Patent Publication Number: US-7717256-B1

Title: Side-by-side locking display and dispensing structure

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   The present invention relates in general to a structure that is formed of an assembly of molded lottery ticket dispensers secured together in a side-by-side relationship. More particularly, this invention relates to a coupling plate that serves as an intermediate member for demountably attaching two ticket dispensers together in a side-by-side relationship. 
   2. Description of the Prior Art 
   The use of modular box-like structures for displaying and dispensing of lottery tickets has long been known in the art. Normally, when a number of such dispensers are located together at a point of sale location, they are arranged in a stacked arrangement with one dispenser being stacked on top of another in a locked relationship as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,399,005 issued to Schafer on Mar. 21, 1995. 
   The stacking and locking features of the Schafer invention have proven to be highly popular and successful in utilization with modular ticket dispensing structures to form a stacked arrangement, but such invention is not applicable for fastening such dispensers in a side-by-side relationship so that two adjacent stacks of dispensers can be affixed to one another. Although the vast majority of lottery tickets utilized in the lottery industry have standard dimensions so that they can be dispensed from a wide variety of different types of ticket dispensers, occasionally a state lottery will conduct a game promotion that utilizes tickets of different sizes. To accommodate differently sized tickets, it is highly advantageous for a dispenser to be adjustable with respect to the number of ticket bins it may include. It is also advantageous for a typical lottery ticket dispenser that is formed from a transparent plastic to include display means by which a ticket sample of the particular type of game tickets in the dispenser is displayed for customers to be able to quickly ascertain the identity of the game tickets. 
   Thus, the present invention provides a locking display and dispensing structure comprised of at least two modular lottery ticket dispensers secured in a side-by-side relationship by a coupling plate and having the ability for being converted into holding at least two bins of lottery tickets and having display means for displaying the type of tickets contained therein. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention is a side-by-side locking display and dispensing structure that is preferably utilized to serve as a point of sale device for lottery tickets and is formed of at least two dispensing units arranged in a side-by-side alignment and demountably attached together by a coupling plate located in between adjacent sidewalls of the dispensing units. The dispensing units are each formed of a box-like configuration having a floor, a roof, a pair of sidewalls, a front end and an open rear end, with each of the sidewalls having a rear edge with at least one coupling slot. A door is pivotally attached to the lower portion of the rear end of each dispensing unit and is semi-permanently attachable at an opposite upper portion of the dispensing unit rear end to serve as a rear wall for each unit when in a closed position. 
   The coupling plate has a plate-type body portion with generally flat side surfaces and a rear edge and a forward edge. Engagement means located at the rear edge of the body portion extend outwardly from the body portion sides for engaging the slots in the sidewalls of the dispensing units and the engagement means are adapted to coact with the dispensing unit doors to demountably lock the rear edge of the coupling plate to the sides of the dispensing units. 
   The sidewalls of the dispensing units have exterior surfaces each with a generally vertically aligned ledge portion. Correspondingly, the forward edge of the coupling plate includes lug portions for engaging the sidewall ledge portions to demountably attach the forward edge of the coupling plate to the dispensing units. 
   Additionally, the floor and roof of each of the dispensing units include interior surfaces having guide rails. Divider means are associated with the guide rails to separate the interiors of the dispensing units into at least two compartments. 
   The foregoing and other advantages of the present invention will appear from the following description. In the description, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof, and in which there is shown by illustration and not of limitation a specific form in which the invention may be embodied. Such embodiment does not represent the full scope of the invention, but rather the invention may be employed in a variety of other embodiments and reference is made to the claims herein for interpreting the breadth of the invention. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a side perspective view of a preferred embodiment of locking displaying and dispensing structure of the present invention including two dispensing units and a coupling plate for demountably connecting the dispensing units together and with the doors of the dispensing units shown in an open condition; 
       FIG. 2  is a side perspective view of one of the dispensing units and the coupling plate shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 3   a  is a perspective view of one of the sides of the coupling plate of  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 3   b  is a perspective view of the other side of said coupling plate; 
       FIG. 4  is a rear end view in elevation of the coupling plate of  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 5  is a front view in elevation of the coupling plate of  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 6  is a plan view of the coupling plate of  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 7  is a plan view of the two dispensing structures of  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 8  is a side perspective view of one of the dispensing units shown in  FIG. 1 , but with the rear door removed to better show the configuration of guide rails on the floor of the dispensing unit; 
       FIG. 9  is a side view in elevation of a divider designed to be utilized with one of the dispensing structures of  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 10  is a side perspective view similar to that of  FIG. 8 , but showing two of the dividers of  FIG. 9  located within the dispensing unit to divide the interior of the unit into three compartments; 
       FIG. 11  is a side view perspective similar to that of  FIG. 2 , but with the door in a closed condition and with a rear portion broken away to more clearly show a lottery ticket displayed in the dispenser and held in position by a ticket retainer; 
       FIG. 12  is a rear view in elevation of one of the dispensers of  FIG. 1  with the door removed and with one divider included to separate the interior of the dispenser into two compartments and also illustrating the location of three lottery ticket retainers within the unit, with one of the retainers holding a lottery ticket for display; and 
       FIG. 13  is a rear view similar to that of  FIG. 12 , but without the divider and lottery ticket shown therein. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
   With reference now to the drawings, a preferred embodiment of a side-by-side locking display and dispensing structure of the present invention is shown in  FIGS. 1 and 7 , indicated generally at  10 . As shown, the structure  10  is formed from two similarly constructed lottery ticket display and dispensing units  12  and  14  that are demountably attached together by a coupling plate  16 , all of which are preferably injection molded. However, it should be understood by those skilled in the art that although only two dispensing units  12  and  14  are shown in  FIGS. 1 and 7 , through the use of a plurality of the coupling plates  16 , the dispensing structure  10  could be formed with many more of the dispensing units  12  and  14 . 
   The general construction of the dispensing units  12  and  14  is known in the art, but such construction has been improved in several ways to provide the present invention. One improvement is that prior dispensing units have previously not been provided with a means for connecting two or more units together in a locked side-by-side relationship. Accordingly, the present invention provides an advantageous means for providing such structure. 
   The construction of the units  12  and  14  is identical. Thus, only the components of the unit  12  are described in detail and similar components of the unit  14  are numbered the same except that the components of the dispenser  14  are primed. 
   The dispensing unit  12  is formed of a box-like configuration having a front end  18 , a floor  20 , a roof  22 , opposite sidewalls  24  and  26  and an open rear end  28  that allows access to the inside of the unit  12 . The sidewalls  24  and  26  have a slight draft from rear to front for convenience of removal of the unit  12  from the mold in which it is formed as is well-known in the art. 
   The unit  12  further includes a door  30  that is pivotally attached to the bottom portion of the sidewalls  24  and  26  at  32 , as best shown in  FIGS. 2 and 11 , and is thereby movable from an open condition, shown in  FIG. 2 , to a closed condition, shown in  FIG. 11 , to close off the open rear end  28  of the unit  12 . As further shown in  FIGS. 2 and 11 , the door  30  has a generally vertical exterior face  34  that terminates on the sides and top by vertical side flanges  40  and  42  and a horizontal top flange  44  respectively. 
   To provide the pivot attachment  32  for the door  30 , a bottom portion  46  of the door  30  is generally cylindrical in shape and has a pair of cylindrical posts  48  and  50  at opposite ends. The posts  48  and  50  are designed to be receivably journaled in circular openings  52  in the sidewalls  24  and  26  to pivotally attach the bottom portion  46  to said sidewalls. 
   The dispensing units  12  and  14  are preferably entirely molded of a clear high strength plastic material such as polycarbonate. Such material has inherent flexible and resilient qualities. Because of such flexible and resilient qualities, the door  30  is semi-permanently attachable to the sidewalls  24  and  26  as described above. The unit sidewalls  24  and  26  have respectively rear edges  54  and  56  that respectively have spaced apart, short coupling slots  58  and  60  for a purpose to be described below. 
   Although the configuration of the slots  58  and  60  is identical, the slots  58  are preferably formed in locations of the rear edge  54  that are further removed from the roof  22  than are the locations of the slots  60  in the rear edge  56 , also for a purpose to be described below. The width of the door  30  is slightly larger than the distance between the sidewalls  24  and  26  so that when the door  30  is closed, the side flanges  40  and  42  overlie the rear edges  54  and  56  of the sidewalls and the openings of the slots  58  and  60 . 
   To provide a demountable locking connection between the units  12  and  14 , the coupling plate  16  is employed. Referring to  FIGS. 3   a ,  3   b  and  11 , the coupling plate  16  is formed with a plate-type body  62  having generally flat surfaces  64  and  66  a rear edge  68  and a forward edge  70 . As indicated best in  FIG. 7 , the body  62  has a slight draft from front to rear to compensate for the draft of the units  12  and  14 . Also, the plate  16  is formed of a solid piece of material except for an aperture  72  located near the forward edge  70 . Also, the body has recessed portions to form strengthening ribs as is known in the art. 
   Referring now to  FIGS. 3   a ,  3   b ,  4 - 6  and  11 , preferably, a first pair of spaced apart, hook shaped engagement means  76  protrude outwardly from the body surface  64  near the rear edge  68 . A second pair of engagement means  78  similarly shaped to the means  76  protrude outwardly from the body side  66 , also near the rear edge  68 , but are offset from the position of the engagement means  76  so that the means  78  are located closer to the top of the plate  16 . 
   As indicated in  FIG. 2 , the engagement means  78  are sized to fit into the slots  60  of the sidewall  26  of the unit  12  to demountably lock the rear edge  54  of the plate  16  to the sidewall  26 . Similarly, as indicated in  FIG. 1 , the engagement means  76  fit into the slots  58   1  of the sidewall  24   1  of the unit  14  to secure the rear edge  54  to the unit  14  thereby interconnecting the dispensing units  12  and  14  together. This interconnection must be made while the doors  30  and  30   1  of the dispensing units  12  and  14  are open so that the engagement means  76  and  78  can be positioned into the slots  58   1  and  60 . However, once this interconnection is made the doors  30  and  30   1  can then be closed to secure the engagement means  76  and  78  in the slots  58   1  and  60 , with the side flanges  40   1  and  42  of the doors  30   1  and  30  overlying the open end of the slots  58   1  and  60 , as best indicated in  FIG. 11 . 
   To insure a more complete connection between the dispensing units  12  and  14 , the sidewalls  24 ,  24   1  and  26 ,  26   1  each include a recessed channel  82 ,  82   1  that is aligned generally horizontally in the front half of said sidewalls  24 ,  24   1  and  26 ,  26   1 , as most clearly indicated in  FIGS. 8 and 11 . The recessed channels  82 ,  82   1  terminate at approximately the horizontal midpoint of the sidewalls  24 ,  24   1  and  26 ,  26   1  to form ledges  84 ,  84   1  respectively that are generally in a vertical alignment to coact with the ledges  84 ,  84   1 . The coupling plate  16  is formed with lug portions  86  on its forward edge  70 . 
   As shown most clearly in  FIGS. 5 and 6 , the lug portions  86  extend outwardly from both sides of the plate  16  a small amount to form essentially nodes on either side of the front end of the plate  16 . When the dispensing units  12  and  14  are connected to the plate  16 , the lug portions  86  engage the ledges  84 ,  84   1  to demountably lock the forward edge  70  of the plate  16  to the sidewalls  24   1  and  26 . The dimensions of the coupling plate  16  are such that the lug portions  86  snuggly engage the ledges  84 ,  84   1  to securely fasten the coupling plate  16  to the units  12  and  14  and form the locking display and dispensing structure  10 . 
   Thus, the use of the coupling plate  16  provides a convenient and relatively inexpensive method for attaching at least two display and dispensing units  14  and  16  together in a side-by-side relationship. By the use of additional coupling plates  16 , a horizontal row of a plurality of dispensing units can be securely fastened together. 
   In addition to the advantage of being lockable together, the dispensing units  12  and  14  also are designed to be adaptable to provide a variable width of compartments or bins within their interiors to conform to different sizes of lottery tickets. Such feature is provided through the use of three spaced apart guide rails  90  on the interior surface of the floor  20  and three similar type guide rails  92  on the interior surface of the roof  22  directly over the guide rails  90  and in alignment therewith, as indicated in  FIGS. 8 and 13 . The guide rails  90  extend from the rear end of the floor  20  to the front end  18  and the guide rails  92  extend along the rear half of the roof  22 . 
   The guide rails  90  and  92  are each adapted to receive a divider panel  94  as shown in  FIGS. 10 and 12 . Each divider panel  94  as shown in  FIGS. 9 and 10  is formed of a thin partition type configuration with a bottom  96  and a top  98  sized to fit into the guide rails  90  and  92 . Thus, depending upon the number of divider panels  94  utilized, the dispensing unit  14  can be divided into two lottery ticket compartments as indicated in  FIG. 12  or into three compartments as indicated in  FIG. 10 . Accordingly, simply by rearranging the position and number of the divider panels  94  in the dispensing unit  14 , the number of lottery ticket compartments therein can be varied. 
   Another feature of the present invention is the ability of the dispensing units  12  and  14  to be able to display through the front face  18 ,  18   1  a sample of the lottery tickets for the particular lottery games that are stored therein. This ability of the present invention is provided by the use of three tickets fasteners  100  as best shown in  FIGS. 12 and 13 . The fasteners  100  extend upwardly from the floor  20  of the dispensing unit  12  and are closely positioned to the front face  18  so as to be able to each securely hold a lottery ticket  102  in position so that a perspective customer can easily view the ticket through the front end  18  of the unit  12 , as indicated in  FIG. 11 . Thus, the ticket fasteners  100  provide a simple and efficient means for providing a point of sale lottery ticket display for the various lottery games included in the dispensing unit  12 . 
   It can, thus, be readily seen that the present invention provides a simple and efficient means for serving as a releasable, but locked connecting means between a pair of lottery ticket display and dispensing units in a side-by-side relationship. Although the invention has been described with respect to a preferred embodiment thereof, it is to be understood that the invention is not to be so limited since changes and modifications can be made therein which are within the full intended scope of this invention as defined by the appended claims.