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[0001] The present invention relates generally to a container including a prize-delivery receptacle, and more particularly to a beverage can with a prize-containing receptacle adhered to a foil tab closure.
[0002] To stimulate sales, manufacturers of food and beverage products often use packaging as a promotional vehicle. One vehicle involves including a prize (or premium item) in some or all containers. For many years, this approach largely was confined to dry foods due to risks of possible contamination, product degradation, prize deterioration, structural complexities, and expense.
[0003] More recently, beverage manufacturers have attempted to address many of these concerns through an assortment of in-package prize-delivery mechanisms. For canned beverages, these developments have arisen largely in the context of the popular stay-on-tab can end. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,056,659 to Howes et al. describes a sealed prize compartment separated from the lower part of the container. The compartment includes a spring-activated sealed guide tube containing a prize, which is ejected when the consumer opens the stay-on-tab in the can lid. U.S. Pat. No. 5,046,631 to Goodman also shows a spring-activated guide tube that ejects a prize through the can opening. U.S. Pat. No. 5,482,158 also includes a guide tube, but relies on the buoyancy of trapped air in a prize-containing sachet to propel the prize through the can opening. These patents are incorporated herein by reference.
[0004] These known systems, however, suffer various drawbacks. Although adequate, in theory, for the delivery of prizes, the cans equipped with these systems tend to be difficult, expensive, and time-consuming to manufacture. Such systems typically employ spring-loaded or other complex mechanical delivery mechanisms. Further, such systems generally must be fastened to the lid or the sidewalls of the container to align the prize-delivery compartment with the lid opening.
[0005] In practice, these systems have varying degrees of effectiveness as promotional vehicles. Because of the expense, the difficulty of manufacture, space constraints and, in some instances, the incompatibility of the materials, only a limited number of cans in the market actually may contain prizes or promotions. Further, the prize may not be readily accessible to the consumer due to misalignments or due to the nature of the prize-delivery mechanism. In some instances, the consumer is able to discern which cans do and do not contain the prize or promotion.
[0006] Accordingly, an objective of the present invention is to provide an in-container prize-delivery mechanism for packaging, especially, for beverage cans, that avoids the limitations of previous devices and, particularly in the case of a highly preferred embodiment:
[0007] (1) provides a simple, space-efficient prize-delivery system for beverage containers with enhanced reliability;
[0008] (2) enables beverage containers to contain concurrently both a prize and a consumable beverage without one contaminating or contacting the other;
[0009] (3) assures alignment of the prize-delivery mechanism and the opening of the container so that the consumer always has reliable access to the prize;
[0010] (4) eliminates detection of a prize in an unopened container through handling or shaking; and
[0011] (5) allows for the rapid, inexpensive and uncomplicated manufacture of a closure and prize delivery assembly that can be conveniently and easily applied to a can during the beverage filling operation.
[0012] These objectives are fulfilled by providing a product container with a prize-delivery receptacle hidden in the interior of the container until a consumer opens the container. The product container may include: (1) a container body including an interior and an opening permitting consumer access to the interior; (2) a closure member peelably-connected to the container body and temporarily sealing the opening, the closure member having an inside surface facing the interior of the container body, the inside surface being exposed to the consumer when the closure member is peeled away from the opening; and (3) a prize-delivery receptacle affixed to or integral with the closure member, the prize-delivery receptacle dimensioned to fit through the opening when the closure member is peeled away from the opening.
[0013] In a preferred embodiment, the product container is a metal beverage can with an open end having an aperture enclosed by a lid. The closure member may be a foil which temporary seals the aperture. The prize-delivery receptacle may be a plastic, a semi-rigid container, a packet, or a foil layer or pouch that houses a prize. The receptacle may be peelably-adhered to the underside of the foil or otherwise accessed.
[0014] The container body may include a cylindrical portion having a closed end and an open end. A lid portion may be sealed to the cylindrical portion over the open end. The lid may include an aperture therein. The closure member may include a foil adhered to the lid portion around the periphery of the aperture. The product container may be a beverage container. The promotional item may include a prize delivery receptacle formed from a liquid-impermeable material. The prize delivery receptacle may be peelably attached to the inside surface of the closure member. The prize delivery receptacle may be opened by the consumer after opening the product container to gain access to a prize contained in the prize delivery receptacle. The container body may include a metal, the closure member may include a metal foil, and the prize delivery receptacle may include a plastic. The prize delivery receptacle may include a semi-rigid container or a cup.
[0015] A further embodiment of the present invention may provide for a closure and prize delivery assembly. The assembly may be used for a container having an aperture for providing access to the contents therein. The closure member may have an underside and may be peelably sealed to the container around the periphery of the aperture. The closure member may include a tab portion suitable for a consumer to grip and peel at least a portion of the closure member away from the container to expose the underside and the aperture. A prize delivery receptacle may be integrally formed with the closure member.
[0016] The prize delivery receptacle may be peelably attached to the underside of the closure member. The prize delivery receptacle may include a pouch attached to the underside of the closure member, a cup, a volume captured between two layers of the closure member, or a semi-rigid container. The prize delivery receptacle also may include a plastic or a liquid-impermeable material. A flavoring may be positioned within the prize delivery receptacle. The closure member may be at least partially formed of a metal foil.
[0017] A further embodiment of the present invention may provide for a product container. The product container may include a container body and a container top positioned on the container body. The container top may include an aperture therein. A closure may seal the aperture. The closure may include a receptacle positioned about the aperture. The closure may include a pull-tab lid. An article or a liquid may be positioned within the receptacle. The receptacle may include a cup, a sachet, a pull-tab, or a cup with a frangible end.
[0018] A further embodiment of the present invention may provide for a product container. The product container may include a body and a pull-top lid positioned on the container body. The pull-top lid may include a receptacle positioned thereon.
[0019] As used herein, the term “promotional item” means any prize, or indication of winning a prize, including but not limited to an award, money, novelties, coupons, food or beverage additives, candy, sound or other chips and related circuitry to deliver an audible, vibratory, or visual message, etc. and/or a receptacle for containing same.
[0020] Other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become apparent upon review of the following detailed description of the invention when taken in conjunction with the drawings and the appended claims.
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[0033] Referring in more detail to the drawings, in which like numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views,
[0034] A prize-delivery receptacle
[0035] The prize-delivery receptacle
[0036] Although metal may be used, preferably the receptacle
[0037] The prize-delivery receptacle
[0038] The article
[0039] The invention illustrated in FIGS.
[0040] The prize-delivery receptacle
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[0044] FIGS.
[0045] As is apparent, a number of variations and modifications may be made in this invention without departing from its spirit and scope. For example, although various embodiments of the invention have been described and illustrated with respect to beverage cans, the invention may be used for other foods and/or packaging. For example, a prize-delivery receptacle as provided herein could be attached to the underside of an opening flap for a box of cereal. Moreover, application of this invention is not restricted to food and beverage containers but may be used for other liquid or dry packaged goods, such as, e.g., laundry detergent, cleaning products, etc. Accordingly, the above description is to be construed as illustrative only and not limiting. It should be apparent that the foregoing relates only to the preferred embodiments of the present invention and that numerous changes and modifications may be made herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the following claims.