GB2417980A

GB2417980A - Cash register guard

Info

Publication number: GB2417980A
Application number: GB0419389A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Paul Anthony Hart
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2004-09-01
Filing date: 2004-09-01
Publication date: 2006-03-15
Also published as: GB0419389D0

Abstract

A guard (50) comprises a back panel (53) and two side panels (54, 55) which in use surround a cash register (52). Preferably the guard further has a top (56) and base (59). The side panels may slope towards the base at an open front part of the guard, the top extending forwards only partway along each side panel. Preferably the guard is made from transparent plastics and is of integral form. The base may include means (60) to secure a cash register thereto and a lip (68) to prevent a cash register from being pulled forwards out of the guard.

Description

24 1 7980 TITLE: Guards for Cash Registers and the like

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to guards for cash registers and the like, and refers primarily to point-of-sale (hereinafter POS) devices, which term includes (without limitation) a POS device, an EPOS (electronic POS) device, either of them with or without a cash drawer, a "touch pad", or a "till", i.e. a POS device with a cash drawer but without a display and/or keyboard.

BACKGROUND

Cash registers have been provided with a guard strip located so that it will be above the cash drawer when open, to make it difficult for a customer to reach over the counter, i.e. from the back of the cash register (the customer side of it), to take money from the cash drawer. Alternatively, in order to protect a cash register, it may he located well out of reach of the customer, e.g. at the back of a bar, i.e. behind the barman when facing the customers, which has the disadvantage that the barman has to turn his back on the customers to access the cash register.

THE INVENTION

According to one aspect of the invention, there is provided a guard for a cash register or like device, comprising a back panel and two side panels suitable to go around a suitable said device. For example, each side panel may be formed with a half-sized back panel, such that the two half- sized back panels can be fitted together to form the said back panel. The guard is to serve to protect the cash register against a low degree of violence, e.g. against the kind of violence that might be wreaked by a drunk customer, and preferably against liquid spillage by the same. It is preferably made of a material which is shock-inhibiting.

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These guards arc preferably designed to be fixed to the shop counter, or other sales counter, and the cash register, EPOS unit, or like device is placed inside. In situations where unhappy/problematic/violent/drunk customers are at the counter, occasionally they have been known to express their displeasure by hitting and breaking the cash till, as it is often the nearest and most expensive item that is easily targetable.

These guards are preferably designed to help prevent this sort of damage. If made of clear impact-resistant plastics material, e.g. polycarbonate or even a material such as that known under the trade name Perspex, possibly tinted, they will be unobtrusive, yet protective. They can also be designed to help protect the EPOS unit or like device from liquid spills as may occur in the case of a pub, possibly aggressive intentional spills in the direction of the cash register or like device by a drunk customer, and help deter the grab-and-run kind of opportunist theft.

The following features help to provide such advantages.

The guard may have only back and side panels, possibly with a bottom panel, but no top panel. However, to give greater protection to said device, the guard comprises a top panel, e.g. the top panel extending forwards from the back, preferably less than half-way to the front of the side panels, although the top panel could be designed to extend more than half-way to the front. Preferably, the top panel slopes upwardly towards the front of the guard. In some embodiments, the back panel slopes upwardly and forwardly towards the top panel. The said panels may be made contiguous, and/or liquid-proof, and the guard may be made liquid-proof between adjacent said panels. Prelerably, the said panels are monolithic with one another, although they could be formed separately and affixed together. Preferably, the guard is formed substantially wholly of plastics material. The guard could be made of other . . ..

a e . 1 * - 3 materials such as wood, or metal, and a window (e.g. a gap or transparent portion) could be provided for the customer to see the total balance display, installed in one or more of the panels, e. g. at an upper rear part of the guard, through which portion a suitable cash register display can be viewed from the rear, e.g. over the counter by a customer. The material of the guard may be substantially wholly transparent, or it may be partially transparent, i.e. having one or more windows permitting a display to be viewed.

Preferably, the guard comprises a bottom panel. This is particularly useful for securing the guard (and incidentally the said device contained therein), e.g. to the counter, for which purpose the bottom panel preferably has anchoring means for use in anchoring the guard. However, the guard could be provided without a bottom panel if an alternative method of securing is rcquircd, e.g. from the side panels, or if none is required. The guard may be provided without built-in anchoring means, e.g. if glue or double sided sticky tape can be used for the anchoring method.

Preferably, the tops of the side panels have a portion sloping downwardly towards the front of the guard, and the guard has an open-topped region between these sloping portions, through which region a suitable keyboard of the device can be operated. In some embodiments, said device has at its front an open region, through which a suitable cash register money drawer can open.

Possibly, the guard has at its front detent means, whereby a suitable cash register can be prevented from being slid horizontally out of the guard. This "detent" is something, e.g. a lip at the front, that makes it more difficult for a thief to slide out the whole till because he would first have to lift it. As this is an unusual type of theist when the POS is in use, the front of the device will usually have no detent so that the . . .. a

. 1 . , - 4 cash register can be slid in and out readily when required. The cash register cannot be slid out of the back of the guard (i.e. towards the customer) since the guard has a back panel.

According to another aspect of invention, there is provided such a guard when associated with said device.

According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a combination of a cash register or like device and any such guard for the same.

DESCRIPTION RELATING TO THE DRAWINGS

Reference will now be made by way of example to the accompanying drawings, in which have a: Figure 1 is a set of views l1, 12, 13, 14 and 15, of a guard embodying the invention; Figure 2 is a set of views 21, 22, 23, 24 and 25, of another guard embodying the invention; Figure 3 is a set of views 31, 32, 33, 34 and 35, of another guard embodying the invention; and Figure 4 is a set of views 41, 42, 43, 44 and 45, of another guard embodying the invention.

In Figure 1, the first view 11 is a plan view, the second view 12 is a side view in the direction 12-12 in view 11, the third view 13 is a front view in the direction 13-13 of view 12, the fourth view 14 is an underneath plan view, and the fifth view is a perspective view also showing the guarded cash register. The various views in Figures 2, 3 and 4 correspond to those of Figure 1.

Referring to the drawings, like references in the different views refer to like items.

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. . . . . . . 1 - 5 A guard 50, Figure 1, for cash register, EPOS or like POS device 52, comprises a back panel 53 and two side panels 54, 55 a suitable to go around said device 52.

The guard 50 is to serve to protect the POS device 52 against a low degree of violence, e.g. against the kind of violence that might be wreaked by a drunk customer standing behind back panel 53 (i.c. to the left of panel 53 as seen in view 12), and preferably against liquid spillage by the same. Guard 50 has a top panel 56 which extends forwards (to the right has seen in view 12) from the back panel 53. The top panel 56 extends less than halfway from the back panel 53 towards the front of the side panels 54, 55, and slopes upwardly towards the front of the guard 50. The said panels 53, 54, 55, 56 arc contiguous and are liquid- proof, and the guard 50 is liquid-proof between adjacent said panels 53, 54, 55, 56, which panels are monolithic with one another. The guard 50 is formed substantially wholly of plastics material, more specifically polycarbonate plastics material (a so-called substantially "shatterproof" material), and comprises a window 57 which comprises a transparent portion 57 at an upper rear part of the guard 50, in back panel 53, through which portion 57 a suitable cash register display 58 (the customer side of display 581) can be viewed. The remainder of guard 50 may be tinted but transparent, so that the whole of guard 50 is substantially transparent.

Guard 50 also comprises a bottom panel 59 which has anchoring means 60 for use in anchoring the guard 50 in the form of holes 60 that can be used for bolting a guard 50 to a counter 61 on which guard 50 rests.

The tops 62 of the side panels 54, 55 have a portion 63 sloping downwardly towards the front 66 of the guard 50, and the guard 50 a has an open-topped region a a ese ë . . . . ë e . . . - 6 64-64 between these sloping portions 63, 63, through which region 64 a keyboard 65 of said POS device 52 can be operated by the operative's fingers.

The guard 50, at its front 66, has an open region 66-66, through which a money drawer 67, Figure 2, of said POS device 52 can open. When POS device 52 has no drawer 67, guard 5() can have at its front 66-66, as seen more clearly in view 35 of Figure 3, detent means in the form of a fixed strip 68, whereby said POS device 52 can be prevented from being slid horizontally out of the guard 50.

The guard 50 can be tailored for different EPOS devices 52, with or without a cash drawer 67, as exemplified in respective Figures 1 to 4. They are largely the same, mostly having similar features and sizes, and only the major differences are pointed out below.

The guard 50 of Figure 1 is made for a cash register 52 without a drawer 67, and is 43 cm wide, with a back panel 53 that is 32 cm high and a top panel 56 that is 10 cm from front to back and rises forwardly to a highest point 69 that is a 4 cm above back panel 56. From this point 69, the open-topped region 64-64 descends forwardly to a point 70 at the front 66 (where side panels 54, 55 are rounded for safety) 10 cm above bottom panel 59. Bottom panel 59 has a data cable hole 71 that is 4 cm by 10 cm, and each of side panels 54, 55 has a hole 72 of diameter 4.5 cm for handling, supply cables, ventilation, passage for vermin, or other known or useful purposes.

The guard 50 of Figure 2 is made for a cash register 52 with a drawer 67. It is an example of a design in which the top panel 57 is brought sufficiently forward to a peak point 69 to ensure adequate cover for register 52 against a customer intending light damage or spillage, but in order to reduce the size of top panel 56 for salcty, e.g. to prevent anything being rested thereon, back panel 53 has an upper portion 531 that e see e eee e e e e a e e c e e e ee e e e e e e e e ee e e e ë e e ee. e slopes somewhat forwardly and upwardly to meet top panel 56. Portion 531 extends forwardly 11 cm, from a whole of back panel 53 is of height 41 cm and the bottom vertical portion below upper portion 531 has a height of 10 cm. The extra height of guard 50, compared with that of the Figure 1 embodiment, accommodates an upstanding display 58.

The guard 50 of Figure 3 is made for a touch pad 52, and its screen 581 may not have a portion that has to be visible to the customer standing to the rear of back panel 53. The total height to peak point 69 is 33 cm, while the height of back panel 53 is 16 cm.

The guard 50 of Figure 4 is made for a touch pad 52, and is similar to the embodiment of Figure 3, except that the back panel 53 has a slanted upper portion 531 to bring peak point 69 further forward, a total of 15 cm from the bottom of back panel 53.

It will be apparent to one skilled in the art, that features of the different embodiments disclosed herein may be omitted, selected, combined or exchanged and the invention is considered to extend to any new and inventive combination thus formed. Where a preference or particularization is stated, there is implied the possibility of its negative, i.e. a case in which that preference or particularization is absent.

Many variations of the invention and embodiments hereinbefore described will he apparent to people skilled in the art and all such variations are to be considered as falling within the scope of the invention.

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Claims

CLAII\IS 1. A guard for a cash register or like device, comprising a back

panel and two side panels suitable to go around a suitable said device.
2. A guard as claimed in claim 1, comprising a top panel.
3. A guard as claimed in claim 2, in which the top panel extends forwards from the back.
4. A guard as claimed in claim 3, in which the top panel extends less than half way to the front of the side panels.
5. A guard as claimed in claim 4 or 5, in which the top panel slopes upwardly towards the front of the guard.
6. A guard as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5, in which the back panel slopes upwardly and forwardly towards the top panel.
7. A guard as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6, in which the said panels are contiguous.
8. A guard as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 7, in which the said panels are liquid-proof; and the guard is liquid-proof between adjacent said panels.
9. A guard as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 8, in which the said panels are monolithic with one another.
10. A guard as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 9, which is formed substantially wholly of plastics material.
11. A guard as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 10, which comprises polycarbonate plastics material.
12. A guard as claimed in any one of claims I to 11, comprising a window. . c

. . . . e . . . . . - 9 - 13. A guard as claimed in claim 12, in which the window comprises a transparent portion at an upper rear part of the guard, through which portion a suitable cash register display can be viewed.

14. A guard as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 13, which is substantially wholly transparent.

15. A guard as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 14, comprising a bottom panel.

16. A guard as claimed in claim 15, in which the bottom panel has anchoring means for use in anchoring the guard.

17. A guard as claimed in any one of claims l to 16, in which the tops of the side panels have a portion sloping downwardly towards the front of the guard, and the guard has an open-topped region between these sloping portions, through which region a keyboard of a suitable said device can be operated.

18. A guard as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 17, which at its front has an open region, through which a money drawer of a suitable said device can open.

19. A guard as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 18, which at its front has detent means, whereby a suitable said device can be prevented from being slid horizontally out of the guard.

20. A guard for a cash register or like device and substantially according to any example hereinbcfore described.

21. A guard for a cash register or like device and substantially according to any example hereinbefore described with refercoce to the accompanying drawings.

22. A guard as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 21 for a cash register or or like device, when associated with said device.

c c c c c. . . c . . c . . . - 10 23. A combination of a cash register or like device and a guard for the same as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 21.

ese tee . . e .

e Amendments to the claims have been filed as follows..CLME: CLAIMS

1. A guard for a cash register or like device, comprising a back panel and two side panels suitable to go around a suitable said device, the guard being provided with theft-deterrent means.

2. A guard as claimed in claim to 1, in which the theft-deterrent means comprise securing means to secure the guard against removal.

3. A guard as claimed in claim 2, in which the securing means comprise built-in anchoring means.

4. A guard as claimed in claim 1, in which the theft-deterrent means comprise JO adhesive means.

5. A guard as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4, in which the theftdeterrent means comprise detent means, whereby a suitable said device can be prevented from being slid horizontally out of the guard.

6. A guard as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5, comprising a top panel.

7. A guard as claimed in claim 6, in which the top panel extends forwards from the back.

8. A guard as claimed in claim 7, in which the top panel extends less than half way to the front of the side panels.

9. A guard as claimed in claim 7 or 8, in which the top panel slopes upwardly towards the front of the guard.

10. A guard as claimed in any one of claims I to 9, in which the back panel slopes upwardly and forwardly towards the top panel.

11. A guard as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 10, in which the said panels are contiguous. , .

.. ., v . .. .. J _. .. _ Liz..CLME: 12. A guard as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 11, in which the said panels are liquid-proof, and the guard is liquid-proof between adjacent said panels.
13. A guard as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 12, in which the said panels are monolithic with one another.
14. A guard as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 13, which is formed substantially wholly of plastics material.
15. A guard as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 14, which comprises polycarbonate plastics material.
16. A guard as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 15, comprising a window.
17. A guard as claimed in claim 16, in which the window comprises a transparent portion at an upper rear part of the guard, through which portion a suitable cash register display can be viewed.
18. guard as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 17, which is substantially wholly transparent.
19. A guard as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 18, comprising a bottom panel.
20. A guard as claimed in claim 19, in which the bottom panel has anchoring means for use in anchoring the guard.
21. A guard as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 20, in which the tops of the side panels have a portion sloping downwardly towards the front of the guard, and the guard has an open-topped region between these sloping portions, through which region a keyboard of a suitable said device can be operated.
22. A guard as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 21, which at its Front has an open region, through which a money drawer of a suitable said device can open.

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23. A guard as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 22, which at its front has detent means, whereby a suitable said device can be prevented from being slid horizontally out of the guard.
24. A guard for a cash register or like device and substantially according to any S example hereinbefore described.
25. A guard for a cash register or like device and substantially according to any example hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
26. A guard as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 25 for a cash register or or like device, when associated with said device.
27. A combination of a cash register or like device and a guard for the same as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 25.

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