| US20020062173A1 | ||||
| US5546303A | ||||
| GB2355102A | ||||
| CA2092975A1 |
PATENT CLAIMS
1. A contribution receiving apparatus, which includes
(a) a housing adapted to receive and store contributions;
(b) receiving means associated with the housing and adapted to receive any contribution for passing into the housing; and
(c) dispensing means associated with the housing and adapted to automatically and/or selectively dispense objects when the receiving means receives a contribution, the object(s) dispensed having no relationship to the value of the contribution(s) received by the receiving means.
2. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, in which the contribution is constituted by a monetary amount and/or any other type of contribution, such as jewellery, toys, or clothing.
3. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, which is located at airports, commercial centers, shopping malls and/or other tourism or travel locations.
4. An apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which the contributions are cash money.
5. An apparatus as claimed in claim 4, in which the cash money includes coins and/or money or bank notes.
6. An apparatus as claimed in claim 4 or claim 5, in which the cash money consists of any currency.
7. An apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, which is powered by electricity.
8. An apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, which is powered by solar power.
9. An apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which the objects dispensed include stickers, souvenirs and/or vouchers.
10. An apparatus as claimed in claim 9, in which the stickers, souvenirs and/or vouchers are dispensed in exchange for contributions.
11. An apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which advertising is provided on the contribution receiving apparatus.
12. An apparatus as claimed in claim 11, in which the advertising may relates to any service and/or goods.
13. An apparatus as claimed in claim 11 or claim 12, in which the advertising relates to charity organizations.
14. An apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 11 to 13, in which the advertising identifies the specific charity for which the contributions are to be given.
15. An apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 11 to 14, in which the advertising is changed on a daily/weekly basis.
16. An apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 11 to 15, in which the advertising is changed from a remote location.
17. An apparatus as claimed in any on of claims 11 to 16, in which the advertising is changed by means of telecommunications and/or electronic means.
18. An apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, which is coordinated with other contribution receiving apparatuses located at different locations.
19. An apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, which is monitored and/or controlled real-time and/or remotely.
20. An apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which text messages are provided on the contribution receiving apparatus.
21. An apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, which includes a cash box.
22. An apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which the contribution is a donation.
23. An apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, which includes at least one screen for displaying information.
24. An apparatus as claimed in claim 23, in which the screen(s) is a flat screen, led (liquid crystal display) screen, led screen and/or a plasma screen.
25. An apparatus as claimed in claims 23 or claim 24, in which the information displayed on the screen(s) is displayed continuously and be connected to the Internet.
26. An apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, which includes a credit card and/or smart card facility to receive donations via credit cards and/or smart cards.
27. A contribution receiving apparatus, which includes (a) a housing adapted to receive and store contributions, constituted by a monetary amount and/or any other type of contribution, such as jewellery, toys, or clothing;
(b) receiving means associated with the housing and adapted to receive any contribution for passing into the housing; and
(c) dispensing means associated with the housing and adapted to automatically and/or selectively dispense objects when the receiving means receives a contribution, the object(s) dispensed having no relationship to the value of the contribution(s) received by the receiving means; and
(d) advertising provided on the contribution receiving apparatus, the advertising is changed on a daily/weekly basis from a remote location by means of telecommunications and/or electronic means.
28. An apparatus as claimed in claim 27, which is located at airports, commercial centers, shopping malls and/or other tourism or travel locations.
29. An apparatus as claimed in claim 27 or claim 28, in which the advertising relates to charity organizations.
30. An apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 27 to 29, which is coordinated with other contribution receiving apparatuses located at different locations.
31. An apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 27 to 30, which is monitored and/or controlled real-time and/or remotely.
32. An apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 27 to 31, in which text messages are provided on the contribution receiving apparatus.
33. An apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 27 to 32, which includes a cash box.
34. An apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 27 to 33, in which the contribution is a donation.
35. An apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 27 to 34, which includes at least one screen for displaying information.
36. An apparatus as claimed in claim 35, in which the screen(s) is a flat screen, led (liquid crystal displays) screen, led screen and/or a plasma screen.
37. An apparatus as claimed in claims 35 or claim 36, in which the information displayed on the screen(s) is displayed continuously and be connected to the Internet.
38. An apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 27 to claims 37, which includes a credit card and/or smart card facility to receive donations via credit cards and/or smart cards.
39. A contribution receiving apparatus substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the drawings. |
Contribution receiving apparatus
FIELD OF INVENTION
The present invention relates to a contribution receiving apparatus.
More particularly, the present invention relates to a contribution receiving apparatus for receiving any monetary amount or any other suitable type of object, e.g. jewellery.
BACKGROUND TO INVENTION
Often travellers to abroad return with coins and low value bank notes in a foreign currency. Due to the high commissions of banks to exchange the small amounts of money travellers usually discard these into a container at home. This discarded money could have been used to good use by charity organizations.
It is an object of the invention to suggest a contribution receiving apparatus for overcoming the aforementioned problem.
SUMMARY OF INVENTION
According to the invention, a contribution receiving apparatus includes
(a) a housing adapted to receive and store contributions;
(b) receiving means associated with the housing and adapted to receive any contribution for passing into the housing; and
(c) dispensing means associated with the housing and adapted to automatically and/or selectively dispense objects when the receiving means receives a contribution, the object(s) dispensed having no relationship to the value of the contribution(s) received by the receiving means.
The contribution may be constituted by a monetary amount and/or any other type of contribution, such as jewellery, toys, or clothing.
The contribution receiving apparatus may be located at airports, commercial centers, shopping malls and/or other tourism or travel locations.
The contributions may be cash money.
The cash money may include coins and/or money or bank notes.
The cash money may be of any currency.
The apparatus may be powered by electricity.
The apparatus may be powered by solar power.
The objects dispensed may include stickers, souvenirs and/or vouchers.
The stickers, souvenirs and/or vouchers may be dispensed in exchange for contributions.
Advertising may be provided on the contribution receiving apparatus.
The advertising may relate to any service and/or goods.
The advertising may relate to charity organizations.
The advertising may identify the specific charity for which the contributions are to be given.
The advertising may be changed on a daily/weekly basis.
The advertising may be changed from a remote location.
The advertising may be changed by means of telecommunications and/or electronic means.
Contribution receiving apparatuses located at different locations may be coordinated.
The contribution receiving apparatus may be monitored and/or controlled real-time and/or remotely.
Text messages may be provided on the contribution receiving apparatus.
The contribution receiving apparatus may include a cash box.
The contribution may be a donation.
The contribution receiving apparatus may include a screen for displaying information.
The screen may be a flat screen, led (liquid crystal displays) screen, led screen and/or a plasma screen
The information displayed on the screen may be displayed continuously and be connected to the Internet.
The contribution receiving apparatus may include a credit card and/or smart card facility to receive donations via credit cards and/or smart cards. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
The invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying schematic drawings.
In the drawings there is shown in:
Figure 1 : a perspective view of a contribution receiving apparatus in accordance with the invention;
Figure 2: a front view of the contribution receiving apparatus seen along arrow II in Figure 1;
Figure 3: a top view of the contribution receiving apparatus seen along arrow III in Figure 2; and
Figure 4: a side view of the contribution receiving apparatus seen along arrow IV in Figure 3.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
Referring to Figures 1 to 4, a contribution receiving apparatus in accordance with the invention, generally indicated by reference numeral 10, is shown.
According to the invention, a contribution receiving apparatus 10 includes
(a) a housing 12;
(b) receiving means 14 associated with the housing 12 and adapted to receive contributions (not shown); and
(c) dispensing means 16 associated with the housing 12 and adapted to automatically or selectively dispense objects (not shown) when the receiving means 14 receives a contribution.
The contribution receiving apparatus 10 is generally located at an airport or other tourism or travel location.
The contribution receiving apparatus 10 includes a cash box (not shown) for storing the contributions or donations which can be cash money, including coins and money notes. The cash money can also be of any currency. The contribution receiving apparatus includes a credit card and smart card facility (not shown) to receive donations via credit cards and smart cards.
The contribution receiving apparatus 10 is powered by electricity and may also be powered by solar power.
The objects dispensed include stickers, souvenirs and vouchers. The stickers, souvenirs and vouchers are dispensed in exchange for contributions.
Advertising is provided on the contribution receiving apparatus 10. The advertising can relate to any service or goods or relate to charity organizations. The advertising can specifically identify the charity for which the contributions are to be given.
The advertising can be changed on a daily/weekly basis and from a remote location by means of telecommunications and/or electronic means.
Contribution receiving apparatuses 10 located at different locations are coordinated, monitored and controlled real-time and remotely.
Text messages can also be provided on the contribution receiving apparatus 10.
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