EP0972653A1

EP0972653A1 - Receipt or payment papers for replacing ready cash

Info

Publication number: EP0972653A1
Application number: EP99113459A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Franco Restello
Original assignee: Marnia Spzoo
Current assignee: Marnia Spzoo
Priority date: 1998-07-15
Filing date: 1999-07-13
Publication date: 2000-01-19
Also published as: ITPD980177A1

Abstract

The invention is a new receipt or payment document provided with some spaces for the amount written in figures (A) which are divided into squares with below the equivalent squares for writing each single number composing the amount in letters. The squares are not contiguous but are separated by a coloured or halftone space (A1,A2). Therefore, a double writing of the amount is obtained: the first in figures wherein each figure is positioned within a square and the second in letters with a series of words (R,C) expressing the number written in figures indicated above. In this way every signatory will indicate, in addition to the amount in figures, which is of easy understanding, the single equivalent number in letters, which will result comprehensible too. The different colouration of the squares allows to identify promptly the worth showed in the document.

Description

The present invention relates to the sector of paper manufacturing and in particular concerns receipt or payment papers.
Nowadays, cheques, bills, post office money orders, post office payment forms, receipts or other acquittance or exchange papers are provided with a space for writing the amount in figures and a space for writing the same amount in letters.
These spaces consist of a line or some close little squares for the figures and a longer line for writing the amount in letters.
These features, which are generally present in all papers, imply the fact of writing twice the amount and require particular attention when the amount in letters is being written.
A drawback is that, further to the introduction of the euro-currency, it will be possible to fill, for example, a cheque in a country and to cash it, without exchange, in another country with a different language. The difference in language, while is not relevant for the amount written in figures, can be incomprehensible for the amount in letters; in fact, each language uses different words for indicating numbers and relating them to one word. For example in French language number 92 is written as "fourtwentytwelve". This will inevitably lead to assess the cheque or other papers in general only by reading the figures with consequent risk of mistakes.
In order to overcome to the above drawback a new receipt or payment document provided with a new composition and lay-out of the spaces for the figures and for the letters has been carried out.
The new receipt or payment document is provided with some spaces for the figures divided into squares, triangles or other geometrical shapes including a figure each and wherein said squares are not contiguous but are separated by a coloured or halftone space. At the same time, the new receipt or payment document is provided with a space for writing the amount in letters divided into squares. These squares are the same in number of the squares for the figures and are positioned (for example below) in corrrespondence to the other equivalent squares and wherein, within said squares, the single number is repeated in letters.
In this way, a double writing of the amount is obtained: the first in figures wherein each figure is positioned within a square and the second in letters with a series of words expressing the number written in figures indicated above. Each word is preferably written below the equivalent figure avoiding a long and incomprehensible word.
In this way every signatory will indicate, in addition to the amount in figures - which is of easy understanding - the single number of the same amount in letters, generally comprehensible.
In fact, the first nine numbers of any European language are a common knowledge and, however, everyone can easily learn them.
It is well-known, moreover, tat the euro-currency will introduce cents and therefore, on the left side of the first two squares (from the right side) a decimal comma is printed, while on the left side of the first five squares (from the right side) a point is present in order to simplify the reading.
Another important aspect is the different colouring or halftone of the squares for the cents (grey for example) compared with the squares for units, tens, hundreds (light blue for example) and the thousands and over (red for example). This differentation allows to identify promptly the worth showed in the document, wherein, for example, the red colour catch immediately the attention underlining a considerable amount (more than two million lire).
The following is just an example among many of the practical applications of the invention in question, illustrated in the attached table.
Figure 1 shows the squares (A) for the letters bordered by a coloured area (A1 and A2) with below the exactly equivalent squares for writing the single number in letters. These squares (C) for writing the numbers in letters are provided with a line (R) and their size is equivalent to that of the corresponding (upper or lower) square (A) suitable for containing the number in figures.
Figure 2 shows an example of cheque wherein the point and the decimal comma have been inserted between the squared strips in order to indicate the cents and the thousands.
The space corresponding to the cents (d) has a specific colour, while the space for the units, the tens and the hundreds has a different colour, and at last, the space for the thousands (f) has another colour too.
The above are the basic outlines of the invention, on the basis of which the technician will be able to provide for implementation; therefore, any change which may be necessary upon implementation is to be regarded as completely protected by the present invention.
With reference to the above description and the attached drawings, the following claims are put forth.

Claims

Receipt and/or payment document replacing ready cash caracterized in that it comprises a space for writing the amount in figures divided into squares (series of square) suitable for containing a number each and wherein said squares are not contiguous but are separated by a coloured or halftone space.
Receipt and/or payment document replacing ready cash caracterized in that it is provided with a space for writing the amount in letters divided into squares (series of squares) and wherein, inside each square the single number composing the amount is written in letters.
Receipt and/or payment document replacing ready cash, according to claims 1 and 2, caracterized in that it is provided with two series of spaces for writing the amount: a series of spaces for the writing in figures wherein each figure is positioned inside a square placed side by side to a coloured or halftone space, and an equivalent series of spaces for writing in letters each single number composing the amount.
Receipt and/or payment document replacing ready cash, according to claim 3, caracterized in that the series of squares are overlapped and wherein below (or above) each square with the number written in figures there is an equivalent square with the same single number written in letters.
Receipt and/or payment document replacing ready cash, according to claim 4, caracterized in that it has a decimal comma printed on the left of the first two squares (from the right side) and a point printed on the left of the first five squares (from to right side).
Receipt and/or payment document replacing ready cash, according to claim 5, caracterized in that the squares for the cents have a different colour or halftone compared with the squares of the units, the tens and the hundreds, and they have also a further colouration for the squares of the thousands and over.