WO1998002221A1

WO1998002221A1 - 'scratch-n-win' lucky charm

Info

Publication number: WO1998002221A1
Application number: PCT/IT1997/000156
Authority: WO
Inventors: Gianni Montanari
Original assignee: Gianni Montanari
Priority date: 1996-07-11
Filing date: 1997-07-01
Publication date: 1998-01-22
Also published as: AU3557097A; ITMO960094A1

Abstract

The object of the invention is a geometrical or non-geometrical plate, a few millimetres in thickness, including the total edge or border or just one or more flattened sides, which is used to scrape better and remove the bronzing powder or other coating off any gaming ticket or scratch card. It enables the user to uncover a winning number, picture or image. The said invention will be completed with an adhesive image, picture or number that brings good luck.

Description

"SCRATCH-N-WIN" LUCKY CHARM

The object of the invention is a "scratch-n-win" lucky charm. Nowadays instant win games, national lotteries, weekly drawings, advertising and promotional competitions are spreading more and more. They are based on selling to the public gaming tickets or scratch cards, laminated cards or similar paper-cards that feature one or more circumscribed areas presenting thin protective coatings. A number, symbol, word or sentence may be hidden behind them, determining or not the winning of the vast number of prizes at stake. The user's task consists in removing such coatings so as to uncover the hidden result and this is generally done by scraping off these areas with pointed and at the same time disadvantageously sharp and cutting objects, such as penknives, knives and cutters. These objects are not exempt from drawbacks , among which it is worth mentioning that they are difficult to find, it is dangerous for the user to carry them with him/her every day, without neglecting the fact that they often damage the surface of the purchased ticket or scratch card irremediably. As an alternative to these objects, coins or keys readily available to the user are usually used. However, these objects are unlikely to perform this occasional task thoroughly, because of their particular shape, which does not assure a uniform removal of the coating in question. The invention is specifically aimed at eliminating the drawbacks complained above, by devising an easy-to-carry "scratch-n-win" lucky charm, it allows to operate on the surface to be scraped off in a rapid and final way and, at the same time, without damaging the same surface, and to involve the user emotionally by spurring him/her to hope favourably in the good luck.

In the framework of this technical task, another purpose of the invention is the one of performing the previously explained tasks with a simple, relatively easy to make, safe and cheap structure operating efficiently. This task and these purposes are ail achieved by the "scratch-n-win" lucky charm, being made of a plate of a geometrical form characterised in that said plate features at least one side with a diminishing thickness outwards, tending to form a unidimensional edge. This edge is fit to assure the removal of a protective coating applied on a surface made of paper-type material.

Further characteristics and advantages of the invention will be explained more in depth in the description of a preferred form of execution, this not being an exclusive form, of a "scratch-n-win" lucky charm, illustrated for information - but not limiting - purposes in the herewith enclosed tables of drawings, in which: fig. 1 is a perspective view of the "scratch-n-win" lucky charm according to the invention; fig. 2 is a perspective view of an alternative version of the lucky charm according to the invention; fig. 3 is a plan view of an alternative version of the lucky charm according to the invention. With reference to the figures 1-to-3, the overall "scratch-n-win" lucky charm structure is indicated by (1 ).

The structure (1 ) consists in a square-shaped plate (2) featuring one side (3) with thickness (4) diminishing outwards until it defines a unidimensional edge (5) coinciding with a line; in this way the side (3) takes on the shape of a prism (6) whose base is a rectangular triangle, fig.1 , an equilateral triangle, fig. 2, or an isosceles triangle.

The plate (2) also includes a surface (7) on which a representation (8) of a symbol that brings good luck is made adherent and stuck at the centre of such a surface. As an alternative, the shape of the plate (2) can be the one of a hexagon, as shown in Figure 3, of a rectangle, of a circle or of any other geometrical shape.

Therefore it has been observed how the invention achieves the proposed targets, and namely it performs the requested operation in a rapid and final way, with a simple and cheap, easy-to-carry structure, which is also stimulating from a psychological point of view. The materials used, as well as the shapes and the dimensions, may be of any kind whatsoever according to the requirements, without falling outside the protecting framework of the following claims.

Claims

1 ) "Scratch-n-win" lucky charm including a plate of a geometrical shape characterised in that said plate features at least one side with diminishing thickness outwards, tending to form a unidimensional edge. The said edge is fit to assure the removal of a protective coating stuck on the surface of a paper-type material.

2) Lucky charm according to claim 1 characterised in that said plate includes at least one surface on which at least one representation of a number, object or symbol bringing good lucky is stuck. 3) Lucky charm according to claim 1 and as an alternative to claim 2, characterised in that said representation is raised as compared with the surface on which it is stuck.

4) Lucky charm according to one or more of the previous claims characterised in that the said side represents a prism whose base is a rectangular triangle.

5) Structure according to one or more of the previous claims characterised in that alternatively the said side represents a prism whose base is an isosceles or equilateral triangle.

6) Lucky charm according to one or more of the previous claims characterised in that the said plate is of a regular, polygonal shape.

7) Lucky charm according to one or more of the previous claims and as an alternative to claim 6 characterised in that the said plate is of an irregular, polygonal shape. 8) Lucky charm according to one or more of the previous claims and according to what is described and illustrated for the specified purposes.