Beverage game

Abstract

A plurality of beverage containers, a first beverage container having a first label affixed thereto, the first label having a first plurality of visible indicia printed thereon, the first plurality of indicia representing a first plurality of playing cards, and a first concealed indicia, representing a first concealed playing card; and a second beverage container having a second label affixed thereto, the second label having a second plurality of visible indicia printed thereon, the second plurality of visible indicia representing a second plurality of playing cards different from the first plurality of playing cards and a second concealed indicia, representing a second concealed playing card. The label of each container having the indicia printed by a variable printing process that allows each successive label to represent a different set of playing cards so that the plurality of beverage containers can be used by patrons to play a game of chance or similar games.

Description

FIELD OF INVENTION

[0001] This invention relates generally to beverage containers, and more particularly but not by way of limitation, to beverage containers and/or labels for beverage containers that include indicia representing playing cards that allow the container to be used either alone, or in combination with other containers, for playing a card game.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

[0002] Merchants and manufacturers have long used games of various sorts to promote their products and services. Most often, the purchaser of a product will receive a game token or card in connection with the purchase, or simply for the asking, that can be used to play a game. A very wide variety of such games are known and their proliferation suggests that they are at least modestly successful in increasing the sales of products.

[0003] Beverages, particularly canned and bottled beverages, are sold in enormous quantities. Games had been associated with the sale of such beverages in the past, but all such games known to the inventors have been based on revealing a hidden token corresponding to a prize, or more often, informing the purchaser that they have not won. Thus, these games are not actually games at all, but more like lotteries in which a few purchasers of a winning container receive a prize, while most others do not.

[0004] Virtually all of promotional approaches of this type are single purchaser activities, that is a single purchaser either wins or looses, depending on whether a winning token appears on the purchased product. There is no element of competition associated with such games and no social interaction between or among purchasers in the playing of the games.

[0005] Relatively large quantities of beverages in single serving containers are sold in bars for consumption on the premises. Since at least some drinking in bars is done in groups, games that can be played in such groups hold the promise of being effective marketing tools.

[0006] Card games, especially simple card games, could be particularly affective as bar games. Games such as poker and blackjack can be played by any number of people from two to relatively large number, are easy to play even when drinking, and provided, if the participants desire, for wagering. However, it is difficult to provide a card game associated with a beverage container that has much play value. Hands consisting of a number of playing cards could be printed on separate tokens distributed to purchasers of the beverages but this requires handling of the game pieces and is inconvenient and adds additional costs. The normal locations for concealing game indicia on beverage containers, under the cap or the pull-tab, do not provide enough room for a playing card hand. The techniques used for printing beverage labels and cans have not heretofore been amendable to printing a different card hand on each container and therefore, have not provided an effective way to implement a card game on a beverage container. For all of these reasons, the inventors know effective use of card games on beverage containers.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

[0007] Recent improvements in printing technology, specifically variable printing, have made it possible to print labels for beverage containers in large quantities and at a reasonable price, that contain a plurality of different indicia. The inventors have recognized that these printing technologies make it possible to provide the means for playing enjoyable card games using beverage containers.

[0008] The present invention includes a beverage container with a label affixed thereto having a first plurality of playing cards, and a second concealed playing card separate from the first plurality of playing cards.

[0009] It is an object of this invention to provide a game to be played by a purchaser or purchasers of beverages in containers that overcomes some of the disadvantages of previously known games.

[0010] It is another object of this invention to provide a game that can be played by a purchaser or purchasers of beverages, especially beverages in single serving containers, without the need for ancillary game items, such as cards or pieces.

[0011] It is still another object of this invention to provide a game of the type described in which the label for the beverage container contains indicia representing a first plurality of elements of the game in which other indicia are concealed on the container.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0012] In the detailed description of the preferred embodiments of the invention presented below, reference is made to the accompanying drawings in which:

[0013] FIG. 1 is a side view of a beverage container;

[0014] FIG. 2 is a side view of another embodiment of the beverage container;

[0015] FIG. 3 is a detailed side view of the label;

[0016] FIG. 4 is a detailed bottom view of the top; and

[0017] FIG. 5 is a side view of another embodiment including multiple beverage containers.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0018] FIG. 1 shows a side view of a container 10 in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. The container 10 has a side 12 and a top 14. A label 16 is affixed to the side 12 of the container 10. The label 16 has a plurality of visible indicia 18 printed thereon, the plurality of indicia 18 representing a plurality of playing cards. The top 14 may have concealed indicia representing one or more concealed playing cards (not shown). The visible indicia and concealed indicia together complete a game hand. The game hand could also be complete on the label, or could be completed by a card not associated with the container.

[0019] FIG. 2 shows another container 10A with the side 12A a top 14A and a label 16A. The label affixed to container 10A has visible indicia 18A and hidden indicia (not shown).

[0020] FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of the label 16 is shown with the visible indicia 18. The indicia in FIG. 3 represent four playing cards that could be part of a game hand, such as a poker hand. In FIG. 4 is hidden indicia 20 are shown which could be printed on the under side of top 14. The visible indicia 18 representing a plurality of playing cards and the concealed indicia 20 representing the concealed playing card together complete a game hand. It is well known that the game hand could be a number of various games such as poker, gin rummy, 21, blackjack, old maid, bridge, go fish and similar games that are well known to those skilled in the art.

[0021] FIG. 5 shows a plurality of beverage containers which could be a six-pack or a case of 12 or 24 containers, each of which is similar to the beverage container shown in FIG. 1 or FIG. 2. A first beverage container 22 has a first label 24 affixed thereto. The first label 24 has a first plurality of visible indicia printed thereon. The first plurality of indicia representing a first plurality of playing cards as discussed above. The first beverage container 22 may also have associated concealed indicia not shown. Together, the first plurality of visible indicia representing the first plurality of playing cards, and the first concealed indicia representing a concealed playing card, the two making up a first game hand. A second beverage container 26 has a second label 28 fixed thereto. The second label 28 has a second plurality of visible indicia printed thereon, representing a second plurality of playing cards different from the first plurality of playing cards on the first beverage container 22. The second beverage container 26 also has second concealed indicia representing a second concealed playing card, such that the second plurality of playing cards and the second concealed playing card together make up the second game hand.

[0022] FIG. 6 shows a plurality of beverage container labels 16 to be affixed to a plurality of containers as shown in FIG. 5. The plurality of containers could be a six-pack or a case of 12 or 24 containers, each of which is similar to the beverage container shown in FIG. 1 or FIG. 2. A first beverage container 22 has a first label 24 affixed thereto. The first label 24 has a first plurality of visible indicia printed thereon. The first plurality of indicia represent a first plurality of playing cards. A second beverage container 26 has a second label 28 fixed thereto. The second label 28 has a second plurality of visible indicia printed thereon, as discussed above, representing a second plurality of playing cards different from the first plurality of playing cards on the first beverage container 22, as discussed above.

[0023] Recent improvements in printing technology, specifically variable printing, make it possible to print these labels for beverage containers in large quantities at a reasonable cost. It is important to use the variable printing process or a similar printing process when preparing these labels, because the labels must vary from one to the other to make the games work. The variable printing technology uses a process where a set of indicia with components such as A, B, C and D are printed with an incremental new label. For example, indicia A, B, C, D would become ABCE, on ABCF, on each successive label. The variable printing process continues to vary one indicia at a time on the label as each label is printed. This variable printing process allows each label to have unique indicia different from the indicia on the other containers in a set resulting in a large number of different container labels in any group of printed labels. It is also possible to use the variable printing process to print the hidden playing card indicia to represent more than one card. This would allow the more complex games discussed above, such as, Bridge or Canasta to be devised or even Old Maid, Go Fish, etc. These printed, hidden cards could alternately be available from a location that is separate from the beverage container.

[0024] The beverage containers with labels using the variable printing process discussed above would normally be distributed to patrons more or less, such that, each patron would get one of the beverage containers and could choose, via the visible indicia representing the plurality of the visible playing cards, one of the containers available. A second patron would purchase another container with different visible playing cards on that container. The two patrons could make a bet based on the visible card and then proceed to reveal the concealed playing card by removing top 14 as shown in FIG. 1, or label as shown in FIG. 2, and complete their game hands for games such as poker, blackjack and 21 where one card can make a complete game hand. This form of entertainment would be popular in various places where these beverage containers are available, and would allow patrons to participate in the game by making a bet based on the visible playing cards, but also would have associated risk making the game a game of chance. This would also encourage the purchase of the beverage containers.

[0025] There are other ways that the variable printing process can be used to allow gaming based on the above method. It is possible to have the label which is produced by the variable printing process include both a visible partial game hand along with one or more hidden cards. These cards would be separate from the visible partial hand. Risk is introduced by having the patron choose from a group of containers. For more elaborate games, such as Bridge, Canasta, Old Maid, Go Fish, Gin Rummy, where there is a need to draw one or more cards from a plurality of cards before completing a hand, it is necessary to have groups of containers available to two or more patrons representing a team. The team could choose more than one container upfront based on the visible indicia or could be assigned a group of containers. Multiple hidden cards could be available hidden on the label. Alternately, the additional cards could be available in a separate location such as under the lid from a deck of cards on the table, from the bartender, or from other sources. This would make it possible to play games such as Bridge or even childhood games such as Old Maid and Fish. Having the additional card or cards available at other locations or on other containers makes the game risk both container and source dependent. The other locations for the hidden cards could even be associated with radio or television promotions.

[0026] While presently preferred embodiments have been described for purposes of this disclosure, numerous changes may be made some indicated above, which will readily suggest themselves to instill in the art, and which are encompassed in the spirit of the invention enclosed, and as defined in the amended claims.

Claims

1. A plurality of beverage containers comprising:

a first beverage container having a first label affixed thereto, the first label having a first plurality of visible indicia printed thereon, the first plurality of indicia representing a first plurality of playing cards, and a first concealed indicia, representing a first concealed playing card; and

a second beverage container having a second label affixed thereto, the second label having a second plurality of visible indicia printed thereon, the second plurality of visible indicia representing a second plurality of playing cards different from the first plurality of playing cards and a second concealed indicia, representing a second concealed playing card.

2. The plurality of beverage containers of claim 1, the first plurality of playing cards together with the first concealed playing card and the second plurality of playing cards together with the second concealed playing card each comprising a game.

3. The plurality of beverage containers of claim 2, the game comprising the game of poker.

4. The plurality of beverage containers of claim 2, the game comprising the game of black jack.

5. The plurality of beverage containers of claim 2, the game comprising the game of 21.

6. The plurality of beverage containers of claim 1, wherein the first and second concealed playing card is on the first and second beverage container respectively but not visible till an addition act is taken.

7. The plurality of beverage containers of claim 1, wherein the first and second concealed playing cards is available from another service.

8. A beverage container comprising a label affixed thereto, the label having a plurality of visible indicia printed thereon, the plurality of indicia representing a plurality of playing cards, and an independent indicia, representing a concealed playing card, the visible indicia and the independent indicia together completing a game hand.

9. The beverage container of claim 9, wherein the plurality of playing cards and the independent playing card together comprising the game of poker.

10. The beverage container of claim 10, wherein the independent playing card is not visible till an additional action is taken.

11. The beverage container of claim 11, wherein the plurality of playing cards and the concealed playing card together comprising the game of poker.

12. The beverage container of claim 11, wherein the plurality of playing cards and the concealed playing card together comprising the game of black jack.

13. The beverage container of claim 11, wherein the plurality of playing cards and the concealed playing card together comprising the game of 21.

14. The beverage container of claim 9, where there are additional independent cards available.

15. The beverage container of claim 9, wherein the plurality of playing cards and the concealed playing card together comprising the game of old maid.

16. A beverage game comprising:

(a) a container for beverages; a label on the container;

(b) a first game piece printed on the label; and

(c) a second game piece printed in a location separate from the first game piece.

17. The beverage game of claim 16 with the first game piece further comprising a plurality of visible indicia printed thereon, the plurality of indicia representing a plurality of playing cards; and

the second game piece further comprising concealed indicia printed thereon, representing a concealed playing card.

18. The beverage game of claim 17 with the second game piece further comprising concealed indicia representing at least one playing card.

19. The beverage game of claim 16, wherein the plurality of playing cards and the concealed playing card together comprising a game of poker.

20. The beverage game of claim 18, wherein the plurality of playing cards and the concealed playing card together comprising a game of black jack.

21. The beverage game of claim 18, wherein the plurality of playing cards and the concealed playing card together comprising a game of 21.