Promotional auto dialer card

• US 5,181,744 A
• Filed: 03/15/1991
• Issued: 01/26/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Stephen M. Betheil
• Original Assignee: Stephen M. Betheil
• Inventors: Betheil, Stephen M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Eley, Timothy V.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Fridie, Jr., Willmon
• Application Number:
  US07/670,192
• Time in Patent Office: 683 Days
• Field of Search: 283/56, 283/94, 283/904, 379/354, 379/355, 379/356, 379/357
• US Class Current: 283/56
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07 with integrated circuit chips
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/346 Cards serving only as information carrier of service
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/0014 for vending, access and use of specific services not covered anywhere else in G07F17/00 meter-controlled dispensing of liquid, gas or electricity G07F15/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/1008 Active credit-cards provided with means to personalise their use, e.g. with PIN-introduction/comparison system
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 25/00 Audible advertising sound recording or reproducing per se G11B; public address systems H04R27/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/275 implemented by means of portable electronic directories
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 283/904 Credit card

Abstract

A promotional device for advertising and for causing a consumer to place a telephone call to an advertiser includes a plastic card with a tone generator for generating tones for dialing a telephone, the tone generator being affixed to and preferably encapsulated within the card. The tone generator has its own battery power source and a ceramic speaker. A pressure sensitive switch actuable by finger pressure controls the tone generation and the card proximate the switch is deformable to permit switch actuation.

Claims

1. A promotional device for advertising and for causing a consumer to place a telephone call to an advertiser comprising:

(a) a card wherein said card is a planar member having a front surface, a back surface and a peripheral edge;

(b) a tone generator affixed to said card for generating tones for dialing

(c) a switch means for controlling said tone generator to selectively invoke tone generation; and

(d) a protective means for selectively protecting said switch means from inadvertent activation, said protective means being movable from a first position, wherein the activation of said switch means is prevented to a second position wherein the activation of said switching means is allowed.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein said tone generator is encapsulated within said card and includes a power source and a speaker.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein said means for controlling is encapsulated within said card and said power source is a battery.

4. The device of claim 2, wherein said switch means is a pressure sensitive switch actuable by finger pressure.

5. The device of claim 4, wherein said front surface of said card is deformable proximate said switch to permit actuation of said switch.

6. The device of claim 5, wherein said switch is a leaf switch having a contact disposed on a flexible leaf biased away from an opposing contact.

7. The device of claim 6, wherein said protective means is a removable strip of an insulator holding said leaf in a biased position and said contact and said opposing contact apart.

8. The device of claim 7, wherein said strip is interposed between said contact and said opposing contact.

9. The device of claim 3, further including advertising indicia printed on a front surface of said card.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, further including operating instructions for selectively invoking tone generation imprinted on said front surface.

11. The device of claim 8, further including advertising indicia imprinted on said front surface.

12. The device of claim 11, further including operating instructions for selectively invoking tone generation imprinted on said front surface.

13. The device of claim 12, further including figurative representations of said switch and said speaker imprinted on said front surface to permit said consumer to locate and operate said switch and said speaker in accordance with said instructions.

14. The device of claim 13, wherein said card is shaped like a credit card.

15. The device of claim 14, wherein said card is formed from plastic.

16. The device of claim 14, wherein said card is formed from laminated paper.

17. The device of claim 12, wherein said front surface has at least one orifice therein proximate said speaker for permitting sounds emanating from said speaker to exit said card.