GB2194211A - Tickets - Google Patents

Abstract

A ticket comprises a front sheet 10 and a back sheet 11, the back sheet 11 having an area 16 of adhesive whereby the back sheet can be adhered, e.g. to a vehicle window, the front sheet 10 having a corresponding surface portion 17, e.g. containing release agent, to which the adhesive on the back sheet 11 can be removably attached, to secure the front and back sheets together, the front sheet 10 having pressure sensitive transfer means 20 on its rear face, e.g. a carbon based material, whereby information 14 and 15 printed, by machine, onto the front sheet is transferred to the back sheet in visible form, the front sheet 10 having at least one further surface portion 18, covered by the back sheet 11 when the front and back sheets are secured together. The further surface portion 18 may contain printed information which is obscured before the sheets 10,11 are separated. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Tickets This invention relates to tickets of the kind used primarily, though not necessarily exclusively, in car parks. It is common in car parks for the customer to be required to purchase a ticket which is to be displayed on the car or other vehicle, such ticket bearing information related to the period of parking time for which payment has been made. The ticket is usually dispensed, upon payment, from a machine which prints or otherwise applies relevent information to the ticket. These schemes are often referred to by the expression "pay and display".

There are several different arrangements which are in operation in different places, more than one of these providing a ticket having an adhesive patch by means of which the ticket is attached to a window of the car in such a way that the information concerning the parking time for which payment has been made is visible from outside the car. The adhesive patch is furthermore initially covered over until a sheet is removed after purchase and prior to sticking the ticket to the window, the cover sheet being then sometimes discarded. British Patent Specification No.

1,452,505 describes such a ticket and illustrates a form in which there is a backing sheet which is smaller than the ticket itself.

The backing sheet has adhesive applied to it and it can be removed and repositioned on the ticket proper, so that an area of adhesive is exposed, while another area is used to attach the sheets together. In an alternative arrangement, the cover sheet is on the front of the ticket itself and its removal exposes a small area of adhesive on the front of the ticket. Neither the ticket proper nor the cover sheet can be practica!ly reused after expiration of the period of parking for which the ticket represents payment.

Other schemes involving tickets purchased at the time of arrival in a car park require the ticket to be placed on the dashboard or other place at which it can be seen and read from outside but the lack of adhesive or other attachment can result in the ticket being blown or knocked into a position in which it cannot be read or even seen at all, thus involving the customer in the risk of penalty for having failed to pay for parking time.

The object of the invention is to provide a ticket for use in car parks or other places, in which the ticket is effective in its primary intended use and but which is also capable of use for a secondary, different purpose In accordance with the invention there is provided a ticket comprising, in combination, a front sheet and a back sheet, the back sheet having at least one area of adhesive whereby, in use it can be adhered to a window or other surface, the front sheet having at least one surface portion to which the adhesive portion of the back sheet can be removably attached to secure the front and back sheets together, the front sheet having means for transferring information printed or otherwise applied to the front thereof, to the back sheet, to enable a visible reproduction of that information to appear on the side of the back sheet on which the adhesive portion or portions, is or are provided, the front sheet having at least one further surface portion on its side at which it is attachable to the back sheet, said further surface portion or portions being covered by the back sheet when the front and back sheets are secured together.

In use the ticket would be dispensed from a machine, in an assembled condition, that is with the adhesive area and the said surface portion on the front sheet being attached, the said further portion being obscured from view.

The machine is arranged to print or otherwise apply information concerning payment for parking time, or its equivalent, and this information also appears in visible form on the appropriate part of the back sheet, which part however is also obscured.

The user peels the back sheet from the front sheet to expose the adhesive area, as well as the area carrying the information concerning payment for parking or the like. The back sheet can now be applied to the window, on the inside thereof, thus being readable from outside.

When separation has taken place the said further surface portion is also exposed. This may carry information of a wide variety of forms, such information concerning discounts in various establishments, lottery numbers, or other competition information. The front sheet can therefore serve a different purpose, once it has been separated from the back sheet. It may however also serve as a reminder as to the length of time for which payment for parking has been made, since it can be carried away and does not have to remain in the vehicle.

Preferably the adhesive area and the corresponding surface portion of the front sheet are confined to relatively small zones on the back and front sheets respectively. More than one area on each sheet may be provided.

Conveniently the means for transferring information from the front to the back sheet comprises a layer of pressure sensitive transfer medium applied to the rear of the front sheet. A carbon based material is suitable for this purpose.

Advantageously the ticket may be formed with means whereby its transport and dispensing from a machine can be fascilitated.

Perforations may for example be provided.

The ticket may be attached to others packed in a roll, convenient drive mechanisms therefor being provided in the machine.

The invention will now be described by way of example with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of tickets constructed in accordance with the invention Figure 2 shows one ticket partially separated and Figure 3 shows the back view of the ticket in a position of use.

The ticket illustrated is intended to be dispensed by a machine, the tickets being connected end to end and stored in a roll. The tickets are formed from front and back sheets 10 and 11 identified particularly in Figure 2.

The tickets are rectangular and are joined initially to adjacent tickets through a perforated zone 12 whereby they can be readily separated by pulling. Along the line of perforations 12 there are also two spaced larger holes 13.

The holes 13 are spaced and positioned to engage with drive sprockets or other means within the machine whereby the tickets are advanced, one at a time for dispensing.

The machine is designed to issue a ticket upon receipt of payment of an appropriate amount. This amount may be variable and a control may be fitted to the machine to enable selection of a particuiar amount to be accomplished. The payment may for example be related to a period of parking which is desired, represented by a number of hours. The machine also includes means for printing onto the ticket certain information related to the payment and the period for which payment has been made. As seen in Figure 3 this may be represented by a date and a time indicated generally as 14 and 15. It is to be understood that any desired information can be printed onto the ticket and preferably this occurs at the time of dispensing from the machine.

Each ticket comprises two sheets 10 and 11 as already referred to. The front sheet 10 and the back sheet 11 are dispensed in assembled form so that the back of the front sheet and the front of the back sheet are obscured. The back sheet carries a layer of adhesive 16 applied in a relatively small area of the surface. In the example shown this is in form of a narrow strip forming a frame-shaped band around the central portion of the back sheet but spaced from the lateral and longitudinal edges of the back sheet.

The front sheet 10 carries a layer of a similar and corresponding area of a release agent such as a silicon based material to which the adhesive layer 16 will stick but from which it can be separated without damage to either surface, this layer is identified at 17 in Figure 2.

The central zone of the ticket is that onto which the information is printed by the dispensing machine. Extending across the central zone and applied on the rear surface of the front sheet is a layer of pressure sensitive transfer medium such as a carbon based material. When the information is printed onto the front of the front sheet this transfer material causes it also to appear on the front face of the back sheet in visible form.

On both front and back sheets there are further areas identified at 18 in Figure 2 which are clear of adhesive,release agent or carbon based material. These areas are available for the application of printed information such as details of discount available in various establishments or information concerning competitions or lotteries. Although this can be applied onto the back sheet it is intended that it should be applied only onto the back face of the front sheet. It will be appreciated that this information is obscured when the front and back sheets are fixed together, as when they are dispensed, and only become visible when the sheets are separated.

Figure 3 shows how, after separation of the front and back sheets, the back sheet can be attached to the inside of a glass such as a vehicle window 19 by means of the adhesive 16. In this position the printed information which has been transferred onto the front surface of the back sheet is clearly visible through the glass.

The front sheet meanwhile can be retained and can thus serve a completely different purpose such as for example for claiming discount or for entry into a competition or the like. It also serves as a reminder for the customer for the length of time for which payment has been made for parking or such other purposes as may be appropriate.

Claims (15)

1. A ticket comprising, in combination, a front sheet and a back sheet, the back sheet having at least one area of adhesive whereby, in use it can be adhered to a window or other surface, the front sheet having at least one corresponding surface portion to which the adhesive portion of the back sheet can be removably attached to secure the front and back sheets together, the front sheet having means for transferring information printed or otherwise applied to the front thereof, to the back sheet, to enable a visible reproduction of that information to appear on the side of the back sheet on which the adhesive portion or portions, is or are provided, the front sheet having at least one further surface portion on its side at which it is attachable to the back sheet, said further surface portion or portions being covered by the back sheet when the front and back sheets are secured together.

2. A ticket as claimed in Claim 1 which is adapted for dispensing from a machine, in an assembled condition, with the adhesive area of the back sheet being attached to the said surface portion on the front sheet, the said further portion being obscured from view.

3. A ticket as claimed in Claim 2 in which information applied by the machine, concern ing payment for parking time, or its equivalent appears on the front sheet and also appears in visible form on the appropriate part of the back sheet, which part however is also obscured when the front and back sheets are assembled.

4. A ticket as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein separation of the front and back sheets exposes the adhesive area of the back sheet as weli as the area on the back sheet carrying information concerning payment for parking or the like, in visible form.

5. A ticket as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein separation of the front and back sheets exposes said further surface portion of the front sheet, on which is carried information enabling the front sheet to be used for different purposes.

6. A ticket as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the adhesive area of the back sheet and the corresponding surface portion of the front sheet are confined to relatively small zones on the back and front sheets respectively.

7. A ticket as claimed in any one- of the preceding claims wherein the means for transferring information from the front sheet to the back sheet comprises a layer of pressure sensitive transfer medium applied to the side of the front sheet which is adjacent to the back sheet when the sheets are assembled.

8. A ticket as claimed in Claim 7 in which a carbon based material is used as the pressure sensitive transfer medium.

9. A ticket as claimed in Claim 2 which is provided with means whereby its transport and dispensing from a machine is fascilitated.

10. A ticket as claimed in Claim 9 wherein the means whereby its transport and dispensing from a machine is fascilitated comprises perforations.

11. A ticket as claimed in Claim 9 or Claim 10 which is attached to others packed in a roll, connected, in use, with drive mechanisms in the machine for driving said roll.

12. A ticket as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the area of adhesive on the back sheet and the corresponding surface portion of the front sheet, to which the adhesive can be attached are in the form of narrow bands of frame shape surrounding a central portion.

13. A ticket as claimed in Claim 12 in which the area within the frame shaped band on the front sheet is available to carry machine applied information which appears in visible form on the front sheet and the back sheet and also includes said further surface portion of the front sheet.

14. A ticket as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the surface portion of the front sheet which corresponds with the adhesive area of the back sheet is provided with a layer of a release agent.

15. A ticket substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.