Patent Publication Number: US-6669071-B1

Title: Lottery ticket dispensing apparatus

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. Ser. No. 09/394,659 filed on Sep. 13, 1999 which is a continuation of U.S. Ser. No. 08/938,122 filed Sep. 26, 1997 which issued as U.S. Pat. No. 5,950,898. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates generally to lottery ticket dispensing machines, and more particularly to an automated vending machine for dispensing a predetermined number of instant scratch lottery tickets. Specifically, the vending machine includes a dispensing mechanism which accepts a continuous strip of instant scratch lottery tickets perforated at intervals and separates a predetermined number of the tickets from the continuous strip according to the ticket selection and corresponding computer generated command. 
     Although it is widely believed that lotteries are a recent phenomenon, history tells us that lotteries have been around for quite some time now. One form or another of the lottery has been present dating back to the mid-18 th  century. For example, there is evidence of the lottery being active with the pharaohs of Egypt. Keno, now a video form of the lottery, is over 3,000 years old and was first played in China to help fund the building of The Great Wall. El Gordo, Spain&#39;s most popular lotto game, was established in 1763 and is the oldest continually operating lottery game in the world. The lottery also has a relatively lengthy history in North America. For example, Ivy league private universities such as Harvard, Yale, and Brown were helped to be built with lottery revenues. Further, the Revolutionary war was partially funded with lottery revenues. 
     Presently, consumer support for the lottery is at an all time high. It has been 32 years since the inaugural New Hampshire sweepstakes and the lotteries have now grown to serve more than 210 million Americans, some 80% of the nation&#39;s population. Today, there are two basic types of lotteries, the instant scratch off ticket and on-line gaming. Instant games enable the player to scratch off a masked area on the ticket to immediately reveal the game result and prize. On-line lotteries allow participants to select a number which will be a winner if all or part of it matches numbers selected in a scheduled drawing. On-line lotteries are, by far, the most popular, accounting for nearly 75% of the worldwide lottery. Recently, with the innovation of faster on-line games, the distinction between the two categories has blurred, and other forms of lottery are emerging. For example, video lotteries are also demonstrating popularity, particularly among younger players who are drawn to technology and style of play. Other lottery forms include: Lotto, a different form of on-line gaming; Power Ball, now played in 21 states offering one of the bigger prize rewards; Numbers; Keno, a form of video or televised gaming; Customized games, for particular preferences for different regions of the country or world; Instant games, for people who want to know if they are immediately a winner or loser; Video lottery and Televised lottery. 
     According to a recent survey conducted by one of the largest lottery companies in the business, Americans approve of legalized gaming by a 2 to 1 margin. Some of the reasons for such widespread approval reside in the many benefits that the lottery are believed to create. For example, the lottery is believed to create jobs and to be an acceptable form of entertainment. Also, legalized gaming is believed to keep taxes lower because a portion of its revenue is returned to the government which helps finance such things as education, health and public works projects in communities where the games are being played. A rough break-down on how the lottery revenue is believed to be distributed is as follows: 50% prizes to the winners; 35% to civic gain as mentioned above; 12% to the lottery administration; and 3% to the lottery system operations. 
     The instant invention is directed to lottery vending machines for dispensing instant scratch lottery tickets of the kind described above. The machines are effective for dispensing tickets which are perforated at intervals determined by the type of scratch game. The ticket intervals can be anywhere from 2 inches up to 16 inches. When a ticket selection is made, a printed circuit board activates the dispensing mechanism of the instant invention for dispensing the selected number of tickets. The vending machines are distributed to a variety of different public or private locations which desire to have access to instant scratch lottery tickets of the kind described above. The vending machines provide for a different sales outlet for the lottery tickets compared to the traditional outlets such as a gas station or a convenient store. 
     The instant invention relates to an automated vending machine for dispensing instant scratch lottery tickets perforated at intervals in a continuous strip. The vending machine comprises a framing assembly for housing a dispensing mechanism comprising the instant invention. A computer driven printed circuit board is further housed within the framing assembly for determining the distance that the continuous strip of tickets will travel, which distance corresponds to the number of tickets that will be selectively dispensed. The dispensing mechanism comprises a motor which is operated by the printed circuit board for driving a drive gear which meshes with a driven gear for rotation of a first pinch roller whereby the first pinch roller cooperates with a second pinch roller for advancing the continuous strip of tickets forward through feed guides and between said pinch rollers past a stationary cutting blade, subsequently hitting a deflector cover for directing the strip of tickets in the opposite direction until it reaches the pre-set distance generated by the printed circuit board. At this point, the motor reverses and the strip of tickets travel backward so that the first perforation engages the apex of the stationary cutting blade for separation of the selected number of tickets from the continuous strip whereby the tickets drop out of the vending machine and the dispensing mechanism returns to a home position. A pair of optic sensors are strategically mounted on support plates of the dispensing mechanism for detecting the leading edge of the lottery tickets and communicating the same to the printed circuit board for corresponding operation of the motor in either the forward or backward direction. 
     Accordingly among the several objects of the instant invention are: the provision of a lottery vending machine for dispensing a selected number of instant scratch lottery tickets; the provision of a lottery vending machine which may be selectively located at any desirable public or private location; the provision of a lottery vending machine which houses a specially constructed automated dispensing mechanism; the provision of such a dispensing mechanism having a stationary cutting blade for pull separating the selected number of tickets from the continuous strip; and the provision of a lottery vending machine which is cost effective to manufacture and easy to use. 
     Other objects, features and advantages of the invention shall become apparent as the description thereof proceeds when considered in connection with the accompanying illustrative drawings. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     In the drawings which illustrate the best mode presently contemplated for carrying out the present invention: 
     FIG. 1 is perspective view of the ticket dispensing mechanism of the instant invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a side view thereof; 
     FIG. 3 is a front view thereof; 
     FIG. 4 is a rear view thereof; 
     FIG. 5 a cross-sectional view taken along line  5 — 5  of FIG. 4 showing a continuous strip of lottery tickets advanced through the mechanism of the instant invention; 
     FIG. 6 is an enlarged view similar to that depicted in FIG. 5 showing the direction of rotation of the pinch rollers of the mechanism of the instant invention and forward advancement of the strip of lottery tickets therethrough; 
     FIG. 7 is a similar view to that depicted in FIG. 6 showing further rotation of the gear driven pinch rollers and further forward advancement of the strip of lottery tickets therethrough; 
     FIG. 8 is a similar view to that depicted in FIG. 7 showing the gear driven pinch rollers rotating in an opposite direction moving the strip of lottery tickets backwards through the dispensing mechanism; 
     FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view taken along line  9 — 9  of FIG. 8 showing the cutting blade of the mechanism of the instant invention separating the lottery tickets at a perforation of the continuous strip; 
     FIG. 10 is a similar view to that depicted in FIG. 7 showing a portion of the lottery tickets separate from the continuous strip; 
     FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of the ticket dispensing mechanism; 
     FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional side view of the embodiment of FIG. 11 showing the direction of rotation of the rollers of the ticket dispensing mechanism and forward advancement of a continuous strip of lottery tickets therethrough; 
     FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional side view showing further forward advancement of the continuous strip of lottery tickets; 
     FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional side view showing the rotation of the rollers in an opposite direction so as to reverse the advancement of the continuous strip of lottery tickets and movement of the deflector toward the cutting blade, into engagement with the strip of lottery tickets; 
     FIG. 15 is a cross-sectional side view showing the cutting blade separating a selected number of tickets from the continuous strip; and 
     FIG. 16 is a cross-sectional side view showing the separated tickets being dispensed from the mechanism. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring now to the drawings and more particularly to FIG. 1 the ticket dispensing mechanism of the instant invention is shown and generally indicated at  10 . As will hereinafter be more fully described, the instant invention is operable for dispensing a predetermined number of instant scratch lottery tickets from a vending machine. 
     Referring to FIGS. 1-4, the dispensing mechanism of the instant invention  10  includes a pair of oppositely positioned parallel support plates  12 , each plate having a threaded bushing  14  mounted therein for attaching the mechanism  10  within the frame of a vending machine (not shown). The support plates provide a brace between which the components of the dispensing mechanism may be mounted. A horizontally disposed platen  16  is mounted by screws  18  to the vertical support plates  12  and runs perpendicularly therebetween. A pair of feed guides  20  are fixedly attached by screws  22  to the vertically disposed support plates  12  and run generally parallel to the horizontal platen  16  leaving a small gap between the bottom surface of the feed guides  20  and the top surface of the platen  16  for guiding insertion of a continuous strip of instant scratch lottery tickets  24 . The dispensing mechanism  10  further includes a pair of gear driven pinch rollers  26  and  28  which run transversely across vertically disposed support plates  12 . Specifically, a motor  30  is mounted to one of the support plates  12  beneath the horizontal platen  16 . The motor  30  is controlled by a computer driven printed circuit board (not shown) and drives a gear shaft  32  which operates a gear drive wheel  34 . The drive gear  34  meshes with a driven gear  36  for rotation of a pinch roller shaft  38  which rotates the first pinch roller  26 . A second pinch roller  28  is adjacently mounted above the first pinch roller  26  and engages same for rotation of each roller  26  and  28  in opposite directions. Further mounted between the vertically disposed support plates  12  is a cutting blade plate  40  which runs in substantially the same general plane as does the vertical support plates  12 . A stationary cutting blade  42  is screw mounted to the cutting blade plate  40  adjacent the pinch rollers  26  and  28  and a deflector cover  44  is threadably mounted between the vertically disposed support plates  12  adjacent the cutting blade  42  by a pair of threadable rods  46  and releasably held therebetween by nuts  48 . 
     As most clearly depicted in FIGS. 1-2 the second pinch roller  28  is mounted between support plates  12  by a pair of delron blocks each indicated at  50 . Specifically, the delron blocks  50  receive opposite ends of the shaft  52  of the second pinch roller  28  in correspondingly shaped circular openings  54 . The arrangement is such that the shaft  52  of the second pinch roller  28  rotates within the openings  54  located in each delron block  50 . Each delron block  50  is fitted by a spring  56  within corresponding square shape openings  58  in oppositely positioned support plates  12 . The second pinch roller  28  further has four roller pads, each indicated at  60 , mounted therearound for engagement with the first pinch roller  26  when the motor  30  drives the gears  34  and  36 . Also shown in the figures and more particularly in FIGS. 1 and 3, are a pair of optic sensors  62  and  64 . One of the optic sensors  62  is mounted on a bracket  66  which extends from the vertical support plate  12  and the other sensor  64  is mounted on a bracket  68  which extends from the cutting blade plate  40  adjacent the motor  30 . The sensors  62  and  64  are operable for detecting the leading edge of the lottery tickets  24  and sending a corresponding signal to the motor  30  for operation of the dispensing mechanism  10  in either a forward or backward direction. As best shown in FIG. 2, a set of wires  70  extend from each optic sensor  62  and  64  and a set of wires  70  extend from the motor  30  which terminate in a plug  76  for powering the dispensing mechanism  10 . As previously mentioned, a printed circuit board (not shown) operates the motor  30  and optic sensors  62  and  64 . 
     Referring now to FIGS. 5-8 the progression of operation of the ticket dispensing mechanism of the instant invention  10  is shown in a series of steps. Referring first to FIG. 5, the strip of lottery tickets  24  is depicted, in broken lines, traveling through the dispensing mechanism. Specifically, the leading edge of the strip of lottery tickets  24  is fed over the top surface of the horizontal platen  16  and under the feed guides  20  where the strip  24  enters between the pinch rollers  26  and  28  and is fed therethrough by operation of the motor  30  and rotation of the pinch roller shafts  38  and  52 . The strip  24  is then advanced over the stationary cutting blade  42  which extends generally perpendicular from the cutting blade plate  40  and contacts the deflector cover  44  continuing forward and down, following the contour of the deflector  44 , past the apex  72  edge of the cutting blade  42  until the strip  24  reaches the pre-set distance signaled from the printed circuit board. 
     Referring now to FIG. 6, direction of the gears  34  and  36  and pinch rollers  26  and  28  are indicated by arrows  74  in the drawing. Specifically, the motor  30  drives the gear shaft  32  to rotate the drive gear  34  in a clockwise direction. The drive gear  34  meshes with the driven gear  36  to rotate the first pinch roller  26  in a counter clockwise direction. The first pinch roller  26  has a urethane cover which engages the roller pads  60  of the second pinch roller  28  to rotate same in a clockwise direction. As depicted in FIG. 6 the strip of lottery tickets  24  is advanced through the mechanism  10  as described above. 
     Referring to FIG. 7, the lottery tickets  24  are advanced through the dispensing mechanism  10  as described above. Specifically, the strip of tickets  24  are further along in forward advancement than that depicted in FIGS. 5-6; but have not yet reached the pre-set distance generated from the printed circuit board. As shown in the drawing the tickets  24  advance through the mechanism over the stationary cutting blade and are deflected by the cover  44  sending the strip under the cutting blade plate  40  which is angled for unobstructed and controlled advancement of the strip towards the rear of the mechanism. 
     Referring now to FIG. 8, the lottery tickets have reached the pre-set distance generated by the printed circuit board at which point the motor  30  reverses to send the strip of tickets  24  backwards towards the stationary cutting blade  42 . Specifically, when the leading edge of the tickets  24  reach the pre-set distance, i.e., the desired number of tickets to be dispensed have passed the cutting blade, the optic sensors  62  and  64  detect same which sends a signal to the motor  30  to reverse direction. As shown, when the motor  30  reverses, the drive shaft  32  rotates the drive gear  34  in an opposite counter-clockwise direction which meshes with the driven gear  36  for rotation of the first pinch roller  26  in a clockwise direction and rotation of the second pinch roller  28  in a counter-clockwise direction which directs the strip of tickets  24  back towards the deflector cover  44  and stationary cutting blade  42 . Specifically, the tickets  24  travel backwards through the gap located between the cutting blade  42  and deflector cover  44  and are pulled against blade  42  wherein the apex  72  of the stationary cutting blade  42  engages the first encountered perforation of the continuous strip  24  to penetrate same and then cause complete separation of the selected number of tickets therefrom. 
     Referring to FIG. 9, the actual separation of the selected number of tickets at the apex  72  of the cutting blade  42  is more clearly depicted. Specifically, the apex  72 , which is defined by opposite tapers of approximately 100-110°, penetrates through the strip  24  at the center of the selected perforation point, and as the motor  30  continues to operate in the reverse direction, it bursts or pull-separates the selected number of tickets from the strip  24  which are subsequently dispensed out of the bottom of the vending machine. After the selected number of tickets are dispensed from the machine, the motor  30  again reverses and the mechanism  10  returns to a home position. It should be understood that the apex of the edge of the cutting blade only comes into contact with the strip of tickets when the motor is operating in a reverse direction. In other words, when the motor is advancing the strip of tickets forward through the dispensing mechanism, the tickets ride over the stationary cutting blade and never come into contact with the apex cutting edge, but when the motor reverses, the arrangement is such that the first encountered perforation engages the apex of the cutting blade which first penetrates same, and then as the strip continues to be pulled rearwardly, causes complete tearing away of the selected number of tickets from the remainder of the strip in a smooth and effective operation. Also of critical importance, is the arcuate path through which the strip of tickets passes when fed by the pinch rollers, specific reference being made to the fact that when the strip engages the deflector  44 , it is caused to reverse its direction as clearly illustrated in FIGS. 5-8. Thus, when motor  30  reverses, and the strip is pulled against the cutting blade  42 , the strip is generally perpendicular to the cutting edge which promotes piercing of the perforation by apex  72 . 
     Referring to FIG. 10, the tickets  24  have been separated from the strip and the mechanism  10  is in motion to return to the home position. As also shown in FIGS. 5-7, the motor  30  drives gear  34  in a clockwise direction which meshes with the driven  36  gear for rotation of the pinch roller shafts and advancement of the lottery tickets  24  to the home position. 
     An alternate embodiment of the lottery ticket dispensing mechanism is illustrated in FIGS. 11-16. In this embodiment, all parts which are the same, or similar to, corresponding parts of the embodiment of FIGS. 1-10 are noted with the same last two numbers, but are preceded by the numeral “ 1 ”. 
     The lottery ticket dispensing mechanism  110  includes all of the elements as shown and described with respect to FIGS. 1-10. However, the deflector  144  of dispensing mechanism  110  is rotatably mounted to a shaft  145 . As the shaft is rotated in the direction of arrow “A”, the deflector moves in the direction of arrow “B” (FIG. 14) in order to urge the strip of tickets  124  into contact with the cutting blade  142 , as described in greater detail hereinbelow. 
     Referring now to FIG. 11, the shaft  145  is rotatably mounted at its first end  141  to support plate  112   a,  and at its second end  143  to support plate  112   b  of the dispensing mechanism  110 . In the present embodiment, the first end of the shaft is further mounted to a solenoid  147  which, when activated, operates to rotate shaft  145 . Deflector  144  is preferably fixedly mounted at one end to shaft  145  such that as the solenoid is activated and the shaft is rotated, the deflector  144  is also moved. Movement of the deflector causes the strip of tickets to engage the cutting blade and the continued rotation of the shaft allows the deflector to maintain pressure against the tickets and in contact with the blade. The solenoid is a conventional electo-mechanical device which is operatively connected to the motor of the mechanism, and which is readily available from a variety of sources. In the present embodiment, the solenoid is preferably activated only when the motor reverses direction to bring the strip of lottery tickets  124  into contact with the cutting blade as described in further detail below. In this regard, a set of steering diodes (not shown) may be connected to both the motor and the solenoid such that reversing the direction of the motor activates the diodes which, in turn, energize the solenoid to begin rotation. The diodes may be contained within the housing of the dispensing mechanism  110 , or may be mounted to a printed circuit board, as would be known to those of skill in the art. Although a solenoid is the preferred device for initiating rotation of the shaft and deflector, other devices capable of selectively rotating the shaft may also be utilized, as would be known to one of skill in the art. 
     In the present embodiment, a guide  151  may also be provided for further guiding the direction of the lottery tickets  124  towards the outlet of the mechanism. The guide  151  is preferably fastened to guide plate  140 , and may also function as a stop to prevent over rotation of the deflector  144  toward the cutting blade  142 . 
     To begin operation of the mechanism, as shown in FIG. 12, the leading edge “l e ” of the strip of lottery tickets  124  is fed in a first direction between pinch rollers  126  and  128  by operation of the motor. As described hereinabove with reference to FIGS. 1-10, the motor operates to drive gear  134  in the direction of arrow “C”, which meshes with and drives the driven gear  136  in the direction of arrow “D”, for rotation of the pinch roller shafts  138  and  158  in the direction of arrows “E” and “F”. The strip  124  is then advanced over the stationary cutting blade  142  and contacts deflector  144 . As the strip contacts the deflector  144 , it is deflected downward (FIG. 13) and continues to move in the forward direction. Once the lottery tickets  124  have reached the pre-set distance set by the control means, the motor reverses which energizes the diodes and, hence the solenoid  147 . Energizing the solenoid, in turn, begins rotation of the shaft  145  in the direction of arrow “A”, and moves the deflector  144  in the direction of arrow “B”, i.e. toward the cutting blade, as described above and shown in FIG.  14 . Movement of the deflector  144  urges a portion of the strip of tickets  124  into contact with the cutting blade  142  and guide  151 , as the tickets are being moved in a reverse or second direction, and helps retain the tickets against the cutting blade until the selected number of tickets are separated. 
     More specifically, reversing the direction of the motor also reverses the direction of the gears  134  and  136 , the pinch roller shafts  138  and  152 , and the pinch rollers  126 ,  128 , thereby reversing the direction of the strip of tickets  124  toward the stationary cutting blade  142 , as also shown in FIG.  14 . The movement of the deflector against the tickets and toward the cutting blade weakens the strip of tickets along the first perforation encountered by the cutting blade, while the reverse movement of the strip of tickets against the apex of the cutting blade causes complete separation of the selected number of tickets from the continuous strip along the first encountered perforation (FIG.  15 ), as described above with reference to FIGS. 1-10. The selected number of tickets is then dispensed through the outlet of the mechanism (FIG. 16) and the mechanism  110  and the continuous strip of tickets are returned to the home position. 
     It can therefore be seen that the instant invention provides for an effective vending machine that is selectively operable for automatically dispensing a predetermined number of instant scratch lottery tickets from the machines dispensing mechanism. The dispensing mechanism is controlled by a computer driven printed circuit board which sends the appropriate signals to a motor for advancing the continuous strip of perforated lottery tickets forward through a pair of pinch rollers and past a stationary cutting blade until the strip reaches a pre-set distance signaled from the printed circuit board, at which point the motor reverses itself sending the strip of tickets backwards engaging the stationary cutting blade for separation of the selected number of tickets from the continuous strip. The vending machine provides for an alternative sales outlet and easy access for prospective purchasers of instant scratch lottery tickets and may be located at any desirable public or private venue. For these reasons, the instant invention is believed to represent a significant advancement in the art which has substantial commercial merit. 
     While there is shown and described herein certain specific structure embodying the invention, it will be manifest to those skilled in the art that various modifications and rearrangements of the parts may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the underlying inventive concept and that the same is not limited to the particular forms herein shown and described except insofar as indicated by the scope of the appended claims.