Peel off coupon redemption card and tracking system

• US 5,308,120 A
• Filed: 05/15/1992
• Issued: 05/03/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 05/12/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: James Thompson
• Original Assignee: Debra Tak Thompson, Kenneth Thompson
• Inventors: Thompson, Kenneth
• Primary Examiner(s): Rosenbaum, Mark
• Assistant Examiner(s): FRIDIE JR, WILLMON
• Application Number:
  US07/884,962
• Time in Patent Office: 718 Days
• Field of Search: 283/71, 283/81, 283/101, 283/105, 283/51, 283/56, 283/115
• US Class Current: 283/70
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 15/00 Printed matter of special format or style not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/387 Payment using discounts or coupons relating to marketing G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 2003/0202 printed before use
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 2003/0205 Coupon
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 2003/023 Adhesive
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 3/10 by an adhesive layer

Abstract

A coupon redemption card and tracking system includes a credit card size redemption coupon card used by the customer, and a tracking sheet used by the redemption center such as a restaurant. The redemption card has a plurality of mini coupons, which can be peeled off individually. Each redeemed coupon is affixed to the tracking sheet, which has dimensions of a dollar bill so that it can be placed in the till of a cash register. The tracking system facilitates the accounting and inventory of redeemed coupons. The coupon card is formed as two laminated layers of special paper joined together by a layer of adhesive material, and a layer of clear plastic film on the top face of the card. The base layer is fabricated from a special paper. An adhesive coating is applied to one side of the base layer. The peel off coupon layer is affixed to the adhesive coating. The finished layered sheet is printed on both sides, die-cut on the coupon side, and then laminated with the film on the other side. Each coupon that is removed from the card has adhesive to adhere the coupon to the tracking sheet. The small size of the mini coupons is convenient for the card holder and the redemption center. It eliminates the need to process diverse sizes and shapes of customer coupons. The system can be used wherever one has to keep track of various redeemable coupons and the like.

Claims

1. A method of redeeming a coupon secured to a redemption card and tracking the redeemed coupon, which comprises:

presenting to a redemption center other than a bank a redemption card containing at least one non-negotiable peel-off coupon;

placing a tracking sheet at said redemption center;

peeling off at least one said peel-off coupon that is die cut from said redemption card;

transferring said peeled-off coupon to said tracking sheet;

crediting the value of said coupon to the redeemer; and

returning said redemption card to the redeemer.

2. A laminated coupon redemption card, which comprises:

a base layer having a front face and a back face;

a thin adhesive layer applied to said back face of said base layer;

a coupon layer having a coupon face and an adhesive face;

said adhesive face of said coupon layer being applied to said adhesive layer and having the same overall dimensions as said base layer;

said coupon face of said coupon layer having coupons printed on it and scored at regular intervals to form a matrix of small adhesive backed removable coupons.

3. The coupon card as recited in claim 2 wherein said coupon card has the overall dimensions of a credit card.

4. The coupon card as recited in claim 2 further comprising:

said front face of said base layer having printed matter thereon; and

a protective clear film laminated over said front face of said base layer.

5. The coupon card as recited in claim 4 wherein:

said base layer is fabricated from a 0.012 inches thick sheet of paper;

said coupon layer is fabricated from a 0.012-0.05 inches thick sheet of paper;

said adhesive layer is SP-111G grade adhesive sold by Fasson label supply company; and

said protective film is comprised of #69 UCL polyolam film having a thickness from 0.00069 to 0.02 inches.

6. The coupon card as recited in claim 2 further comprising:

tracking sheet means comprising a flat rectangular sheet having overall dimensions sufficiently small to fit into a compartment of a typical tray in a cash register;

said tracking sheet having a plurality of rectangles, each being slightly larger than each said peel-off coupon of said coupon card for affixing said redeemed coupons from said coupon card and keeping a record of said redeemed coupons on said tracking sheet.