Diverter arm for retail checkstand and retail checkstands and methods incorporating same

A retail checkstand comprising:

• a conveyor configured to receive items;
• one or more item collection areas proximate to an end of the conveyor;
• one or more diverter arms positioned between a portion of the conveyor and one or more of the item collection areas, wherein the diverter arm comprises
• an elongated block portion,
• an upper body portion positioned on top of the block portion substantially along its length, the upper body portion comprising at least a front face, and
• at least one bristle portion projecting downward from the bottom of the block portion substantially along its length.

A method of performing retail checkout comprising:

• providing a retail checkstand comprising
• a conveyor configured to receive items;
• at least first and second item collection areas proximate to an end of the conveyor;
• one or more diverter arms positioned between a portion of the conveyor and one or more of the item collection areas, wherein the diverter arm comprises
• an elongated block portion,
• an upper body portion positioned on top of the block portion substantially along its length, the upper body portion comprising at least a front face, and
• at least one bristle portion projecting downward from the bottom of the block portion substantially along its length;
• positioning one or more of the diverter arms in a first position in which items are permitted to pass from the conveyor to a first collection area but not to a second collection area;
• and
• positioning one or more of the diverter arms in a second position in which items are permitted to pass from the conveyor to the second collection area but not to the first collection area.