Abstract:
Example embodiments disclose novel ticket dispenser having an insert configured to support a plurality of tickets. In at least one example embodiment, the ticket dispenser may be comprised of a body, a door pivotally connected to the body, and an insert in the body. In at least on example embodiment, the body includes a pair of spaced apart side walls, a top wall, a bottom wall, and a back wall. In at least one example embodiment the insert includes a floor with a plurality of parallel grooves having lengths extending in a direction perpendicular to the pair of spaced apart side walls, a back portion facing the back wall, and a top portion facing the top wall.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     1. Field 
       [0001]    Example embodiments relate to a ticket dispenser with an insert. 
       2. Description of the Prior Art 
       [0002]    Lottery tickets are often manufactured as perforated ribbons having perforations to separate individual tickets. The perforations allow the tickets to be easily separated from one another. 
         [0003]    Lottery tickets are often housed in dispensing units. The dispensing units typically include a body which resembles a box having an open end into which the lottery tickets may be placed. The lottery ticket dispensing units also generally include a pivotable housing door to cover the open end of the body to protect to lottery tickets. The housing door generally includes an elongated dispensing aperture through which the ribbon of tickets may pass and be dispensed. In some lottery ticket dispensers the housing door includes a pair of rollers over which tickets pass as they are withdrawn from within the housing. 
         [0004]    A typical problem associated with ticket dispensing units is that ribbon like cards are prone to falling backwards into the body so that a card protruding from the elongated dispensing aperture is often pulled back into the body. This requires a user to open in the door and restack the cards. In addition, ticket dispensing units are fabricated with substantially transparent materials. This is helpful to both vendors of tickets and customers since the transparent materials allow the vendors and customers to view the contents of the ticket dispenser without having to open the ticket dispenser, however, when the tickets fall in the body, as described above, the tickets may be difficult to view. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0005]    Example embodiments disclose a novel ticket dispenser having an insert configured to support and stabilize a plurality of tickets. In at least one example embodiment, the ticket dispenser may be comprised of a body, a door pivotally connected to the body, and an insert in the body. In at least one example embodiment, the body includes a pair of spaced apart side walls, a top wall, a bottom wall, and a back wall. In at least one example embodiment the insert includes a floor with a plurality of parallel grooves having lengths extending in a direction perpendicular to the pair of spaced apart side walls, a back portion facing the back wall, and a top portion facing the top wall. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0006]    The disclosure will be better understood and when consideration is given to the drawings and the detailed description which follows. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein: 
           [0007]      FIG. 1  is a view of a ticket dispenser module in accordance with example embodiments; 
           [0008]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of an insert in accordance with example embodiments; 
           [0009]      FIG. 3  is a side view of the insert in accordance with example embodiments; 
           [0010]      FIG. 4  is a view of a body of the ticket dispenser module with the insert inserted therein in accordance with example embodiments; 
           [0011]      FIG. 5  is a cross section view of the ticket dispenser module with the insert and a ribbon of tickets therein in accordance with example embodiments; 
           [0012]      FIG. 6  is a close-up view of the ticket dispenser module with the insert and the ribbon of tickets therein in accordance with example embodiments; 
           [0013]      FIG. 7  is a back view of the ticket dispenser module with the insert and the ribbon of tickets therein in accordance with example embodiments; 
           [0014]      FIG. 8  is a view of another insert in accordance with example embodiments; 
           [0015]      FIG. 9  is a view of another insert in accordance with example embodiments; 
           [0016]      FIG. 10  is a view of the body of the ticket dispenser module in accordance with example embodiments; and 
           [0017]      FIG. 11  is a view of a door of the ticket dispenser module in accordance with example embodiments. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0018]    Example embodiments will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which example embodiments of the invention are shown. The invention may, however, be embodied in different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art. In the drawings, the sizes of components may be exaggerated for clarity. 
         [0019]    It will be understood that when an element or layer is referred to as being “on,” “connected to,” or “coupled to” another element or layer, it can be directly on, connected to, or coupled to the other element or layer or intervening elements or layers that may be present. In contrast, when an element is referred to as being “directly on,” “directly connected to,” or “directly coupled to” another element or layer, there are no intervening elements or layers present. As used herein, the term “and/or” includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items. 
         [0020]    It will be understood that, although the terms first, second, etc. may be used herein to describe various elements, components, regions, layers, and/or sections, these elements, components, regions, layers, and/or sections should not be limited by these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish one element, component, region, layer, and/or section from another elements, component, region, layer, and/or section. Thus, a first element component region, layer or section discussed below could be termed a second element, component, region, layer, or section without departing from the teachings of example embodiments. 
         [0021]    Spatially relative terms, such as “beneath,” “below,” “lower,” “above,” “upper,” and the like, may be used herein for ease of description to describe one element or feature&#39;s relationship to another element(s) or feature(s) as illustrated in the figures. It will be understood that the spatially relative terms are intended to encompass different orientations of the structure in use or operation in addition to the orientation depicted in the figures. For example, if the structure in the figures is turned over, elements described as “below” or “beneath” other elements or features would then be oriented “above” the other elements or features. Thus, the exemplary term “below” can encompass both an orientation of above and below. The structure may be otherwise oriented (rotated 90 degrees or at other orientations) and the spatially relative descriptors used herein interpreted accordingly. 
         [0022]    Embodiments described herein will refer to plan views and/or cross-sectional views by way of ideal schematic views. Accordingly, the views may be modified depending on manufacturing technologies and/or tolerances. Therefore, example embodiments are not limited to those shown in the views, but include modifications in configurations formed on the basis of manufacturing process. Therefore, regions exemplified in the figures have schematic properties and shapes of regions shown in the figures exemplify specific shapes or regions of elements, and do not limit example embodiments. 
         [0023]    The subject matter of example embodiments, as disclosed herein, is described with specificity to meet statutory requirements. However, the description itself is not intended to limit the scope of this patent. Rather, the inventors have contemplated that the claimed subject matter might also be embodied in other ways, to include different features or combinations of features similar to the ones described in this document, in conjunction with other technologies. Generally, example embodiments relate to a ticket dispenser module with an insert. 
         [0024]      FIG. 1  is a view of a ticket dispenser module  1000  in accordance with an example of the invention. The ticket dispenser module  1000 , in this nonlimiting example, may be suitable for dispensing tickets, for example, a ribbon of tickets such as, but not limited to, lottery tickets and/or bingo tickets. In the nonlimiting example of  FIG. 1 , the ticket dispenser module  1000  comprises a housing body  100 , a housing door  200  rotatably attached to the housing body  100 , and a lock assembly  300 . 
         [0025]    In example embodiments the housing body  100  may resemble a hollow box with an open end. For example, in  FIG. 1 , the housing body  100  comprises spaced apart side walls  110  and  120 , top wall  130 , bottom wall  140 , and back wall  150 . These walls form a box like structure with an open end  160  (see  FIG. 10 ). The housing body  100  may also have interconnection elements  170  configured to interconnect the housing body  100  to another ticket dispenser module  1000 . The side walls  110  and  120  and the top and bottom walls  130  and  140  are illustrated as substantially flat parallel walls while the back wall  150  is illustrated as a curved wall. These features, however, are not critical to the invention as the back wall  150  may be flat rather than curved and the side walls  110  and  120  and the top and bottom walls  130  and  140  may be curved rather than flat. 
         [0026]    In example embodiments the housing body  100  may be made from a single material, for example, through a molding process, and the material may be a transparent or a semitransparent material, for example, a transparent plastic. On the other hand, each of the walls  110 ,  120 ,  130 ,  140 , and  150  may be separately formed and then assembled to form the body  100 . For example, each of the walls may be separately manufactured and then connected to one another via an adhesive. As such, the different walls may be made from different materials. For example, the side walls  110  and  120  and the top and bottom walls  130  and  140  may be made from a non-transparent material while the back wall  150  may be made from a transparent material or a semitransparent material. 
         [0027]    Near the open end  160  and the bottom wall  140 , sides walls  110  and  120  of the housing body  110 , are provided with pivotal door engagement elements  112  (for example, holes, see  FIG. 10 ). The housing door  200 , for its part, has pivotal body engagement elements  210  (for example, shafts, see  FIG. 11 ) configured to engage with the pivotal door engagement elements  112  of the housing body  100 . Such an arrangement allows the housing door  200  to pivotally attach to the body  100  via the pivotal door engagement elements  112  and the pivotal body engagement elements  210 . This particular arrangement, however, is not meant to limit the invention. For example, the pivotal door engagement elements may resemble shafts and the pivotal body engagement elements may resemble tabs with holes into which the pivotal door engagement elements may insert. In addition, rather than using the above means to connect the housing door  200  to the housing body  100  hinges may be used to connect the housing door  200  to the housing body  100 . 
         [0028]    The lock assembly  300  may be attached to the housing door  200  and may rigidly move with the housing door  200 . For example, rotating the housing door  200  would also rotate the lock assembly  300 . The lock assembly  300  may comprise a central lock mechanism  310  with a key insertion slot  320 , and a multi-way locking arm  330 . The multi-way locking arm  330  may project from the central axis of rotation of the lock mechanism  310 . The illustrated central lock mechanism  310  may be configured for operation with a toothed key. Alternatively, the central lock mechanism  310  may be configured for operation with a non-toothed key, such as a polygonal key (e.g. a square section key or an Allen® key). In a further alternative, in a case where a removable key is not required, then the lock assembly  300  may be provided with a handle for operation of the multi-way locking arm  330 . In the nonlimiting example of  FIG. 1 , the multi-way locking arm  330  may be rotated into a locking arm receiving slot  132  which may be provided in the top wall  130  of the housing body  100  in order to lock the ticket dispenser module  1000 .  FIG. 1 , for example, shows the ticket dispenser module  1000  in a locked configuration. The ticket dispenser module  1000  may be unlocked by inserting a key into the key insertion slot  320  and rotating the key to rotate the multi-way locking arm  330  out of the multi-way locking arm receiving slot  132 . 
         [0029]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of an insert  400  in accordance with example embodiments.  FIG. 3  is a side view of the insert  400 . As shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3  the insert  400  may include a top portion  410 , a back portion  420 , and a floor  430 . In at least one nonlimiting example embodiment, the floor  430  may have a plurality of grooves  431  which may form a plurality of teeth  432 . The teeth  432 , when viewed from the side, may appear to have a triangular or saw tooth profile. A width Wi of the insert  400  may be about the same as, or smaller than the width Wb of the body  100 , a height Hi of the insert  400  may be about the same as or smaller than the height Hb of the body  100 , and a depth Di of the insert  400  may be about the same size or smaller than a depth Db of the body  100  to allow the insert  400  to insert into the body  100  as shown in  FIG. 4  (see  FIG. 10  for dimension of the body  100 ). 
         [0030]    In example embodiments, the insert  400  may be inserted into the housing body  100  so that the back portion  420  faces the back wall  150  and the top portion  410  faces the top wall  130 . In addition, the grooves  431  may extend in a direction which is perpendicular to the side walls  110  and  120 . The height Hi of the insert  400  may allow for a first gap between a bottom surface of the top wall  130  and a top surface of the top portion  410  of the insert  400 . Also, a second gap may also reside between a back surface of the back portion  420  and a surface of the back wall  150 . This latter gap, in some embodiments, may disappear at some points to create a pinch point which may be used to sandwich and secure an item, for example, a lottery ticket, between the back portion  420  and the back wall  150 . The pinch points, however, are not necessary and may not be present between the back portion  420  of the insert  400  and the back wall  150  of the housing body  100 . 
         [0031]      FIG. 5  is a view of the insert  400  inserted into the body  100  with the door  200  locked.  FIG. 5  also shows a plurality of ribbon tickets  500 , for example, lottery or bingo tickets, enclosed by the body  100 . As shown in  FIG. 5 , bottom edges of the tickets  500  may contact the floor  430  of the insert  400 . The teeth  432  on the floor  430  may provide bearing surface which may support, orientate, and stabilize the ribbon tickets  500 . One end of the plurality of ribbon tickets  500  may extend backwards and along the top portion  410  of the insert  400  between the top portion  410  and the top wall  130  of the housing body  100  and between the back portion  420  of the insert  400  and the back wall  150  of the body  100 . The other end of the plurality of ribbon tickets  500  may be fed through a longitudinal opening  220  of the housing door  200 . 
         [0032]    The ticket dispenser module  1000  with the insert  400  provides several advantages over the conventional art.  FIG. 7 , for example, shows a back view of the ticket dispenser module  1000  with the insert  400  and ribbon tickets  500  inside. As shown in  FIG. 7 , at least one of the tickets may be vertically supported by the insert  400  between the back portion  420  and the back wall  150  so that an observer could easily view what types of tickets are in the ticket dispenser module  1000  when the back wall  150  includes a transparent or semitransparent material. Furthermore, without the insert  400 , the tickets may tend to fall or become inclined making it difficult for an observer to determine what cards are in the ticket dispenser module  1000 . Furthermore, the toothed floor  430  allows for cards to stack in an orderly fashion inside the ticket dispenser module  1000  and stabilizes the stacked cards such that the tendency of the cards to fall down is reduced. 
         [0033]    It is understood that the invention is not limited to that shown in  FIGS. 1-7 . For example,  FIG. 8  illustrates another example of an insert  400 ′ usable with example embodiments. The insert  400 ′ may be substantially identical to the insert  400  except that rather than providing teeth which extend along a width of the floor  430 , the floor  430 ′ is provided with a plurality of columns of teeth  432 ′.  FIG. 9 , for example, illustrates another example of an insert  400 ″. The insert  400 ″ may be substantially identical to the insert  400  except that the back wall  420 ″ of the insert  400 ″ is substantially flat rather than curved. 
         [0034]    The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the disclosure. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the disclosed subject matter to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to that which falls within the scope of the claims.