Patent Abstract:
A container is provided which includes a holder for a prepaid card, credit card, debit card and the like, for use in connection with purchasing products with a business establishment.

Full Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     This application claims the benefit of provisional application 60/644,831 filed Jan. 18, 2005. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND  
       [0002]     Prepaid cards can provide an effective tool to promote the purchase of store merchandise. These cards are usually purchased with a selected value within a store and they are used to buy items in the store. Prepaid cards have particular usefulness in stores, such as coffee and donut shops, for the frequent purchase of food and beverage items being sold in these stores. Use of prepaid cards by a consumer can be advantageous to a merchant in that checkout times at the register can be reduced. Further, the purchase of these cards for a selected value, in effect, extends credit to a store until such time as the card is fully used.  
         [0003]     From a marketing perspective, prepaid cards, can serve as vehicles to promote brand awareness and distribution. However, an existing challenge for merchants with prepaid cards concerns increasing prepaid card acceptance and use within the merchant establishment. For instance, it would be very desirous for a chain store to develop the use of its prepaid card and its brand identity to the extent and manner of that associated with some well-know credit cards. Some credit cards have been tied to symbols of status, identity or self-importance (e.g., gold cards, premium cards, etc). When certain credit cards are used for purchase, some view this event as the delivery of a symbolic message as well. However, use of prepaid cards in coffee and donut shops can present some unique problems in that frequent use of the prepaid card can also entail a certain amount of inconvenience in accessing the card from a wallet or purse.  
         [0004]     A need exists to allow a consumer a means by which to conveniently access a prepaid card, encourage frequent use of a merchant&#39;s prepaid card and provide a merchant an opportunity to increase brand awareness so as encourage distribution of the prepaid card. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0005]      FIG. 1   a  illustrates a side view of a fanciful beverage holder  2  having a lid, a handle and base.  
         [0006]      FIG. 1   b  illustrates a top view of a prepaid card inserted into a holder shown as a slot in a handle.  
         [0007]      FIG. 1   c  illustrates a top view of a prepaid card inserted into a holder shown as a slot in a base.  
         [0008]      FIG. 2  illustrates a top view of a prepaid card which can include a magnetic stripe or bar code, for the purpose of being scanned by a register scanner, which is prominently displayed through slot on the beverage holder.  
         [0009]      FIG. 3   a  illustrates a side view of a fanciful beverage holder having lid, a base and grooved sides to facilitate a handgrip of the cup.  
         [0010]      FIG. 3   b  illustrates a top view of prepaid card inserted into a holder shown as a slot in a base.  
         [0011]      FIG. 4   a  illustrates a side view of a fanciful beverage holder having a lid, a handle  6  and a base.  
         [0012]      FIG. 4   b  illustrates a top view of a prepaid card inserted into a holder shown as a slot in handle.  
         [0013]      FIG. 4   c  illustrates a top view of prepaid card inserted into a holder shown as a slot in a base. 
     
    
       [0014]     Applicable reference numerals have been carried forward.  
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0015]     The foregoing problems/needs are addressed by providing an article, which is commonly used in a store, that includes a holder compartment, slot, etc. for holding a prepaid card.  
         [0016]     In one aspect of a preferred embodiment, the card is preferably exposed in its holder in order to readily accommodate electronic scanning.  
         [0017]     In another aspect of a preferred embodiment, a beverage container is constructed so as to include a holder for a prepaid card.  
         [0018]     In yet another aspect of a preferred embodiment the beverage container includes multiple locations thereon for the holder compartment for storage of the prepaid card.  
         [0019]      FIG. 1   a  illustrates a side view of beverage holder  2  having lid  4 , handle  6  and base  8 . Handle  6  and base  8  can include a slot  12  for insertion of a prepaid card. Beverage holder  2  is shaped with curved waist to facilitate a handgrip in addition to supporting a grip, by hand, of handle  6 . A brand or product name is preferably affixed or inscribed at any location on holder  2  as shown at space  11 .  
         [0020]      FIG. 1   b  illustrates a top view of a prepaid card  10  inserted into a holder shown as a slot  12  in handle  6 .  
         [0021]      FIG. 1   c  illustrates a top view of a prepaid card  10  inserted into a holder shown as a slot  12  in base  8 .  
         [0022]     The prepaid cards shown in  FIGS. 1   b  and  1   c  can be inserted into slots  12  such that the brand name of the merchant is prominently displayed.  
         [0023]     In an alternative embodiment, card  10  can represent a prepaid care which includes a magnetic stripe or bar code (e.g a universal product code (UPC)), for being scanned by a register scanner such as a magnetic stripe reader or bar code reader, which is prominently displayed through slot  12 , as shown in the top view of card  10 , illustrated in  FIG. 2 . Card  10  rather than being made in a similar fashion to an ordinary credit card, can include a magnetic stripe (or alternatively a bar code) on the face of the card rather than being on the back of the card on the side of the card opposite from the brand name display. Card  10  shown in  FIG. 2  facilitates easy swiping of card  10  by a scanner (not shown) while serving a purpose of advertising by prominently displaying a merchant or product brand name.  
         [0024]      FIG. 3   a  illustrates a side view of beverage holder  20  having lid  4 , base  8  and grooved sides  22  to facilitate a hand grip of the cup. Base  8  can include a slot  12  for insertion of a prepaid card. A brand or product name is preferably affixed or inscribed at any location on holder  20  as shown at space  11 .  
         [0025]      FIG. 3   b  illustrates a top view of card  10  inserted into a holder shown as a slot  12  in base  8 .  
         [0026]     Card  10 , which can be prepaid, is shown in  FIG. 3   b  as being inserted into slot  12  such that the brand name of the merchant is prominently displayed. Alternatively, card  10  as shown in  FIG. 2  can be used for insertion into slot  12  so as to accommodate scanning while prominently advertising brand or product names.  
         [0027]      FIG. 4   a  illustrates a side view of beverage holder  30  having lid  4 , handle  6  and base  8 . Handle  6 , base  8 , can include a slot  12  for insertion of a prepaid card. Additionally, beverage holder  30  can include a clear sleeve  36 , preferably made of a clear polymer material, for insertion attached to the holder, located between lid  4  ands base  8 . Beverage holder  30  is shown with a smooth outer surface to accommodate the attachment of sleeve  36  thereto. A brand or product name is preferably affixed or inscribed at any location on holder  30  as shown at space  11 .  
         [0028]      FIG. 4   b  illustrates a top view of card  10  inserted into a holder shown as a slot  12  in handle  6 .  
         [0029]      FIG. 4   c  illustrates a top view of prepaid card  10  inserted into a holder shown as a slot  12  in base  8 .  
         [0030]     The cards shown in  FIGS. 4   a ,  4   b  and  4   c  can represent prepaid cards and they can be inserted into respective slots  12  and sleeve  36  such that the brand name of the merchant is prominently displayed. Alternatively, card  10  as shown in  FIG. 2  can be used for insertion into slot  12  so as to accommodate scanning while prominently advertising brand or product names.  
         [0031]     In yet another embodiment, card  10  in  FIG. 4   c  can represent a flash memory. As media centers become more prevalent, downloading of content such as audio and video including music, news, etc. will become more common. Typically, media centers offer the opportunity for customers to access high speed Internet and to compile or burn CDs or for downloading into a digital device, e.g. Apple® iPod®. In one aspect, card  10  is a flash memory stick for insertion into sleeve  36  which is representative of pouch for carrying card  10 . The flash memory represented by card  10  is contemplated as having other shapes, e.g. sphere, bar, etc. that can be readily handled. As flash memory becomes cheaper, it is further contemplated that card  10  of suitably small enough capacity can be given away with a fee charged at the register for downloading music, videos, etc. Alternatively, promotions can be carried out using the memory stick of card  10 . For instance, one free download of music could be given away in a coffee shop for every purchase of 2 refills of coffee and a pastry.  
         [0032]     The foregoing description supports a method of conducting business whereby prepaid cards, credit cards and the like are contained and prominently displayed within articles such as vessels (e.g., cups, glasses and the like), used within a particular business. The method of conducting business can also include the use of a prepaid card, debit card and the like which includes a magnetic stripe or bar code, for being scanned by a register scanner, which is prominently displayed through a slot, sleeve or the like. The prepaid card, credit card, etc., rather than being made in a similar fashion to an ordinary credit card, can include a magnetic stripe (or alternatively a bar code) on the face of the card rather than being on the back of the card on the side of the card opposite from the brand name display. Construction of the card in this manner facilitates the prominent display and easy storage of the card for use in article used in a particular business.  
         [0033]     The business methods contemplated include using the cards in combination with beverage holders to carry out promotions. For instance, perhaps a free beverage refill can be secured upon using the card a number of times, e.g. five times.  
         [0034]     It is calculated that the foregoing described invention in its various embodiments will create symbols of status, identity or self-importance through use of the card as used together with its holder. The shape of the beverage holder as described and shown herein can also serve to encourage this effect.  
         [0035]     Although the invention herein has been described with reference to particular embodiments, it is to be understood that these embodiments are merely illustrative of the principles and applications of the present invention. It is therefore to be understood that numerous modifications may be made to the illustrative embodiments and that other arrangements may be devised without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.

Technology Classification (CPC): 1