Special receptacle or package – With indicator
Reexamination Certificate
1999-07-22
2001-01-09
Gehman, Bryon P. (Department: 3728)
Special receptacle or package
With indicator
C206S232000, C206S427000, C206S457000, C220S023400, C220S023860
Reexamination Certificate
active
06170662
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
This invention relates to prize awarding systems and, more particularly, to prize awarding systems employable with multi-pack products or assemblies.
BACKGROUND ART
Various promotional enhancements have been widely used by companies in order to increase the sale of the companies' products. These promotions are employed by both manufacturers and distributors for a wide variety of diverse products. Although these promotional enhancements take many forms, ranging from price reductions, prizes, games, contests, etc., the sole purpose for all of these promotions is to increase the sale of the underlying product.
One of the promotional methods often employed by manufacturers is the inclusion of a prize in either every product container or in selected containers. In order to attain greater market share for product sales, manufacturers and distributors have utilized a variety of different promotional themes, seeking to generate added sales for their particular products. In doing so, the premium or prize-like promotion has progressed from inexpensive give-aways packed in every product bearing container or package to expensive prize awards which are packed in selected containers or packages. If possible, prize bearing containers are randomly distributed with non-prize bearing containers.
Although these various promotional vehicles have become very popular with some types of products, the ability of certain types of products to be able to use a prize award directly associated with the product has been extremely limited. In this regard, only prize awards which can be separately packaged in acceptable containers or packages and then inserted with the product being distributed have been capable of being commercially feasible. As a result, many products have been incapable of enjoying the benefits derived from promotional vehicles commonly employed with other types of product. Due to this inability, manufacturers or distributors of numerous products have been incapable of employing an effective product sales incentive in order to generate increased interest and sales for their respective products.
In particular, one product area which has been incapable of enjoying the benefits derived from a high value prize promotion is found in the distribution and sale of multi-pack products or assemblies, namely products which are sold in a plurality of independent containers, each of which are integrally interconnected with each other to form a single package or assembly. Although attempts have been made to offer prize awards in multi-pack products, the prize awards have typically been low value, inexpensive prizes which are distributed in each multi-pack product/container.
Due to the cost and potential threat of theft, high value prize awards have never been distributed in multi-pack products or containers. Furthermore, no prior art system has been able to provide a high value prize awards system which is capable of being secretly retained in a multi-pack product/assembly. In this way, prize bearing multi-pack products/assemblies can be randomly distributed with non-prize bearing multi-pack products/assemblies, or high value prizes or electronic prize means can be secretly retained in the multi-pack products/assemblies.
Therefore, it is a principal object of the present invention to provide a promotional system which is capable of being employed easily and conveniently in connection with a wide variety of consumer products, such as multi-pack food and beverage products.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a prize awarding system and promotional method having the characteristic features described above which is capable of being implemented in a simple, straightforward manner, without requiring changes in manufacturing processes for the products being promoted.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a prize awarding system and promotion al method having the characteristic features described above which enables virtually any consumer oriented multi-pack product to be easily promoted in a contest which generates a high level of interest and excitement.
Other and more specific objects will in part be obvious and will in part appear hereinafter.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
By employing the present invention, the prior art inabilities and drawbacks are completely overcome and any manufactured, multi-packed product or assembly is capable of enjoying the benefits of increased sales resulting from prize award contests. In accordance with the present invention, the actual multi-pack product or assembly is constructed in the substantially identical manner typically employed, with a prize awarding system of the present invention being secretly incorporated into the multi-pack assembly.
In accordance with the present invention, the prize awarding system incorporates the actual prize, such as cash, jewelry, tickets, and the like, or incorporates means for informing lucky consumers that a prize has been won, either in an audible or visual message delivery system, on certificates, vouchers, or the like, or in an electronic chip assembly. The realization that a prize has been won may be attained when the prize is viewed, the printed material is read, or the assembly is opened and an audible and/or visual message is delivered. In an alternate construction, an electronic circuit is enclosed for prize-related activation in association with an over-the-air signal, such as radio, television, cable and/or satellite transmission which activates the receiving electronic circuit.
Using the present invention, prize bearing multi-pack products/assemblies are able to be sold in direct association with non-prize bearing multi-pack products/assemblies, if desired, without any difficulty and without the consumer being able to discover in advance which multi-pack products/assemblies incorporate prize award systems.
In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the prize award system incorporates a separate, independent housing constructed for being inserted into the void zone or open area which exists between the adjacent product holding containers forming the multi-pack assembly. Although the present invention is employable with any multi-pack product or assembly, products retained in cans, bottles, or similar vessels typically benefit most extensively from the present invention. In such multi-pack assemblies of cans, bottles, and the like, a well-defined open area exists between the adjacent cans or bottles. It is this open area or void zone which is employed for a secretly retaining the prize award system of the present invention.
In accordance with the present invention, the separate independent housing is constructed with a size and shape enabling the housing to be conveniently inserted and retained in the void zone or open area between adjacent product holding containers. Although the housing may be affixed to one or more containers by adhesive means, in the preferred embodiment, the housing is constructed for cooperating with the normal shape of the product holding containers for enabling the prize-retaining housing to be self-supporting in the open zone, cooperating with the shoulders, edges, or other convenient area of the product holding container.
In addition, a prize designating member or system is mounted in the housing for providing the consumer with the actual prize, with prize-related information, or with means for enabling the consumer to participate in a special award program. In one such embodiment, an audible and/or visual prize related message delivery system is mounted within the independent housing and is constructed for being automatically activated upon removal of the housing from the storage zone between adjacent product holding containers. In this way, a prize award announcement is automatically made, informing the consumer of the actual prize that has been won or, alternatively, the message delivery system can incorporate a musical background or a visual display such as a light or LED to accompany the winning of a prize which may be cash or some ot
Gehman Bryon P.
Stoltz Melvin I.
LandOfFree
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