WO1995011610A1

WO1995011610A1 - Drink coaster

Info

Publication number: WO1995011610A1
Application number: PCT/AU1994/000654
Authority: WO
Inventors: Peter James Cowell
Original assignee: Ink-A (Sa) Pty. Ltd.
Priority date: 1993-10-28
Filing date: 1994-10-28
Publication date: 1995-05-04

Abstract

A laminated cardboard drink coaster (1) having openable windows therein, the openable windows exposing otherwise hidden indicia capable of identifying the coaster (1) as a lucky coaster. In the preferred form the drink coaster (1) comprises two cardboard sheets (2, 3) laminated together each comprised of a substantially moisture absorbent cardboard sheet, and four openable windows exposing otherwise hidden identifiable indicia beneath a liftup flap (4) of the window. Each of the four openable windows has an uppermost liftup flap (4) comprising a part of the cardboard sheet defining an outer uppermost surface of the coaster (1) and each being located at a corner (7) of a quadrilateral shape of the coaster (1). Each of the windows is located at a different corner from the other windows. Each of the openable windows is defined by spaced apart perforations through the part of the cardboard sheet defining an outer uppermost surface of the coaster (1).

Description

DRINK COASTER

TECHNICAL FIELD

This invention relates to a drink coaster of a type used to support glasses of liquid beverage on a table or bar to reduce liquid beverage passing from the glass to the surface of the table or the bar.

Such articles are conventional and are provided as a matter of course in most hotels and wine bars for this purpose.

BACKGROUND ART

Such normally supplied coasters carry advertising and are offered by the bar tender or the waitress as a courtesy to the customers but also as a service to the advertiser as a means of promoting the name of the advertiser.

The problem with this arrangement is that there is increasingly less incentive for a barman or a waitress to supply these drink coasters where for instance there may be towelling on the bar which performs very much the same function, or there is a table cloth on a table for instance within a restaurant which will absorb moisture and has to be laundered afterwards in any event.

A further problem arises that the hotel or restaurant or bar have generally difficulty obtaining any additional revenue through this provision of a coaster and it is to this difficulty that this present invention is directed.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

According to one form of this invention there is provided a drink coaster comprising at least two cardboard sheets laminated together, and incorporating openable windows exposing thereby otherwise hidden indicia for use as a lucky ticket.

Preferably, at least one of the cardboard sheets is comprised of a substantially moisture absorbent board,

In preference but not essentially, the substantially moisture absorbent board is coaster board and there are at least three openable windows each having an upper most lift up flap comprising a part of one of the laminate cardboards defining an upper outermost surface of the coaster.

In preference but not essentially, there are four openable windows each having an uppermost lift up flap comprising a part of the board defining an outer uppermost surface of the coaster and each being located at a corner of a quadrilaterally shaped coaster each of the windows being located at a different corner from the other windows.

Preferably, but not essentially, each of the openable windows in defined by spaced apart perforations extending partially or fully through the laminate cardboard, defining an outer uppermost surface of the coaster.

In preference, but not essentially a respective corner of a coaster is bounded by aligned spaced apart perforations extending either partially or fully through the laminate, and extending across the corner and intersecting a respective lift up flap as defined by spaced apart perforations extending partly or fully through the uppermost layer of the board.

In preference, but not essentially at least one window is defined by spaced apart perforations extending partially or fully through the laminate, defining a substantially rectilinear shape, a protruding part of which extends over the aligned spaced apart perforations extending across the corner.

In preference, but not essentially there is or are indicia beneath respective windows uniquely identifying that coaster from a set of coasters so that within a selected set of drink coasters, coasters uniquely identified can be distinguished so as to be within the proportion of 5 to 25% of the total number of coasters within the set.

By incorporating these various improvements within a coaster, the coasters can be used to provide the chance for the customer to have a lucky prize. Further, a charge for a drink coaster is therefore much more likely to be acceptable to a customer with the result that a replacement coaster can be provided with the willing co-operation of the customer and the assistence of the barman or waitress for each serve of drinks. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For a better understanding of this invention it will now be described with the assistance of drawings in which;

FIG 1 is a plan view of a drink coaster according to the embodiment;

FIG 2 is a perspective view of the drink coaster with a glass in outline resting on the coaster;

FIG 3 is a side elevation of the drink coaster showing the laminate construction of the drink coaster; and

FIG 4 is a perspective view of a glass sitting on the drink coaster but with one of the flaps open.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

Referring in detail to the drawings, there is shown a coaster 1 is comprised of two thicknesses of cardboard sheets shown particularly in FIG 3, as 2 and 3, in this embodiment both thicknesses being made from a very moisture absorbent cardboard known commercially as "coaster board".

The two cardboard sheets 2,3 are of substantially the same thickness and are joined together to form the laminate drink coaster 1.

Extending through the upper laminate 2 of coaster board are a plurality of spaced apart perforations, the perforations being such as to define flaps 4. Each of the flaps 4 being generally rectilinear in shape and located so as to have shown typically at 5, a lip, which extends to protrude diagonally into a corner 7 of the coaster 1.

Each of the flaps 4 is shaped and positioned so as to cover an otherwise hidden indicia which can be seen only once the flap 4 is lifted relative to the surrounding board 2.

The indicia is selected in relation to a selected number of the coasters 1 such that a very much smaller percentage of the coasters than the total set can be uniquely identified so that a person discovering such a coaster can be a claimant for an award.

By positioning the flaps 4 in the manner shown, more particularly as particularly shown in FIG 4, the flaps 4 will not unduly unbalance a glass that is subsequently placed on the coaster 1 when the windows have been opened so that beside the coasters 1 providing the advantages of a conventional bingo ticket, the coaster 1 can be used for its normal purpose therefore reducing waste.

The selected number of winning tickets in relation to a total set can be widely varied and while a range of from 5 to 25% of the total number of a set of coasters will be appropriate for a conventional winning range of tickets, 10% or 15% of the tickets of any set of coasters could be made to be the winning tickets.

Reference has been made to a particular location of windows which provides particular advantage for a rectilinear coaster.

Other means by which the coaster can have openable windows can be foreseen also providing the advantages at least in the broader concept of the invention.

It is further envisaged as an alternative, that only one of the laminate boards will be of the highly moisture absorbent material and the other will be of the very much less absorbent material providing therefore a base by which much higher grade printing can be used for promotional purposes.

The concept can apply to circular coasters where again the location of the windows is such that by downwardly pressing a part of the periphery, then access can be obtained to the window.

More than two laminate thicknesss of board can also be used.

These and other improvements are all incorporated within the concept of this invention in its broadest sense.

The purpose of this description is to illustrate this invention and not to limit this.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A drink coaster comprising at least two cardboard sheets laminated together, and incorporating openable windows exposing thereby otherwise hidden indicia characterised in that the coaster can be used as a lucky ticket.

2. A drink coaster according to claim 1 , characterised in that at least one of the cardboard sheets is comprised of a substantially moisture absorbent board,

3. A drink coaster according to claim 2, characterised in that the substantially moisture absorbent board is coaster board and there are at least three openable windows each having an upper most lift up flap comprising a part of one of the laminate cardboards defining an upper outermost surface of the coaster.

4. A drink coaster according to claim 1 , characterised in that there are four openable windows each having an uppermost lift up flap comprising a part of the board defining an outer uppermost surface of the coaster and each being located at a corner of a quadrilaterally shaped coaster each of the windows being located at a different corner from the other windows.

5. A drink coaster according to claim 1 , characterised in that each of the openable windows in defined by spaced apart perforations extending partially or fully through the laminate cardboard, defining an outer uppermost surface of the coaster.

6. A drink coaster according to claim 1 , characterised in that a respective corner of a coaster is bounded by aligned spaced apart perforations extending either partially or fully through the laminate, and extending across the corner and intersecting a respective lift up flap as defined by spaced apart perforations extending partly or fully through the uppermost layer of the board.

7. A drink coaster according to claim 1 , characterised in that at least one window is defined by spaced apart perforations extending partially or fully through the laminate, defining a substantially rectilinear shape, a protruding part of which extends over the aligned spaced apart perforations extending across the corner.

8. A drink coaster according to claim 1 , characterised in that there is or are indicia beneath respective windows uniquely identifying that coaster from a set of coasters so that within a selected set of drink coasters, coasters uniquely identified can be distinguished so as to be within the proportion of 5 to 25% of the total number of coasters within the set.

9. A drink coaster comprising two cardboard sheets laminated together each comprised of a substantially moisture absorbent cardboard sheet, characterised in that the coaster includes four openable windows exposing otherwise hidden identifiable indicia beneath a liftup flap of the window each of the four openable windows having an uppermost lift up flap comprising a part of the cardboard sheet defining an outer uppermost surface of the coaster and each being located at a corner of a quadrilateral shape of the coaster, each of the windows being located at a different corner from the other windows each of the openable windows being defined by spaced apart perforations through the part of the cardboard sheet defining an outer uppermost surface of the coaster and each respective corner of the coaster being bounded by aligned spaced apart perforations extending across the corner and intersecting a respective liftup flap as defined by spaced apart perforations in an uppermost layer of the cardboard sheet.