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PEZ
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A typical PEZ dispenser and packaging
PEZ is the shortened name of PEZ Candy Inc. It is also the name of two of its product categories, namely:
* pressed, dry candies, straight-edged and shaped like 3/8-inch- (1-cm-) long bricks, and
* pocket mechanical dispensers for such candy.
The name PEZ was derived from the German word for peppermint, Pfefferminz, the first PEZ flavor. PEZ was originally introduced in Austria, later exported, notably to the U.S., and eventually became available worldwide. The all-upper-case spelling of PEZ echoes the trademark's style of type on packaging and the dispensers themselves, drawn in perspective and looking as if the letters were built out of brick-like PEZ candies.
Despite the world-wide recognition of the PEZ dispenser the company considers itself to be primarily a candy company, producing over 3 billion candy bricks each year in the U.S. alone [1]. PEZ Dispensers are part of popular culture in many nations. Because of the large number of dispenser designs over the years, PEZ dispensers are collected by enthusiasts.
Contents
[hide]
* 1 History
* 2 Patents
* 3 PEZ dispenser tags
* 4 Characters
o 4.1 Timeline of characters and heads
* 5 Trivia
* 6 See also
* 7 References
* 8 External links
[edit]
History
PEZ was first marketed as a compressed peppermint candy in Vienna, Austria. The candy was invented in 1927 in Vienna by a confectioner named Eduard Haas III. Haas invented peppermint candies using family owned baking powders, and decided to serve the mints in small, hand-size containers. He manufactured a small tin to hold the mints, similar to the modern Altoids tins. The first PEZ mint dispensers, known as "regulars", were similar in shape to a cigarette lighter, and dispensed an adult breath mint marketed as an alternative to smoking. Haas Food Manufacturing Corporation of Vienna, Austria, was the first to sell PEZ candies.
World War II slowed marketing and production. In 1945, manufacturers devised and promoted the PEZ Box Regular. In 1952 Eduard Haas introduced his product to the United States, and Curtis Allina headed PEZ's U.S. business. In 1955, the PEZ company placed heads on the dispensers and marketed it for children. Santa Claus, Mickey Mouse and Spacetrooper were among the first character dispensers.
After being unavailable for several years, peppermint flavored PEZ candies were reintroduced in the late 1990's along with remakes of the "regulars".
The enthusiasm and nostalgia surrounding PEZ are suggested by the existence of two single-block streets in the U.S., presumably both named "Pez" at the suggestion of Pez enthusiasts:
* Pez Way in Boulder City, NV (near Las Vegas) is a connector, approximately 100 yards (100 meters) in length, between two longer streets.
* Pez Court in North Haven, CT (near New Haven) is a dead-end street, approximately 500 feet (200 meters) in length.
[edit]
Patents
There are several patents related to the PEZ dispenser. PEZ, Inc. has applied for and received patents related to the PEZ dispensers. Usually, the patent number is molded onto the stem changed every time PEZ, Inc. made a change in the design of the dispenser. Looking at the patent number the dispenser's age can be estimated. The patent number timeline related to PEZ and PEZ-like dispensers follows:
Patent Year Name of patent; notes about the patent
U.S. Patent 2620061 1952 Pocket article dispensing container; First patent for the PEZ dispenser
* U.S. Patent 2853206 1958 Dispensing tablet container; tablet dispensing receptacle
U.S. Patent 3410455 1968 Dispensing Device for tablets
* U.S. Patent 3432074 1969 Vending machine
U.S. Patent 3845882 1974 Spring cage for use in a tablet dispensing receptacle
* U.S. Patent 3863804 1975 Medicant-dispensing container
U.S. Patent 3942683 1976 Tablet dispensing receptacle
* U.S. Patent 4295579 1981 Tablet dispenser
U.S. Patent 4966305 1990 Tablet dispenser
* U.S. Patent 5048720 1991 Tablet dispenser
* U.S. Patent 5071033 1991 Tablet dispenser
* U.S. Patent 5080258 1992 Tablet dispenser
* U.S. Patent 5460295 1995 Candy dispensing system
* U.S. Patent 5560516 1996 Tablet dispenser
U.S. Patent 5984285 1999 Plastic spring
* U.S. Patent 6543639 2003 Animated candy dispenser and methods
* indicates non-PEZ patent
Dispensers can also be found with several non-US patents, such as the German "DBP 818.829" (Deutsches Bundes Patent), and the Mexican "Patent Nr 141,242."
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