Article dispensing – Concurrent separation and distortion of flexible article – With casing or support
Reexamination Certificate
2000-03-09
2001-11-20
Noland, Kenneth W. (Department: 3651)
Article dispensing
Concurrent separation and distortion of flexible article
With casing or support
C221S135000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06318589
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention discloses a method for dispensing scented coupons in a way that activates the scents as they are removed from a coupon dispenser.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Over the years, there have been many dispenser boxes developed for the dispensing of sheets of paper or coupons of some sort. This type of device has become more important in the market place as grocery and other stores have installed coupon dispensers on their shelves to give consumers incentives to make impulse purchases based on lower prices given at their stores on any given day of the week.
To accommodate consumer needs, there has been a number of different paper dispensing devices over the years.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,253,742 (W. H. West et al.) discloses a dispenser for interfolded paper. The dispenser comprises a vertically disposed container having a dispensing opening and a spring-actuated follower plate in the container adapted to support a vertically disposed stack of interfolded paper sheets. A plate is secured to the under side of the cover at one side of the dispensing opening, and engages the upper end of the stack while maintaining a predetermined spacing between the stack and the dispensing opening. A second plate is secured to the underside of the cover, the ends of the plates adjacent the dispensing opening being rounded to form deflecting surfaces.
U. S. Pat. No. 5,390,820 (Wright et al.) discloses an elevating dispensing device for flexible sheet material. The dispensing aperture has flaps to retain the end of successively drawn sheets above the aperture for ease of withdrawal. The stack of sheets rests within the carton on an elevating platform which is flexibly attached on two opposing sides to the base of the adjacent side walls of the carton by flexibly folded extension panels which allow upward urging of the elevating platform.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,237,424 (S. N. Hope) discloses a sheet dispenser comprising a casing adapted to contain a pack of interfolded sheets and having opposite end walls with inwardly directed embossments adjacent to the opposite sides of the casing. A pair of cover members extend between the casing end walls and having end walls with outwardly directed embossments adapted to register with the casing embossments. A coiled spring for each cover member urges the cover member against the pack, with the spring surrounding a cooperating pair of the embossments on the casing and cover member.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,993,590 (Windorski), and U.S. Pat. No. 5,165,570 (Windorski et al.) are for dispensers for a stack of partially adhesive coated sheets stacked with the adhesive coating on each successive sheet disposed along alternate opposite sides of the stack and releasably adhering the sheets together.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,993,590, the dispenser for adhesive coated sheets has opposed end surfaces having parallel upper ends adapted to be engaged by the opposite sides of the stack with the with the top sheets in the stack parallel to the adjacent upper ends, with the opposed end surfaces diverging slightly from each other toward the upper ends of the end surfaces to cause movement of the end portions of the stack along the end surfaces toward the upper ends in response to forces applied to the stack to sequentially remove sheets from the stack through the opening.
U.S. Pat. No. (Simpson) discloses a dispenser box allowing for the removal of individual coupons without the chance of another coupon being removed at the same time. The dispenser comprises walls defining a cavity adapted to receive the stack of sheets, a rectangular flat top wall having an opening through which the sheets may be individually dispensed, a flat bottom wall having approximately the same dimensions as the flat top wall, with the flat bottom wall being approximately parallel to the flat top wall, and resilient means to push the stack of said sheets to the opening in the top wall of the dispenser.
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/174,405 (Simpson) now U.S. Pat. No. 6,079,190 discloses a a method for dispensing scented coupons in a way that activates the scents as they are removed from a coupon dispenser. Individual scented coupons have a folded end, with a light adhesive allowing for the On one side of As individual, folded scented coupons are removed from the dispenser box, The dispenser comprises walls defining a cavity adapted to receive the stack of sheets, a rectangular flat top wall having an opening through which the sheets may be individually dispensed, a flat bottom wall having approximately the same dimensions as the flat top wall, with the flat bottom wall being approximately parallel to the flat top wall, and resilient means to push the stack of said sheets to the opening in the top wall of the dispenser.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention discloses an improved method for dispensing scented coupons in a way that activates the scents as they are removed from a coupon dispenser. Specifically, the dispenser allows scented coupons or pieces of paper to be individually removed without the chance of another coupon being removed at the same time. The scented coupons have a perfume, cologne, or other fragrance, in a slurry, which is preferably encapsulated either along the edges of a fold in the coupon, or in a larger area of the coupon. A rubber or scent release piece positioned at the opening of the dispenser provides an increased level of resistance or abrasive action as the scented coupon is removed from the dispenser, thereby causing more of the microencapsules to break open, allowing more of the scent of the coupons to be released.
Microencapsulation is a process to enclose very small-sized core materials, either solids or liquids, in the coating materials. This technique has played a significant role in a variety of industries for many years. These include pharmaceutical, cosmetic, food, agricultural, plastic, paper, photographic, printing, paint, adhesive and computer industries.
Microencapsulation is a process in which very thin coatings of inert natural or synthetic polymeric materials are deposited around microsized particles of solids or droplets of liquids. Products thus formed are known as microcapsules.
Microcapsules consist of two major parts. The inner part is the core material comprised of one or more active ingredients. These active ingredients may be solids, liquids, or gases. The outer part is the coating material which is usually a high molecular weight polymer or a combination of such polymers. The coating material can be chosen from a wide variety of natural and synthetic polymers.
The coating material must be nonreactive to the core material, preferably biodegradable, and nontoxic. Other components, such as plasticizers and surfactants, may also be added to microcapsules.
The unique feature of microcapsules is the diminutive size of the coated particle the particle size usually ranges from several nanometers to several micrometers. Particles between 1 and 2000 micrometers in diameter are called microcapsules, whereas the products with the diameter smaller than 1 micrometer are referred to as nanocapsules. Various types of physical structures of the product of microencapsulation such as mononuclear spheres, multinuclear spheres, and multinuclear irregular particles, can be obtained depending on the manufacturing process. The most common structure formed is the mononuclear sphere.
The encapsulation of a fragrance protects the core materials against atmospheric deterioration. There is an enhancement of stability of the core materials.
The dispenser is placed in a supermarket, on a shelf, where consumers would remove coupons to get discounts on particular grocery products when they go to the cashier's counter. The scent, could have the aroma of perfume, pizza, chocolate, or any other enticing smell which would entice the shopper to purchase the product in question.
In another embodiment of the invention, the coupon has three sections, wherein one section is folded on top of a second section, with the third
Menasha Corporation
Noland Kenneth W.
Quarles & Brady LLP
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