WO1992018031A1

WO1992018031A1 - Ticket container and dispenser

Info

Publication number: WO1992018031A1
Application number: PCT/US1992/002886
Authority: WO
Inventors: Keyvan T. Diba; Allan M. Shapiro
Original assignee: Diba Keyvan T; Shapiro Allan M
Priority date: 1991-04-10
Filing date: 1992-04-09
Publication date: 1992-10-29

Abstract

The ticket container and dispenser (10) is injection-molded as a one-piece structure with a base (12) and sides (14, 16) hingedly attached to the base. The sides carry walls (18, 20) which overlap, and detents (38, 64; 40, 66; 42, 68; 44, 70; 46, 72; 48, 74) interengage when the sides are swung up to close the container. An upper portion of one of the sides is hinged (82) to open without opening the entire ticket container. A slot (92) on the side of the container permits introduction of additional material after the container is closed and sealed with tickets (96) therein.

Description

TICKET CONTAINER AMD DISPENSER

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention is directed to a container which can be injection-molded as a one-piece structure and which is foldable into a closed, sealable ticket container.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Various cards and tickets are often handled singly or in small groups. Such cards include collectible cards, such as baseball cards, and lottery tickets. In the particu- lar case of lottery tickets, buyers often purchase a small group at a time, for example five or ten. In order for the merchant to be able to stock such groups of cards and tickets conveniently, a container is helpful. Thus, the merchant can carry five lottery tickets in a container and sell them as a group without the need for individually handling the lottery tickets. From the manufacturer to the customer, groups of such cards and tickets could be handled together to simplify physical handling, inventorying and selling. Thus, there is need for an economic and secure ticket container which can be readily opened for dispensing the tickets.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to one aspect of the invention, there is provided a ticket container and dispenser comprising: a base, the base having sides and walls together with a bottom to define a recess therein; a front side hingedly secured to one of the sides of the base, the front side having edges and having walls on the edges; a back side hingedly mounted on the other side of the base, the back side having edges and having walls adjacent the edges, the walls being positioned so that when the front and back sides are hinged toward each other, the edges overlap; detents on some of the walls and detent openings on others of the walls so that when the sides are hinged together, the detents engage in the detent notches to detachably retain the sides together to define a cavity therein, the cavity being substantially the same size of and in line with the recess in the base; at least one of the sides having an end wall therein to close the cavity, the side with the end wall having a hinge adjacent the end wall so that the side beyond the hinge and the end wall can hinge away to provide access to the cavity and to the recess, the detents and detent recesses including at least one detent adjacent the end wall so as to releasably retain the end wall in closure position, the ticket container being injection-molded as one piece of thermoplastic syntheticpolymer compositionmaterial. In order to aid in the understanding of this invention, it can be stated in essentially summary form that it is directed to an integrally molded ticket container which has a base to which are hinged two sides. After molding, the sides are moved together on self hinges to enclose the tickets. The sides are sealed in that position, and access to the tickets is achieved by breaking the seal.

This invention may provide a ticket container which can be quickly, accurately and economically molded as a single piece and which can be hinged from molded configuration to closed position on self hinges to form a container which encloses one or more tickets.

The invention may provide a ticket container which is secure so that, once it encloses one or more tickets, it can be sealed so as to retain the tickets until the seal is broken. The ticket container may be molded in various sizes and shapes for the receipt of tickets of different size and shape.

A slot may be provided in one of the sides of the ticket container with the slot positioned so that additional card type material can be inserted into the container, but the tickets therein cannot be removed through the slot.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIGURE 1 is an isometric view of the ticket container and dispenser, in accordance with this invention, shown in the ticket-enclosing position.

FIGURE 2 is a similar view showing the back side thereof. FIGURE 3 is a view similar to FIGURE 1, with parts broken away, and showing opening the container at the dispensing end thereof for access to the tickets enclosed therein. FIGURE 4 is a view similar to FIGURE 1, but showing the ticket container and dispenser in the as-molded configura¬ tion, with parts broken away.

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged section taken generally along line 5-5 of FIGURE 1. FIGURE 6 is an enlarged section taken generally along line 6-6 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 7 is an enlarged section taken generally along line 7-7 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 8 is a further enlarged section, with parts broken away, as shown in the corner 8-8 of FIGURE 6.

FIGURE 9 is a further enlarged section, with parts broken away, of a detail of the structure of FIGURE 7, as indicated at 9-9 of FIGURE 7.

FIGURE 10 is an enlarged section as seen generally along line 10-10 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 11 is an edge-elevational view of the ticket container and dispenser shown being opened and loaded with tickets.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The ticket container and dispenser of this invention is generally indicated at 10 in FIGURES 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5. The ticket container has a base 12, which is formed as a rectangu¬ larly hollow structure, as seen in FIGURE 4. FIGURE 4 illustrates the container 10 in the as-molded configuration. Base 12 has sides 14 and 16 (see FIGURES 1 and 2) as well as walls 18 and 20 (see FIGURES 1, 2 and 4) . The sides and walls are closed by a bottom 22 which has ribs 24 thereon. The ribs are configured for the scraping off of opaque material on lottery tickets. The base has a recess 26 therein sized to receive the ends of a plurality of cards or tickets.

Hingedly attached to the base 12 are front side 28 and back side 30, which are respectively self-hinged to sides 16 and 14 of the base. Walls 32 and 34 are formed at the edges of side 28 and extend upward in the molded position seen in FIGURE 4. They extend upward the same height as the walls 18 and 20 so as to lie in line with them when the front side 28 is hinged up to be coplanar with side 16, as shown in FIGURE 1. This rotation is accomplished on self hinge 36 seen in FIGURE 4. Three detent openings are formed at the juncture of each wall 32 and 34 with the front side 28. Detent openings 38, 40 and 42 are seen in FIGURE 4 in wall 32 at the juncture with front side 28. Detent opening 44 is shown in FIGURES 1 and 4 in wall 34 at its juncture with front side 28. Detent openings 46 and 48 are along the same juncture line and are seen in FIGURES 1 and 3. The manner in which these detent openings are formed is shown in more detail in FIGURES 7, 9 and 10. Front side 28 terminates at end wall 50. A thumb notch 52 divides end wall 50 and extends a short distance down into the front side 28. The walls 32 and 34 join end wall 50. The outside surfaces of the walls 32 and 34, adjacent end wall 50, each carry a set of raised ribs 54 and 56, which serve as a means for scratching opaque cover material from lottery tickets.

Back side 30 is very generally similar to front side 28. It is self-hinged to side 14 of base 12 on self hinge 58 and, when in the as-molded position, the two sides 28 and 30 lie in the same plane and at a right angle with respect to the base 12 seen in FIGURE 4. Back side 30 has walls 60 and 62, and these walls are inset_.from the edges of side 30 so that, when the sides 28 and 30 are folded up parallel to each other, the walls interengage. As seen in FIGURES 6 through 10, and particularly in FIGURE 8, the walls 60 and 62 are inset from the edges of side 30 so as to lie inside the walls 32 and 34. The closed position is shown in these figures.

Detents 64, 66 and 68 are molded on the outside of wall 60 adjacent its free edge. These detents correspond in position to detent openings 38, 40 and 42. Similarly, detents 70, 72 and 74 are molded on the outside of wall 62 adjacent its free edge to correspond in position to detent openings 44, 46 and 48. The shape of the detents 64, 66, 70 and 72 is such that the face of the detent engaging in the detent opening presents a square latch face, see latch face 76 on detent 66 shown in FIGURE 9. The resiliency of the structure is such that, when the sides 28 and 30 are pressed together, the walls deflect until the detents reach the detent openings. Then the resiliency is released and the detents fully latch into the detent openings. While these detents are releasable by means of application of a sufficient amount of force to cause the deflection, the square latch faces such as latch face 76 resist release. A considerable amount of force is necessary to reopen the sides away from each other. The detents 68 and 74 are different. As seen in front side 10, these detents have rounded noses so they do not latch as firmly into their respective detent openings 42 and 48.

The walls 60 and 62 are interrupted by notches 78 and 80, and the back side 30 is provided with a self hinge 82. This permits the top portion of the back side 30 beyond the self hinge 82 to be opened, as seen in FIGURE 3. The walls 60 and 62 are joined by an end wall 84, which is as high as the walls 60 and 62 which is attached thereto. Tab 86 extends beyond end wall 84 so as to be able to be grasped to disengage the detents 68 and 74 and fold the end portion of the back side open to the position shown in FIGURE 3 for access to the interior and contents. Access is enhanced by the thumb notch 52. FIGURE 5 shows the accessible position in dashed lines when the upper portion of the side 30 is hinged away to provide access. Until this hinging takes place, removal of contents from the interior is prevented. Opening 88 is useful in hanging the container 10 on a hook so that is readily visible at a point of sale location.

After the container and dispenser 10 is molded, the sides are at least partially folded up and the tickets are placed therein. Thereupon, closure of the container is completed with the detents engaging in the detent notches. In order to seal the container so that opening thereof is visible, seal strip 90 (see FIGURE 1) is wrapped completely therearound. A portion of the seal strip 90 is also shown in FIGURE 2. This seal strip is wrapped around the ribs 54 and 56 so that, when the tab 86 is manually engaged and bent down, the ribs act as stress raisers to aid in tearing the seal strip. Thus, the ticket container cannot be opened without destruction of the seal strip.

The ticket container and dispenser thus described is useful in enclosing and maintaining secure a plurality of cards or tickets. Sometimes the vendor may wish to add additional material of his own such as coupons, advertising cards, or other types of sales brochures. For this purpose, slot 92 is molded in back side 30, see FIGURES 2, 4 and 5. Adjacent slot 92, portion 94 is molded with an outwardly directed lip to facilitate entry of cards into the slot. Cards 96 are illustrated in FIGURES 2 and 5. The cards can be readily placed into the container through the slot 92 through the aid .of the outwardly molded portion 94 of the side. Since the tickets 98 are longer than the length from slot 92 to either end of the interior of the container, the tickets cannot be removed through the slot. Thus, the tickets remain secure. In addition, the portion 100 of the back 30 adjacent the slot 92 on the opposite side from the portion 94 is molded with an outwardly bulging curve. This is a resilient portion and must be pressed back as cards are inserted, but the resilient outward force of the bulging portion 100 substantially closes the slot 92 when the cards 96 are fully inserted into the container. In the case where the cards 96 are too long to be fully inserted, the outward bulge of the portion 100 resiliently presses the cards against the portion 94 to hold them in place. Such cards will not inadvertently fall out, even though the container 10 is suspended on a hook by means of opening 88.

Filling the ticket container 10 with tickets and/or cards can be automatically accomplished so as to inexpensively provide the filled containers. An example of a suitable automated filling machine and method is illustrated in FIGURE 11 wherein the container stands with its base 12 on platform 102. The base 12 is held in rollers 104 and 106 which are moved up to an intermediate position where the front and back sides 28 and 30 are closed upon each other to latch the two lower pairs of detents. Detents 64, 66, 70 and 72 are latched in their detent openings, and the container 10 is held in the upright position. In this upright position, cylinder 108 extends pusher 110 to hold the top of the container open by holding the portion of back side 30 above hinge 82 in the open position, as shown. While being thus held, the tickets 98 are automatically inserted from a shoot. Thereupon, the pusher 110 is retracted and the rollers 104 and 106 move upward to close the upper portion of back side 30 to latch detents 68 and 74. Thereupon, the filled and closed containers advance to the next station where seal strip 90 is wrapped therearound.

As an alternative filling operation, the base 12 can be held, and the roller 106 holds the front side 28 upright, as shown in FIGURE 11. In this case, however, pusher 110 holds the back side open further, as shown in dashed lines in FIGURE 11. When held this far open, the tickets can be inserted more easily. After ticket insertion, rollers rise to bring the back side up, close the back side into the front side, and latch all the detents. In this case also, the filled and closed container then goes to the sealing station where the seal strip 90 is installed.

This invention has been described in its presently contemplated best modes, and it is clear that it is suscepti¬ ble to numerous modifications, modes and embodiments within the ability of those skilled in the art and without the exercise of the inventive faculty. Accordingly, the scope of this invention is defined by the scope of the following claims.

Claims

1. A ticket container and dispenser comprising: a base, said base having sides and walls together with a bottom to define a recess therein; a front side hingedly secured to one of said sides of said base, said front side having edges and having walls on said edges; a back side hingedly mounted on the other side of said base, said back side having edges and having walls adjacent said edges, said walls being positioned so that when said front and back sides are hinged toward each other, said edges overlap; detents on some of said walls and detent openings on others of said walls so that when said sides are hinged together, said detents engage in said detent notches to detachably retain said sides together to define a cavity therein,^' said cavity being substantially the same size of and in line with said recess in said base; at least one of said sides having an end wall therein to close said cavity, said side with said end wall having a hinge adjacent said end wall so that said side beyond said hinge and said end wall can hinge away to provide access to said cavity and to said recess, said detents and detent recesses including at least one detent adjacent said end wall so as to releasably retain said end wall in closure position, said ticket container being injection-molded as one piece of thermoplastic synthetic polymer composition material.

2. The container of Claim 1 wherein said hinges are self hinges.

3. The container of Claims 1 or 2 wherein said container has at least one set of ridges thereon to serve as a scratching surface.

4. The container of Claim 3 wherein said scratch- ing surfaces is on said base.

5. The container of Claim 3 wherein said ridges are on said walls adjacent said end wall.

6. The container of Claim 2 further including a slot in one of said sides intermediate the ends of said side to permit introduction of cards into said cavity in said container without permitting extraction of tickets within said container.

7. The container of Claim 6 wherein a seal strip is adhesively attached around said container adjacent said end wall therein.

8. The container of Claim 6 wherein said side having a card slot therein has a bulge in said side adjacent said slot so as to frictionally engage cards in said slot.

9. A ticket container and dispenser comprising: a base, said base having first and second sides, first and second walls and a bottom, said sides, walls and bottom being integrally formed and positioned at substan- tially right angles with respect to each other to define a substantially rectangular base, said sides, said walls and said bottom defining a substantially rectangular recess therein; a front side hingedly attached to said first side of said base, said front side having walls thereon; a back side attached to said second side of said base, said back side having walls thereon so that when said sides are hinged up parallel to each other, said walls on said front and back sides interengage to define a ticket space within said container, said back side having an end wall defining the end of said space within said container, a hinge in said back side adjacent said end wall so that said portion of said back side beyond said hinge can be hinged away to move said end wall out of closure position of said ticket space within said container to permit insertion and removal of tickets from said container, said container being molded of one piece of thermoplastic synthetic polymer composition material.

10. The container of Claim 9 wherein detent spaces are molded in some of said walls and detents are molded on others of said walls so that when said sides are brought up parallel to each other said detents engage in said detent recesses to detachably retain said sides in ticket spacing defining position.

11. The container of Claim 10 wherein at least one of said detents is positioned beyond said hinge adjacent said end wall of said back side so that said end wall can be hinged into and out of closure position.

12. The container of Claim 11 wherein said detents interengaging said walls between said base hinge and said back side hinge have square faces to firmly retain said sides in container defining position and said detents between said end wall and said back side hinge have rounded surfaces to permit easier opening.

13. The container of Claim 9 wherein said walls on said front side are positioned at the edges of said front side and said walls on said back side are positioned inwardly of the edges of said back side so that said walls on said back side engage between said walls on said front side.

14. The container of Claim 10 wherein said walls on said front side are positioned at the edges of said front side and said walls on said back side are positioned inwardly of the edges of said back side so that said walls on said back side engage between said walls on said front side.

15. The container of Claim 14 wherein said detent notches are in said walls on said front side and said detents are on said walls of said back side.

16. The container of Claim 15 further including a notch in one of said sides to permit introduction of cards into the interior of said container after said end wall of said container is in closure position.

17. The container of Claim 16 wherein said side having a slot therein for the introduction of cards is molded with a bulge tending to frictionally engage a card inserted into said notch so as to inhibit removal of cards inserted through said slot and to hold cards partially inserted into said slot.

18. The container of Claim 9 further including scratching ribs on said base and on said walls for scratching adherent opaque material from tickets.

19. The container of Claim 14 wherein said detents between said base and said hinge on said back side have square faces and said detents between said hinge on said back side and said end wall have rounded faces to provide different stresses at which they open.

20. The container of Claim 19 further including tab on said back side beyond said end wall to aid in hinging said end wall out of container closure position.