U.S. patent application number 14/628283 was filed with the patent office on 2015-06-18 for method of relating different products by a common feature.
The applicant listed for this patent is Colgate-Palmolive Company. Invention is credited to Douglas J. Hohlbein, Michael Charles Rooney, Steven M. Sorrel.
Application Number | 20150164215 14/628283 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 38328496 |
Filed Date | 2015-06-18 |
United States Patent
Application |
20150164215 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Hohlbein; Douglas J. ; et
al. |
June 18, 2015 |
METHOD OF RELATING DIFFERENT PRODUCTS BY A COMMON FEATURE
Abstract
A kit and method of relating products by a common feature
include the provision of a first product having a first feature
providing a first consumer-relevant benefit, and a second different
product having a second feature providing a second
consumer-relevant benefit, wherein the first and second features
have a consistent appearance and wherein at least one feature has a
different consumer-relevant benefit relative to the other
feature.
Inventors: |
Hohlbein; Douglas J.;
(Hopewell, NJ) ; Sorrel; Steven M.; (Millwood,
NY) ; Rooney; Michael Charles; (Milburn, NJ) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Colgate-Palmolive Company |
New York |
NY |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
38328496 |
Appl. No.: |
14/628283 |
Filed: |
February 22, 2015 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
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11681810 |
Mar 5, 2007 |
|
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14628283 |
|
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60781222 |
Mar 10, 2006 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
206/581 ;
132/308 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A46B 15/0085 20130101;
A46B 15/0091 20130101; A46B 5/026 20130101; A46B 5/02 20130101;
A46B 15/0087 20130101; A46B 2200/1066 20130101; G09F 23/0075
20130101; G09F 3/00 20130101 |
International
Class: |
A46B 15/00 20060101
A46B015/00; A46B 5/02 20060101 A46B005/02 |
Claims
1. A kit comprising: a toothbrush comprising a handle and a head, a
first plurality of features each having a first shape being
visually exposed on the handle, the first plurality of features
providing a first benefit to a consumer; a first container
containing dentifrice, the dentifrice comprising a first carrier
and a second plurality of features suspended within the first
carrier, each of the second plurality of features having a second
shape and providing a second therapeutic or cosmetic benefit to the
consumer during use of the dentifrice, the first container having a
see-through portion so that one or more of the second plurality of
features are visible through the first container; and wherein the
first and second shapes are the same, thereby creating a visual
link between the toothbrush and the dentifrice to the consumer.
2. The kit of claim 1, wherein the first and second shapes are
square or rectangular.
3. The kit of claim 1, wherein the second therapeutic or cosmetic
benefit is breath freshening.
4. The kit of claim 1 wherein the first plurality of features that
are visually exposed on the handle enhances handling of the
toothbrush by the consumer.
5. The kit of claim 4 wherein the first plurality of features that
are visually exposed on the handle form a tactile portion of an
outer surface of the handle.
6. The kit of claim 1 wherein the toothbrush and the first
container containing the dentifrice are bundled together in a
single package.
7. The kit of claim 1 wherein the toothbrush and the first
container containing the dentifrice are packaged separately and
positioned in close proximity to each other on a shelf display.
8. The kit of claim 7 further comprising a visual display
comprising information regarding the visual link between the
toothbrush and the dentifrice.
9. The kit of claim 1 wherein the first plurality of features are
arranged in a spaced apart manner on an exterior surface of the
handle at a location between a thumb grip region of the handle and
a proximal end of the handle.
10. The kit of claim 1 wherein the first benefit is different than
the second therapeutic or cosmetic benefit.
11. The kit of claim 10 wherein the first benefit is either an
aesthetic benefit or a grip enhancement benefit and the second
therapeutic or cosmetic benefit is one of breath freshening, tooth
whitening, and antibacterial.
12. The kit of claim 1 wherein the first and second plurality of
features are consistent in appearance and different in
function.
13. The kit of claim 1 wherein the first and second shapes creates
a visual correlation to the consumer that the toothbrush should be
used in combination with the dentifrice.
14. The kit of claim 1 further comprising: a bar of soap comprising
a second carrier and a third plurality of features suspended within
the second carrier, each of the third plurality of features having
a third shape and providing a third therapeutic or cosmetic benefit
to the consumer during use of the bar of soap, one or more of the
third plurality of features being visually exposed to the consumer
through the second carrier; a second container containing shampoo
or conditioner, the shampoo or conditioner comprising a third
carrier and a fourth plurality of features suspended within the
third carrier, each of the fourth plurality of features having a
fourth shape and providing a fourth therapeutic or cosmetic benefit
to the consumer during use of the shampoo or conditioner, one or
more of the fourth plurality of features being visually exposed to
the consumer through the second container; and wherein the first,
second, third, and fourth shapes are the same, thereby creating a
visual link between the toothbrush, the dentifrice, the bar of
soap, and the shampoo or conditioner to the consumer.
15. The kit of claim 14 wherein the toothbrush, the first container
containing the dentifrice, the bar of soap, and the second
container containing the shampoo or conditioner are bundled
together in a single package.
16. The kit of claim 14 wherein the first benefit, the second
therapeutic or cosmetic benefit, the third therapeutic or cosmetic
benefit, and the fourth therapeutic or cosmetic benefit are all
different from one another.
17. The kit of claim 16 wherein the first benefit is either an
aesthetic benefit or a grip enhancement benefit, the second
therapeutic or cosmetic benefit is one of breath freshening, tooth
whitening, and antibacterial, the third therapeutic or cosmetic
benefit is one of vitamin delivery and skin-moisturizing, and the
fourth therapeutic or cosmetic benefit is one of a cooling
sensation or dandruff relief.
18. A kit comprising: a first product comprising a first feature
that is visually exposed and provides a first benefit to a
consumer; a second product comprising a second feature that is
visually exposed and provides a second benefit to the consumer, the
second product being different than the first product, and the
second benefit including an aesthetic function and a non-aesthetic
function; wherein the first and second features comprise a common
thematic appearance; and wherein the first benefit is different
than the second benefit.
19. The kit of claim 18 wherein the first feature has a first shape
and the second feature has a second shape, the first and second
shapes being the same, thereby forming the common thematic
appearance.
20. A kit comprising: a toothbrush comprising a raised or recessed
feature that enhances handling of the toothbrush by a consumer; and
a dentifrice comprising a suspended feature that provides a
therapeutic or cosmetic benefit to a consumer; wherein the raised
or recessed feature and the suspended features comprise a
consistent appearance.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application is a continuation of U.S. patent
application Ser. No. 11/681,810, filed Mar. 5, 2007, which in turn
claims the benefit of priority to U.S. Provisional Application No.
60/781,222, filed Mar. 10, 2006, the contents of which is
incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUND
[0002] It is known in the art to associate two different products
by aesthetic features alone. For example, a screwdriver and a
hammer from the same manufacturer may have the same color, handle
shape, texture or the like. The manufacturer relates such products
together to influence collective purchasing. Another example is
represented by a set of kitchen utensils from the same manufacturer
that has an identically-configured handle. Yet another example is
where compositional products such as hand soaps and body soaps are
provided with aesthetically-appealing suspended articles such as
colored beads or the like.
[0003] In each of the above examples, the products are related
solely by aesthetic features. However, the related features do not
transcend the aesthetic into the functional or multi-functional as
provided herein.
SUMMARY
[0004] A kit and method of relating products by a common feature
include the provision of a first product comprising a first feature
providing a first consumer-relevant benefit, and a second different
product comprising a second feature providing a second
consumer-relevant benefit, wherein the first and second features
comprise a consistent appearance and wherein at least one feature
comprises a different consumer-relevant benefit relative to the
other feature. A further method includes assisting consumers in
purchasing related products by providing visual cues that link such
products. A further method includes packaging different products
that are united by a consistent feature, such as a strip, with such
feature differing in consumer-relevant benefit between the
products.
[0005] In one aspect, the invention can be a kit comprising: a
toothbrush comprising a handle and a head, a first plurality of
features each having a first shape being visually exposed on the
handle, the first plurality of features providing a first benefit
to a consumer; a first container containing dentifrice, the
dentifrice comprising a first carrier and a second plurality of
features suspended within the first carrier, each of the second
plurality of features having a second shape and providing a second
therapeutic or cosmetic benefit to the consumer during use of the
dentifrice, the first container having a see-through portion so
that at least a portion of the first carrier and one or more of the
second plurality of features are visible through the first
container; and wherein the first and second shapes are the same,
thereby creating a visual link between the toothbrush and the
dentifrice to the consumer.
[0006] In another aspect, the invention can be a kit comprising: a
toothbrush comprising a handle and a head, a first plurality of
features each having a first shape being visually exposed on the
handle, the first plurality of features providing a first benefit
to a consumer; a first container containing dentifrice, the
dentifrice comprising a first carrier and a second plurality of
features suspended within the first carrier, each of the second
plurality of features having a second shape and providing a second
therapeutic or cosmetic benefit to the consumer during use of the
dentifrice, the first container having a see-through portion so
that at least a portion of the first carrier and one or more of the
second plurality of features are visible through the first
container; and wherein the first and second shapes are the same,
thereby linking the toothbrush to the dentifrice to the
consumer.
[0007] In yet another aspect, the invention can be a kit
comprising: a toothbrush comprising a raised or recessed feature
that enhances handling of the toothbrush by a consumer; and a
dentifrice comprising a suspended feature that provides a
therapeutic or cosmetic benefit to a consumer; wherein the raised
or recessed feature and the suspended features comprise a
consistent appearance.
[0008] Further areas of applicability of the present invention will
become apparent from the detailed description provided hereinafter.
It should be understood that the detailed description and specific
examples, while indicating the preferred embodiment of the
invention, are intended for purposes of illustration only and are
not intended to limit the scope of the invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0009] FIG. 1 illustrates a dentifrice for demonstrating an aspect
of the present invention.
[0010] FIGS. 2-3 illustrate a front view and side view of a
toothbrush for demonstrating an aspect of the present
invention.
[0011] FIG. 4 illustrates a package of the dentifrice of FIG. 1 and
the toothbrush of FIGS. 2-3.
[0012] FIG. 5 illustrates a point-of-purchase display for
demonstrating an aspect of the present invention.
[0013] FIG. 6 illustrates another point-of-purchase display for
demonstrating an aspect of the present invention.
[0014] FIG. 7 illustrates a bar of soap for demonstrating an aspect
of the present invention.
[0015] FIG. 8 illustrates a bottle of shampoo for demonstrating an
aspect of the present invention.
[0016] FIG. 9 illustrates a package of the soap of FIG. 7 and the
shampoo of FIG. 8.
[0017] FIG. 10 illustrates a package of the dentifrice of FIG. 1,
the toothbrush of FIGS. 2-3, the soap of FIG. 7 and the shampoo of
FIG. 8.
[0018] FIGS. 11A-11F illustrate various embodiments of strip-like
features for demonstrating an aspect of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0019] The following detailed description is of the best mode or
modes of the invention presently contemplated. Such description is
not intended to be understood in a limiting sense, but to be an
example of the invention presented solely for illustration thereof,
and by reference to which in connection with the following
description and the accompanying drawings one skilled in the art
may be advised of the advantages and construction of the invention.
In the various views of the drawings, like reference characters
designate like or similar parts.
[0020] FIGS. 1-3 illustrate two different products, namely a
dentifrice 100 and a toothbrush 200, that are related by a common
feature and that are illustrated herein to demonstrate certain
aspects of one embodiment of the present invention. Specifically,
FIG. 1 illustrates a representation of dentifrice 100 currently
sold in a container 110, a portion of which is see-through. The
container is generally illustrated in U.S. Pat. D512,317,
incorporated by reference herein. The dentifrice 100 comprises a
carrier 120 having suspended square-shaped features or strips 130
of material that provide a consumer-relevant benefit or function
and are advertised as breath-freshening strips that dissolve
instantly to give the consumer a burst of fresh breath. While such
strips 130 are illustrated as square-shape, a variety of shapes and
configurations may be used as desired, such as, but not limited to
a rounded shape (FIG. 11A) in the form of beads, polygonal (FIG.
11B--triangle shape, FIG. 11D--hexagon shape, FIG. 11E--star
shape), multi-curved (FIG. 11C--heart shape), alpha-numeric shapes
such as a company logo (FIG. 11F), or recognizable figures such as
licensed fictional characters, cartoon or pop culture icons (not
shown), or combinations of the same. One example of a dentifrice
incorporating strips based on functional film flakes is U.S. Pat.
6,669,929, incorporated by reference herein. Strips 130 contribute
a unique consumer-relevant aesthetic benefit to the dentifrice 100
that is eye-catching both at the point of purchase and during
dispensing from the container 110 (not shown). Strips 130 could
also contribute a therapeutic or cosmetic benefit to the user, such
as breath freshening as currently advertised. Other potential
consumer-relevant benefits include the delivery of flavors,
actives, whitening agents (peroxides, carbonates), antibacterial
agents, anti-plaque agents, argine esters, keratin, abrasives,
menthol, thymol, delmopinal, zinc ions, moisturizers, essential
oils, enzymes, bleaching agents, silver ions, triclosan, other
cosmetic or aesthetic enhancements, and additional benefits as
described in the '929 patent. Thus, strips 130 are
multi-functional, providing an aesthetic function and at least one
additional function or benefit to the consumer that is
non-aesthetic.
[0021] FIGS. 2 and 3 illustrate a toothbrush 200 having a head 210,
a handle 220, a thumb grip 230 and square-shaped, strip-like
features or elements that are raised or extend outwardly (240, 250)
from, or are recessed (242) relative to, the handle 220 and thumb
grip 230 respectively, which elements 240, 242, 250 are preferably
molded as part of the handle 220 and thumb grip 230 respectively.
Such elements 240, 242, 250 have an appearance that is consistent
with the appearance of the strips 130 of dentifrice 100 (see FIG.
1), and contribute a unique consumer-relevant aesthetic benefit to
the toothbrush 200 that is eye-catching at the point of purchase.
Elements 240, 242, 250 also contribute an additional, ergonomic
benefit in form of enhanced handling and gripability by providing
additional tactile outer surfaces on the toothbrush 200.
[0022] One embodiment provides visual cues in a first product,
i.e., dentifrice 100, to help correlate the first product 100 with
a second product, i.e. toothbrush 200 in the minds or eye of a
consumer. Advantageously, one embodiment of an oral care product
provides a benefit for a consumer to use a particular dentifrice in
combination with a particular toothbrush. To help reinforce the
appropriate products to be used together, aspects of the various
embodiments include design features in the first product to help
reinforce the selection of the recommended second product. To
further illustrate this concept using FIGS. 1-3, it may be
desirable for a consumer particularly interested in fresh breath
benefits to use toothbrush 200 with a tongue and cheek cleaning
feature 260 on the rear of the head 210 in combination with a
dentifrice 100 with breath freshening strips 130. To help reinforce
this combination of products, the strip-like features 130 of the
dentifrice 100 have a visual appearance or aesthetic that is
consistent with that of the strip-like features 240, 242, 250. The
strip-like features 240, 242, 250 could be represented in any
number of ways, such as outwardly or inwardly molded features in
the handle, and/or embedded in a clear or translucent handle
material, offering similar visibility to the strip-like features
130 in the dentifrice 100. Colors and applied graphics, for
example, can be used to further strengthen the link between the
distinct features being aligned.
[0023] To further reinforce the relationship, products 100 and 200
may be vended together as a package 300 as shown in FIG. 4, or in
close proximity to each other as shown in a representative
point-of-purchase shelf display 400 in FIG. 5. Building upon the
relationship, an advertising campaign 500 (FIG. 6) could be
created, wherein the products 100, 200 are individually vended in
close proximity with packaged bundles 300 (FIG. 4) of products 100,
200, and are related by an additional theme element such as a
banner 600 that is additionally representative of the relationship
between the products. For example, such banner 600 might
communicate or proclaim the message "Strips Alive!!", for example,
to further highlight the strip-like elements 130, 240, 242, 250 in
the respective products 100, 200. Further support or means for
communicating information about, or instructions for using the
package 300, for example, may include a document provided at the
point of purchase, digital storage media, audio presentations, or
visual displays containing the information or instructions related
to the package 300, display 400 or campaign 500. This may be
reinforced by brochures, product labels and package insert on or in
connection with the products, advertisements, a displayed web site,
and a visual display in connection with the products.
[0024] FIGS. 4-6 also illustrate methods of associating one or more
products with a consistent feature, where such feature delivers or
could deliver a different consumer-relevant benefit in each
product. As discussed above, while the strip-like elements 130,
240, 242, 250 deliver certain aesthetic benefits that are
consistent across products 100, 200, the strip-like elements 130
deliver additional breath-freshening benefits, while the strip-like
elements 240, 250 deliver enhanced gripping benefits. In this
manner, the consumer associates the consistent feature as a
source-indicator, even if the feature performs additional
dissimilar consumer-relevant functions across different product
lines. Thus, if a dentifrice 100 and toothbrush 200 are vended with
similarly appearing strip-like features, the consumer will
recognize or come to recognize a future strip-like product, such as
mouthwash with tingle-enhancing strips for example, as originating
with the same source, even if the strip in such other product
delivers yet an additional consumer-relevant benefit.
[0025] FIGS. 7 and 8 illustrate yet additional products outside of
the oral care field that are united or related by a consistent
feature. FIG. 7 illustrates a bar of soap 700 formed from a carrier
710 with suspended square-shaped, strip-like elements 720 that
could deliver a variety of consumer-relevant benefits in addition
to aesthetic appeal. For example, the strip-like elements 720 could
be vitamin-enriched or provide additional skin-moisturizing
benefits. FIG. 8 illustrates shampoo 800 (and/or conditioner if
desired) in a container 810 that includes a carrier 820 with
suspended square-shaped, strip-like feature elements 830 that could
deliver a variety of consumer-relevant benefits in addition to
aesthetic appeal. For example, the strip-like feature elements 830
could provide a cooling sensation, dandruff relief, or the like.
FIG. 9 illustrates the vending of soap 700 and shampoo 800 as a
personal care package 900.
[0026] FIG. 10 illustrates the vending of a "beauty package" 1000
including dentifrice 100 (FIG. 1), toothbrush 200 (FIGS. 2-3), soap
700 (FIG. 7) and shampoo 800 (FIG. 8), each related by a feature
that is consistent in appearance and differs in consumer-relevant
function or benefit across products. Of course, products that are
not related to oral care, personal care or the like are
contemplated herein. For example, and continuing with the above
examples, a hard surface cleaner formulated for glass and mirrors
might have shine-enhancing strips, while another hard surface
cleaner formulated for tile might have grout-whitening strips, with
the strips being consistent in appearance, yet differing in
function, but preferably noticeable to the consumer at the point of
purchase.
[0027] While the present invention has been described and with some
particularity with respect to the several described embodiments, it
is not intended that it should be limited to any such particulars
or embodiments or any particular embodiment, but it is to be
construed with references to the appended claims so as to provide
the broadest possible interpretation of such claims in view of the
prior art and, therefore, to effectively encompass the intended
scope of the invention. Furthermore, the foregoing describes the
invention in terms of embodiments foreseen by the inventor for
which an enabling description was available, notwithstanding that
insubstantial modifications of the inventions, not presently
foreseen, may nonetheless represent equivalents thereto.
* * * * *