초록 ▼

A stored-value card includes a housing and a glow article. The housing includes an account identifier adapted to link the stored-value card to a financial account or a financial record. The glow article is enclosed within the housing and is configured to be selectively removed from the housing and m

A stored-value card includes a housing and a glow article. The housing includes an account identifier adapted to link the stored-value card to a financial account or a financial record. The glow article is enclosed within the housing and is configured to be selectively removed from the housing and manipulated to initiate chemical luminescence of the glow article. Stored-value card assemblies, methods of promoting sales of stored-value cards, methods of using a stored-value card and other embodiments are also disclosed.

대표청구항 ▼

What is claimed is: 1. A stored-value card system comprising: a stored-value card including: a housing including an account identifier adapted to link the stored-value card to a financial account or a financial record, and a glow article enclosed within the housing, wherein the glow article is conf

What is claimed is: 1. A stored-value card system comprising: a stored-value card including: a housing including an account identifier adapted to link the stored-value card to a financial account or a financial record, and a glow article enclosed within the housing, wherein the glow article is configured to be selectively removed from the housing and manipulated to initiate chemical luminescence of the glow article; and a database storing the financial account or the financial record, wherein the financial account or the financial record tracks a monetary value available toward future purchases of at least one of goods and services. 2. The stored-value card system of claim 1, wherein the housing includes a first housing member and a second housing member that couples with the first housing member to enclose the glow article therebetween, and the glow article is removably maintained at least partially within each of the first housing member and the second housing member. 3. The stored-value card system of claim 2, wherein the housing is substantially rectangular and the first housing member independently defines a first end of the housing, the second housing member independently defines a second end of the housing opposite the first end, and the first housing member and the second housing member each form a portion of a side edge of the housing extending between the first end and the second end. 4. The stored-value card system of claim 2, wherein the first and second housing members couple together with a friction fit such that the first housing member is configured to be selectively and repeatedly coupled to and uncoupled from the second housing member. 5. The stored-value card system of claim 2, wherein the first housing member and the second housing member are each substantially one of translucent and transparent. 6. The stored-value card system of claim 5, further comprising a face panel adhered to the first housing member; wherein the face panel is substantially one of translucent and transparent and is printed with a first graphic, the glow article includes a flexible casing enclosing breakable vials each containing a first chemiluminescent component, a second graphic is applied to the flexible casing, and when the stored-value card is fully assembled, the first graphic, the second graphic, and the first chemiluminescent component are simultaneously viewable from a front of the stored-value card. 7. The stored-value card system of claim 1, wherein the glow article includes: a flexible casing defining at least one internal cavity, and at least one breakable vial enclosed within each cavity, each of the at least one breakable vial containing a first chemiluminescent component, and each of the at least one internal cavity containing a second chemiluminescent component the flexible casing is substantially rectangular and relatively thin, and the housing is substantially rigid and defines a chamber shaped similarly to and sized slightly larger than the glow article. 8. The stored-value card system of claim 7, wherein the at least one internal cavity is a plurality of internal cavities separated from one another via one or more internal walls extending in a first direction within the flexible casing, each of the plurality of internal cavities extends substantially parallel with one another, the at least one breakable vial is a plurality of breakable vials each extending in the first direction, and the plurality of breakable vials are positioned adjacent one another in a second direction opposite the first direction. 9. The stored-value card system of claim 1, in combination with a backer removably coupled to the stored-value card, wherein the backer is configured to selectively wrap the stored-value card such that the account identifier of the stored-value card is accessible through the backer, the housing includes a back surface positioned directly adjacent the backer, and the account identifier is fixedly coupled to the back surface of the housing. 10. A financial transaction card system comprising: a financial transaction card including; means for separately maintaining at least two chemiluminescent components, wherein the means for separately maintaining is configured to be manipulated to cause mixing of the at least two chemiluminescent components to illuminate the financial transaction card, means for linking the means for separately maintaining to a financial account or a financial record, and means for enclosing the means for separately maintaining and for being entirely separable from the means for maintaining, wherein the means for enclosing is rigid and at least partially one of transparent and translucent, and the means for linking is fixedly coupled with the means for enclosing; and means for storing the financial account or the financial record to facilitate tracking of a financial value available for use toward future purchases of one or more of goods and services when the financial transaction card is provided at one or more of points of sale processing the purchases. 11. The financial transaction card system of claim 10, wherein the means for enclosing includes a first member and a second member, each of the first member and the second member being configured to partially enclose the means for separately maintaining. 12. A method of encouraging purchase and facilitating use of a financial transaction card linked to a financial account or a financial record, the method comprising: displaying the financial transaction card to a potential consumer, the financial transaction card including an enclosure removably storing an article configured to provide chemical luminescence; activating the financial transaction card to permit deductions from the financial account or the financial record; and receiving the financial transaction card as payment for goods or services, a value of the goods or services being deducted from the financial account or the financial record. 13. The method of claim 12, wherein the displaying the financial transaction card includes providing the article to include a flexible casing having a plurality of cavities defined therein, at least one breakable vial containing a first chemiluminescent component maintained within each of the plurality of cavities, and a second chemiluminescent component maintained in each of the plurality of cavities and configured to chemically react with the first chemiluminescent component when the at least one breakable vial is broken. 14. The method of claim 12, wherein: the displaying the financial transaction card includes displaying the financial transaction card including an account identifier linked to the financial account or the financial record and fixedly coupled to the enclosure; the activating the financial transaction card to permit deductions from the financial account or the financial record includes accessing a database storing the financial account or the financial record and activating a financial value tracked via the financial account or the financial record for future use as payment toward goods or services; and the receiving the financial transaction card includes: using the account identifier to access the database and apply at least a portion of the financial value toward payment for the goods or services, and deducting the value of the goods or services from the financial value tracked via the financial account or the financial record. 15. The method of claim 12, wherein the displaying the financial transaction card includes: providing the article, the article including: a flexible casing defining at least one internal cavity, the flexible casing being one of substantially transparent and substantially translucent, and at least one breakable vial enclosed within each cavity, each of the at least one breakable vial containing a first chemiluminescent component, and each cavity containing a second chemiluminescent component; and providing the enclosure to be rigid and one of substantially transparent and substantially translucent such that during the displaying of the financial transaction card, the enclosure and the article including the first chemiluminescent component and the second chemiluminescent component are substantially simultaneously visible when the financial transaction card is viewed from a front of the financial transaction card. 16. The method of claim 15, wherein the at least one internal cavity is a plurality of internal cavities, the at least one breakable vial is a plurality of elongated breakable vials, and the providing the glow article includes: providing each of the plurality of internal cavities to extend substantially parallel with each other separated by one or more internal walls within the flexible casing; providing two or more of the plurality of elongated breakable vials in each of the plurality of internal cavities such that each of the plurality of elongated breakable vials extends substantially parallel with the one or more internal walls, and each of the two or more of the plurality of elongated breakable vials in a respective one of the plurality of internal cavities is positioned to allow direct contact with another of the two of or more of the plurality of elongated breakable vials in the respective one of the plurality of internal cavities. 17. The method of claim 12, wherein the displaying the financial transaction card includes displaying the enclosure removably coupled to a backer, wherein the backer is configured to selectively wrap the financial transaction card such that the account identifier of the financial transaction card is accessible through the backer, and the backer interfaces with a supporting structure such that the financial transaction card is supported by the supporting structure via the backer, and the backer, the enclosure, and the article are all visible during the displaying of the financial transaction card. 18. The method of claim 12, further comprising providing the financial transaction card for display, wherein the providing the financial transaction card for display includes: providing the article separate from the enclosure, providing the enclosure to include a first housing member and a second housing member that are configured to be selectively and repeatedly coupled and uncoupled with one another via a friction fit to selectively enclose the article therebetween, and providing the article removably maintained at least partially within each of the first housing member and the second housing member. 19. The method of claim 18, wherein the providing the enclosure includes providing the enclosure of the financial transaction card to be substantially rectangular and such that the first housing member independently defines a first end of the housing, and the second housing member independently defines a second end of the housing, and the first housing member and the second housing member each define a portion of a side edge of the enclosure extending from the first end to the second end of the enclosure. 20. The method of claim 18, wherein the providing the financial transaction card for display includes providing the second housing member coupled to the first housing member such that the second housing member entirely encompasses a portion of the first housing member. 21. The method of claim 18, wherein providing the financial transaction card for display includes providing the first housing member and the second housing member to each be substantially one of translucent and transparent. 22. The method of claim 21, wherein providing the financial transaction card includes providing a front surface of the enclosure and a first surface of the flexible casing each with a printed graphic such that when the financial transaction card is assembled and displayed, both the printed graphic on the front surface of the enclosure and the printed graphic on the front surface of the flexible casing are simultaneously viewable to provide a three-dimensional visual presentation.