PEEL-AWAY SECURITY COVERING FOR A TICKET

Abstract

A solution for concealing confidential information that is printed at the point of sale in a game of chance utilizing a more common type printer designed for printing on a standard grade and biodegradable direct thermal paper. This system can print and cut each individual ticket in variable lengths. The unique and innovative concept of this new system allows a second and separate biodegradable substrate to be collated in a continuous stream over top of the printed ribbon before it is cut away and delivered into the presenter. The second substrate contains a strip of a specially formulated adhesive and is adhered to the top surface of the printed ribbon as the two substrates join together while passing through mechanical nip rollers. The confidential printed information is now covered and the combined substrates are cut and delivered as one ticket unit. The ticket information is revealed by easily peeling away the adhered top layer.

Claims

1. A ticket structure for a game of chance, comprising: a) a first opaque substrate formed of thermal paper having indicia thereon for use in playing a game of chance; b) a second opaque substrate overlying said first substrate and having an adhesive layer for connecting said first substrate to said second substrate and forming an opaque covering over said indicia; c) said adhesive layer having a greater adherence to said second substrate than said first substrate and being releasably adhered to said first substrate such that said second substrate may be removed from said first substrate without altering said indicia.

2. The ticket structure as set forth in claim 1, wherein; a) said second opaque substrate being of sufficient opacity to prevent viewing of the underlying indicia without separating said first substrate from said second substrate.

3. The ticket structure as set forth in claim 1, wherein: a) said first substrate is formed of biodegradable direct thermal paper.

4. The ticket structure as set forth in claim 1, wherein: b) said second substrate is formed of biodegradable paper,

5. The ticket structure as set forth in claim 1 wherein; a) said adhesive is located in a central portion of said second substrate thereby creating an unadhered lift edge to permit grasping of said second substrate along an edge thereof to assist in removing said second substrate from said first substrate.

6. The ticket structure as set forth in claim 1 wherein; a) said second substrate includes a primer coating on a bottom surface thereof between said adhesive coating and said bottom surface for increasing the adherence of said adhesive coating to said second substrate.

7. The ticket structure as set forth in claim 6 wherein; a) said adhesive coating has a greater adherence to said primer coating than to said first substrate.

8. The ticket structure as set forth in claim 1 wherein; a) said indicia is applied to said first substrate prior to said first substrate being adhered to said second substrate.

9. The ticket structure as set forth in claim 1 wherein; a) said first substrate has a greater width than said second substrate.

10. A machine for manufacturing tickets for a game of chance, comprising: a) a chassis for supporting equipment for use in the manufacture of tickets for a game of chance; b) a first paper roll bracket mounted to said chassis for holding a roll of thermal paper; c) a second paper roll bracket mounted to said chassis for holding a roll of adhesive coated paper; d) a thermal print head cooperatively located adjacent said first roll of thermal paper for printing indicia on said thermal; e) a system of rollers for aligning said adhesive coated paper with said thermal paper and applying pressure to form a ticket; and, f) a cutting mechanism for cutting through said thermal paper and said adhesive coated paper simultaneously.

11. The machine as set forth in claim 10, further including: a) an electronic control board for receiving customer input and controlling said equipment to produce a ticket in response to customer input.

12. The machine as set forth in claim 11, wherein: a) said customer input includes the selection of a ticket and said equipment produces said ticket.

13. The machine as set forth in claim 12, wherein: a) the selection of a ticket includes a selection from a plurality of ticket choices of more than one size, and b) said equipment is capable of producing any of said ticket choices.

14. The machine as set forth in claim 10, wherein: a) said adhesive coated paper includes a coating of releasable adhesive on a first side and release coating on a back side of said paper for enhancing the unrolling of said adhesive coated paper.

15. The machine as set forth in claim 14, wherein: a) said adhesive coated paper includes a primer layer between said paper and said adhesive which enhances retention of said adhesive to said paper.

16. A method of vending tickets from a point of sale vending machine, comprising the steps of: a) providing a vending machine having a plurality of ticket choices; b) providing a mechanism on said vending machine for selecting a ticket from said plurality of ticket choices; c) producing a ticket from a roll of paper within said vending machine; d) printing indicia on said ticket, said indicia corresponding to a game of chance; e) adhering a releasable layer over said ticket after printing indicia on said ticket; f) separating said ticket from said roll of paper and dispensing said ticket from said vending machine.

17. The method of vending tickets as set forth in claim 16, wherein; a) said releasable layer is opaque.

18. The method of vending tickets as set forth in claim 16, further comprising the step of; a) producing a second ticket from said vending machine wherein said second ticket is of a different length than the previous ticket.

19. The method of vending tickets as set forth in claim 16, wherein; a) said adhesive coated paper is supplied from a second roll.

20. The method of vending tickets as set forth in claim 16, further comprising the step of; a) thermal printing indicia on said first roll of paper.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0024] FIG. 1 depicts a vending machine.

[0025] FIG. 2 depicts a schematic view of the ticket manufacturing components.

[0026] FIG. 3 is a schematic view of a roller assembly and cutter portion.

[0027] FIG. 4 is a top plan view of a ticket.

[0028] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the ticket of FIG. 4 taken along lines 5-5.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0029] FIG. 1 illustrates a typical ticket vending machine 10 having an outer box 12 for containing and securing ticket vending equipment as will be described below. The vending machine 10 includes a plurality of choices 14 of games of chance displayed on the front wall 16. Each of the choices 14 generally includes a button 18 for making a selection. To make a selection, a customer inserts the required fee into the machine at slot 20. The customer then makes a selection and the vending machine 10 produces a ticket T from the opening 22.

[0030] Now the construction of the ticket T will be described with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3. In FIG. 2, a roll 24 of thermal paper substrate 26 is supported on a chassis 28 within the vending machine 10. As the thermal paper substrate 26 is dispensed from the roll 24, the paper substrate 26 enters the print head 30 and indicia P in the form of numbers or symbols is printed thereon. While the arrangement of the roll 24 and print head 30 have been shown schematically, it should be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific arrangement shown but could also include conventional paper roll and thermal print head arrangements as long as the printed paper exits the print head in the proper location for the next step in the ticket making process. A roll 32 of adhesive coated paper substrate 34 is supported on the chassis 28 adjacent the roll 24. Alignment guides 36 feed the paper substrate 34 from the roll 32 and align paper substrate 34 over paper substrate 26 after the paper substrate 26 has left the print head 30. The adhesive coated paper substrate 34 and printed thermal paper substrate 26 pass through a pair of nip rollers 37 or alternatively a clutch assembly to adhere the substrates 26 and 34 together and then to a paper cutter 38. After the printed portion of thermal paper 26 has passed through cutter 38, the cutter 38 is activated and separates the ticket T from the rolls 32 and 24 and produces the ticket T to the customer at the opening 22. An electronic control board 48 regulates the paper feed motors 50, the paper cutter 38, voltage regulation, the thermal print head 30 and the communication interfaces and selection buttons 18. Thus when a customer makes a selection of a game and inserts the proper fee and then presses a button 18, the control board 48 activates the vending machine 10 to produce a ticket T.

[0031] Now the structure of the ticket T will be described with respect to FIGS. 4 and 5. FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the ticket T wherein the adhesive coated paper substrate 34 is located on top of printed paper substrate 26. Preferably, substrate 26 is slightly wider than substrate 34 which allows for easier separation of the substrates to reveal the printed indicia P by creating a lift edge E. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the ticket T of FIG. 4 taken along lines 5-5. Substrate 26 forms a base layer for the ticket T. The adhesive coated substrate 34 preferably includes a release coating 52 on the top surface and a primer coating 54 on the bottom surface. An adhesive strip 56 is located on the primer coating 54. The release coating 52 prevents sticking of the adhesive strip 56 to the top surface of the substrate 34 when it is on the roll 32. The primer coating 54 provides a material that provides increased adherence of the adhesive strip 56 so that the adhesive strip 56 will stay on substrate 34 and not transfer to substrate 26 when the substrate 34 is removed to reveal the indicia P. The adhesive strip 56 is a releasable adhesive material which does not easily degrade and is readily releasable from paper substrate 26 without removing any of the indicia P. The range of coat weight of the adhesive applied wet would be in the range of 3 to 5 grams/meter.sup.2 and in the range of 0.5 to 1.5 grams/meter.sup.2 dry. While the adhesive strip has been shown as located centrally of the longitudinal axis of the ticket T, it should be understood that the adhesive strip 56 could be placed more to one side or the other or could extend across the entire width of the substrate 34. The formulations and methods of making the release coating 52, the adhesive strip 56 and primer coating 54 can be found in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/798,975 filed on May 18, 2007 having Patent Application Publication No. 20070267146 which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

[0032] In conclusion, the present invention is directed to a solution for concealing confidential information that is printed at the point of sale utilizing a more common type printer designed for printing on a standard grade and biodegradable direct thermal paper. This system as described above can print and cut each individual ticket T in variable lengths. This new system allows a second and separate biodegradable substrate 34 to be collated in a continuous stream over top of the printed ribbon of substrate 26 before it is cut away and delivered to the end user. The second substrate 34 contains a strip of a specially formulated adhesive and is adhered to the top side of the printed ribbon of substrate 26 as the two substrates 26 and 34 join together while passing through mechanical nip rollers or clutch assembly 37. The confidential printed information P is now covered and the combined substrates are cut and delivered as one ticket unit T. The ticket information P is revealed by easily peeling away the adhered top substrate or layer 34.

[0033] While this invention has been described as having a preferred design, it is understood that it is capable of further modifications, uses and/or adaptations of the invention following in general the principle of the invention and including such departures from the present disclosure as come within the known or customary practice in the art to which the invention pertains and as maybe applied to the central features hereinbefore set forth, and fall within the scope of the invention and the limits of the appended claims.