Method for activating scents from a scented coupon by means of a coupon dispenser

• US 6,123,221 A
• Filed: 08/06/1998
• Issued: 09/26/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 10/09/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Comark Bates, Menasha Corporation
• Original Assignee: Premium Promotions, Inc.
• Inventors: Simpson, Raymond
• Primary Examiner(s): Noland, Kenneth W.
• Application Number:
  US09/130,445
• Time in Patent Office: 782 Days
• Field of Search: 221/1, 221/33, 221/45, 221/46, 221/52, 221/48, 221/135
• US Class Current: 221/33
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 5/0236 with end closures formed by inward folding of flaps and securing them by adhesive tapes, labels or the like; for decoration purposes B65D5/4245, B65D5/4262 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 83/0817 the articles being automatically urged towards the dispensing aperture, e.g. spring-loaded B65D83/0823 takes precedence

Abstract

The present invention discloses a method for dispensing scented coupons in a way that activates the scents as they are removed from a coupon dispenser. Individual scented coupons have a folded end, with a light adhesive allowing for the On one side of As individual, folded scented coupons are removed from the dispenser box, The dispenser comprises walls defining a cavity adapted to receive the stack of sheets, a rectangular flat top wall having an opening through which the sheets may be individually dispensed, a flat bottom wall having approximately the same dimensions as the flat top wall, with the flat bottom wall being approximately parallel to the flat top wall, and resilient means to push the stack of said sheets to the opening in the top wall of the dispenser.

Claims

1. A method for dispensing and activating scented coupons as they are removed from a coupon dispenser, said method comprising:

a) stacking said scented coupons in the coupon dispenser,

each said scented coupon comprising;

a bottom sheet, an edge, a top flap integrally and continuously connected along the folded edge to said bottom sheet, a microenscapsulated scent positioned between said bottom sheet and said flap, and a light adhesive positioned between said bottom sheet and said flap, said light adhesive allowing the top flap and the bottom sheet to be held together until it is removed from the dispenser by means of the flap; and

b) pulling said top flap from the bottom sheet to remove said scented coupon from said dispenser, said pulling action separating the adhered flap and sheet, thereby further breaking the microcapsules holding the scent as the adhesive tugs on the microcapsules thereby releasing the scent as the scented coupon is removed from the dispenser.

2. The method of dispensing scented coupons of claim 1, wherein said coupon dispenser comprises:

a rectangular flat top wall having an opening through which said sheets may be individually dispensed;

two short flat end walls, wherein edges of each of said two short flat end walls are positioned perpendicularly to edges of the width of said flat top wall at opposite ends of said flat top wall, wherein said two short flat end walls are parallel to each other and each said short flat end wall has the same dimensions as the other flat end wall;

two long flat side walls wherein edges of each of said two long flat side walls are positioned perpendicularly to edges of the length of said flat top wall at opposite sides of said flat top wall, wherein said two long flat side walls are parallel to each other and each said long flat side wall has the same dimensions as the other long flat side wall; and

a flat bottom wall having approximately the same dimensions as the flat top wall, said flat bottom wall being approximately parallel to said flat top wall, wherein at least one edge along the length of said flat bottom wall is affixed to the bottom of said dispenser.

3. The method for dispensing the scented coupons of claim 1, further comprising pushing said stack of said scented coupons sheets to the opening in the top wall of the dispenser by a resilient means.

4. The method for dispensing the scented coupons of claim 3, wherein said means to push said stack of said scented coupons to the opening in the top wall of the dispenser is an arc type structure positioned underneath said stack of sheets, said arc type structure positioned between said short flat end walls and above said flat bottom wall, wherein said arc type structure is in communication with said stack of scented coupons, pushing said stack of sheets towards the opening in said flat top wall.

5. The method for dispensing the scented coupons of claim 3, wherein said means to push said stack of said scented coupons to the opening in the top wall of the dispenser is an arc type structure positioned underneath said stack of said scented coupons, said arc type structure positioned between said stack of said scented coupons and above said flat bottom wall, wherein one end of said arc type structure is in communication with said stack of said scented coupons, pushing said stack of said scented coupons towards the opening in said flat top wall.

6. The method for dispensing the scented coupons of claim 1, further comprising a means for directing said stack of said scented towards the opening in the top wall of the dispenser.

7. The method for dispensing the scented coupons of claim 5, further comprising an angular formation positioned between one of said end walls and said top wall, for the purpose of directing said stack of said scented coupons towards said opening in the top wall of the dispenser.

8. The method for dispensing the scented coupons of claim 7, further comprising a triangular shaped piece positioned between one of said end walls and said top wall, for the purpose of directing said stack of said scented coupons towards said opening in the top wall of the dispenser.

9. The method of dispensing the scented coupons of claim 7, wherein said angular formation is the material from said opening folded back toward said wall.

10. The method of dispensing the scented coupons of claim 1, wherein said dispenser is made of one unitary piece of material.

11. The method of dispensing the scented coupons of claim 1, further comprising side flaps positioned on a bottom section of at least one of said walls.

12. The method of dispensing the scented coupons of claim 1, wherein said dispenser is comprised of a material selected from the group consisting of paper, styrene, and plastic.

13. The method for dispensing the scented coupons of claim 1, wherein said scented coupons are independent of each other.

14. The method for dispensing the scented coupons of claim 1, wherein said scent is microencapsulated.

15. The method for dispensing the scented coupons of claim 1, comprising placing the scent is may be along a specific strip between the top flap and the bottom sheet.

16. The method for dispensing the scented coupons of claim 1, further comprising evenly distributing the microencapsulated scent over the surface area covered by the top flap.

17. The method for dispensing the scented coupons of claim 1, wherein said scented coupons further comprise a front tab section on said top flap.

18. The method for dispensing the scented coupons of claim 17, wherein said front tap has no adhesive on its underside, thereby allowing the user of the dispenser to pull the tab 35 to remove the scented coupon 4 from the dispenser 1.