Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02282768 1999-09-28
INTEGRATED LOTTERY POUCH
The present invention relates generally to the field of lottery tickets and
more particularly to a combined ticket assembly which simulates the provision
of a
pouch for containing the game tickets.
BACKGROUND OF 'THE INVENTION
Lottery tickets are well known and widely sold and typically comprise a
sheet material of paper or card stock on which is printed lottery information
and
various indicia for the playing of one or more games. Many such games are
instant
win type games where the player can play the game or games by carrying out
various functions, such as removing a scratch-off layer or opening pull tabs.
Such
lottery tickets generally include information such as ticket numbers or bar
codes
which identify the ticket and may also include a "void if removed" section for
the
purposes of security and control.
One practice that has become prevalent in Canada is to sell such
lottery tickets in a pouch that is formed from two layers which are sealed
around the
edge of the pouch so that the lottery ticket is sandwiched between the two
layers.
This technique provides a number of advantages, including: increased security,
as
the lottery ticket is sealed within a closed pouch and more attractive
appearance
through the use of metalized materials, which in turn causes higher customer-
perceived value. In addition, multiple sheets and/or tickets can be included
in the
pouch.
Unfortunately, this packaging adds to the cost of manufacturing the
lottery tickets and also causes a perception problem in these enviro-friendly
times in
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2
that the packaging is strictly ornamental and is intended to be discarded.
As shown in published PCT International application No. WO 98/57715
published 23~d DecembE:r 1998 of the present applicants there is provided a
pouched
lottery ticket which is supplied in a fan folded continuous strip arrangement
for
separating each pouch containing a ticket from the next at a dispensing
station.
US Patent 4,174,857 (Koza) and US Patent 5,253,899 (Greenwood)
each disclose a combined ticket construction in which a second layer is
applied or
folded over the basic ticket to improve security. US Patent 5,562,284
discloses a
break-open ticket with a second level of break-open.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is one object ~of the present invention to provide a lottery ticket
arrangement which provides the advantages of the pouch while reducing the
extra
cost and potential waste.
According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a lottery
ticket comprising:
a first ticket portion formed by substantially flat substrate sheet material
having a front surface and a rear surface, said front surface having
promotional
graphics printed thereon, said rear surface having lottery indicia printed
thereon, at
least some of the lottery indicia being covered with a scratch-off layer; and
2C~ a second ticket portion formed by substantially flat substrate sheet
material having a front surface and a rear surface, said rear surface having
lottery
CA 02282768 1999-09-28
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indicia printed thereon, at least some of the lottery indicia being covered
with a
scratch-off layer,
the rear surface of the first ticket portion connected to the rear surface
of the second ticket portion to form the lottery ticket assembly, wherein the
lottery
ticket assembly is arranged to separate into at least two portions for
exposing the
lottery indicia on the rear surface of the first ticket portion and the
lottery indicia on
the rear surface of the second ticket portion.
The frant surface of the first ticket portion may include a line of
weakness for separating the lottery ticket into at least two portions.
The lottery indicia may be variable imaged.
The first ticket portion and the second ticket portion may have side
edges and the first ticket portion and the second ticket portion may be
connected
along said side edges.
The first ticket portion and the second ticket portion may be connected
by an adhesive.
The line of weakness may be located within the side edges of the first
ticket portion such that the adhesive does not interfere with separation of
the lottery
ticket into at least two portions.
The lottery ticket may be characterized by an absence of lottery indicia
on the outer surface of the first ticket portion.
The lottery ticket may be characterized by an absence of lottery indicia
on the outer surface of the second ticket portion.
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4
The lottery indicia on the first ticket portion may include a first bar code
and the lottery indicia on the second ticket portion may include a second bar
code,
said first bar code differing from said second bar code for redeeming the
first ticket
portion and the second ticket portion independently of one another.
The lottery ticket may include tear means for initiating separation of the
lottery ticket construction, said tear means being at a position on the rear
surface
portion of the first ticket portion within the line of weakness.
According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided a
lottery ticket construction comprising a plurality of lottery tickets, each
one of said
lottery tickets having:
a first ticket portion formed by substantially flat substrate sheet material
having a front surface and a rear surface, said front surface having
promotional
graphics printed thereon, said rear surface having lottery indicia printed
thereon, at
least some of the lottery indicia being covered with a scratch-off layer; and
a second ticket portion formed by substantially flat substrate sheet
material having a front surface and a rear surface, said rear surface having
lottery
indicia printed thereon, at least some of the lottery indicia being covered
with a
scratch-off layer,
the rear surface of the first ticket portion connected to the rear surface
of the second ticket portion to form the lottery ticket having a front edge
and a rear
edge, wherein the lottery ticket construction is arranged to separate into at
least two
portions for exposing the lottery indicia on the rear surface of the first
ticket portion
CA 02282768 1999-09-28
and the lottery indicia on the rear surface of the second ticket portion,
wherein the front edge of a first representative one of the lottery tickets
is connected to the rear edge of a second representative one of the lottery
tickets at
a junction.
5 The junctions may include perforations for separating a first lottery
ticket from a second lottery ticket.
The lottery tickets may be folded along each junction with the fold at
the front edge of each lottery ticket being in a direction opposite to the
fold at the
rear edge of each lottery ticket so that the lottery tickets lie each on top
of and
parallel to the next.
According to a third aspect of the invention, there is provided a method
of preparing a lottery 'ticket comprising:
providing a first ticket portion formed by substantially flat substrate
sheet material having a front surface and a rear surface, said front surface
having
promotional graphics printed thereon and said rear surface having lottery
indicia
printed thereon, said lottery indicia being covered with a scratch-off layer;
providing a second ticket portion formed by substantially flat substrate
sheet material having a front surface and a rear surface, said rear surface
having
lottery indicia printed thereon, said lottery indicia being covered with a
scratch-off
layer; and
connecting the rear surface of the first ticket portion to the rear surface
of the second ticket portion, thereby forming a lottery ticket, said lottery
ticket
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6
arranged to be separated into at least two portions for exposing the lottery
indicia.
The front surface of the first ticket portion may include a line of
weakness for separating the lottery ticket construction into at least two
portions and
viewing the lottery indicia.
The lottery indicia may be variable imaged.
The first ticket portion and the second ticket portion may have side
edges and the first ticket portion and the second ticket portion may be
connected
along said side edges.
The method may include connecting the first ticket portion and the
second ticket portion with an adhesive.
Preferably, the line of weakness is located with the side edges of the
first ticket portion.
There may be provided a first bar code on the lottery indicia on the first
ticket portion and a second bar code on the lottery indicia on the second
ticket
portion, said first bar code differing from said second bar code so that the
first ticket
portion and the second ticket portion can be redeemed independently.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
One embodiment of the invention will now be described in conjunction
with the accompanying drawings in which:
Figure 1 is a front view of the lottery ticket assembly.
Figure 2 is a rear view of the lottery ticket assembly.
Figure 3 is a rear view of the first ticket portion after it is torn from the
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assembly.
Figure 4 is a rear view of the second ticket portion after the first portion
is removed.
Figure 5 is an elevational view of the lottery ticket of Figure 1 being
opened, the ticket being modified by the addition of a bonus game on the front
surface of the first sheet.
Figure 6 is a side view of the lottery ticket assembly including a
continuous connected atrip of the tickets.
Figure 7 is a front view of the lottery ticket assembly of Figure 6
including a continuous connected strip of the tickets.
Figure 8 is a front view of the first strip prior to assembly with the
second strip.
Figure 9 is a rear view of the second strip prior to assembly, rear to
rear, with the first strip.
Figure 10 is a front view of the second strip.
Figure 11 is a schematic side elevational view of a process for forming
the ticket assembly of Figure 6.
In the drawings like characters of reference indicate corresponding
parts in the different figures.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Referring to Figures 1 to 5, a lottery ticket assembly 1 comprises a first
ticket portion 10 and a second ticket portion 12.
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The first ticket portion 10 is formed by substantially flat substrate sheet
material and has a front surface 14, a rear surface 16, side edges 18, a top
edge 20
and a bottom edge 22;. as shown in Figures 1. The front surface 14 has
promotional
graphics 24 printed thereon, as shown in Figure 1. In the embodiment shown,
the
rear surface 16 has lottery indicia 25 printed thereon and at least some of
the lottery
indicia are covered with a scratch-off layer, as shown in Figure 3. That is,
at least
some of the lottery indicia are obscured with a scratch-off layer which is
removed by
the purchaser when "playing", as described below. In the embodiment shown, the
front surface 14 does not have any lottery indicia printed thereon.
Furthermore, in
some embodiments, the front surface 14 includes a bar code 31 for
identification of
the lottery ticket 1. The lottery indicia 25 may include a bar code 27 for
identification
and redemption and a void if removed section for security. In some
embodiments,
the bar code 27 may be identical to the bar code 31. The barcodes shown
schematically all include a machine readable portion and preferably also a
human
readable portion. A human readable portion of the bar code is indicated at
27A.
Because the bar code is printed by variable image printing techniques, it is
unique to
the specific ticket and is not merely a number identifying particular winning
indicia.
In an alternative arrangement (not shown), the front surface 14 also
carries an instant win game in the form of lottery ticket indicia covered by a
scratch-
off material.
The second ticket portion 12 is formed by substantially flat substrate
sheet material and ha s a front surface 26, a rear surface 28, side edges 30,
a top
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9
edge 32 and a bottom edge 34 as shown in Figures 2 and 4. In some embodiments,
the front surface 26 has promotional graphics or lottery information 24
printed
thereon as shown in Figure 2. The front surface 26 may also include a bar code
37
for identification of the lottery ticket 1. The rear surface 28 has lottery
indicia 38
:5 printed thereon and at least some of the lottery indicia 38 are covered
with a scratch-
off layer, as shown in Figure 4 and as described above. The lottery indicia 38
may
include a bar code 39 lFor identification and redemption and a void if removed
section
for security. It is of noise that in some embodiments the bar code 27 on the
first ticket
portion 10 may differ from the bar code 39 on the second lottery ticket
portion 12.
1 ~) The assE~mbled lottery ticket 1 is shown in Figures 1 and 5 and thus
forms in effect a pouch in th<3t the outside surfaces of the tickets define
surfaces
available for graphics and the lottery games are concealed inside the pouch on
the
inwardly facing surfaces. Thi:> provides to some extent the improved security
of the
conventional pouch k>ut avoids the use of a separate pouch material which is
15 wasteful and costly. In the ticket of Figure 1, the exposed surfaces of the
ticket
assembly are free from lottery game elements. In Figure 5, however, an
additional
or bonus game is added on the front of the first ticket portion as indicated
at 49.
The first ticket portion forms a part of a larger sheet including an outer
surrounding band which overlaps a band portion of a sheet forming the second
ticket
20 portion. Specifically, the lottery ticket assembly 1 is formed by overlying
the first and
second ticket portions so that they are coextensive and connecting the rear
surface
16 of the sheet forming the first ticket portion 10 to the rear surface 28 of
the sheet
CA 02282768 2000-04-06
forming the second ticket portion 12 by an adhesive along the overlying side
edges
18, 30. As a result of this arrangement, the promotional graphics 24 and
lottery
information 38 printed on the front surface 14 of the first ticket portion 10
and the
front surface 26 of thE~ second ticket portion 12 are visible to the consumer
but the
:5 lottery indicia 25 on the rear surface 16 of the first ticket portion 10
and the lottery
indicia 38 on the rear surface 28 of the second ticket portion 12 are not
visible or
accessible.
Furthermore, thE~ lottery ticket 1 is arranged to separate into at least
two portions for exposing the lottery indicia 25 on the rear surface 16 of the
first
10 ticket portion 10 and the lottery indicia 38 on the rear surface 28 of the
second ticket
portion 12. In some Embodiments, the front surface 14 of the first ticket
portion 10
includes a line of wealkness 40 inside the side edges 18 of the first ticket
portion 10
and just inside the line of adhesive so that the central portion of the first
ticket portion
10 can be separated from the second ticket portion 12, as shown in Figures 1
and 5.
In some embodiments., the line of weakness 40 is introduced onto the front
surface
14 of the first ticket portion 10 by die-cutting. The line of weakness 40 as
shown
includes a pull tab 42 'for facilitating separation, as described below.
In use, the user purchases a lottery ticket 1. It is of note that as
discussed above, the lottery ticket 1 is arranged such that the promotional
graphics
24 and lottery information 38 printed on the front surtace 14 of the first
ticket portion
10 and the front surface 2Ei of the second ticket portion 12 are visible to
the
consumer but the IottE:ry indicia 25 on the rear surface 16 of the first
ticket portion 10
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11
and the lottery indicia 38 on the rear surface 28 of the second ticket portion
12 are
not visible or accessible. As a result of this arrangement, the lottery ticket
1 is
secure and tamper-pr~~of. Following purchase, the user separates a portion of
the
first ticket portion 10 from a portion of the second ticket portion 12 along
the line of
:5 weakness 40 by grasping the ipull tab 42 and pulling the lottery ticket 1
apart into two
pieces as shown in Fi~~ure 5. It is of note that the line of weakness 40 is
introduced
within the side edges 18 and within the line of adhesive so that the adhesive
does
not interfere with separation. This in turn exposes the lottery indicia 25 on
the rear
surface 16 of the first ticket portion 10 and the lottery indicia 38 on the
rear surface
28 of the second tickE;t portion 12. The user can now "play" the game by
removing
the scratch-off layer. I=urthermore, as discussed above, the bar code 27 for
the first
ticket portion 10 may differ from the bar code 39 of the second ticket portion
12 so
that one portion of the lottery ticket 1 can be redeemed independently of the
other.
Thus, the above-described lottery ticket 1 has an attractive outer
surface due to the pr~~motional graphics and lottery information printed on
the front
surfaces without the cost of additional packaging. Furthermore, the lottery
indicia
cannot be accessed vrithout opening the lottery ticket 1.
As shovvn in Figures 6 to 11 a method of preparing a lottery ticket
construction 100 comprised of a plurality of lottery tickets 101 in a row. A
first strip
102 is provided which is composed of a plurality of first ticket portions 103
each
composed of a subst~~ntially flat sheet material and having a front surface
104, a rear
surface 106, side ed<,~es 108., as shown in Figures 7 and 8. The ticket
portions are
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12
not at this stage definE~d by separations, lines of weakness (perforations) or
dividing
lines but the intended top and bottom edges are shown at 110, 112. A second
strip
114 is provided which is comb>osed of a plurality of second ticket portions
115 each
composed of a substantially flat sheet material and having a front surface
116, a rear
surface 118, side edgEa 120, a top 122 and a bottom 124 as shown in Figures 9
and
10.
A plurality of lottery indicia 126 are variable image printed onto the
strips at regular intervals on the rear surface 106 of the first strip 102 as
shown in
Figure 8 and promotional graphics and/or lottery information 127 are printed
on the
1 ~~ front surface 104 of th~~ first strip 102 as shown in Figure 7.
Specifically, the plurality of lottery indicia 126 and the lottery
information 127 are printed onto the first strip 102 such that a
representative one of
the plurality of lottery iindicia 126 and the lottery information 127 is
between the top
110 and the bottom 11' 2 of a representative one of the plurality of first
ticket portions
15 103. Similarly, a plurality of lottery indicia 128 are variable image
printed at regular
intervals on the rear :surface '118 of the second strip 114 as shown in Figure
9 and
promotional graphics and/or lottery information 129 are printed on the front
surface
116 of the second strip 114 as shown in Figure 10. Specifically, the plurality
of
lottery indicia 128 and the lottery information 129 are printed onto the
second strip
20 114 such that a representative one of the plurality of lottery indicia 128
and the
lottery information 129 is between the top 122 and the bottom 124 of a
representative one of the plurality of second ticket portions 115. It is of
note that the
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lottery indicia 126, 12F3 may include bar codes for identification and
redemption as
well as void if removed areas for security. The bar codes may differ so that
portions
of a representative one of the plurality of lottery tickets 101 can be
redeemed
separated, as described below. Furthermore, at least some of the lottery
indicia 126
on the rear surface 106 of the first strip 102 and the lottery indicia 128 on
the rear
surface 118 of the second strip 114 are covered with a scratch-off layer that
obscures the lottery indicia and is removed by the user during play, as
described
above. Next, the rear surface 106 of the first strip 102 is placed in contact
with the
rear surface 118 of the' second strip 114 and the first strip 102 and the
second strip
114 are positioned relative to one another such that a representative one of
the
plurality of lottery indic.ia 126 on the rear surface 106 of the first strip
102 is aligned
with and positioned opposite to a representative one of the plurality of
lottery indicia
128 on the rear surface 118 of the second strip 114. In some embodiments, the
proper alignment of the first strip 102 to the second strip 114 may be
confirmed
1;i manually. The second strip 114 is separated from the first strip 102 such
that
alignment is maintained and an adhesive is applied to the rear surfaces 106,
118
along the side edges 108, 120 respectively. The rear surtace 106 of the first
strip
102 is then brought into contact with the rear surface 118 of the second strip
114 so
that the first strip 102 is connected to the second strip 114. A plurality of
lines of
weakness 130 are then introduced into the front surface 104 of the first strip
102 at
regular intervals such that a respective one of the plurality of lines of
weakness 130
extends around the lottery indicia 126 on the rear surface 106 of a
representative
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14
one of the first ticket portions 103. The lines of weakness 130 may be
introduced for
example by die-cutting. Furthermore, the line of weakness 130 includes a tear
strip
131 for facilitating separation, as described below. It is of note that the
line of
weakness 130 is introduced 'within the edges 108 of a representative one of
the
plurality of first ticket portion; 103 so that a representative one of the
plurality of
lottery tickets 101 can be separated into two portions as described below.
A plurality of rows of perforations 132 are then introduced into the
lottery ticket constructiion 100 at junctions between the top edge of a
representative
one of the plurality of lottery tickets 101 and the bottom edge of an adjacent
one of
1 ~~ the plurality of lottery tickets '101. As a result of this arrangement,
the plurality of
lottery tickets 101 can be separated into individual lottery tickets by
tearing along the
rows of perforations 132. The plurality of lottery tickets 101 are folded
along each of
the plurality of rows of perforations 132 with the fold at the front edge of
each lottery
ticket being in a direction opposite to the fold at the rear edge of each
lottery ticket
15 so that the lottery ticN;ets lie each on top of and parallel to the next,
as shown in
Figure 6.
In Figures 11 is shown schematically the process described above. The
process is shown in <j number of discreet steps but it will be appreciated
that the
process can be integrated into a single continuous production line without the
20 necessity for unrolling and re-rolling the strip in the separate steps as
shown.
Thus in ~~ first step of the process, an initial strip of blank paper stock is
unrolled from a supple roll 50 and is rewound onto a rewind roll 51. As the
strip is
CA 02282768 2000-04-06
forwarded, graphics and base printing is applied onto the strip from a series
of colour
printing presses so as to provide preferably a full colour printing of both
sides of the
strip.
In the se~~ond step, the re-rolled roll is used as a supply as indicated at
5 51A and the strip passes through a coating station including a plurality of
coating
elements before beirn~ rewound at a rewind station 52. The coating elements
provide a series of layers or lily pads over sections of the strip at which
the lottery
games are to be appliE:d. This provides a security layer or coating for the
strip which
enhances security to prevent chemical, light or other attack onto the base-
paper
1 t) stock to avoid improper examination of the tickets revealing the winning
ticket
without the necessity for scratching the scratch off layers. Various
arrangements of
security coating are known in the industry and thus this aspect is well known
to one
skilled in the art and fuirther detail will not be described in detail herein.
The resultant or final layer of the security coating is generally a white
1:5 lily pad so that the white layer does not interfere with or detract from
the brightness
of subsequent application of coloured printed materials or layers.
The re-rolled roll 52 is applied at a supply station 52A for a third step in
the process where the strip is unrolled and re-rolled at a station 53. In the
third step,
the lottery indicia are ~~pplied to the white lily pad over the security
layers previously
described to provide the game data. The lottery indicia are applied by
variable
image printing techniques as opposed to use of fixed printing presses.
It will be appreciated that a printing press can apply only
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16
predetermined arrangE:ments of characters which are set up in the printing
press and
cannot be readily or quickly varied. The variable image printing process to
the
contrary uses a cornputer controlled system to control conventional printing
elements such as ink jet, bubble jet or laser so that the image applied can be
varied
to any particular requirement allowing each ticket to be entirely different
from others.
This technique can generate one color images, but more preferably two colors
such
as red and black or more color images
The use of variable image printing techniques allows also the following
advantages:
It avoids the use of a limited number of combinations of symbols in the
game data which is otherwise available by conventional printing press.
The prizE~ parameters, that is the arrangement and numbers of winning
tickets relative to losling tickE~ts, can be tailored to suit particular
circumstances,
customers or games and is not limited to the fixed arrangements available with
the
conventional printing press.
As the strip is continuous and is not cut from a press printed sheet,
there are no markings or pattE~rning of the substrate caused by mechanically
cutting
substrate pieces from a larger printed sheet, thus avoiding the possibility
that the
markings or patterning could be used to locate and identify winning tickets.
The application of a bar code (including machine and/or human
readable portions) whiich is unique to the ticket and is applied directly with
and at the
same time as the game indicia to allow identification and validation of
individual
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17
tickets.
Subsequent to the application of the game data a coating device
applies the latex scr;~tch-off coating in one or more layers using
conventional
techniques and materials. Tine coated strip is then wound at a winding station
53.
Although it is shown for convenience that the latex coating is in line with
the imaging,
this is generally not so and the two steps are carried out independently on
different
lines.
Strips thus formed with the graphics printing, security coatings, game
data and scratch-off layers are thus formed and available at the station 53.
Two of
1 ~~ these strips, printed with different data are then used in a lamination
process at
laminating and calend;aring rolls 54. The laminated strips are then passed
through a
die cut roller system 55 and a kiss cut roller system 56 to apply the lines of
weakness and perforations as previously described. The strip is then folded
back
and forth in a fan folding arrangement 57 to form a fan folded stack 58 of the
finished
15 tickets in the ticket as:,embly. The laminated tickets in the fan folded
stack are also
shown on larger scale in figure 6.
In use, the user purchases a lottery ticket and a representative one of
the plurality of lottery tickets 1101 is removed from the lottery ticket
construction 100
from a dispensing system in which the fan folded stack is stored by tearing
along the
20 row of perforations 132. It is of note the representative one of the
plurality of lottery
tickets 101 is now functionally identical to lottery ticket 1 described above
and can
be used in a similar manner as described above. The above referenced PCT
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18
Application provides further detail of the fan folded construction and the
dispensing
thereof. The plurality of lottery tickets 101 are fan folded and if desired
the folds can
be arranged along each of the plurality of rows of perforations 132 with the
fold at
the front edge of each lottery ticket being in a direction opposite to the
fold at the
rear edge of each lottery tick;et so that the lottery tickets lie each on top
of and
parallel to the next. Alternatively, the folds can be spaced along a number of
tickets
so that for each strip between two folds contains more than one ticket for
example
five such tickets.
While the: preferred embodiments of the invention have been described
1 ~) above, it will be recognized and understood that various modifications
may be made
therein, and the appended claims are intended to cover all such modifications
which
may fall within the spirit and scope of the invention.
