Variable value retail coupon system

• US 5,780,133 A
• Filed: 10/11/1996
• Issued: 07/14/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 10/11/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Engstrom, John A.
• Original Assignee: Engstrom, John A.
• Inventors: Engstrom, John A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ahmad, Nasser
• Application Number:
  US08/729,500
• Time in Patent Office: 641 Days
• Field of Search: 428/40.1, 428/43, 428/192, 283/56, 283/901, 283/98, 283/105, 283/106, 283/51, 283/52, 229/70
• US Class Current: 428/40.1
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 3/0288 Labels or tickets consisting of more than one part, e.g. with address of sender or other reference on separate section to main label; Multi-copy labels
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 283/901 Concealed data
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/14 Layer or component removable to expose adhesive
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/15 Sheet, web, or layer weakened to permit separation through thickness
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24777 Edge feature

Abstract

The variable value retail coupon system comprises a sheet which is covered to hide coupons and two offers with each coupon. First and second longitudinal perforation lines, preferably parallel and along the side edges, extend to separate the offers from the coupons. One of the edge tear tabs defined by the perforation lines is chosen and torn away before opening and making the coupons visible so that a selection is made from between the two coupon offers with the tearing away of a chosen one of two edge tear tabs.

Claims

1. A variable value coupon system comprising:

a coupon sheet of flexible material having a face and a back and having edges, at least one coupon panel on said face of said coupon sheet, indicia on said face of said at least one coupon panel, said indicia representing at least one coupon;

first and second spaced separation lines on said coupon sheet for separating said coupon sheet at said separation lines, both said first and second separation lines passing through said coupon indicia, said coupon indicia being arranged to have an offer beyond each separation line so that when torn at said first separation line said coupon has a first character and when torn at said second separation line said coupon has a second character;

a cover extending across said coupon indicia, said cover having first and second spaced separation lines, said cover lying with said first cover separation line overlying said first coupon sheet separation line and said second cover separation line overlying said second coupon sheet separation line so as to enclose said indicia representing said at least one coupon so that said indicia is not visible until said cover and said coupon sheet are separated on one of said first and second separation lines to permit removal of said coupon sheet and cover sheet beyond said separation line to permit uncovering of the remaining face of said coupon sheet to display said indicia.

2. The variable value coupon system of claim 1 wherein there is indicia representing at least two coupons on said face of said sheet and said first and second separation lines cross said indicia representing both said first and second coupons so that both said first and second coupons are variable coupons.

3. The variable value coupon system of claim 2 wherein said separation lines are perforation lines.

4. The variable value coupon system of claim 1 wherein said separation lines are perforation lines.

5. The variable value coupon system of claim 1 wherein said cover is formed by folding over said sheet and there is glue adjacent said edges of said sheet to releasibly retain said cover over said face.

6. The variable value coupon system of claim 3 wherein said first and second perforated separation lines are substantially parallel to each other.

7. The variable value coupon system of claim 6 wherein said first and second perforated separation lines are spaced from the edges of said sheet and define first and second edge tear tabs, said indicia-representing coupons having a portion thereof on each of said tabs.

8. The variable value coupon system of claim 2 wherein there is a line between said panels and said line is a perforated line so that said panels can be separated so that when separated each of said panels represents a separate coupon.

9. The variable value coupon system of claim 7 wherein the ends of said edge tear tabs are exposed, when said sheet is covered to cover said indicia-representing coupon, and said exposed end is cut so that when one of said edge tear tabs is removed it uncovers a portion of a covered panel to aid the user in unfolding said sheet after one of said edge tear tabs is removed.

10. The variable value coupon system of claim 7 wherein there are at least three panels, each having indicia thereon representing variable value coupons.

11. The variable value coupon system of claim 10 wherein the ends of said edge tear tabs are exposed when said sheet is covered to cover said indicia-representing coupons and said exposed end is cut so that when one of said edge tear tabs is removed it uncovers a portion of a covered panel to aid the user in unfolding said sheet after one of said edge tear tabs is removed.

12. The variable value coupon system of claim 10 wherein said sheet is folded to form said cover and said sheet has adhesive adjacent the edges thereof, said adhesive being such as to releasibly hold said sheet in folded position, said adhesive at said edges of said sheet being positioned on said edge tear tabs so that adhesive is removed along one edge of said coupon system when the edge tear tab along that edge is removed.

13. The variable value coupon system of claim 1 wherein said sheet is folded to form said cover and wherein said first and second perforated separation lines are spaced from the edges of said sheet and define first and second edge tear tabs, said indicia-representing coupons having a portion thereof on each of said tabs and said sheet has adhesive adjacent the edges thereof, said adhesive being such as to releasably hold said sheet in folded position, said adhesive at said edges of said sheet being positioned on said edge tear tab so that adhesive is removed along one edge of said coupon system when the edge tear tab along that edge is removed.

14. A variable value coupon system comprising:

a coupon sheet of flexible material, said coupon sheet having a face and having left and right edges, indicia representing at least one coupon on said face of said coupon sheet, said indicia extending substantially from edge to edge of said coupon sheet;

first and second separation lines in said coupon sheet, each of said first and second separation lines extending through some of said indicia so that separation of said coupon sheet on one or the other of said first and second separation lines causes said indicia to represent different values;

a cover sheet over said face of said coupon sheet to cover said indicia, first and second separation lines in said cover sheet, said first separation line in said cover sheet substantially overlying said first separation line in said coupon sheet and said second separation line in said cover sheet substantially overlying said second separation line in said coupon sheet, said first separation lines defining a first tab between said first separation lines and their adjacent sheet edge and defining a second tab between said second separation lines and their adjacent sheet edge so that one of said edge tabs can be removed to select a portion of said indicia and said coupon sheet can be opened to expose the indicia-representing coupon offer.

15. The variable value coupon system of claim 14 wherein there is indicia on said face representing a plurality of coupons, each of said coupons having first and second offers, said first and second offers being positioned respectively adjacent said left and right edges of said sheet of flexible material, said separation lines in both said coupon sheet and said cover sheet being positioned so that when said sheets are separated on said first separation line, said first offer is removed from said coupon and when said sheet is separated on said second separation line, said second offer is removed from said coupon.

16. The variable value coupon system of claim 14 wherein said separation lines comprise perforation lines so that the customer can remove said first tab or said second tab by separating on one of said perforation lines.

17. The variable value coupon system of claim 14 wherein said cover sheet over said face of said coupon sheet comprises a portion of said flexible sheet folded over said face of said coupon sheet, with said cover attached around the edges of said coupon sheet.

18. The variable value coupon system of claim 15 wherein said separating lines are tear line perforations which are substantially parallel to said edges of said sheet to define edge tear tabs which are of substantially uniform width and cover offers on said coupon indicia.

19. The variable value coupon system of claim 18 wherein said tear line perforations have one end thereof extending on an intersecting path so that when one of said edge tear tabs is removed, a portion of a folded-in panel is exposed.

20. The variable value coupon system of claim 18 wherein there is adhesive adjacent said edges to retain said sheet in folded position, said adhesive being positioned so that it is removed when an edge tear tab is removed.

21. The variable value coupon system of claim 20 wherein said tear line perforations have one end thereof extending on an intersecting path so that when one of said edge tear tabs is removed, a portion of a folded-in panel is exposed.

22. The variable value coupon system of claim 14 wherein there are three fold-and-tear perforation lines extending edge to edge defining four panels and at least three of said panels have indicia thereon defining variable value coupons.

23. The variable value coupon system of claim 22 wherein said first and second separation lines are tear line perforations which are substantially parallel to said edges of said sheet so that said edge tear tabs are of substantially uniform width.

24. The variable value coupon system of claim 23 wherein said tear tab perforations have one end thereof extending on an intersecting path so that when one of said edge tear tabs is removed, a portion of a folded-in panel is exposed. expose the indicia-representing coupons.

25. A variable value coupon system comprising:

a coupon sheet of flexible material, said sheet having left and right edges, at least two lateral tear line perforations across said sheet extending between said edges, said perforations dividing said coupon sheet into at least two panels, indicia-representing coupons each having an offer adjacent said edges of said coupon sheet on at least two of said panels, said indicia extending substantially from edge to edge;

cover means for covering said sheet to obscure said indicia;

first and second longitudinal tear line perforations in said coupon sheet and in said cover means, said first and second longitudinal tear line perforations extending at least across said panels having indicia thereon and said longitudinal tear line perforations being positioned to separate said different offers so that separation of said sheet on one or the other of said first and second longitudinal tear line perforations causes said indicia to represent different offers;

said first longitudinal tear line perforations in said cover means substantially overlying said first longitudinal tear line perforations in said coupon sheet to define a first tear tab between said first tear line perforation and its adjacent sheet edge and said second longitudinal tear line perforation in said cover means substantially overlying said second longitudinal tear line perforations in said coupon sheet to define a second tear tab between said second tear line perforation and its adjacent sheet edge so that one of said edge tear tabs can be removed to select a portion of said indicia and the remaining portion of said cover means can be removed to expose the indicia-representing coupons.

26. The variable value coupon system of claim 25 wherein said longitudinal tear line perforations have one end thereof extending on an intersecting path so that when one of said edge tear tabs is removed, a portion of a folded-in panel is exposed.