International Business Machines Corporation

Wesley Dale Dickover

Dean Frederick Herring

Philip M Woodward

Scott Wesley Dickover

Charles C Sloop, Iii

A writing instrument is releasably attached to a tether. The writing instrument has a hollow body. A locking cap assembly is configured to be coupled to a tether. The locking cap assembly is further configured to detach from the hollow body of the writing instrument when a force is applied to the tether. The locking cap assembly is inserted into an end of the hollow body of the writing instrument. The locking cap assembly comprises a compressive locking cap. The compressive locking cap comprises a compression fastener, a cap, and a nut. The compression fastener and cap have a hole and one end of the tether passes completely through the compressive locking cap through the hole. The nut is coupled to the end of the tether that passed completely through the compressive locking cap.

Pen tether compressive disconnect

A currency dispensing machine including a cabinet and a bill presenter located therein. The bill presenter includes a presenter having two side plates and at least one drive gear having a plurality of drive teeth. The bill presenter is located in a bill presenter housing having a mounting face, two retention plates extending from the mounting face and receivable of the presenter therebetween, and a longitudinally extending retention hook disposed in each of the two side plates. Two retaining pins are each insertable through one of the two retention hooks and through one of the retention plates. Two latch arms are slidably located in the bill presenter, each at one of the retention plates, and include a latch hook engageable with one of the retaining pins. The currency dispensing machine includes a bill dispenser slidably disposed in the cabinet and including a plurality of gear teeth engageable with the plurality of drive teeth and at least one locking slot. At least one locking pin is insertable into one of the at least one locking slot for preventing misalignment of the plurality of gear teeth with the plurality of drive teeth.

Latching and securing mechanism for bill presenter of a currency dispensing machine

A pen retention device for releasably securing a pen to a tether is disclosed. The device includes the pen having an end and an annular interior surface defining a bore, a cap comprising an expandable retention interface disposed within the bore proximate the end, and an anvil securedly attached to the tether. The expandable retention interface includes a radially outwardly directed surface in contact with the annular interior surface. The expanding retention interface further includes a radially inwardly directed surface in operable communication with the anvil. The expanding retention interface is responsive to an application of force less than a release force by the tether via the anvil to expand and secure cap to the pen, and is responsive to an application of force greater than the release force to release the cap from the pen.

Pen retention apparatus

A self checkout POS system including a security zone; an emitting tower including one or more infrared emitters; a detecting tower including one or more infrared detectors, the detecting tower located on a side of the security zone opposite the side on which the emitting tower is located, the infrared detectors of the detecting tower aligned for reception of infrared radiation emitted by the infrared emitters of the emitting tower; a security shield installed on one side of the detecting tower; and a security shield installed on one side of the emitting tower, the security shield installed on one side of the emitting tower including: a clear acrylic pane; and a polycarbonate film having a matte finish, the polycarbonate film laminated to the clear acrylic pane with an adhesive, the polycarbonate film capable of reducing incident infrared radiation transmitted through and reflected by the clear acrylic pane.

Reducing incident infrared radiation received by one or more infrared detectors in a self checkout point of sale system

A transition plate assembly and a position sensor assembly are used to detect a dislodged or removed transition plate from a gap between the discharge end of a conveyor and the first end of a run-out ramp. The position sensor assembly may detect a safe seated position of a hinged transition plate protecting the gap and generate a motor-enabling signal to a drive motor that drives the conveyor. An interrupted motor-enabling signal, corresponding to an unsafe condition, may turn off the drive motor to prevent damage to articles or persons until an enabling signal is restored. In one embodiment, the termination of the power to the drive motor continues until a delay period has elapsed following the detection of an enabling signal.

Transition plate position sensor for safe check-out counter conveyor operation

A pen retention device for releasably securing a pen to a tether is disclosed. The device includes a pen having an end, a collar defining an internal cavity surrounding the end and an orifice having a diameter, an elastic retainer disposed within the internal cavity, and an anvil securedly attached to the tether. An outer surface of the elastic retainer defines an internal dimension and an external dimension of the elastic retainer, the external dimension greater than the diameter of the orifice such that the internal cavity retains the elastic retainer. The anvil includes an angled retention surface having an external diameter greater than the internal dimension of the elastic retainer and less than the diameter of the orifice.

An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for facilitating product weight identification in a checkout lane. The apparatus includes an open-frame back, a pair of opposing support arms to support an open plastic bag, a pair of opposing open-frame sides, and a gate. The opposing sides are connected to the back and are positioned to define a receiving area for the plastic bag. The gate may be connected to a side or the back and retains an item placed in an open bag within the receiving area. Furthermore, guards may be mounted near the top of each side to retain handles of the bag supply within a predefined area. The apparatus may be attached to a scale associated with a self checkout lane.

Growing community of inventors

Stuart, FL, United States of America

Wesley Dale Dickover