Dual coupon card assembly

• US 6,241,287 B1
• Filed: 04/10/2000
• Issued: 06/05/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 04/10/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Saxon Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Saxon Incorporated
• Inventors: Best, Scott D., Turner, James F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wellington, A. L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Henderson, Mark T.
• Application Number:
  US09/545,997
• Time in Patent Office: 421 Days
• Field of Search: 283/51, 283/67, 283/70, 283/81, 283/101, 283/105, 283/107, 283/108, 493/210, 493/231, 493/243, 493/343, 493/382, 244/87, 24/679, 24/677
• US Class Current: 283/51
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 15/00 Printed matter of special format or style not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 15/0053 Forms specially designed for commercial use, e.g. bills, receipts, offer or order sheets, coupons
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/204 Pivotally mounted on pintle
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/205 One piece
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/44274 having either discrete flaccid or thin, nonbiasing, integral, connecting hinge

Abstract

A coupon card assembly (10) having a first card half (12) and a second card half (14). Both the first (12) and second (14) card halves include a liner (20, 26) and two layers of card stock (22, 24, 28, 30) sandwiching the respective liner (20, 26) therebetween. A number of mini-coupons (36) are detachably cut into each of the card halves (12, 14) through an inner layer of card stock (24, 30). The card assembly (10) is characterized by a living hinge (40) interconnecting the first card half (12) with the second card half (14) to define a dual coupon card assembly (10) wherein the first card half (12) may be folded upon the second card half (14). The subject invention provides a structurally sound coupon card assembly (10) with numerous mini-coupons (36) wherein the coupon card assembly (10) may be folded to form a relatively compact card preferably the size of a standard credit card.

Claims

1. A coupon card assembly (10) comprising;

a first card half (12) having a first liner (20) and first (22) and second (24) layers of card stock, said first (22) and second (24) layers of card stock adhered to said first liner (20) to sandwich said first liner (20) therebetween,

a second card half (14) having a second liner (26) and third (28) and fourth (30) layers of card stock, said third (28) and fourth (30) layers of card stock adhered to said second liner (26) to sandwich said second liner (26) therebetween,

a plurality of mini-coupons (36) detachably cut into at least one of said first card half (12) through said second layer of card stock (24) and said second card half (14) through said fourth layer of card stock (30),

a living hinge (40) having a hinge liner (42) and fifth (44) and sixth (46) layers of card stock and interconnecting said first card half (12) with said second card half (14) to define a dual coupon card assembly (10) wherein said first card half (12) may be folded upon said second card half (14),

said card assembly (10) characterized by a first center score line (48) cut through said second layer of card stock (24) in said first card half (12) spaced from said hinge (40) and a second center score line (50) cut through said fourth layer of card stock (30) in said second card half (14) spaced from said hinge (40) to define a removable center strip (52), and

said first (22), third (28), and fifth (44) layers of card stock defining an integral homogenous outer sheet of card stock (18);

said first (20), second (26), and hinge (42) liners defining an integral homogenous sheet of liner; and

said second (24), fourth (30), and sixth (46) layers of card stock defining an integral homogenous inner sheet of card stock (16) to uniformly form said dual coupon card assembly (10).

2. An assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein said fifth (44) and sixth (46) layers of card stock are adhered to said hinge liner (42) to sandwich said hinge liner (42) therebetween.

3. An assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein said first (48) and second (50) center score lines are substantially parallel with said hinge (40) and span an entire width of said respective card halves (12, 14) such that said center strip (52) may be removed from said card assembly (10) thereby further defining said living hinge (40) as said outer sheet of card stock (18) and said sheet of liner.

4. An assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein said living hinge (40) includes at least one notch (54) formed therein for creating a plurality of living hinge sections with each of said hinge sections interconnecting said first (12) and second (14) card halves.

5. An assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein said outer sheet of card stock (18) and said inner sheet of card stock (16) each have exterior and interior surfaces with said sheet of liner disposed between said interior surfaces.

6. An assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein a plurality of mini-coupons are detachably cut into both of said first card half (12) through said second layer of card stock (24) and said second card half (14) through said fourth layer of card stock (30).

7. An assembly as set forth in claim 2 wherein said fifth layer of card stock (44) interconnects said first (22) and third (28) layers of card stock, said sixth layer of card stock (46) interconnects said second (24) and fourth (30) layers of card stock and said hinge liner (42) interconnects said first (20) and second (26) liners to completely interconnect said first (12) and second (14) card halves.

8. An assembly as set forth in claim 4 wherein said notches (54) span a majority of a length of said living hinge (40) such that said living hinge sections fold when said first card half (12) is folded upon said second card half (14).

9. An assembly as set forth in claim 5 further including adhesive layers (34) disposed between each of said interior surfaces of said outer (18) and inner (16) sheets of card stock and said sheet of liner to adhere said sheets of card stock (16, 18) to said sheet of liner.

10. An assembly as set forth in claim 9 further including printed matter imprinted on each of said exterior surfaces of said outer (18) and inner (16) sheets of card stock.

11. An assembly as set forth in claim 10 further including a laminate (32) adhered to each of said exterior surfaces of said outer (18) and inner (16) sheets of card stock over said printed matter to protect said card assembly (10).

12. An assembly as set forth in claim 11 further including a series of card assemblies (10) with each series having substantially the same printed matter disposed on each exterior surface of said outer (18) and inner (16) sheets of card stock for creating a series of substantially identical dual coupon card assemblies (10).

13. A coupon card assembly (10) comprising;

a first card half (12) having a first liner (20) and first (22) and second (24) layers of card stock, said first (22) and second (24) layers of card stock adhered to said first liner (20) to sandwich said first liner (20) therebetween,

a second card half (14) having a second liner (26) and third (28) and fourth (30) layers of card stock, said third (28) and fourth (30) layers of card stock adhered to said second liner (26) to sandwich said second liner (26) therebetween,

a plurality of mini-coupons (36) detachably cut into at least one of said first card half (12) through said second layer of card stock (24) and said second card half (14) through said fourth layer of card stock (30),

a living hinge (40) having a hinge liner (42) and fifth (44) and sixth (46) layers of card stock and interconnecting said first card half (12) with said second card half (14) to define a dual coupon card assembly (10) wherein said first card half (12) may be folded upon said second card half (14),

at least one notch (54) formed within said living hinge (40) for creating a plurality of living hinge sections with each of said hinge sections interconnecting said first (12) and second (14) card halves, and

said first (22), third (28), and fifth (44) layers of card stock defining an integral homogenous outer sheet of card stock (18);

said first (20), second (26), and hinge (42) liners defining an integral homogenous sheet of liner; and

said second (24), fourth (30), and sixth (46) layers of card stock defining an integral homogenous inner sheet of card stock (16) to uniformly form said dual coupon card assembly (10).

14. An assembly as set forth in claim 13 wherein said fifth (44) and sixth (46) layers of card stock are adhered to said hinge liner (42) to sandwich said hinge liner (42) therebetween.

15. An assembly as set forth in claim 13 wherein a plurality of mini-coupons are detachably cut into both of said first card half (12) through said second layer of card stock (24) and said second card half (14) through said fourth layer of card stock (30).

16. An assembly as set forth in claim 13 further including a first center score line (48) cut through said second layer of card stock (24) in said first card half (12) spaced from said hinge (40) and a second center score line (50) cut through said fourth layer of card stock (30) in said second card half (14) spaced from said hinge (40) to define a removable center strip (52).

17. An assembly as set forth in claim 13 wherein said notches (54) span a majority of a length of said living hinge (40) such that said living hinge sections fold when said first card half (12) is folded upon said second card half (14).

18. An assembly as set forth in claim 13 further including adhesive layers (34) disposed between each of said interior surfaces of said outer (18) and inner (16) sheets of card stock and said sheet of liner to adhere said sheets of card stock (16, 18) to said sheet of liner.

19. An assembly as set forth in claim 14 wherein said fifth layer of card stock (44) interconnects said first (22) and third (28) layers of card stock, said sixth layer of card stock (46) interconnects said second (24) and fourth (30) layers of card stock and said hinge liner (42) interconnects said first (20) and second (26) liners to completely interconnect said first (12) and second (14) card halves.

20. An assembly as set forth in claim 16 wherein said first (48) and second (50) center score lines are substantially parallel with said hinge (40) and span an entire width of said respective card halves (12, 14) such that said center strip (52) may be removed from said card assembly (10) thereby further defining said living hinge (40) as said outer sheet of card stock (18) and said sheet of liner.

21. An assembly as set forth in claim 18 further including printed matter imprinted on each of said exterior surfaces of said outer (18) and inner (16) sheets of card stock.

22. An assembly as set forth in claim 21 further including a laminate (32) adhered to each of said exterior surfaces of said outer (18) and inner (16) sheets of card stock over said printed matter to protect said card assembly (10).

23. An assembly as set forth in claim 22 further including a series of card assemblies (10) with each series having substantially the same printed matter disposed on each exterior surface of said outer (18) and inner (16) sheets of card stock for creating a series of substantially identical dual coupon card assemblies (10).