ROLL OR SPOOL HAVING A SUPPORT MEMBER WITH A VISUAL MESSAGE THEREON

ROULEAU OU BOBINE COMPRENANT UN SUPPORT PORTANT UN MESSAGE VISUEL

English Abstract

A roll or spool of sheet-like or thread-like
material comprises an elongated support member, and a
sheet-like or thread-like material rolled or wound about
the support member and adapted to be removed therefrom.
The support member has on an outer surface thereof a
visual message hidden from view by the sheet-like or
thread-like material and adapted to be exposed to viewing
upon sufficient removal of the sheet-like or thread-like
material. The invention renders support members for
sheet-like or thread-like material, hitherto useless
after removal of the sheet-like or thread-like material,
commercially attractive.

Claims

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive
property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:
1. In a roll of sheet-like material comprising an
elongated support member with said sheet-like material
rolled about said support member and adapted to be
removed therefrom, the improvement wherein said support
member comprises an elongated core and a sheet-like
substrate affixed thereto, said sheet-like substrate
having on an outer surface thereof a visual message
hidden from view by said sheet-like material and adapted
to be exposed to viewing upon sufficient removal of said
sheet-like material, and wherein said sheet-like
substrate is removably fixed to said core by means of a
layer of adhesive disposed therebetween and permitting
said sheet-like substrate to be peeled off said core
after sufficient removal of said sheet-like material from
said support member.
2. A roll of sheet-like material as claimed in
claim 1, wherein said adhesive has a first adhesion
strength with respect to said core and a second adhesion
strength with respect to said sheet-like substrate, said
first adhesion strength being greater than said second
adhesion strength so that upon peeling-off of said sheet-
like substrate, said layer of adhesive remains on said
core.
3. In a roll of sheet-like material comprising an
elongated support member with said sheet-like material
rolled about said support member and adapted to be
removed therefrom, the improvement wherein said support
member comprises an elongated core and a sheet-like
-6-

substrate affixed thereto, said sheet-like substrate
having on an outer surface thereof a visual message
hidden from view by said sheet-like material and adapted
to be exposed to viewing upon sufficient removal of said
sheet-like material, and wherein said visual message is
provided on a portion of said sheet-like. substrate, the
portion of said sheet-like substrate with said visual
message thereon being detachable from said support member
along tear-lines formed in said sheet-like substrate,
whereby after sufficient removal of said sheet-like
material from said support member, said portion of said
sheet-like substrate is detached from said support member
by tearing along said tear-lines.
4. A roll of sheet-like material as claimed in
claim 1 or 3, wherein said visual message is printed on
said sheet-like substrate.
5. A roll of sheet-like material as claimed in
claim 1 or 3, wherein said support member has a tubular
configuration.
6. A roll of sheet-like material as claimed in
claim 5, wherein said support member has a circular
cross-section.
7. A roll of sheet-like material as claimed in
claim 6, wherein said sheet-like material comprises
toilet paper.
8. A roll of sheet-like material as claimed in
claim 6, wherein said sheet-like material comprises
wrapping paper.
-7-

9. A roll of sheet-like material as claimed in
claim 6, wherein said sheet-like material comprises
facsimile paper.
10. A roll of sheet-like material as claimed in
claim 6, wherein said sheet-like material comprises paper
towels.
11. A roll of sheet-like material as claimed in
claim 6, wherein said sheet-like material comprises
aluminum foil.
12. A roll of sheet-like material as claimed in
claim 6, wherein said sheet-like material comprises a
plastic wrapping film.
13. In a spool of thread-like material comprising
an elongated support member with said thread-like
material wound about said support member and adapted to
be removed therefrom, the improvement, wherein said
support member comprises an elongated core end a sheet-
like substrate affixed thereto, said sheet-like substrate
having on an outer surface thereof a visual message
hidden from view by said thread-like material and adapted
to be exposed to viewing upon sufficient removal of said
thread-like material, and wherein said sheet-like
substrate is removably fixed to said core by means of a
layer of adhesive disposed therebetween and permitting
said sheet-like substrate to be peeled off said core
after sufficient removal of said thread-like material
from said support member.
-8-

14. A spool of thread-like material as claimed in
claim 13, wherein said adhesive has a first adhesion
strength with respect to said core and a second adhesion
strength with respect to said sheet-like substrate, said
first adhesion strength being greater than said second
adhesion strength so that upon peeling-off of said sheet-
like substrate, said layer of adhesive remains on said
core.
15. In a spool of thread-like material comprising
an elongated support member with said thread-like
material wound about said support member and adapted to
be removed therefrom, the improvement wherein said
support member comprises an elongated core and a sheet-
like substrate affixed thereto, said thread-like
substrate having on an outer surface thereof a visual
message hidden from view by said thread-like material and
adapted to be exposed to viewing upon sufficient removal
of said thread-like material, and wherein said visual
message is provided on a portion of said sheet-like
substrate, the portion of said sheet-like substrate with
said visual message thereon being detachable from said
support member along tear-lines formed in said sheet-like
substrate, whereby after sufficient removal of said
thread-like material from said support member, said
portion of said sheet-like substrate is detached from
said support member by tearing along said tear-lines.
16. A spool of thread-like material as claimed in
claim 13 or 15, wherein said visual message is printed on
said sheet-like substrate.
-9-

Description

CA 02254239 1998-11-16
Roll or Spool Having a Support Member with a Visual
Message Thereon
The present invention pertains to improvements
s in the field of marketing. More particularly, the
invention relates to a roll or spool having a support
member with a visual message thereon.
Rolls of sheet-like material such as bathroom
tissue, also known as toilet paper, paper towels, wrapping
to paper, facsimile paper, aluminum foil, plastic wrapping
film, etc., are used every day by millions of people
throughout the world. These rolls comprise an elongated
support member about which the sheet-like material is
rolled. Once the sheet-like material has been completely
removed from the support member for use, the support
member is generally thrown away as garbage since it no
longer has any utility. Thus, tons of such support members
are discarded annually. As these support members are
generally made of cardboard, trees must be cut for the
zo manufacture of new support members to replace those
discarded and meet the demand.
It is therefore an object of the present
invention to render support members of the type described
above commercially attractive.
z5 In accordance with the invention, there is
provided in a roll of sheet-like material comprising an
elongated support member and a sheet-like material rolled
about the support member and adapted to be removed
therefrom, the improvement wherein the support member has
30 on an outer surface thereof a visual message hidden from
view by the sheet-like material and adapted to be exposed
to viewing upon sufficient removal of the sheet-like
material.
Thus, for example, in the case a support member
35 for toilet paper or paper towels, the visual message
thereon can be one which incites the consumer to return
the support member to a store for a refund so that the
- 1 -

CA 02254239 1998-11-16
store may send it back to the manufacturer or distributor
of the rolls of toilet paper or paper towels, for
recycling. The visual message can also be one which
incites the consumer to select a particular brand, for
s example, by providing a chance to win a particular object
or prize.
The present invention is of course not limited
to support members for sheet-like material, but is also
applicable to support members for thread-like material
~o such as cotton thread.
The invention therefore also provides a spool of
thread-like material comprising an elongated support
member and a thread-like material wound about the support
member and adapted to be removed therefrom, the
~5 improvement wherein the support member has on an outer
surface thereof a visual message hidden from view by the
thread-like material and adapted to be exposed to viewing
upon sufficient removal of the thread-like material.
According to a preferred embodiment, the visual
zo message is printed onto the outer surface of the support
member.
According to another preferred embodiment, the
support member comprises an elongated core and a sheet-
like substrate affixed thereto and extending thereabout,
zs and the visual message is printed on the sheet-like
substrate. Preferably, the sheet-like substrate is
removably fixed to the core by means of a layer of
adhesive disposed therebetween so that, after sufficient
removal of the sheet-like or thread-like material from
3o the support member, the sheet-like substrate can be
peeled off the core.
According to a further preferred embodiment,
the support member comprises an elongated core and a
sheet-like substrate affixed thereto and extending
35 thereabout, and the visual message is printed on a
portion of the sheet-like substrate. The portion of the
sheet-like substrate with the visual message printed
- 2 -

CA 02254239 1998-11-16
thereon is detachable from the support member along tear-
lines formed in the sheet-like substrate so that, after
sufficient removal of the sheet-like material from the
support member, the portion of the sheet-like substrate
s can be detached from the support member by tearing along
the tear lines.
The present invention renders support members
for sheet-like or thread-like material, hitherto useless
after removal of the sheet-like or thread-like material,
to commercially attractive.
Further features and advantages of the invention
will become more readily apparent from the following
description of preferred embodiments as illustrated by way
of examples in the accompanying drawings, in which:
~5 Figure 1 is a perspective view of a roll of
toilet paper having a support member according to a
preferred embodiment of the invention;
Figure 2 is a perspective view of a support
member for toilet paper according to another preferred
zo embodiment, showing a sheet-like substrate with a visual
message printed thereon permanently bonded by adhesive to
the core of the support member;
Figure 3 is a perspective view of a support
member for toilet paper according to a further preferred
z5 embodiment, showing a sheet-like substrate with a visual
message printed thereon removably bonded by adhesive to
the core of the support member;
Figure 4 is a perspective view of a support
member for toilet paper according to a still further
so preferred embodiment, showing a sheet-like substrate
affixed to the core of the support member and having a
portion with a visual message printed thereon, which is
detachable from the support member along tear-lines formed
in the sheet-like substrate; and
35 Figure 5 is a perspective view of a spool of
thread having a support member according to yet another
preferred embodiment.
- 3 -

CA 02254239 1998-11-16
Referring first to Fig. 1, there is illustrated
a roll 10 of toilet paper 12 having a tubular support
member 14 of circular cross-section around which the
toilet paper 12 is rolled. A visual message 16 is printed
s on the outer surface 18 of the support member 14. The
visual message 16 is hidden from view by the toilet paper
12 and is adapted to be exposed to viewing upon
substantially complete removal of the toilet paper. The
visual message 16 is an image representing articles for
~o which a rebate can be given by a store to which the
support member 14 is returned, once the toilet paper 12
has been removed. The store may in turn send the support
member 14 back to the manufacturer or distributor of the
rolls 10, for recycling.
15 The support member 20 shown in Fig. 2 comprises
a tubular core 22 of circular cross-section and a
substrate 24 in the form of a sheet which is permanently
bonded to the core 22 by a layer of adhesive 26. A visual
message 28 similar to the image 16 shown in Fig. 1 is
zo printed on the substrate 22 for the same purpose as
indicated in respect of the support member 14 illustrated
in Fig. 1.
The support member 30 shown in Fig. 3 also
comprises a tubular core 32 of circular cross-section and
z5 a substrate 34 in the form of a sheet affixed to the core
32, but the substrate 34 is removably bonded to the core
32 by a layer of adhesive 36, thereby enabling the
substrate 34 to be peeled off the core 32, once the toilet
paper (not shown) has been removed. The visual message 38
3o which is printed on the substrate 34 is an image
representing articles which may be won when the peeled-off
substrate 34 is returned. The adhesive exhibits an
adhesion strength with respect to the core 32 which is
greater than the adhesion strength with respect to the
3s substrate 34 so that, upon peeling-off of the substrate
34, the layer of adhesive 36 remains on the core 32. In
order to facilitate grasping of the substrate 34 for
- 4 -

CA 02254239 1998-11-16
removal, the substrate 34 is provided with wounded corners
40.
The support member 42 shown in Fig. 4 comprises
a tubular core 44 of circular cross-section and a
s substrate 46 in the form of a sheet which is affixed to
the core 44. A visual message 48 is printed on a portion
46' of the substrate 46, which is detachable from the
support member 42 along tear-lines 50, 52 and 54. The
visual message 48 is also an image representing articles
~o which may be won when the detached portion 46' of the
substrate 46 is returned.
Fig. 5 illustrates a spool 56 of thread 58
having a tubular support member 60 of circular cross-
section around which the thread 60 is wound. A visual
is message 62 similar to the image 16 shown in Fig. 1 is
printed on the outer surface 64 of the support member 56,
for the same purpose as indicated in respect of the
support member 14 shown in Fig. 1. The visual message 62
is hidden from view by the thread 58 and is adapted to be
zo exposed to viewing upon substantially complete removal of
thread.
- 5 -

Representative Drawing