Counter top ticket dispenser, display, and writing stand

• US 7,011,381 B2
• Filed: 12/15/2000
• Issued: 03/14/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/14/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: IGT Global Solutions Corporation (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: Giech Corporation
• Inventors: Roberts, Brian J., Petch, David B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dexter, Clark F.
• Application Number:
  US09/738,234
• Publication Number:
  US 20010006181A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,915 Days
• Field of Search: 225/39, 225/41, 225/42, 225/46, 225/47, 220/826, 220/504, 220/916, 312/34.7, 312/34.4, 312/34.8, 312/34.23, 221/45, 221/46, 221/61, 221/62, 221/155, 221/35, 232/43.4, 206/393, 206/394, 206/409, 206/503, 206/824, 242/590, 242/594, 242/594.5, 242/594.6, 242/594.8, 242/597.8, 242/598.5, 242/598.6, 463/17
• US Class Current: 312/34.4
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 3/065 Tickets or accessories for use therewith A63F3/0625 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B26F 3/002 Precutting and tensioning or breaking
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2701/1936 Tickets or coupons
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 35/10 from or with devices for breaking partially-cut or perforated webs, e.g. bursters
• CPC Class Codes: C08F 290/06 Polymers provided for in subclass C08G
• CPC Class Codes: C09D 163/10 Epoxy resins modified by unsaturated compounds
• CPC Class Codes: C09D 4/06 Organic non-macromolecular compounds having at least one polymerisable carbon-to-carbon unsaturated bond in combination with a macromolecular compound other than an unsaturated polymer of groups C09D159/00 - C09D187/00
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/031 Organic compounds not covered by group G03F7/029
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 3/04 from a stack
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 15/005 with dispensing of lottery tickets
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/68 in which the articles are torn or severed from strips or sheets
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3248 involving non-monetary media of fixed value, e.g. casino chips of fixed value
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/329 Regular and instant lottery, e.g. electronic scratch cards
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/42 for ticket printing or like apparatus , e.g. apparatus for dispensing of printed paper tickets or payment cards
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 1/0036 Checkout procedures
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 5/00 Receipt-giving machines cash registers giving receipts G07G1/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 225/12 With preliminary weakening
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 225/205 With feed-out of predetermined length from work supply
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 225/23 Zigzag-folded supply package
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 225/238 : With housing for work supply
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 225/24 : With inspection window or transparent panel
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 225/35 : Work-parting pullers [bursters]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 225/371 : Movable breaking tool
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 225/386 : Clamping supports
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 225/393 : Web restrainer

Abstract

A relatively tall embodiment of a lottery ticket dispenser with a small footprint is fitted onto the countertop of a check-out counter of a retail store. The dispenser includes a housing, the top of which is flat so as to provide a convenient place for customers to write checks with the tickets being displayed immediately below being highly visible to the customer.

Claims

1. In combination, a store checkout counter and a countertop ticket display dispenser structure for dispensing tickets, the combination comprising:

(a) a housing having a front cover, a rear cover, and a ticket dispensing ticket outlet;

(b) a store checkout counter having a countertop with a customer side for a customer and a clerk side for a clerk;

(c) said housing further having an upper portion extending between a front of said housing and a rear of said housing, said upper portion including a flat portion for accommodating a typical bank check for said customer to write the bank check on it;

(d) said front cover having a transparent portion through which said tickets can be seen from said customer side, and said ticket dispensing outlet being located on the rear cover; and

(e) said housing being mounted adjacent said counter top with said front cover facing said customer side, said rear cover facing said clerk side, and said flat portion accessible to said customer at said customer side of said counter;

wherein the front and rear covers are each hingedly coupled to a remainder of the housing to open outwardly from the remainder of the housing toward said customer side and said clerk side, respectively, and wherein at least a substantial part of the upper portion of said housing is displaceable upon opening of at least one of said front cover and said rear cover to permit access to the inside of the housing.

2. The combination as in claim 1 including structure inside said housing for storing and holding said tickets so as to be visible through said transparent portion, and for guiding said tickets towards said outlet.

3. The combination as in claim 2 wherein said transparent portion is arcuate.

4. The combination as in claim 1 in which said tickets are strip-form gaming tickets, a plurality of strips of said tickets being located and displayed side-by-side in said housing so as to be exposed to the customer through said transparent portion.

5. The combination as in claim 4 further comprising:

a plurality of said outlets, one for each of said strips; and

guide means for guiding the passage of said strips upwardly adjacent said transparent portion so as to display said ticket strips to said customer as said tickets move towards said outlets.

6. The combination as in claim 1 wherein said front cover has an arcuate portion for guiding said tickets towards said outlet.

7. The combination as in claim 1 wherein said transparent portion is arcuate for guiding said tickets towards said outlet.

8. The combination as in claim 1 wherein said housing is mounted on said countertop.

9. In combination, a store checkout counter and a countertop ticket display dispenser structure for dispensing tickets, the combination comprising:

(a) a housing having a front cover, a rear cover, and a ticket dispensing ticket outlet;

(b) a store checkout counter having a countertop with a customer side for a customer and a clerk side for a clerk;

(c) said housing having a flat portion for accommodating a typical bank check for said customer to write the bank check on it;

(d) said front cover having a transparent portion through which said tickets can be seen from said customer side, and said outlet being located on the rear cover; and

(e) said housing being mounted adjacent said counter top with said front cover facing said customer side, said rear cover facing said clerk side, and said flat portion accessible to said customer at said customer side of said counter;

wherein the front and rear covers are each hingedly coupled to a remainder of the housing to open outwardly from the remainder of the housing and permit access to the inside of the housing;

wherein said checkout counter top has an edge at said customer side, and a rail extending above said edge, and in which said transparent portion extends over said rail adjacent said edge.