WO2005090731A1

WO2005090731A1 - Device for collecting donations

Info

Publication number: WO2005090731A1
Application number: PCT/EP2005/051350
Authority: WO
Inventors: Arjan Willem Van Der Schoot
Original assignee: Small Change B.V.
Priority date: 2004-03-24
Filing date: 2005-03-23
Publication date: 2005-09-29
Also published as: EP1580384A1

Abstract

The invention pertains to a device (1) for collecting donations, which comprises a housing (2), an opening (4) for inserting donations, such as coins and bills, and a cavity (5) for keeping inserted donations. The surroundings of the opening (4) are shaped in such a way as to allow donations to be held above it and to be simply dropped in it.

Description

Device for collecting donations

The invention relates to a device for collecting donations, which comprises a housing, an opening for inserting donations, such as coins and bills, and a cavity for keeping inserted donations. The invention also relates to a system for checking luggage, cloth and/or personal belongings of persons entering a building or restricted area for the presence of prohibited items . Devices for collecting donations are known in the art. For instance, US 4,616,776 relates to a receptacle for collection of monies on a mass location, without the necessity of an individual attendant at each collection site. More specifically, US 4,616,776 relates to a receptacle, which is fixedly secured to the pole of a parking meter by a transverse beam, in order to facilitate easy access to the receptacle by the donating public while ' at the same time not interfering with the operation of the parking meter itself. The embodiment shown in the drawings of US 4,616 ,^'776 is provided with a top wall (denoted by numeral 12) containing a "slotted opening 22 which is large enough to permit coins and bills to be inserted therethrough" . It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved donation device. More specifically, it is an object to provide a device, which encourages donations of e.g. small change and/or facilitates donations consisting of two or more items, e.g. several coins or bills. To this end, the device according to the present invention is characterised in that the surroundings of the opening are shaped in such a way as to allow donations to be held above it and to be simply dropped in it. This can be

^• achieved by e.g. a mesh having openings, which are sufficiently large for letting pass at least coins and preferably also bills. However, it is preferred that the opening is part of a funnel, with the relatively wide end of the funnel being located at or near the top of the housing and the opening and the relatively narrow end being located such that donations inserted in the funnel are directed to the cavity. Thus, the device according to the present invention facilitates inserting e.g. a handful of coins without having to insert each coin individually. Especially when the device according to the invention is located near a scanner, a metal detector or similar device e.g. at customs, the entrance of a restricted area or building, or a gate at an airport, and people passing that scanner' or detector are required to empty their pockets, the device encourages or at least does not impede more substantial donations. In contrast, prior art devices do require coins or bills to be inserted one by one, thus discouraging (substantial) donations by people who are pressed for time or standing in an impatient queue. It is preferred that the device is provided with indications of at least two different charities, thus appealing to larger groups. The entity that is responsible for the installation and maintenance of the donation devices according to the invention is preferably also responsible for collecting the donations and distributing the same amongst the various charities. The invention further pertains to system for checking luggage, cloth and/or personal belongings of persons entering a building or restricted area for the presence of prohibited items, characterised in that the system comprises a device for collecting donations, preferably a device as described above and/or preferably located at or next to that station, e.g. within two meters from that station. The invention will now be explained in more detail with reference to the drawings, which schematically show a preferred donation device and a preferred system. Figures 1-3 show respectively a cross-section, a side view and a top view of a preferred embodiment according to the present invention. Figures 4 and 5 show respectively a front view and a top view of a system according to the present invention. Figures 1-3 show a donation device 1 comprising a housing 2, which in turn comprises a circle-cylindrical sidewall 3 and, at its top end, an opening 4 for inserting donations, such as coins and bills, and which defines a cavity 5 for keeping inserted donations . The housing 2 further comprises an inclined bottom wall 6 and, at the lower side of this bottom wall 6, a lockable door 7 in the sidewall 3. The door 7 provides access to the cavity 5 and allows collecting the donations, e.g. at regular intervals. The top of the housing 2 comprises a funnel 8, which is formed integral with the sidewall 3 of the housing 2. The opening 4 is located in the bottom of the funnel 8 and first and second downwardly inclined baffles 9, 10 are present below the opening 4. If a handful of coins is held above the funnel 8 and dropped, the coins will slide or roll down the funnel 8, fall through the opening 4, slide or roll along the first and second baffles 9, 10, and fall into the cavity 5. The funnel shown in the drawings has an inner surface, which is concave in two directions. As a matter of course, other configurations are also suitable, such as a funnel which is concave in only one direction (about the longitudinal axis of the device) , or which is not curved at all, e.g. when the housing has a square cross-section and the funnel comprises four inclined straight plates (cf. inversed pyramid) . In another example the funnel comprises a single inclined plate defining a slotted opening and its bottom end. In yet another example the inner surface of the funnel is concave in one direction (about the longitudinal axis of the device) and convex in the other direction. The surface of the funnel is preferably smooth, and can be made of polished or brushed metal, preferably stainless steel, and/or can be provided with a low friction coating such as Teflon. The baffles 9, 10 will hinder people from reaching into the cavity 5 (e.g. with a magnet or glue on a string) . The bottom part of the donation device 1 has been weighted, in this example by means of a concrete base 11. In addition, the donation device 1 can be provided with a GPS or a tilt detector coupled to a means for sounding an alarm when the device is being moved or tilted by an unauthorised person and beyond a predetermined threshold value. Donations are further facilitated when the relatively wide end of the funnel 8 is located within a range from 60 to 130 cm, preferably within a range from 80 to 120 cm above ground level. Further, the device 1 comprises a sign 12 over the funnel 8 and attached to the circumference thereof by means of a number of rods 13. The sign 12 is provided with indications of two or more charities, in this example four, and located at eye level, i.e. the middle section of the sign 12 is in a range from 160 to 190 cm above ground level. Figures 4 and 5 show a system 14 for checking luggage, cloth and/or personal belongings of persons entering a restricted area for the presence of prohibited items. This system comprises a conveyor belt 15 for carrying luggage, coats and the like through a scanner, such as an X- ray machine 16. After placing the said items on the conveyor belt 15, people who want to enter the restricted area are required to hand over any metal items, such as coins, keys and watches, to security personnel and to walk through a metal detector 17. A donation device 1 as described above is positioned next to this metal detector 17. Many people who are at that juncture confronted with generally known charities will consider a donation instead of handing over the said coins to security personnel, especially if they are e.g. on their way to a zone with a different currency and will no longer be needing the said coins. As the device 1 according to the invention will not cause any delay, many people will drop at least part of their coins en possibly also bills in .the donation device 1. The invention is not restricted to the above- described embodiments, which can be varied in a number of ways within the scope of the claims. For instance, instead of a funnel, it is also possible to employ a mesh having openings, which are sufficiently large for letting through donations, and preferably provided with an upright collar along its circumference.

Claims

1. Device (1) for collecting donations, which comprises a housing (2) , an opening (4) for inserting donations, such as coins and bills, and a cavity (5) for keeping inserted donations, characterised in that the surroundings of the opening (4) are shaped in such a way as to allow donations to be held above it and to be dropped in it.

2. Device (1) according to claim 1, wherein the opening (8) is part of a funnel (8) , with the relatively wide end of the funnel (8) being located at or near the top of the housing (2) and the relatively narrow end and the opening (4) being located such that donations inserted in the funnel (7) are directed to the cavity (5) .

3. Device (1) according to claim 1 or 2 , wherein, when the device (1) is installed, the relatively wide end of the funnel (8) is located within a range from 60 to 130 cm, preferably within a range from 80 to 120 cm above ground level .

4. Device (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein at least one inclined baffle (9) is present below the opening (4) so as to hinder people from reaching into the cavity (5) .

5. Device (1) according to claim 4, wherein at a second inclined baffle (10) is present below the said first baffle (9) .

6. Device (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the bottom part (11) of the device (1) has been weighted.

7. Device (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, which is provided with indications of at least two different charities.

8. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, which comprises an element (12) located over the wide end of the funnel (8) and provided with indications of at least one charity or comprising a surface intended for being provided with such indications.

9. System (14) for checking luggage, cloth and/or personal belongings of persons entering a building or restricted area for the presence of prohibited items, characterised in that the system (14) comprises a device (1) for collecting donations, preferably in accordance with any one of the preceding claims .

10. System (14) according to claim 9, which comprises a station (17) where persons have to hand over metal objects, such as coins, keys, watches and the like, and wherein the said device (1) is located at or next to that station (17) .