piece.

With this form of assembly, it is possible to present a sparking plug for sale in the form of a chess piece which can be used in its original form or, where the assembly has to be taken apart so that the sparking plug can be used to replace a defective sparking plug in an engine, the first and second removable cover members may be reattached to the defective sparking plug to form an assembly which can then be used as a chess piece.

It is envisaged that sparking plugs could be sold in sets of four presentation assemblies according to the invention. Two of these presentation assemblies would have head portions corresponding to a pawn, whereas the other two assemblies would have head portions corresponding to two different chess pieces such as a King, Queen Bishop, Knight or Rook. Thus, not only wotild the components at opposite ends of the spark plugs be protected, the presentation assemblies could be promoted so as to encourage customers to collect two complete sets of sixteen sparking plugs having diffcrently coloured cover members.

In order to disclose the invention in a manner which is clear enough and complete enough for the invention to be performed by a person skilled in the art, an embodiment is hereinafter described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawing.

Brief Description of the Drawing The enclosed drawing is a sectional side elevation of a sparking plug presentation assembly in accordance with the present invention, showing the sparking plug provided with first and second removable cover members which together form a chess piece.

Exemplary Mode for Carrying Out the Invention As shown in the accompanying drawing, a sparking plug 1 has an enlongate portion 2 which forms the body portion of a chess piece. The plug 1 has an externally screw-threaded throat portion 3 and sparking electrodes 4 and 5 at one end and an externally screw-threaded terminal post 6 at the other end.

The screw-threaded throat portion 3 and the sparking electrodes 4 and 5 are protected by a first removable cover member 7 and the terminal post 6 is protected by a head portion 8 having the external shape of a Bishop's mitre. Clearly, this second removable cover member 8 may be formed with an external shape compatible with the assembly representing another piece of a chess set such as a King, Queen, Knight, Rook or Pawn.

As shown, the elongate portion 2 of the sparking plug 1 comprises a porcelain portion 9 a metallic gland portion 10 and a metallic gasket ring 11. The first removable cover member 7 has an internally screw-threaded tubular portion 12, a larger diameter tubular portion 13, providing a support for the chess piece, and a sheet 14 blanking off the bottom end of the portion 13.

The portions 12 and 13 may be moulded integrally from plastic material and the sheet 14, which can be adhesively fastened to the portion 13, may also be provided with an external layer of felt. However, although the tubular portion 12 of the first cover member 7 is internally screwthreaded, it is to be understood that this is not essential and that the first removable cover member may simply be a press fit onto the throat portion 3 of the sparking plug 1.

Similarly, although the head portion 8 is provided with an internally screw-threaded blind hole for reception of the externally screwthreaded terminal post 6, here again, the head portion may simply be a press fit on the terminal post 6. Alternatively, the head portion 8 may be provided as a press or snap fit over the internally screw-threaded knob which normally engages and encloses the terminal post 6. Clearly, in view of the variety and relative intricacy of the external shape of the head portion 8, the head portion 8 is conveniently formed from moulded plastic material.

Although reference numerals have been used in the appended claims, to improve the intelligibility of these claims, it is expressly stated that these reference numerals should not be construed as limiting the claims to the construction illustrated in the accompanying drawing.

Claims

1. An assembly, for presentation of a sparking plug (1), comprising a sparking plug (1) having an elongate portion (2), a throat portion (3) and sparking electrodes (4 and 5) at one end and terminal means (6) at the other end, characterised in that a first removable cover member (7) encloses the throat portion (3) and the electrodes (4 and 5) at said one end.

2. An assembly, according to Claim 1, characterised in that: a second removable cover member (8) encloses the terminal means (6) at said other end of the sparking plug (1); the first and second removable cover members respectively comprise base and head portions (7and 8) of a chess piece; and the elongate portion (2) of the sparking plug (1) comprises a body portion of a chess piece.

3. A chess piece, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawing.