Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
W094/0~5 2 1 ~ 7 2 8 4 PCT/US92/08962
C~urON DOCUMENT ENABLING A U8ER TO REVEAL
ONE C~urOh WHILB DE~TROYING ANOTHER CGurON
Backqround of the Invention
This invention relates to retail coupon
documents.
Previously proposed in Krost U.S. Patent
No. 4,817,990 is a retail coupon document in which two
paper panels are glued together along their borders.
Each panel thus presents a hidden side (which faces the
hidden side of the other section) and an exposed side
(which constitutes the front or rear side of the coupon
document). Two coupons are imprinted on the exposed front
side. Those document-opening instructions require the user
to cut the panels along predefined overlapping division
lines which are visible to the user on the exposed front
side. The user is instructed to chose between two
different division lines, depending upon whether the user
is a user of the competitor's product or the sponsor's
product. The user will reveal a coupon for the sponsor's
product regardless of which division lines are chosen.
However, the division lines presented to users of the
competitor's product serve to destroy the lesser value
coupon and reveal the greater value coupon, whereas the
division lines presented to the user of the sponsor's
product serve to destroy the greater value coupon and
revea} the lesser value coupon.
The sponsor would issue or sponsor such a coupon
document in order to target the users of the competitor's
product and present them with an incentive for switching
to the sponsor's product.
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It is, however, an inconvenience for the user to
have to use a scissors to make the necessary cut. Also,
the presence of intersecting and overlapping division
lines may cause confusion, resulting in the user
accidentally cutting along the wrong lines.
A variation of the Krost coupon document has been
previously proposed in which the coupon includes a means
or tool for tearing along the division lines, namely, a
pair of zipper pulls which are integral with a common one
of the panels. Those zipper pulls which are defined by
perforated lines, form manually actuable tools which
effectively cut through one of the panels (but not the
other panel) along the perforated division lines when
pulled by the user. However, the presence of both pull
tabs on the same panel may still lead to confusion on the
part of the user. Also, after pulling one of the zipper
pulls the user must still remove a portion of the sheet
which contains the perforation lines of the other, non-
destroyed coupon. Unless the user is careful, those
division lines might inadvertently be severed, thereby
destroying both coupons.
SummarY of the Invention
The present invention relates to a coupon
document which enables a user to reveal one coupon while
destroying another coupon. The coupon document comprises
first and second panels which are removably joined
together by an adhesive along their peripheral edges.
The first panel includes a first outer side and a first
inner side. The first inner side is imprinted with first
indicia defining a first coupon. The first panel also
includes a first pull strip defined by perforations in the
panel. The first pull strip is accessible from the outer
side to be manually pulled off. The first pull strip is
W094/09995 2 ~ 4 7 2 8 ~ PCT/~S92/08962
located opposite indicia of the first coupon so that when
the first pull strip is pulled off, the first coupon is
destroyed. The second panel includes a second outer side
and a second inner side. The second inner side faces the
first inner side and is imprinted with second indicia
defining a second coupon. The second panel also includes
a second pull strip defined by perforations in the second
panel. The second pull strip is accessible from the
second outer side to be manually pulled off. The second
pull strip is located opposite indicia of the second
coupon so that when the second pull strip is pulled off,
the second coupon is destroyed.
Preferably, each of the pull strips has an
initial pull end which is spaced from all peripheral edges
of its respective panel and extends all the way to one of
the peripheral edges.
Each of the division lines are preferably
parallel at a location adjacent the initial pull end and
then diverge at a location adjacent a peripheral edge.
It is preferred that some of the indicia of the
second coupon is arranged to be visible from a slot formed
in the first panel once the first pull strip is pulled
off, and that some of the indicia of the first coupon is
arranged to be visible through a slot formed in the second
panel once the second pull strip is pulled off.
Preferably, the slots which are formed in the
panels in response to the pulling off of the pull strips
are of a size sufficient to accommodate a user's finger so
that the remainder of the respective panel can be peeled
away from the other panel.
W094/09995 2~ ~ 7284 PCT/US92/08962
Brief Descri~tion of the Drawin~s
The objects and advantages of the invention will
become apparent from the following detailed description of
a preferred embodiment thereof in connection with the
accompanying drawings in which like numerals designate
like elements, and in which:
FIG. 1 is an exploded front perspective view of a
coupon document according to the present invention before
the panels thereof have been adhered together;
lo FIG. 2 is an exploded rear perspective view of
the panels depicted in FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a view of an exposed outer side of a
first panel before a pull strip thereof has been removed;
FIG. 4 is a view of a hidden inner side of the
first panel before the pull strip thereof has been
removed;
FIG. 5 is a view of an exposed outer side of a
second panel of the coupon document before the pull strip
thereof has been removed;
FIG. 6 is a view of a hidden inner side of the
second panel before the pull strip thereof has been
removed; and
FIG. 7 is a view of the exposed outer side of the
first panel after the pull strip of the first panel has
been removed in order to reveal a coupon imprinted on the
second panel.
W094/O ffl 5 21 q 728~ PCT/US92/08962
Detailed Description of a Preferred
Embodiment of the Invention
Depicted in FIGS. 1 and 2 is a coupon
document D according to the present invention in an
exploded perspective view. That document comprises
first and second rectangular panels 10, 12 which are
to be glued together along their four peripheral borders.
The panels are formed of paper, and the glue is of a type
enabling the panels to be later peeled apart by a coupon
lo user without destroying the paper or damaging the printing
thereon, e.g., the glue can be a type available from the
National Starch Co. of Milburn, New Jersey.
The first panel 10 includes an outer exposed
side 14 depicted in FIGS. 1 and 3 and an inner side 16
depicted in FIGS. 2 and 4 (the inner side 16 being hidden
from view once the panels have been glued together).
The second panel 12 also has an pouter exposed side 17
(see FIGS. 2 and 5) and an inner hidden side 18 (see
FIGS. 1 and 6), the latter facing the hidden side 16 of
the first panel when the panels have been glued together.
The first panel 10 is provided with a first
pull strip 20 having an initial pull end defined by
an end tab 22 spaced from all peripheral edges of the
panel 10. The first pull strip 20 is defined by a set
of division lines 24, 26, each division line being formed
by spaced perforations which extend through the first
panel 10. The division lines 24, 26 extend generally
parallel from the end tab 22 and eventually diverge as
they reach an edge 28 of the panel 10.
W094/09995 PCT/US92/08962
21 ~ 72~ll 6
FIG. 4 depicts the hidden side 16 of the
first panel lo. Indicia defining a first coupon A'
is imprinted on that hidden side 16, which offers a
particular value, e.g., a discount of Y dollars for
the purchase of Product A. The first coupon A' may
occupy the entire side 16, or division lines may be
provided, e.g., imprinted liens 29, which divide the
first coupon A' (located in the lower half of FIG. 4)
from a message about product A (located in the upper
half of FIG. 4).
The first pull strip 20 is located in the coupon-
containing half of the first panel 10, i.e., opposite the
indicia of the first coupon, such that the removal of the
first pull strip 20 from the first panel 10 serves to
destroy the first coupon A' for purposes which will
hereinafter become clear.
The second panel 12 is provided with a second
pull strip 30 having an initial pull end defined by an
end tab 32 which is spaced from all peripheral edges of
the second panel 12. The second pull strip 30 is defined
by a set of division lines 34, 36, each division line
being formed by spaced perforations which extend through
the first panel 30. The division lines 34, 36 extend
generally parallel from the end tab 32 and eventually
diverge as they reach a peripheral edge 38 of the
panel 12.
The edge 38 coincides with the edge 28 when the
panels 10, 12 are adhered together, but that need not be
the case. That is, the second pull strip 30 could be
arranged to be pulled from left to right instead of right
to left.
W094/09~5 - ~ 4 ~ 2 8 ll PCT/US92/08962
_
FIG. 6 depicts the hidden side 18 of the
second panel 30. Indicia defining a second coupon B'
is imprinted on that hidden side 18, which offers a
particular value different from the value of the first
coupon A'. For example, the second coupon B' could
offer a second discount of X dollars for the purchase
of product A. The second coupon B' may occupy the
entire side 18, or division lines may be provided
(e.g., imprinted division lines 39 which divide the
second coupon B' (located in the lower half of FIG. 6)
from a message about product A (located in the upper
half of FIG. 6).
The second pull strip 30 is located in the
coupon-containing half of the second panel 12, i.e.,
opposite the indicia of the second coupon, such that
the removal of the second pull strip 30 from the second
panel 30 serves to destroy the second coupon B'.
From the foregoing, it will be apparent that if
a user pulls off the first pull strip 20, the latter will
sever, and thus destroy, the first coupon A', whereas the
second coupon B' will remain intact. Likewise, if the
second pull strip 30 is pulled off, the second coupon B'
will be destroyed, and the first coupon A' will remain
intact.
Once the user pulls off one of the pull strips
20 or 30, a slot will be formed in the respective panel 10
or 12 which enables the user to insert his fingers to peel
away the remainder of that panel so as to fully expose the
previously-hidden side of the other panel. For example,
if the first pull strip 20 is pulled off as depicted in
FIG. 7, a slot 40 is formed in the first panel 10 which
enables the user to insert his or her fingers to separate
the remaining portions of the first panel 10 from the
second panel 12, thereby exposing the inner side 18 of
W094/09995 PCT/US92/08962
2~'72~'
the second panel (i.e., what the user now sees is depicted
in FIG. 6). This can be done relatively easily due to the
releasable nature of the adhesive which secures together
the borders of the panels 10, 12.
Upon the removal of the first pull strip 20,
a portion of the previously-hidden side 18 of the second
panel 30 is exposed. Such an exposed portion could be the
discount portion of the second coupon B', for example
which will induce the user to remove the remainder of the
first panel 10.
If desired, instructions can be imprinted on
the exposed portion to instruct the user to remove the
remainder of the panel. Alternatively, such instructions
could be imprinted on the exposed sides of the panels.
It will be appreciated that only one of the two
coupons A', B' can be revealed, since the revealing of one
coupon results in the destruction of the other coupon.
Various types of offers can be made to the user,
causing him to choose between the two pull strips 20, 30.
For example, a manufacturer of product A may sponsor the
distribution of a coupon document whose instructions
direct a user of product A to reveal the second coupon B',
and direct a user of a competitor's product B to reveal
the first coupon A'. Thus, regardless of which coupon is
revealed, the user receives a discount for the purchase of
product A. However, the user of the competitor's product,
who reveals coupon A', can receive a greater discount for
the purchase of product A (i.e., amount Y being greater
than amount X) in order to entice that user to switch to
product A. That type of offer is merely exemplary; other
types of offers and values could be made.
W094/0 ffl 5 2~1 4 7 2 8 4 PCT/US92/08962
IN OPERATION, a user chooses one of the pull
strips 20, 30 on the basis of the imprinted instructions.
The user bends up the end tab 22 or 32 of the chosen pull
strip. Such bending-up step can be facilitated by
bordering the tab with a semi-circular preformed cut 50.
The selected pull strip is then separated from its
respective panel. If the first pull strip 20 was chosen
(see FIG. 7), then the first coupon A' will be destroyed,
and the remainder of the first panel 10 will be removed to
lo reveal the second coupon B' as shown in FIG. 6.
Alternatively, if the second pull strip 30 was
chosen, then the second coupon B' will be destroyed, and
the first coupon A' will be revealed.
Since the division lines which form the first and
second pull strips do not overlap, but rather are formed
on respective first and second panels, the risk that the
user will become confused and tear along the wrong
division lines are reduced. Also, when the user removes
the remainder of the coupon which carried the selected
pull strip, there is little risk that the division lines
on the other panel will be accidentally damaged, thereby
ensuring the integrity of the selected (non-destroyed)
coupon.
Although the present invention has been described
in connection with a preferred embodiment thereof, it will
be appreciated by those skilled in the art that additions,
modifications, substitutions, and deletions not
specifically described may be made without departing from
the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the
appended claims.
