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EP 0 773 891 B1 |
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EUROPEAN PATENT SPECIFICATION |
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Mention of the grant of the patent: |
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15.12.1999 Bulletin 1999/50 |
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Date of filing: 02.08.1995 |
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(86) |
International application number: |
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PCT/GB9501/827 |
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International publication number: |
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WO 9604/181 (15.02.1996 Gazette 1996/08) |
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PRIZE-HOLDING CONTAINERS
PRÄMIEN ENTHALTENDE BEHÄLTER
RECIPIENTS COMPORTANT UN LOT SURPRISE
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Designated Contracting States: |
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BE DE FR GB IT NL |
(30) |
Priority: |
04.08.1994 GB 9415782
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Date of publication of application: |
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21.05.1997 Bulletin 1997/21 |
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Proprietor: Continental Can Company Limited |
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Chester CH4 9QT (GB) |
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Inventor: |
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- REICHINGER, Richard, Alfred
Liverpool L7 3QB (GB)
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(74) |
Representative: Charlton, Peter John et al |
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Elkington and Fife
Prospect House
8 Pembroke Road Sevenoaks, Kent TN13 1XR Sevenoaks, Kent TN13 1XR (GB) |
(56) |
References cited: :
EP-A- 0 621 206 US-A- 3 147 879
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US-A- 3 067 867 US-A- 3 734 276
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Note: Within nine months from the publication of the mention of the grant of the European
patent, any person may give notice to the European Patent Office of opposition to
the European patent
granted. Notice of opposition shall be filed in a written reasoned statement. It shall
not be deemed to
have been filed until the opposition fee has been paid. (Art. 99(1) European Patent
Convention).
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[0001] This invention relates to prize-holding cans. It is to be understood that where reference
is made below to a prize, this includes not only articles which might be desired as
such by the winner, for example a quantity of money, but also tokens or the like which
a winner would be entitled to exchange for a desirable article or service.
[0002] According to the present invention there is provided a plurality of externally substantially
identical cans the majority of which have a single internal space and a single lid
and a minority of which each comprises:
a can body and a lid assembly seamed to the can body, the lid assembly comprising
a genuine lid for the can body and a dummy lid which is openable and not reclosable,
the dummy lid being such that in a closed condition it conceals the existence of the
genuine lid, but, when opened, it reveals the existence of the genuine lid, the lids
defining between them a region which holds a prize.
[0003] In a preferred embodiment, and at least the dummy lid is preferably provided with
a ring-pull. In one form of the invention the genuine lid is openable, for example
by being provided with a ring-pull, and the can body holds the same liquid or other
substance which is normally held in cans which are of the same type as the prize-holding
can but which lack the prize. In another form of the invention the genuine lid is
not openable, and the can body may therefore contain something other than the liquid
held in the normal cans, for example it may contain water. The ordinary cans lack
the dummy lid, so that the can manufacturer only needs to provide dummy lids for that
proportion of cans, which may be very small, which hold a prize.
[0004] In the accompanying drawings:
Figure 1 is a view from above of a first embodiment of the invention;
Figure 2 is a vertical section through the pair of lids used in the embodiment of
Figure 1;
Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2, but showing a second embodiment; and
Figure 4 is another view similar to Figure 2, but showing a third embodiment.
[0005] The embodiment illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 comprises a genuine lid 1 which is
of conventional type. This has a central, substantially planar portion 2 on which
is formed a ring-pull 3 by means of which the lid 1 can be opened. Surrounding the
portion 2 is a downwardly facing annular channel 4, and surrounding that is an annular
curl portion 5 which, in the complete can, is seamed to the can body.
[0006] A dummy lid 10 covers the major portion of the genuine lid, and the major portion
of the dummy lid has an external appearance which is substantially identical to that
of the genuine lid. Thus, it comprises a substantially circular portion 12 provided
with a ring-pull 13. At the perimeter, thereof, however, it lacks the channel 4 and
curl 5, being provided instead with a short downwardly directed lip 14 which extends
into a recess defined between the channel 4 and curl 5. The dummy lid 10 can be made
from a genuine lid by severing the perimetral region therefrom and flattening the
adjacent remaining portion. This can be done in a conventional single action blanking
press.
[0007] The lids 1 and 10 define between them a compartment 15 in which is held a prize,
for example one or more banknotes, a cheque, or a voucher exchangeable for money,
goods or services.
[0008] The dummy lid is fixed to the genuine lid after the prize has been put in place,
by suitable means, for example by means of an adhesive applied to the region where
the dummy lid meets the upper portion of the channel 4 in the genuine lid. The adhesive
may, for example, be a fast-acting glue such as a cyanoacrylate, a hot melt, moisture
curable adhesive such as that available from National Starch Adhesives as PUR254,
or a heat-curable adhesive. Alternatively, a double-sided adhesive tape may be used,
for example that sold by 3M United Kingdom plc as type 4430 double-sided foam tape.
[0009] The adhesive will be chosen depending on the materials of which the lids are made
and the contents of the can. The latter is of relevance, since if the can contains
a product such as a food or drink, the adhesive must meet the requirements of the
relevant legislation. The adhesive may be applied as a continuous circular band running
round the lower surface of the dummy lid and the upper surface of the genuine lid,
or the adhesive may be applied at a number of discrete points. The area of the adhesive
bond between the two lids is chosen, having regard to the strength of the adhesive,
to enable the can to be opened in the manner which is described below.
[0010] Instead of using an adhesive, some alternative means might be used to secure the
dummy lid 10 in place. For example a waxy weld might be used. Another possibility
is for the dummy lid to be fixed to the genuine lid by pressing and crimping.
[0011] In use of the invention, a manufacturer would produce mainly cans which lacked the
dummy lid, and a small proportion of cans having the dummy lid would be introduced
randomly into the ordinary cans. This could be effected either by adding a dummy lid
to the required proportion of conventional cans as an additional stage at the end
of the filling line in which the cans are filled, or the cans with the two lids could
be produced and filled separately and subsequently mixed with the ordinary cans.
[0012] When purchased by consumers, the cans which have the dummy lids and the cans which
lack them appear identical to the purchaser, and the purchaser will therefore not
know whether the purchased can has a dummy lid, and hence contains a prize. If the
purchaser has in fact acquired a can with a dummy lid, when he seeks to open the ring-pull
13 the effect is to detach the dummy lid 10 completely from the genuine lid 1, rather
than opening the ring-pull in the normal way. This is assisted by virtue of the fact
that the act of attempting to open the ring pull 13 causes the underside thereof to
exert a force against the adjacent part of the ring-pull 3 of the genuine lid, and
this force is sufficient to overcome the adhesive bond between the two lids. The purchaser
can then take the prize revealed by the removal of the dummy lid and, thereafter,
can open the ring-pull 3 to gain access to the contents of the can.
[0013] In the foregoing description, the lid 1 has been described as providing access in
the normal way to the contents of the can. However, it is alternatively possible for
the lid 1 to be non-openable, being merely a closure for the upper end of the can
body. This is shown in the embodiment of Figure 4. Here, the genuine lid is denoted
by reference 31 and lacks any ring-pull. In this case, the can might still have a
liquid or other contents therein, in order to avoid a purchaser being able readily
to detect which were the prize-holding cans, though in that case the contents need
not be the same as in ordinary cans which lacked the dummy lid. For example, in the
case of a drinks can, the prize-holding cans might be filled with water rather than
with the drink which the can was normally intended to hold. Indeed, the same could
be true even where the lid 1 was openable, but in that case the can would need to
bear a message instructing the purchaser not to consume the contents.
[0014] Where the lid 1 is non-openable, and therefore does not have a ring-pull 3, it may
be desirable, though not essential, that it should instead have an upwardly protruding
central portion, for example in the form of a dome, to provide a surface against which
the ring-pull 13 can exert a force when the user attempts to open the ring-pull 13,
and thereby ensure that the dummy lid 10 is removed from the can. However, the dome
may at least be omitted where the prize in compartment 15 is of sufficient thickness
to provide something against which the ring-pull 13 can exert a force.
[0015] Figure 3 shows a further embodiment of the invention, in which the lid end of the
can is formed of three components, rather than two as in Figure 2. These are a genuine
lid 21, a dummy lid 22 and an annular support member 23. The genuine lid 21 is produced
by taking a conventional can lid and reforming it so that it terminates in an outer
annular flange 24 which extends upwards from the central planar portion 25 at an angle
of 90°. The dummy lid is substantially identical to the dummy lid 10 used in the preceding
embodiments. The annular support member 23 is formed from a conventional lid by blanking
out the centre thereof and turning over the inner lip to avoid any possibility of
the sharp edge formed by the blanking process coming into contact with the consumer.
The turned over portion 26 acts as a support for the dummy lid 22, which is secured
thereto by adhesive. The outer flange 27 of the support member rests against the flange
24 of the genuine lid 21 and is secured thereto by adhesive, the curl 28 thereof passing
over the top of the flange 24. The action of securing the dummy lid to the genuine
lid forces the flange outwards from its manufactured angle of 90° to something rather
less (about 75° in the illustration).
[0016] If necessary, the upper end of the flange 26 may be recoated with lacquer after the
genuine lid has been formed, in order to cover any aluminium that may be exposed either
at the cut edge, or in the form of scratches that may be produced during the reforming
of the end. This may be done either by a conventional spraying process or by electrocoating.
1. A plurality of externally substantially identical cans the majority of which have
a single internal space and a single lid and a minority of which each comprises:
a can body and a lid assembly seamed to the can body, the lid assembly comprising
a genuine lid (1) for the can body and a dummy lid (10) which is openable and not
reclosable, the dummy lid being such that in a closed condition it conceals the existence
of the genuine lid, but, when opened, it reveals the existence of the genuine lid,
the lids defining between them a region which holds a prize.
2. A plurality of cans according to claim 1, each can body of said minority of cans being
generally cylindrical with a closed first end, and the said lid assembly serving to
close the opposite end thereof.
3. A plurality of cans according to claim 2, wherein each dummy lid (10) of said minority
is provided with a ring-pull (13).
4. A plurality of cans according to any preceding claim, wherein each genuine lid (1)
of said minority is openable.
5. A plurality of cans according to claim 4, as dependent on claim 2, wherein both lids
(1,10) of said minority are provided with a ring-pull.
6. A plurality of cans according to any of claims 1 to 3, wherein each genuine lid of
said minority is non-openable.
7. A plurality of containers according to any preceding claim, wherein the two lids of
said minority of the containers are visually identical.
8. A plurality of containers according to any preceding claim, wherein each dummy lid
(10) of said minority is supported on the genuine lid by an annular support member.
1. Mehrzahl von Dosen, die äußerlich im wesentlichen identisch sind, wobei eine Mehrheit
davon einen einzigen Innenraum und einen einzigen Deckel hat und eine Minderheit davon
folgendes umfaßt:
einen Dosenkörper und eine an den Dosenkörper angefügte Deckelbaugruppe, wobei die
Deckelbaugruppe einen echten Deckel (1) für den Dosenkörper und einen Blinddeckel
(10) umfaßt, der geöffnet, aber nicht wieder geschlossen werden kann, wobei der Blinddeckel
so ausgestaltet ist, daß er in einem geschlossenen Zustand die Existenz des echten
Deckels verbirgt, aber im geöffneten Zustand die Existenz des echten Deckels offenbart,
wobei die Deckel einen Bereich zwischen sich definieren, der einen Preis enthält.
2. Mehrzahl von Dosen nach Anspruch 1, wobei jeder Dosenkörper der genannten Minderheit
von Dosen allgemein zylindrisch ist und ein geschlossenes erstes Ende hat und die
genannte Deckelbaugruppe zum Schließen ihres gegenüberliegenden Endes dient.
3. Mehrzahl von Dosen nach Anspruch 2, wobei jeder Blinddeckel (10) der genannten Minderheit
mit einem Zugring (13) versehen ist.
4. Mehrzahl von Dosen nach einem der vorherigen Ansprüche, wobei jeder echte Deckel (1)
der genannten Minderheit geöffnet werden kann.
5. Mehrzahl von Dosen nach Anspruch 4 in Abhängigkeit von Anspruch 2, wobei beide Deckel
(1, 10) der genannten Minderheit mit einem Zugring versehen sind.
6. Mehrzahl von Dosen nach einem der Ansprüche 1 bis 3, wobei jeder echte Deckel der
genannten Minderheit nicht geöffnet werden kann.
7. Mehrzahl von Dosen nach einem der vorherigen Ansprüche, wobei die beiden Deckel der
genannten Minderheit der Dosen identisch aussehen.
8. Mehrzahl von Dosen nach einem der vorherigen Ansprüche, wobei jeder Blinddeckel (10)
der genannten Minderheit durch ein ringförmiges Tragelement auf dem echten Deckel
getragen wird.
1. Une pluralité de boîtes essentiellement identiques extérieurement dont la majorité
ont un seul espace intérieur et un seul couvercle, et une minorité comportant chacune
: un corps de boîte et un ensemble à couvercle soudé au corps de la boîte, l'ensemble
à couvercle comportant un couvercle réel (1) pour le corps de la boîte et un faux
couvercle (10) qui peut être ouvert et ne peut pas être refermé, le faux couvercle
étant tel que, à l'état fermé, il dissimule l'existence du couvercle réel mais, lorsque
ouvert, il révèle l'existence du couvercle réel, les couvercles définissant entre
eux une zone qui contient un lot surprise.
2. Une pluralité de boîtes selon la revendication 1, chaque corps de boîte de ladite
minorité de boîtes étant généralement cylindrique avec une première extrémité fermée,
et ledit ensemble à couvercle servant à fermer l'autre extrémité du corps.
3. Une pluralité de boîtes selon la revendication 2, dans laquelle chaque faux couvercle
(10) de ladite minorité est doté d'un anneau d'ouverture (13).
4. Une pluralité de boîtes selon l'une quelconque des revendications précédentes, dans
laquelle chaque couvercle réel (1) de ladite minorité peut être ouvert.
5. Une pluralité de boîtes selon la revendication 4, lorsque dépendante de la revendication
2, dans laquelle les deux couvercles (1, 10) de ladite minorité sont dotés d'un anneau
d'ouverture.
6. Une pluralité de boites selon l'une quelconque des revendications 1 à 3, dans laquelle
chaque couvercle réel de ladite minorité ne peut pas être ouvert.
7. Une pluralité de boîtes selon l'une quelconque des revendications précédentes, dans
laquelle les deux couvercles de ladite minorité de boîtes sont visuellement identiques.
8. Une pluralité de boîtes selon l'une quelconque des revendications précédentes, dans
laquelle chaque faux couvercle (10) de ladite minorité est supporté sur le couvercle
réel par un élément de support annulaire.