Container lid with printed coupon

Abstract

A coupon bearing lid component for a container is prepared from a sheet of paperboard, said paperboard having an outer surface with a finished coating for printing graphics and an inner surface on which coupon indicia is printed, the improvement wherein the inner surface of the lid has bonded thereto a polymeric film to cover the printed coupon indicia.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A coupon bearing food container prepared from paperboard comprising, a tray and lid, said tray including a peripheral flange to which the lid is sealed for closing the container, said tray and lid each having inner and outer surfaces, a finished coating on the outer surfaces of said tray and lid for printing graphics, and a moisture barrier food contact coating on at least the inner surface of said tray including the flange, for providing a food contact surface and a means for closing the container after it is filled, the improvement comprising indicia in the form of a redeemable coupon printed on the inner surface of said lid and an interior liner member bonded thereto to cover at least said coupon indicia and to keep the coupon indicia from contacting a food product located in said tray.  
     
     
         2 . The container of    claim 1    wherein the finished coating comprises the dried residue of a fluidized blend of pigments such as coating clay, calcium carbonate and titanium dioxide with a suitable binder such as starch, polyvinyl alcohol and polystyrene.  
     
     
         3 . The container of    claim 2    wherein the moisture barrier food contact coating comprises a polymer selected from the group consisting of polyester, acrylics, ethylene vinyl chloride and polyvinylidene chloride.  
     
     
         4 . The container of    claim 3    wherein the interior liner member comprises a sheet of polymeric film.  
     
     
         5 . The container of    claim 4    wherein the polymeric film is a crystalline polyester material.  
     
     
         6 . The container of    claim 5    wherein the liner member covers substantially the entirety of said lid and has the capability of being bonded to the moisture barrier layer on the tray flanges.  
     
     
         7 . The container of    claim 6    wherein the lid is bonded to the tray flanges by heat sealing.  
     
     
         8 . The container of    claim 6    wherein the lid is bonded to the tray flanges with the use of microwave energy.  
     
     
         9 . The container of    claim 6    wherein the lid is perforated around the periphery of the coupon indicia to permit easy removal of the coupon from the lid.  
     
     
         10 . The container of    claim 5    wherein the lid is perforated around the periphery of the coupon indicia and the liner member covers only the coupon indicia and perforations.  
     
     
         11 . A method for manufacturing a coupon bearing lid component for a container from a paperboard web having a finished coating on a first surface thereof comprising the steps: 
 (a) printing sales graphics on the first surface of said paperboard web having the finished coating;    (b) printing on the opposite surface of said web indicia in the form of a redeemable coupon;    (c) perforating said web in the region of said coupon indicia;    (d) bonding to the opposite surface of said web a liner member to cover at least said perforations and coupon indicia; and,    (e) converting said web into separate lid components for the container.    
     
     
         12 . The method of    claim 11    wherein the liner member covers substantially the entirety of said lid.  
     
     
         13 . The method of    claim 11    wherein a moisture barrier food contact coating is applied to the opposite surface of said web before or after step (b).  
     
     
         14 . A method for manufacturing a coupon bearing lid component for a container from a paperboard web having a finished coating on a first surface thereof comprising the steps: 
 (a) printing sales graphics on the first surface of said paperboard web having the finished coating;    (b) printing on the opposite surface of said web indicia in the form of a redeemable coupon;    (c) applying a moisture barrier food contact coating on the opposite side of said web to cover said indicia; and    (d) converting said web into separate lid components for the container.