Multiple value coupon system

• US 4,817,990 A
• Filed: 09/14/1987
• Issued: 04/04/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 09/14/1987
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Larry Tucker
• Original Assignee: Lee Krost Associates Incorporated
• Inventors: Krost, Lee
• Primary Examiner(s): Yost, Frank T.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Heyrana, Sr., Paul M.
• Application Number:
  US07/096,723
• Time in Patent Office: 568 Days
• Field of Search: 283/51, 283/56, 283/72, 283/100, 283/101, 283/103, 283/104, 283/106, 283/108, 283/901, 229/70, 229/73, 229/926, 229/927, 229/928
• US Class Current: 283/101
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2250/22 with advertising
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 3/069 having a message becoming legible by tearing-off non-adhesive parts
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 15/0053 Forms specially designed for commercial use, e.g. bills, receipts, offer or order sheets, coupons
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 283/901 Concealed data

Abstract

A multiple retail coupon and a means for using it to identify and persuade a user of a competitive product to convert to a sponsoring manufacturer'"'"'s product is disclosed. In particular, an upper sheet is adhered to a lower sheet, the upper sheet having a center section and division lines defining at least one pair of rectangular sections. End sections of each of the rectangular sections correspond to the center section. Cooperating printed matter is provided on an inner face of the lower sheet so that a consumer selecting one of the rectangles will ascertain a value of the sponsor'"'"'s product which is redeemable. A consumer of a competitor'"'"'s product will receive a higher value than a consumer of a sponsor'"'"'s product to persuade the competitive consumer to convert to the desired product.

Claims

1. A multiple retail coupon document comprising an upper sheet and a lower sheet separably joined together around their edges by an adhesive,

the upper sheet having an outer face with a rectangular center section,

a plurality of end sections defined by lines of division, each end section being adjacent a side of the center section and bearing indicia defining a product,

the lines of division being arranged to provide a rectangle encompassing a single end section and the center section,

and, the lower sheet having an inner face with cooperating printed matter disposed in such a manner as to indicate a value of a product upon cutting a rectangle comprising an end section and the center section,

the value not being ascertainable until said rectangle is cut.

2. A multiple retail coupon document according to claim 1 in which the cooperating printed matter indicates that the document is valueless if the center section is not included in the cut-out rectangle.

3. A multiple retail coupon document according to claim 2 in which the cooperating printed matter is rendered incomprehensible if the center section is not included in the cut-out rectangle.

4. A multiple retail coupon document according to claim 1 in which the values provided by the cooperating printed matter differ according to the particular end section included in the cut-out rectangle.

5. A multiple retail coupon document according to claim 4 in which the cooperating printed matter provides discounts for one of the products defined on an end section.

6. A multiple retail coupon document according to claim 5 in which both inner faces have the cooperating printed matter.

7. A multiple retail coupon document according to claim 5 in which additionally has, on the inner face not having the cooperating printed matter, a certificate relating to a sweepstakes prize, said certificate being rendered valueless if the center section is not included in the cut-out rectangle.

8. A multiple retail coupon document according to claim 7 in which the cooperating printed matter is printed on the inner face of the lower sheet and the certificate is printed on the inner face of the upper sheet.

9. A dual value retail discount coupon document according to claim 8 in which the cooperating printed matter is printed on the inner face of the lower sheet and the certificate is printed on the inner face of the upper sheet.

10. A dual value retail discount coupon document according to claim 7 in which additionally has, on the inner face not having the cooperating printed matter, a certificate relating to a sweepstakes prize, said certificate being rendered valueless if the center section is not included in the cut-out rectangle.

11. A dual value retail discount coupon document comprising an upper sheet and a lower sheet joined together around the edges;

the outer face of the upper sheet having a rectangle center section;

two detachable end sections defined by lines of division;

the end sections being adjacent opposite sides of the center section and bearing indicia defining a product;

the lines of division being arranged to provide a rectangle encompassing a single end section and the center section;

and, on an inner face of said coupon document, cooperating printed matter disposed in such manner as to indicate, upon cutting a rectangle comprising an end section and the center section, a different discount value according to the particular end section included and to indicate that the coupon is valueless if the center section is not included the discount values not being ascertainable until said rectangle is cut.

12. A dual value retail discount coupon document according to claim 11 which is bound into a magazine as a separate detachable page.

13. A method for manufacturing and using a multiple retail coupon document having redemption value determined by a retail consumer comprising:

(a) printing an outer face of an upper sheet having a rectangular center section and a plurality of end sections defined by lines of division, each end section being adjacent a side of the center section and bearing indicia defining a product, the lines of division been arranged to provide a rectangle encompassing a single end section and the center section;

(b) printing an inner face of a lower, sheet with printed matter having at least two assigned values for a product;

(c) adhering, said upper sheet to said lower sheet to form a double thickness insert card;

(d) distributing said insert cards in a mass distribution to consumers;

(e) selecting a rectangle on said outer face of the upper sheet which corresponds to one of said pair of values provided on the inner face of the lower sheet; and

(f) redeeming said selected value through retail establishments.

14. The method for manufacturing and using said coupon according to claim 13 wherein the selecting of the rectangle step renders the other value of said values valueless.

15. The method for manufacturing and using said multiple retail coupon document according to claim 13 further comprising printing an additional award on an inner face of said upper sheet corresponding to said rectangle, and ascertaining the award at the same time the value of said rectangle is selected by the consumer.