Carton with integral promotional material

• US 6,027,018 A
• Filed: 03/04/1999
• Issued: 02/22/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 03/04/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Pactiv Packaging Incorporated (Pactiv)
• Original Assignee: Dopaco Incorporated (Graeme Richard Hart, MBA)
• Inventors: Yocum, James
• Primary Examiner(s): Elkins, Gary E.
• Application Number:
  US09/262,310
• Time in Patent Office: 355 Days
• Field of Search: 229/400, 229/902, 229/906, 206/459.5, 206/831, 40/312, 40/324
• US Class Current: 229/400
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/422 as an extra panel or panels folded against or inside the container B65D5/4237 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/4229 in the form of a detachable panel
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/667 Lids in the form of an inverted tray
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 206/831 Detachable coupon
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 229/906 Baked goods

Abstract

A carton with a prize coupon formed within at least one wall of the carton and defined by peripheral severance lines. A tab, substantially smaller than the coupon, is folded over one end portion of the coupon to conceal the actual award provided by the coupon. The award is selectively exposed by a flap capable of being peeled from the tab, or an overlaid portion of the coupon.

Claims

1. A carton with integral promotional material, said carton including a carton wall with a free edge, said promotional material comprising a coupon defined within said wall inward from said free edge and by at least one severance line extending inward from said free edge and encircling said coupon for selective severance of said coupon from said wall, a tab integral with said coupon along said free edge and overlying only a portion of said coupon for cooperation with the overlaid portion of said coupon in the concealing of information relating to the promotional significance of the coupon, and an integral flap in the plane of and defined from one of said coupon and said tab by at least one severance line, said flap overlying said information and being selectively peelable away from said coupon and said tab to expose said information.

2. The carton of claim 1 wherein said coupon is of a predetermined width, said tab being of a width no greater than the width of said coupon for removal from said carton with said coupon upon a severance of said coupon from said carton.

3. The carton of claim 2 including an adhesive bonding a peripheral portion of said tab, laterally of said flap, to said coupon.

4. The carton of claim 3 wherein said flap is defined from said tab.

5. The carton of claim 4 wherein said tab is bonded to said coupon along opposed laterally spaced edges of said tab with said flap defined therebetween.

6. The carton of claim 4 wherein said tab has an outer end portion remote from said free edge of said carton wall, said outer end portion comprising said peripheral portion bonded by said adhesive, a release strip defined in said tab transversely thereacross and inward of said outer end portion, said tab, between said release strip and said free edge of said carton wall, comprising said flap.

7. The carton of claim 3 wherein said flap is defined in said coupon and extends inwardly from said free edge of said carton wall in overlying relation to said tab, said flap being dimensionally smaller than said tab.

8. The carton of claim 7 wherein said flap includes a projecting end at said free edge of said carton wall, said at least one severance line defining said flap comprising a pair of laterally spaced severance lines extending in said coupon from said free edge of said carton wall to an inner end of said flap, said inner end of said flap being integral with said coupon wherein an opening of said flap is effected by a downward peeling thereof.

9. The carton of claim 7 wherein said flap includes an outer end integral with said tab at said free edge of said carton wall, and an inner end spaced therefrom and defined in said coupon by a transverse cut line partially across the width of said coupon, said at least one severance line forming said flap comprising two severance lines extending through said coupon from said free edge of said carton wall to said cut line, said cut line allowing free access to said inner end of said flap for an upward peeling of said flap toward said integral outer end thereof and a corresponding exposure of the tab therebelow.

10. The carton of claim 9 including a second cut line in said coupon longitudinally aligned with said flap and intersecting said first cut line and combining therewith to facilitate an inward flexing of said coupon immediately adjacent said inner end of said flap for access thereto.

11. The carton of claim 3 wherein said carton includes a second carton wall integral with said first-mentioned carton wall remote from said free edge thereof, said coupon extending beyond said first mentioned carton wall and partially across said second carton wall, said tab extending from said free edge of said first mentioned carton wall to a point intermediate said free edge and said second carton wall.

12. The carton of claim 11 including multiple duplicate coupons, each with an associated tab, positioned in adjacent relationship along said first-mentioned carton wall.

13. The carton of claim 12 wherein said carton is a clamshell carton including a tray and overlying cover, said cover having a front wall and a top wall respectively comprising said first-mentioned carton wall and said second carton wall.

14. The carton of claim 11 wherein said carton is a clamshell carton including a tray and overlying cover, said cover having a front wall and a top wall respectively comprising said first-mentioned carton wall and said second carton wall.

15. The carton of claim 3 wherein said coupon is of an elongate rectangular configuration and of a substantially greater length, inward from said free edge of said carton wall, than said width.

16. A folded paperboard carton including a carton wall with a free edge, a removable coupon defined in said carton wall by severance lines extending inward from said free edge, a tab integral with said wall at said free edge and folded to overlie a portion of said coupon, said coupon extending substantially beyond said tab, a flap in the plane of and defined from one of said coupon and said tab, said flap being dimensionally smaller than said tab and selectively severable to expose an inner face of said tab normally concealed between said tab and said coupon.

17. The structure of claim 16 wherein said flap is defined from said tab.

18. The structure of claim 16 wherein said flap is defined from said coupon in direct overlying relation to said tab.