Manually actuable, machine readable menu card with rib controlled bubbles

• US 4,889,981 A
• Filed: 11/14/1988
• Issued: 12/26/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 10/08/1986
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Escorp Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Escorp Incorporated
• Inventors: Harbers, H. C. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pitts, Harold I.
• Application Number:
  US07/270,827
• Time in Patent Office: 407 Days
• Field of Search: 235/490, 235/487, 235/448
• US Class Current: 235/490
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 15/00 Printed matter of special format or style not otherwise provided for

Abstract

A menu device comprises

(a) a card,

(b) indicia on the card listing items to be selected,

(c) bubbles on the card in alignment with the indicia, the bubbles having positions on the card representative of items to be selected,

(d) the bubbles having first positions projecting in one direction outwardly from the plane of the card, and second positions into which they are displaced relative to the plane of the card, by finger pressure, to indicate selection of items corresponding to bubble positions on the card,

(e) the bubbles have integral local ribbing for bubble displacement control.

Claims

1. A menu device, comprising

(a) a card,

(b) indicia on the card listing items to be selected,

(c) bubbles on the card and in special correspondence with said indicia, the bubbles having positions on the card representative of items to be selected,

(d) the bubbles having first positions projecting in one direction outwardly from the plane of the card, and second positions into which they are displaced relative to the plane of the card, by finger pressure, to indicate selection of items corresponding to bubble positions on the card,

(e) and said bubbles having integral local ribbing acting to stiffen the displaced bubbles for resisting return thereof to said first positions.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein said bubbles have crests, and said ribbing is offset from said crests.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein the card consists of molded synthetic resinous material.

4. The device of claim 2 wherein said ribbing on each of said bubbles extends toward said crests.

5. The device of claim 3 wherein said ribbing on each of said bubbles extends generally linearly toward said crests.

6. The device of claim 3 wherein said bubbles are dome shaped and have central axis, said ribbing on each of said bubbles including multiple ribs spaced apart about the bubble axis.

7. The device of claim 6 wherein said ribs are spaced apart at equal angle, about said axis.

8. The device of claim 7 wherein there are at least three ribs on each of said bubbles, with Y shape.

9. The device of claim 1 wherein the card extends laterally and longitudinally, certain bubbles extend at one lateral side of the indicia, and other bubbles extend at the opposite lateral side of the indicia, the certain bubbles domed downwardly, and the other bubbles domed upwardly.

10. The device of claim 1 wherein the card has opposite faces, the indicia including certain indicia readable at one face of the card and other indicia readable at the opposite face of the card, and wherein certain bubbles associated with said certain indicia are domed downwardly relative to said one face, and wherein other bubbles associated with said other indicia are domed downwardly relative to said opposite face.

11. The device of claim 10 wherein said certain bubbles extend in rows and columns, and said other bubbles also extend in rows or columns.

12. The device of claim 11 wherein said bubbles have crests, and said ribbing is offset from said crests.

13. The device of claim 12 wherein said ribbing on each of said bubbles extends toward said crests.

16. The device of claim 1 wherein bubbles are arranged in at least one longitudinal column.

17. The device of claim 16 wherein the indicia are arranged in a column parallel to the bubble column, and including a label on the card carrying the indicia.

18. The device of claim 17 wherein the bubbles are in columns at opposite sides of the indicia, the bubbles at the right side of the indicia domed downwardly, and the bubbles at the left side of the indicia domed upwardly.

19. The device of claim 1 wherein the bubbles are unitary with the card.

20. The device of claim 19 wherein the bubbles are of substantially the same diameter, which is less than about 1/2 inch.

21. The device of claim 19 wherein the bubbles have diameter between 3/16 and 3/8 inch.

22. The device of claim 19 wherein the bubbles have thickness of between 0.003 and 0.008 inch.

23. The device of claim 18 wherein the bubbles at each side of the indicia are arranged in four columns.

24. The device of claim 1 including means forming a card receiving opening into which the card and bubbles thereon are removably received, with certain selected bubbles displaced as referred to, for detecting which of the bubbles are so displaced.

14. A menu device, comprising

(a) a card,

(b) indicia on the card listing items to be selected,

(c) bubbles on the card and in spacial correspondence with said indicia, the bubbles having positions on the card representative of items to be selected,

(d) the bubbles having first positions projecting in one direction outwardly from the plane of the card, and second positions into which they are displaced relative to the plane of the card, by finger pressure, to indicate selection of items corresponding to bubble positions on the card,

(e) the card extending laterally and longitudinally, certain bubbles extending at one lateral side of the indicia, and other bubbles extend at the opposite lateral side of the indicia, the certain bubbles domed downwardly, and the other bubbles domed upwardly,

(f) the bubbles having means associated therewith acting to stiffen the displaced bubbles for resisting return thereof to said first position.

15. The device of claim 14 wherein the card has opposite faces, the indicia including certain indicia readable at one face of the card and other indicia readable at the opposite face of the card, and wherein certain bubbles associated with said certain indicia are domed downwardly relative to said one face, and wherein other bubbles associated with said other indicia are domed downwardly relative to said opposite face.

25. The device of claim 15 and including:

(i) visually reading said indicia to determine which of said items are to be selected,

(ii) and manually upwardly displacing a selected bubble or bubbles in alignment with selected said items, the selected bubble or bubbles corresponding to the desired selected item or items.

26. The device of claim 25 wherein bubbles during said reading project away from a plane defined by the card, and away from the reader, and said displacing is carried out to displace the bubble or bubbles toward the reader.

27. The device of claim 25 including detecting which bubble has been displaced in order to fill the order for said items.

28. The device of claim 27 including returning the bubbles to initial position as orders for selected items are filled.