Flying merchandise

The present invention relates to a flying object having a recess or orifice for removably securing an article of merchandise and to the combination of a flying object and an article of merchandise removably secured to the flying object.

BACKGROUND

Flying objects, such as discs, are well known. The Frisbee® brand flying disc from Wham-O, for example, has been commercially available for decades. Flying discs are typically manufactured using plastic, foam or other rigid or semi-rigid materials and can be cylindrical in form or have curved surfaces to enhance flight. Flying discs have been disclosed that have various structures associated with the discs, such as permanent inserts (U.S. Pat. No. 4,351,129 (Kerenbush et al.); Wham-O), laminate surfacing (U.S. Pat. No. 5,423,705 (Morrow); Kransco), rope material (U.S. Pat. No. 6,672,253 (Viola)); and balls bonded to the disc (Happy Dog Toys, LLC; product packaging citing U.S. Pat. No. 6,092,489 (Heuttner et al.)).

Various industries choose to promote their products by supplying free samples of the product or by providing merchandise that has an association with the particular product or industry. The recording industry, for example, may give away compact discs, electronically stored music (i.e. MP3 media), concert tickets or clothing to promote a band, concert or new release. Sports teams, for example, give away collectible cards, key chains, clothing or game tickets. The beverage industry is also well known for advertising; free or discounted product is typically offered to start the launch of a new brand or to increase interest in an existing brand. These and other industries have also recently moved towards providing consumers with gift cards that contain electronic information relating to monetary credit or other units of value. Examples include phone cards, restaurant cards, cards bearing credits for coffee (such as for Starbucks or Dunkin' Donuts), and cards for credit at particular retail stores or groupings of stores (i.e. malls). Persons interested in these and other products and services are typically the focus of marketing efforts of retailers, manufacturers and service providers.

There exists a continuous need for new and innovative methods and devices for marketing and promoting products and services.

SUMMARY

The present invention relates to the combination of a flying object and an article of merchandise removably secured to the flying object. The article of merchandise is preferably associated with the flying object such that it does not significantly interfere with the throwing, flying or catching of the object. The article is also preferably removably secured such that it does not become detached during normal throwing, flying or catching of the object yet is removable without excessive force from the object when the user desires to separate the two items. In a particular embodiment, the flying object is a disc. However, other objects, for example, balls, footballs and boomerangs can be used. The present invention also relates to a flying object that has a recess or orifice configured and dimensioned to removably secure an article of merchandise.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

With reference toFIG. 1, flying object10is a disc that has a convex upper surface12, a concave lower surface14(not shown) and a generally circular rim16around the circumference. The flying disc can also be a cylinder (i.e., no curved surfaces) or other shape wherein the center of gravity is preferably located in the center of the object. Typical flying discs range from about three inches in diameter to about 20 inches in diameter. Disc10can be manufactured from solid plastic or of foamed synthetic materials, such as foamed polyurethane. Flying discs can be made by known techniques, such as, for example, by blow molding, injection molding, vacuum molding or stamping.

Also shown inFIG. 1is article of merchandise20which is exemplified as a gift card. The term “article of merchandise” means anything of value that can be removably secured to a flying object (with or without packaging, i.e. a protective case or wrapper), so long as the article does not significantly disturb the ability of the object to be thrown and caught. An article of merchandise can include, for example: a compact disc bearing electronic media (e.g. music and/or video media); electronically stored music (i.e. MP3 media); event tickets; coupons; key chains; novelty items; collectible cards; or cards having information (e.g. magnetic or bar-code) that relates to value, i.e. a quantity of money or other units that the card is good for. Information cards can include, for example: phone cards; restaurant cards; cards bearing credits for beverages such as coffee (such as from Starbucks or Dunkin' Donuts), soda (such as from Coke or Pepsi) or beer (such as from Budweiser, Miller or Coors); and cards for credit at particular retail stores (such as from The Gap; Foot locker; The Discovery Store; Macy's) or groupings of stores (e.g. malls).

If the flying object is to be used to transport an article of merchandise to a random user in a crowd of people (such as a band throwing a CD (or other article containing musical information) or other article of merchandise item to a listening audience), the object, such as a flying disc, is preferably made of a relatively soft material to reduce the likelihood of injury to an unaware fan.

The manner or means for removably securing the article of merchandise to the flying object can take many forms such as, for example: single or double sided tape; Velcro® fastener material; rigid or semi-rigid plastic that releasably engages the article of merchandise (e.g. flexible fingers that engage the center opening of a compact disc or rigid anchors attached to the object that releasably receive at least a portion of the article of merchandise); glue; and sticky gum-like material (such as a viscoelastic polymer). Alternately, or in addition to the aforementioned materials, the object can have one or more recesses or orifices strategically placed to at least partially receive at least a portion of the article of merchandise or packaging containing the article of merchandise. Such pre-formed recesses or orifices can optionally be dimensioned slightly smaller than the article so as to frictionally hold the article in place. Perimeter portions of the recess or orifice can further include a continuous or intermittent lip of material that covers a portion of the article of merchandise to further aid in holding the merchandise in place until the user desires to separate the two items. One or more articles of merchandise can be associated with a single flying object as can one or more recesses or orifices be disposed in a single flying object. Preferably, the article is removable secured to the flying object so as not to significantly disturb the object's center of gravity.

The term “removably secured” means that the article of merchandise generally does not become detached during- normal throwing, flying or catching of the object yet is removable without excessive force from the object when the user desires to separate the two items. “Excessive force” is an amount of force that would damage the article of merchandise or an amount of force greater than that which an adult human can apply.

Turning to the remaining Figures,FIG. 2shows flying disc10with compact disc22removable secured to lower surface14. Compact disc22can be removably secured as discussed, above. Alternately, compact disc22can be disposed within a jewel box (i.e. a rectangular or circular CD container) wherein the container is removably secured to either upper surface12or lower surface14of flying disc10.

FIG. 3shows flying disc100having pre-formed recess102configured and dimensioned to receive article of merchandise120and optional cover member108. The lower portion of flying disc100has step104that generally corresponds to recess102, thereby providing a continuous web of material across the flying disc. Alternatively, recess102can be formed on the lower surface of disc100with step104being on the upper portion of the disc. Cover member108is optional and serves to cover or otherwise protect and/or removably retain article of merchandise106on flying disc100. Cover member108is preferably dimensioned to be frictionally associated with recess102and has top portion110and legs/rim portion112. Cover member108can be fabricated from clear material to allow the user to see article of merchandise106. Alternatively, cover member108can have graphics disposed directly thereon or contain an insert (not shown) with graphics or other indicia. During use, the user can receive the flying disc and remove article of merchandise120. If cover member108is used, the cover member is removed first and optionally replaced after removing the article of merchandise.

An alternate embodiment of a flying disc is shown inFIG. 4. Flying disc200is generally cylindrical and has recess202formed therein. Article of merchandise220is removably secured to flying disc200by means of cover member208.

FIGS. 5A and 5Bshow another flying disc embodiment,300. Flying disc300has rectangular orifice310and upper and lower lips of material302and304that are continuous about orifice310. Orifice310can be of any configuration (e.g. rectangular, hexagonal, circular, etc. . . ). Lips302and304can be intermittent or otherwise discontinuous and are preferably made of the same material as flying disc300. An article of merchandise (not shown) can be removeably secured within orifice310and between lips302and304, wherein the user can see both top and the bottom portions of the article prior to removal. Orifice310can vary in thickness (e.g. from about 0.25 inches to about 3 inches), length (e.g. from about 0.25 inches to about 19 inches) and width (e.g. from about 0.25 inches to about 19 inches). By way of example, if the article of merchandise is a compact disc in a rectangular jewel box, the dimensions of orifice310would be about 5.6 inches by 4.9 inches by 0.4 inches (the general outer dimensions of a typical jewel box) and the lip portions, where present, would be between about 0.01 inches to about 0.5 inches in thickness and have between about 0.01 inches to about 0.5 inches of overhang. The overhang and thickness of the lip material depends on how tightly the article of merchandise needs to be held and on the type of material used to manufacture the flying disc. Lip portions can also be used in flying object embodiments having a recess, wherein the lip portions serve to removably secure the article of merchandise and/or cover member within the recess.

FIGS. 6A and 6Bshow another flying disc embodiment,400. Flying disc400has orifice410and four comer portions401, each having upper and lower lip portions402and404. This particular configuration allows better visualization of an article of merchandise (not shown) as compared to the particular embodiment shown inFIGS. 5A and 5B.

FIG. 7shows disc500having a central orifice (similar to orifice410inFIGS. 6A and 6B) configured and dimension to removably secure article of merchandise520(shown as rectangular compact disc jewel box520) and groove540configured and dimensioned to removably secure article of merchandise530. Article of merchandise530can be a novelty item, such as a necklace. In one embodiment, article of merchandise can be a chemiluminescent glow necklace (plastic tubing enclosing two chemicals that emit light when mixed). A typical, commercially available glow necklace is about 22 inches in length and between about 4 to about 6 millimeters in diameter. Groove540can be disposed on the rim of disc500, on the upper surface of disc500and/or on the lower surface of disc500. Multiple grooves and/or orifices can be provided to receive a plurality of novelty items on a single flying object.

FIG. 8shows spherical ball600having recess/orifice610disposed therein. Recess610can be circular (as shown) or any other configuration to removably secure an article of merchandise.

Optionally, the flying object can have indicia and/or graphics printed or otherwise disposed thereon that correspond to indicia, graphics and/or the nature of the article of merchandise removably secured thereto. For example, a particular band's name, logo or other artwork can be on a flying disc in combination with a sample of the band's music removably secured to the disc. In another example, a trademark, logo or artwork associated with a particular manufacturer or retailer can be disposed on the flying object with a gift card from such manufacturer or retailer removably secured to the object.

While the above illustrative embodiments of the present invention have been described herein with respect to the accompanying drawings, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to those precise embodiments, and that various other changes and modifications may be affected therein by one skilled in the art without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention. For example, while the majority of the above discussion relates to flying discs, clearly, other objects can be used to deliver articles of merchandise, such as, for example, balls, footballs and boomerangs, wherein the merchandise is removably secured on an outer surface of the object or is disposed within a recess or orifice formed in the object.