Abstract:
A promotional coaster has a promotional panel releasably adhered to a coaster panel. The coaster panel has a liquid absorbing upper face and an opposite lower face, which may be provided by an overlaminate barrier layer, that is adhered to an upper face of the promotional panel. Indicia are printed on either or both panels at the interface between them. Thus, when the two panels are joined the promotional indicia is concealed to be revealed fully only after the promotional panel is separated from the coaster panel, which is facilitated by a lift region where the coaster and promotional panels are not joined. The location of the lift region is identified by indicia on the upper face of the coaster panel. A method of promoting a product with the promotional coaster is also disclosed.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     Not applicable. 
     STATEMENT OF FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
     Not applicable. 
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to promotional items, such as coupons and game pieces, and in particular to a drink coaster structure. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Pads for protecting wood tables and countertops from condensation that can form on glasses and cups containing chilled beverages are well known. Such “coasters” can be made of various materials that isolate the wood from the glass, for example, by absorbing the moisture or providing a water-proof barrier. A pulp-based material, such as paper or cardboard, is a low-cost choice for coasters, particularly when the coasters are intended to be disposable. 
     In restaurants and bars it is customary to use coasters printed with advertising or promotional graphics and logos of the beverages being served. These coasters are somewhat of an ineffective advertising technique for the beverage producer because ordinarily the coasters are discarded after use because they have been damaged or the indicia has been blurred by absorption of the condensation. Consequently, conventional coasters are not likely to be, retained by the consumer, thus making them unsuitable for more effective marketing techniques, such as coupons. Conventional coasters also do not provide a place to hide information, such as information related to games. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention provides a combination promotional coaster structure in which promotional indicia is concealed when the structure is used as a coaster and is revealed only after a promotional panel is peeled away, and then removed, from a coaster panel. 
     Specifically, the invention is a promotional coaster having a coaster panel and a promotional panel. The coaster panel has a liquid absorbing upper face and an opposite lower face. The promotional panel has an upper face releasably joined to the lower face of the coaster panel by a dry residue adhesive, and promotional indicia are provided at the interface between the panels, on either or both of the panels. 
     In a preferred form, the coaster panel is a pulp material of a greater thickness than the promotional panel and defines a general square area substantially the same size as the promotional panel. The coaster and promotional panels are not joined at a lift region at one corner. Preferably, the coaster panel is printed with product advertisement indicia and an identifier for the lift region on its upper face, and the hidden (upper) face of the promotional panel is printed. The hidden (lower) face of the coaster panel may also be printed, either inside or outside of a barrier layer which may be provided at the under side of the coaster panel. The barrier layer helps to create the releasable bond between the barrier layer and the promotional panel, and also helps isolate the promotional panel from moisture absorbed from the drink. 
     A method of promoting a product using the promotional coaster is also disclosed. Specifically, the method includes delivering a coaster to a prospective customer in which the coaster has at least two separate panels, a first panel having an absorbent upper face so as to absorb liquid under the customer&#39;s drink and a second panel being releasably secured to an under face of the first panel. Hidden printed indicia is provided at the interface between the two panels, on one or both of the panels at the interface. 
     The present invention thus provides an improved marketing tool, particularly for beverage producers. The upper face of the coaster can be used to advertise products to the consumer at the point of purchase, such as restaurants and bars, while providing a peel-off coupon, game piece or other promotional item in the promotional panel that can be retained by the consumer, for example for redemption toward the purchase of more of the advertised product(s). The underside of the coaster panel (either inside or outside of the overlaminate barrier layer, if one is provided) also provides a printable surface for hiding indicia until the panels are separated by the consumer. A dry residue adhesive is preferably used, which leaves no sticky residue on the coupon, and a varnish component applied to the top side of the promotional panel before applying the adhesive acts to seal the top side of the promotional panel, strengthen it and also hinder absorption of liquid from the coaster panel. 
     The foregoing and other objects and advantages of the invention will appear from the following description. In this description reference is made to the accompanying drawings which form a part hereof and in which there is shown by way of illustration preferred embodiments of the invention. Such embodiments do not necessarily represent the full scope of the invention, however, and reference must be made therefore to the claims for interpreting the scope of the invention. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a top view of the promotional coaster assembly of the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a side view thereof; 
     FIG. 3 is a side view thereof showing the promotional panel being peeled away from the coaster panel; 
     FIG. 4 is a top view of the promotional panel separated from the coaster panel and revealing the promotional indicia; and 
     FIG. 5 is a view like FIG. 2, but of an alternate embodiment. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a promotional coaster  10  of the invention has a coaster panel  12  with upper  14  and under  16  faces and a promotional panel  18  with upper  20  and under  22  faces. The panels  12  and  18  are flat, generally 3½ inch square structures having rounded corners. The coaster could, of course, be of any shape. The coaster panel  12  is preferably made of a pulp-based material, for example printable pulp, preferably 100 lb. (approx. 0.020 inches thick). The upper face  14  is suitably rough to receive and absorb condensation from a vessel containing a chilled beverage. The under face  16  of the coaster panel  12  is relatively smooth and non-absorbent of liquids. The promotional panel  18  is preferably a thinner paper, film or card stock (e.g., 0.008 inches thick) and non-absorbent in comparison to the upper face  14  of the coaster panel  12 . 
     The promotional panel  14  is adhered to the coaster panel  12  at an interface between them so as to be releasable at the interface from the coaster panel  12 . A dry residue adhesive  24  is used at the interface so that after the panels  12  and  18  are separated, their previously joined faces are non-tacky such that they cannot be adhered together again. The dry residue adhesive is applied to one or both of the coaster panels on face  16  or on the promotional panel upper face  20  over their entire areas, except at a lift region  26  near the lower right hand corner as shown in FIG.  1 . This lift region  26  allows the panels  12  and  18  to be apart slightly at one corner so that one of the panels  12  and  18 , preferably the promotional panel  18 , can be grasped at the corner and peeled away from the other panel, as shown in FIG.  3 . In this way, the promotional panel  18  can be separated from the coaster panel  12 , as shown in FIG. 4, and kept by the consumer to redeem for the discounted purchase of the product(s) being advertised. 
     As mentioned, the two panels  12  and  18  are dry release bonded at the faces  16  and  20 , respectively, to provide the releasable interface between the two panels. In preparation for bonding, face  20  is first coated with a suitable varnish, such as varnish F67053 from Sun Chemical Corporation of Fort Lee, N.J., and face  16  is coated with a release agent, such as PCF 3512 from Sun Chemical. Following curing of the release agent, a suitable water based adhesive is applied, such as Tyvek 3487 from H. B. Fuller of St. Paul, Minn. In addition to preparing the surface of face  20  for adhesion, the varnish acts to strengthen the promotional panel and provide a water-proof barrier, thus reducing the chance the coupon will be damaged. 
     The panels  12  and  18  are preferably not transparent and provide four surfaces for printing textual and graphical indicia. The coaster panel upper face  14  can be printed with an advertisement or promotional material relating to the product supported by the coaster, such as an alcoholic beverage, shown in FIG. 1 as “Drink Logo”. The upper face  14  is also preferably printed with words and/or symbols identifying the location of the lift region  26 , as shown in FIG. 1 as “PEEL HERE” with an arrow. The under face  16  can also be printed with a different indicia such as a public service announcement, for example “Drink Responsibly”, or further advertisement such as a corporate logo or mark. The upper face  20  of the promotional panel  14  is printed with the coupon indicia, shown in FIG. 4 as “Coupon”, identifying the product(s), the value and any limitations on redemption, as is conventional. The coupon indicia is printed on face  20  so that it is concealed when the device is used as a coaster until the consumer separates and/or removes the promotional panel. Because this face is concealed during use, in addition to, or instead of, a coupon, this face could be printed with indicia related to games, giveaways, contests and other promotional indicia. Finally, the under face  22  of the promotional panel can also be printed with additional indicia such as text and graphics that complement the indicia of the upper face  14  of the coaster panel. Thus, all four faces (two exposed, two hidden) of the coupon  10  can be printed. 
     FIG. 5 illustrates a variation  10 ′ to the previously described embodiment  10  in which the panel  12 ′ includes the absorbent layer  12 A, which is the same as the layer  12  in the embodiment  10 , and an overlaminate layer  12 B of self wound (self adhesive) polypropylene which is applied to the underside of the layer  12 A. All other elements of the coaster  10 ′ are the same as the coaster  10 , and are identified with the same reference numeral, plus a prime (′) sign. 
     In the coaster  10 ′, the releasable bond is provided at the interface between the bottom side of the overlaminate  12 B and the top of panel  18 ′, in the same manner as described above for the coaster  10 . When using the overlaminate  12 B, no release agent is applied to the underside of the layer  12 A or to the underside of the overlaminate  12 B. However, it is still desirable to apply the varnish to the top side of the promotional layer  18 ′, before applying the dry residue adhesive to the top side of the promotional layer  18 ′ over the varnish. After applying the dry residue adhesive over the cured varnish, the panels  12 ′ and  18 ′ are laminated together to create the releasable dry residue bond between the underside of the layer  12 B and the top side of the panel  18 ′. When the panel  18 ′ is removed from the panel  12  by the consumer breaking the releasable bond, the layers  12 A and  12 B remain laminated together. 
     The overlaminate layer  12 B is useful as a barrier, to prevent the dry residue adhesive which is applied to the top of panel  18 ′ from soaking or wicking into the absorbent layer  12 A, so as to create a dry residue bond with the promotional panel  18 ′ without excessive fiber tear. It also helps prevent moisture absorbed from the drink from soaking through to the promotional panel  18 ′. The overlaminate layer  12 B can be applied after printing the bottom side of layer  12 A, if the layer  12 B is transparent, or can be printed itself, whether or not it is transparent. After the releasable bond at the interface between the two panels is broken, printing on the under face of panel  12  (whether inside of the barrier  12 B—printed on the bottom of layer  12 A—or on the outside of barrier  12 B) and/or on the top face of the panel  18 ′ is visible and highly legible. 
     Preferably, coasters of the invention are made in line using high speed presses to print and laminate the layers of the coaster, and cut individual coasters from the web of coasters made in line. Coasters of the invention may be made out of wide webs, with several widths of coasters made across the web. Such presses and the operation of them are well known. 
     The coaster can thus be used to promote a product, for example, by delivering the coaster to a prospective customer with the product, a beverage for example. The coaster panel preferably would be printed with advertising of the product on the absorbent upper face and the upper (or inner), concealed face of the promotional panel and/or coaster panel would be printed with promotional indicia related to the product or its manufacturer. The customer could reveal the promotional indicia by peeling the promotional panel from the coaster panel. The promotional panel being non-absorbent could be retained intact for later use, in the case of a coupon for example, for redemption on the purchase of a product. 
     The present invention thus provides an improved marketing tool, particularly for beverage producers. The upper face of the coaster can be used to advertise products to the consumer at the point of purchase, such as a restaurant or bar, while providing a peel-off coupon that can be retained by the consumer and redeemed toward the purchase of the advertised product. The dry residue adhesive leaves no sticky residue on the coupon. 
     An illustrative embodiment of the invention has been described in detail for the purpose of disclosing a practical, operative structure whereby the invention may be practiced advantageously. However, this is intended to be illustrative only, and the novel characteristics of the invention may be incorporated in other structural forms without departing from the scope of the invention. For example, the invention is not limited to the use of paper, any sheet or film material, plastic, metal or other material can be used provided a liquid absorbing layer is present at the upper face of the coaster panel. Accordingly, to apprise the public of the full scope of the: invention, the following claims are made.