Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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PRIZE HOLDING CONTAINER CLOSURE AND METHOD OF
CONCEALMENT
The present invention relates generally to product packaging which
includes a promotional element for consumers, and more particularly to a
promotional article including a liquid-filled container having a promotional
closure
applied thereto, wherein the container is configured to conceal a promotional
element positioned in the interior of the closure.
Promotions for products which provide consumers with various prizes
have enjoyed widespread popularity for many years. In various forms, such
promotions may include gaming elements provided in association with product
packaging, whereby consumers play games and/or are awarded prizes by obtaining
certain promotional elements attendant to product purchase. In the case of
beverages and like consumer products, promotions of this nature have typically
employed promotional elements positioned within, or applied to, the interior
of a
closure applied to an associated bottle or like container.
U.S. Patent No. 5,806,707, incorporated herein by reference, discloses
a closure assembly including an inner promotional compartment, as well as a
promotional gaming system employing such closure assemblies. This patent also
discloses closures having "simulated compartments" which can be employed in
the
context of an overall gaming system, but which are not intended to retain an
award
or prize within a compartment, as is the case with the above described closure
assembly.
The gaming system of the above patent contemplates that packaged
product having compartment-containing closures or simulated-compartment
closures
will not be easily distinguishable from each other. It is, of course,
recognized that
the effectiveness of such a promotion depends upon the inability of consumers
to
distinguish between winning and non-winning articles prior to purchase of the
products. It has also been recognized that in some applications, it may be
desirable
to provide closures having a promotional element (such as in the form of a
prize
compartment or promotional indicia) positioned within the closures, while
other
closures are conventionally configured (that is, they do include any simulated
compartment or the like).
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Accordingly, the present invention is directed to a promotional
article, illustrated in the form of a container having a promotional closure
applied
thereto, wherein the article is configured to conceal the interior of the
closure, prior
to purchase, thus acting to assure randomness in the selection of winning
promotional articles on the part of consumers.
A promotional article embodying the principles of the present
invention includes a container having a closure removably applied thereto,
with
liquid product (such as a beverage) held within the container. Since it is
contemplated that the closure arrangement may include a promotional element,
such
as in the form of a prize compartment or gaming indicia, the present invention
includes a arrangement for concealing the interior of the closure. In the
preferred
form, this arrangement is provided by configuring the exterior of the
container to be
sufficiently opaque as to preclude easy viewing through the head space of the
container, that is, that region between the liquid product and the closure.
1 S Randomness in the selection of products by consumers is thus facilitated.
In a presently preferred form, the present promotional article
comprises a container including a neck portion for removably receiving an
associated promotional closure. The container further includes a base portion
upon
which the article is positionable in an upright orientation, and a side wall
which
extends between the neck portion and the base portion. The neck portion
defines an
opening into an interior volume defined by the container.
Liquid product, such as comprising a beverage, is disposed within the
interior volume defined by the container. The liquid product fills the
interior
volume to a fill level spaced from the base portion of the container. The
liquid
product thus defines a head space within the container between the fill level
and the
neck portion of the container. Thus, the head space generally corresponds to
the
unfilled portion of the container.
The present promotional article further includes a promotional closure
assembly removably fitted to the neck portion of the container for closing the
opening defined by the neck portion. The closure assembly includes a closure
including a top wall portion and a depending annular skirt portion. In a
preferred
form, a promotion compartment is positioned inwardly of the top wall portion,
and
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is surrounded by the skirt portion of the closure. The promotion compartment
can
be configured in accordance with the teachings of the above-referenced patent,
with
the compartment preferably being configured to retain a prize (such as
currency), a
coupon (redeemable for a prize or product discount), or a gaming element (of
the
type collected for playing a game with the object of winning prizes).
In accordance with the present invention, the promotional article
includes an arrangement for concealing the interior of the promotional
closure,
including at least a portion of the region within the closure bounded by the
annular
skirt portion. In the illustrated embodiment, the concealment arrangement thus
acts
to conceal the promotion compartment within the promotional closure assembly,
particularly when the article is in a generally upright orientation, that is,
with the
neck portion of the container defining the uppermost extent thereof. The
conceal-
ment arrangement can be provided in varying forms, and it is preferred that
the
arrangement comprise surface treatment of the container in a region of the
head
1 S space, spaced from the base portion of the container. It is presently
preferred that
the surface treatment be provided in the form of surface texturing so as to
render
the region of the head space sufficiently opaque as to conceal the promotion
compartment. Alternatively, the surface treatment can comprise a pigmented
layer
on the outside surface of the container (such as a suitable coating) so as to
render
the region of the head space sufficiently opaque as to conceal the promotion
compartment.
Surface texturing of the container in the region of the head space can
be readily accomplished by formation of container-forming molds with suitable
surface texturing, so that the molded containers are provided with the desired
texturing. Such texturing can be provided in varying forms, including
formation of
a matte finish, a "frosted" finish, swirl-like patterns, as well as other
variations. It
is also contemplated that the desired surface texturing can be provided
subsequent to
container molding, such as by suitable etching of the exterior container
surface.
By the concealment arrangement, the interior of the promotional
closure, including at least a portion of the region within the closure bounded
by the
annular skirt portion thereof, is concealed from inspection by consumers prior
to
removal of the closure from the container. Thus, promotional elements
positioned
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within the closure, such as in the form of a compartment or indicia provided
on the
inside of the top wall of the closure, cannot be viewed prior to purchase, and
removal of the closure.
Other features and advantages of the present invention will become
readily apparent from the following detailed description, the accompanying
drawings, and the appended claims.
Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a promotional article
embodying the principles of the present invention, including a container, a
liquid
product disposed within the container, and a promotional closure applied
thereto;
and
Figure 2 is a relatively enlarged, fragmentary, cross-sectional view of
the promotional article illustrated in Figure 1.
While the present invention is susceptible of embodiment in various
forms, there is shown in the drawings and will hereinafter be described a
presently
1 S preferred embodiment, with the understanding that the present disclosure
is to be
considered as an exemplification of the invention, and is not intended to
limit the
invention to the specific embodiment illustrated.
With reference to Figures 1 and 2, therein is illustrated a promotional
package 10 embodying the principles of the present invention. As will be
further
described, package 10 is particularly configured for packaging of a liquid
product,
such as a beverage, with the package used in connection with the product
promotion, wherein a promotional closure assembly is fitted to the package.
While
this specific form of the promotional closure assembly can be varied while
keeping
with the principles disclosed herein, it is contemplated that the closure
assembly of
the package include a promotion element positioned generally at the interior
thereof,
such as by the disposition of a compartment or the like within the element, or
by
the provision of gaming indicia on the inside of the closure.
The package 10 includes a container 12 including a neck portion 14
which defines an opening into an interior volume defined by the container. In
a
typical embodiment, the neck portion 14 includes an exterior thread formation
configured for cooperative engagement with a like thread formation provided on
the
associated promotional closure assembly. When received on the neck portion 14
of
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the container, the associated closure assembly closes the opening into the
interior of
the container, thus sealing the contents. The closure assembly is removably
mounted on the neck portion by virtue of the cooperating thread formations,
with
the arrangement accommodating reapplication of the closure to the container if
only
a portion of the contents of the container are initially consumed.
The container 12 has a generally upright configuration, and includes a
base portion 16 upon which the container can be positioned in an upright
orientation, as illustrated. The container includes an upstanding side wall 18
which
extends between the neck portion 14 and the base portion 16. Typical
containers of
this nature are ordinarily blow-molded, as will be recognized by those
familiar with
the art.
Promotional package 10 includes a promotional closure assembly 20
which is received by the neck portion 14 of the container for closing and
sealing the
opening into the interior volume of the container. In accordance with the
illustrated
1 S embodiment, the closure assembly 20 includes a closure 22 (sometimes
referred to
as a cap or shell) having a circular top wall portion 24, and a depending
annular
skirt portion 26. Skirt portion 26 includes an internal thread formation for
cooperation with the external thread formation on neck portion 14 of the
container
12. In a particularly preferred form, the closure 22 includes a sealing liner
28,
positioned adjacent the top wall portion thereof, with the sealing liner 28
being
configured for cooperative engagement with the neck portion of the container
for
effecting closure of the container.
As noted, the promotional closure assembly 20 includes a promotion
element positioned generally within the closure, that is, beneath the top wall
portion
24 of the closure in a region bounded by the annular skirt portion 26. It is
within
the purview of the present invention that the promotion element be provided in
the
form of promotion indicia provided on the inside surface of top wall portion
24, or
on sealing liner 28, when such a liner is provided within the closure.
However, in
the illustrated embodiment, a promotion element in the form of a promotion
compartment 30 is provided generally within the outer closure 22 of the
assembly.
The promotion compartment 30 may be configured in accordance with the
teachings
of U.S. Patent No. 5,806,707, hereby incorporated by reference, as well as in
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accordance with the teachings of allowed U.S. Patent Application Serial No.
08/882,395, filed July 10, 1997. As such, the promotion compartment 30 has a
generally cup-shaped configuration, with the interior region of the
compartment
configured to hold a prize coupon, currency, a gaming element, or any like
article
S employed in the product promotion.
While the closure assembly 20 illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 includes
the above-described promotion compartment 30, it is also within the purview of
the
present invention that the promotion element provided within the closure 22 be
in
the form of a "simulated compartment" resembling the promotion compartment 30,
but containing no gaming piece or the like. Such an arrangement is disclosed
in the
above-referenced U.S. Patent No. 5,806,707, with this patent showing a
"simulated
compartment" in the form of a generally cylindrical element which depends from
a
sealing liner of closure 22 positioned adjacent the inside surface of top wall
portion
24.
As will be appreciated, the success of a product promotion, wherein
only certain ones of a particular product include a gaming piece or prize,
depends
upon consumers being unable to discern which ones of the product include the
prize
or the like prior to purchase. A gaming system such as disclosed in U.S.
Patent No.
5,806,707 is configured in accordance with this objective, by providing both
compartment-containing, and simulated compartment-containing closures.
However,
under certain conditions, close visual inspection may reveal which closures
and
containers actually include the desired prize compartments. Additionally, for
some
applications, it may not be desirable to provide closures having simulated
compartments, but rather, closures having compartments or other promotion
elements will merely be distributed among conventionally configured closures.
Thus, the present package has been particularly configured for
concealing the interior of the closure 22, including at least a portion of the
region
within the closure bounded by the annular skirt portion 26. The concealment
arrangement preferably includes selective treatment of the portion of the
container
12 so that such a selected portion is rendered sufficiently opaque as to
conceal the
interior of the associated closure.
To this end, the promotional package 10 is illustrated as including a
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liquid product disposed within the interior volume therein, with such product
designated 32 in the illustration. As shown in Figure 1, wherein the present
package is illustrated in an upright configuration, wherein the neck portion
14 of
container 12 defines the uppermost extent of the container, the liquid product
fills
S most, but not all of, the interior volume of the container. As such, the
liquid
product defines a fill line F/L generally corresponding to the height of the
product
within the container, with the container in its illustrated upright
orientation. In turn,
the fill line defines, together with the neck portion 14, a so-called head
space H/S,
which generally corresponds to that region between the liquid product, and the
neck
portion of the container after the container has been filled to the intended
level.
Depending upon the specific product, the head space may be pressurized (such
as in
the case of carbonated beverages) or may be under a partial vacuum (such as in
the
case of so-called hot fill products).
In accordance with the present invention, an arrangement for
concealing the interior of the closure 22 is provided on the container 12 in a
region
of the head space H/S, in spaced relationship to the base portion 16 of the
container.
The concealment arrangement 34 can be provided in any of a variety of forms.
It is
presently preferred that surface texturing be provided on the exterior surface
of the
container 12 for creating the desired concealing effect. Such surface
texturing may
be provided in the form of a matte finish, a frosted finish, a beaded finish,
or any of
a variety of other surface textures which render the container sufficiently
opaque as
to conceal the interior of the associated closure. Certain surface textures
are
especially aesthetically pleasing, for example, those which tend to provide a
"frosty"
appearance for the container. Such surface texturing can readily be provided
on the
container by appropriate texturing of the molds within which the container is
formed. Alternatively, it is within the purview of the present invention that
a
post-molding surface treatment be provided on the container, such as by a
surface
etching or the like, to effect the desired texturing.
While surface texturing of the container is presently preferred, it is
also within the purview of the present invention that the concealment
arrangement
34 be provided in the form of a pigmented coating applied to the exterior of
the
container in the region of the head space H/S, in spaced relationship to base
portion
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16. Such a coating can be applied after molding of the container, and can be
provided with a pigment selected to complement the container and closure,
while
rendering the container sufficiently opaque to conceal the interior of the
closure
fitted to the neck portion.
It is presently preferred that the concealment arrangement 34
correspond generally to the head space H/S of the container 12, and thus be
spaced
from the base portion 16 of the container. It is contemplated that the extent
of the
concealment arrangement 34 be sufficient so as to preclude visual inspection
of the
interior of the closure 22, even if the present package is tilted or viewed at
an angle.
Thus, it can be desirable for the concealment arrangement 34 to extend beneath
the
fill line F/L, while still being spaced substantially above the base portion
16 of the
container.
From the foregoing, it will be observed that numerous modifications
and variations can be effected without departing from the true spirit and
scope of
1 S the novel concept of the present invention. It is to be understood that no
limitation
with respect to the specific embodiment illustrated herein is intended or
should be
inferred. The disclosure is intended to cover, by the appended claims, all
such
modifications as fall within the scope of the claims.
