Famous Patents
3M employee and church chorister Art Fry needed something to temporarily mark pages in his hymnal. He was in luck because his colleague, Spencer Silver, accidentally developed a glue that was too weak for other purposes. After initially discouraging consumer response, Post-it Notes became a hit in 1979.
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 7565952 | Small footprint self checkout method Aspects of a self checkout method are described. The method includes utilizing an imaging scanner to image products being purchased; providing a bag rack with scales substantially adjacent the imaging scanner for holding a bag to receive imaged products; and utilizi... | 07/28/2009 |
| 7516820 | Collapsible multiple arm bag holder for a retail checkout station A retail checkout station includes a housing having at least a front wall, a first side wall and a second side wall, and a product scanning portion mounted to the housing. The product scanning portion includes a scanning device for scanning products purchased by a c... | 04/14/2009 |
| 7370730 | Self-checkout system with plurality of capacity-detecting loading stations A system and method for scanning goods and loading the goods into receptacles by a user includes a scanner and a plurality of loading stations. The scanner scans the goods, and the scanned goods are placed on the loading stations. Each loading station separately obt... | 05/13/2008 |
| 7292158 | Method and system for detecting and rewarding the returning of shopping carts A method and a system for detecting and rewarding the returning of shopping carts to the supermarket collection points is provided. During shopping, a first signal A is generated. When a shopping cart is returned, a signal B is generated. These two signals A and B a... | 11/06/2007 |
| 7255271 | Check-out counter systems and methods A bagging station within a check-out counter system and for use by a cashier positioned in a cashier location within the check-out counter system. The bagging station includes a lower bag rack and an upper bag rack. The lower bag rack is configured to hold at least ... | 08/14/2007 |
| 7168525 | Self-checkout method and apparatus including graphic interface for non-bar coded items A self-checkout system includes a graphical user interface for self-checkout of non-bar-coded items. The interface displayes a predetermined image corresponding to a non-bar-coded item, and means for the user to select the image. A product look up (PLU) entry device... | 01/30/2007 |
| 7160196 | Identification device A tray (10) for supplying coded golf balls (50) to the tee (41) of a golf driving range comprises a first zone (11) for receiving golf balls, one of which is selected to be played by moving it by means of a club over a barrier (14)... | 01/09/2007 |
| 7114611 | Methods and apparatus for improved self-checkout system A conveyor system for a self-checkout apparatus including a first side support rail having an inner side and an outer side and a second side support rail spaced apart from said first side support rail and positioned parallel thereto, where the second side support ra... | 10/03/2006 |
| 7108125 | Extendable belt conveyor An extendable conveyor includes a support structure, a mechanically extendable section which is extendable along the longitudinal axis between a fully retracted position and a fully extended position, a conveyor belt reeved among the mechanically extendable section ... | 09/19/2006 |
| 7100824 | System and methods for merchandise checkout Systems and methods for recognizing and identifying items located on the lower shelf of a shopping cart in a checkout lane of a retail store environment for the purpose of reducing or preventing loss or fraud and increasing the efficiency of a checkout process. The ... | 09/05/2006 |
| 7066389 | Apparatus, system, and method for facilitating product weight identification in a checkout lane An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for facilitating product weight identification in a checkout lane. The apparatus includes an open-frame back, a pair of opposing support arms to support an open plastic bag, a pair of opposing open-frame sides, and a ga... | 06/27/2006 |
| 7040455 | System and method for tracking items at a scale of a self-checkout terminal A system tracks items in the checkout area of a self-checkout terminal to reduce the likelihood of fraud in item substitution. The system includes a plurality of weight sensors operatively coupled to a checkout area for sensing a distributed weight of an item placed... | 05/09/2006 |
| 7016862 | Method for enhancing security and providing assistance in the operation of a self-service checkout terminal A method of providing security during operation of a self-service checkout terminal includes the step of creating a transaction table which includes a plurality of records corresponding respectively to a plurality of items entered into the checkout terminal during a... | 03/21/2006 |
| 6793043 | Methods and apparatus for improved register checkout Systems and techniques for more efficient checkout are described. A triangular carousel having a relatively small footprint is employed proximate a bar code scanner and point of sale (POS) terminal so that a checker can efficiently load scanned items into bags, and ... | 09/21/2004 |
| 6681896 | System and method for monitoring a bag supply in a self-checkout station A monitoring system signals a low bag supply condition in a bag supply of a self-checkout station before the bag supply is depleted and requires immediate attention to enable use of the self-checkout station. The monitoring system includes a low bag suppl... | 01/27/2004 |
| 6550583 | Apparatus for self-serve checkout of large order purchases An apparatus for self-serve checkout of large order purchases is provided. The apparatus includes one or more product code entry devices for entering a product code of an item to be purchased, a controller and a carousel assembly that includes a rotating ... | 04/22/2003 |
| 6533073 | Checkout counter construction and method employing bag well feature A checkout counter construction and method employs a bag well feature using a cover member which is movable between a first, closed and latched position and a second, open position without using springs, pneumatic cylinders or any electrical connection, a... | 03/18/2003 |
| 6167381 | Self-service checkout terminal A self-service checkout terminal includes a base having a bagwell defined therein. The terminal also includes a first counter supported on the base. The first counter has a first surface which is positioned at a first height. The terminal further includes... | 12/26/2000 |
| 6070388 | Bag opening system A device for opening a series of bags in a stack. The device comprises a rotatable element having a substantially circular cross section. This element rotates and grabs a front side of the bag. Attached to the rotatable element is a first drive mechanism ... | 06/06/2000 |
| 6035971 | Check out stand with telescoping take-away conveyor A check out stand (20) having a telescoping take-away conveyor (26) extending between a front module (22) and a rear module (24). Retraction of the telescoping take-away conveyor (26) allows an area located beneath the leading end of the conveyor to be ex... | 03/14/2000 |
| 5884728 | Assembly for checking and registering purchases in a self-service sales point An assembly for checking an registering purchases made by a consumer in a self-service sales point. The assembly includes a station for unloading the pruchases, a work station provided with apparatus for registering and accounting the purchases adapted to... | 03/23/1999 |
| 5755308 | Check out stand with telescoping take-away conveyor A check out stand (20) having a telescoping take-away conveyor (26) extending between a front module (22) and a rear module (24). Retraction of the telescoping take-away conveyor (26) allows an area located beneath the leading end of the conveyor to be ex... | 05/26/1998 |
| 5752582 | Self-service checkout system An automated checkout station is provided which allows a single cashier to monitor and assist multiple customers simultaneously without the requirement for a video surveillance system. The automated checkout station includes all of the features necessary ... | 05/19/1998 |
| 5642791 | Plastic bag packing system A plastic bag packing system adapted for use in association with a retail store check out counter having a front wall with a recess extending therein, the recess having a rear wall including a centrally positioned horizontal rod, the apparatus comprising:... | 07/01/1997 |
| 5641039 | Purchase checkout station To be used to checkout a plurality of items to be purchased, a purchase checkout station including a product scanner utilized to scan a bar code of the item to be purchased and obtain store and purchase information relative to the item to be purchased, a ... | 06/24/1997 |
| 5584362 | Check-out and bagging station and method A customer checkout apparatus for recording the prices of purchase items where the purchase items each have an item information display mechanism for storing purchase item data including purchase item price in machine readable form includes an item check-... | 12/17/1996 |
| 5551531 | Purchase item checkout station and method An apparatus for pricing and bagging purchase items which are marked with bar codes includes a hub rotatably mounted on a hub mounting structure, a transparent and substantially horizontal upper table positioned over the lower table and rotatably mounted ... | 09/03/1996 |
| 5437346 | Station for price scanning verifying and selectively bagging purchase items To be used with a purchase monitoring device which is utilized to scan a bar code of an item to be purchased and obtain store and purchase information relative to the item to be purchased, a purchase checkout station which has a monitor cradle to receive ... | 08/01/1995 |
| 5335485 | Flexible bag dispensing apparatus for use in supermarkets and the like Apparatus suitable for disposition in supermarkets and the like for dispensing, in open condition, plastic or otherwise flexible bags for receiving therein articles purchased on site. The apparatus includes a reel formed of a continuous web of bags serial... | 08/09/1994 |
| 5195613 | Commodity data reader A commodity data reader comprises a bar-code scanner disposed near the edge of one of the longer sides of an elongated check-out counter on which baskets containing commodities are placed on the side of the operator with the scanning window thereof facing... | 03/23/1993 |
| 5191749 | Plastic bag dispensing apparatus for supermarkets incorporating devices for the registering of the purchased items Apparatus for self-service scanning, registering and bagging a product purchased in a supermarket. The apparatus comprises a unit (1) for dispensing and opening a single plastic bag from a continuous strip wound in a reel, a balance (2) for weighing the i... | 03/09/1993 |
| 5174413 | Plastic bag dispensing apparatus for supermarkets incorporating devices for the registering of the purchased items Apparatus for dispensing and opening plastic bags from a continuous strip wound in a reel apt to detach from it a bag (4) at a time, open it and keep it open below a mouth (8) through which a customer may insert into the underposed bag (4) the items he pu... | 12/29/1992 |
| 5167301 | Supermarket checkout counter incorporating dual bag feeding apparatus for dispensing, delivering, opening and retaining flexible bags for purchased articles A checkout counter for supermarkets and the like incorporates therewithin dual bag feeding apparatus, each operable for automatically dispensing, delivering, opening and retaining a flexible bag in a position and location suitable for the convenient intro... | 12/01/1992 |
| 5131499 | Retail store checkout device At a retail store checkout cashier or like station, rotary device which is delineated into circumferentially spaced compartments for successively storing plastic bags with handles, moving the handles of each bag in turn between supporting hooks to open ea... | 07/21/1992 |
| 5040636 | Merchandise checkout work station A merchandise checkout work station is of generally L-shaped configuration as viewed from above, and includes a merchandise holding area, a work area for a scanner and a keyboard, a bagging area, an elevated writing surface, a purchase set-aside area and ... | 08/20/1991 |
| 4953664 | Ergonomically designed check-out counter system for supermarket and merchandising industries An ergonomically designed check-out counter system for supermarket and merchandising industries is characterized by provisions for differences in human heights, hand and position of operators and for ease in handling of merchandise to reduce fatigue and i... | 09/04/1990 |
| 4912906 | Automatic bag system for supermarket check-out counter An automatic bag system for supermarket check-out counters is disclosed. An open top loading compartment is provided adjacent to the check-out clerk and a roll of plastic material is mounted to feed sheet plastic over the open top of the loading compartme... | 04/03/1990 |
| 4909356 | Fully self-service check-out counter incorporating an integral apparatus for on demand manufacturing of custom-sized bags conforming to the volume of articles received therein A self-service check-out counter for cashier-unattended use and operation includes an laser scanner for automated reading of product identification codes borne by articles to be purchased, a keyboard for manual entry of article-identifying information, a ... | 03/20/1990 |
| 4512540 | Plastic bag rack for checkstand A rack for a plastic bag has its back adjustably mounted by a pair of attachment devices on the undersurface of a hinged panel which normally covers a well provided on the table top of a checkstand in a supermarket. When a checkout clerk at the checkstand... | 04/23/1985 |
| 4484662 | Method and apparatus for handling bags at a check-out counter A bag handling method and apparatus for a check-out counter are disclosed. A strip of serially connected bags having their bottoms leading their tops in the direction of strip movement are intermittently fed from a roll to an edge of the counter where the... | 11/27/1984 |
