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US 7,883,004 B2Granted
Transaction product with separable pieces
AssigneeTarget Brands, Inc.
InventorsTed C. Halbur, Adam W. Reynolds, Julie E. Hoppner
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A transaction product includes a substrate and an account identifier. The substrate defines a plurality of pieces separable from a remainder of the substrate. Following separation of the plurality of pieces from the remainder of the substrate, the plurality of pieces are configured to be assembled with one another to define a three-dimensional object. The account identifier is attached to the substrate and links the transaction product to at least one of an account and a record, wherein the account identifier is machine readable by a point-of-sale terminal. Stored-value cards, combinations, methods of facilitating use of a transaction product and other embodiments are also disclosed.
Claims31
A transaction product comprising:
- a card including a plurality of pieces separable from a remainder of the card, wherein the plurality of pieces are configured to be assembled with one another to define a three-dimensional object following separation of the plurality of pieces from the remainder of the card, and the card is substantially planar and formed as a single piece of a rigid substrate;
- and
- an account identifier attached to the card and linking the transaction product to at least one of an account and a record, wherein the account identifier is machine readable by a point-of-sale terminal;
- and
- wherein each of the plurality of pieces defines an outer perimeter and a slot extending from the outer perimeter into a respective one of the plurality of pieces, the slot being configured to facilitate coupling of the plurality of pieces to one another to form the three-dimensional object such that each of the plurality of pieces extends in a plane that intersects and is angled relative to a different plane of at least another one of the plurality of pieces.
2 more elements
A transaction product comprising:
- a card including a plurality of pieces separable from a remainder of the card, wherein:
- the plurality of pieces are configured to be assembled with one another to define a three-dimensional object following separation of the plurality of pieces from the remainder of the card,
- each of the plurality of pieces defines an outermost perimeter and a slot extending from the outermost perimeter into a respective one of the plurality of pieces,
- the slot is configured to facilitate coupling of the plurality of pieces to one another to form a three-dimensional object,
- upon assembly of the plurality of pieces to form the three-dimensional object, each slot receives a portion of an adjacent one of the plurality of pieces such that each of the plurality of pieces extends substantially perpendicular to and in a different plane than the adjacent one of the plurality of pieces;
- and
- an account identifier attached to the card and linking the transaction product to at least one of an account and a record, wherein the account identifier is machine readable by a point-of-sale terminal.
4 more elements
A stored-value card comprising:
- a substantially planar substrate;
- means for defining a plurality of toy components within and as part of the substantially planar substrate such that each of the plurality of toy components is removable from a remainder of the substantially planar substrate without use of tools, wherein:
- each of the plurality of toy components includes an outer perimeter and a slot extending inwardly from the outer perimeter,
- the plurality of toy components are configured to be assembled with one another using the slot of at least one of the plurality of toy components to define a toy, and
- when the plurality of toy components are assembled with one another, each of the plurality of toy components extends in a separate plane than at least another one of the plurality of toy components;
- and
- means for linking the substantially planar substrate with at least one of an account and a record having a value associated therewith such that at least a portion of the substantially planar substrate can be used as payment toward a purchase of one or more of goods and services.
4 more elements
A method of facilitating use of a transaction product, the method comprising:
- displaying a first card coupled with two or more pieces of a toy for retail sale, the first card including an account identifier linked to an account or record, wherein:
- at least one of the two or more pieces of a toy includes an outer perimeter and a slot extending inwardly from the outer perimeter, and
- the slot has a width substantially equal to a thickness of a different one of the two or more pieces of the toy such that the at least one of the two or more pieces of the toy is configured to receive the different one of the two or more pieces of the toy to couple the two or more pieces of the toy to one another such that the at least the one of the two or more pieces of the toy and the different one of the two or more pieces of the toy extend in different planes;
- indicating to potential consumers that the two or more pieces of the toy are readily uncouplable from the first card and are configured to be assembled to form the toy;
- accessing an account or record using the account identifier to at least one of activate the account or record and to add value to the account or record.
2 more elements
A financial product comprising:
- a first piece that is substantially planar;
- an account identifier fixedly attached to the first piece and linking the first piece to at least one of an account and a record, wherein the account identifier is machine readable by a point-of-sale terminal;
- a second piece including a plurality of toy components each configured to be readily removed from a remainder of the second piece without use of tools, wherein:
- the second piece is substantially planar, each of the plurality of toy components is substantially coplanar with others of the plurality of toy components prior to removal of each of the plurality of toy components from the remainder of the second piece, and
- the plurality of toy components are configured to be reassembled with one another in a non-coplanar manner without the use of tools to define a predefined three-dimensional object;
- and
- a backer supporting the first piece and the second piece;
- wherein:
- each of the plurality of toy components defines an outer perimeter and a slot extending from the outer perimeter into a respective one of the plurality of toy components, and
- upon reassembly of the plurality of toy components to form the predefined three-dimensional object, each slot receives a portion of another one of the plurality of toy components and at least one of the plurality of toy components is positioned substantially perpendicular to at least another one of the plurality of toy components.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.