Purchase checkout station

To be used to checkout an item to be purchased, a purchase checkout station comprising:

• product scanning means structured and disposed to scan a bar code of the item to be purchased and obtain pricing and purchase information relative to the item to be purchased,
• a data input connection disposed in information receiving and transmitting communication with said product scanning means,
• said data input connection structured and disposed to receive the pricing and purchase information relative to the items to be purchased from said product scanning means,
• data processing means structured and disposed to store and total the pricing and purchase information of all of the items to be purchased,
• display means structured and disposed to display the pricing and purchase information regarding the items to be purchased and the pricing totals regarding all of the items to be purchased to a user,
• a primary support surface,
• a loading platform movably disposed on said primary support surface and structured to receive each of the items to be purchased individually thereon,
• automatic bagging means structured and disposed to position an empty bag in an open position such that it will receive the item to be purchased on said loading platform therein only if said item to be purchased has been properly scanned by said product scanning means, said automatic bagging means being further structured to enable only a predetermined quantity of said items to be purchased to be disposed in said bag,
• wherein two of said automatic bagging means are disposed to alternately receive said items to be purchased from said loading platform until said predetermined quantity of said items to be purchased is disposed in the bag of each of said automatic bagging means,
• wherein said automatic bagging means includes bag sealing means structured and disposed to seal the bag in a closed position subsequent to said predetermined quantity of said items to be purchased being positioned in the bag,
• wherein said primary support surface includes a pair of spaced access openings, each of said access openings being structured and disposed to overlie said bag of each of said automatic bagging means and allow access thereto by said items to be purchased,
• a stopper panel structured and disposed to push said items to be purchased from said loading platform through one of said access openings into one of said bags.

To be used to checkout an item to be purchased, a purchase checkout station comprising:

• product scanning means structured and disposed to scan a bar code of the item to be purchased and obtain pricing and purchase information relative to the item to be purchased,
• a data input connection disposed in information receiving and transmitting communication with said product scanning means,
• said data input connection structured and disposed to receive the pricing and purchase information relative to the items to be purchased from said product scanning means,
• data processing means structured and disposed to store and total the pricing and purchase information of all of the items to be purchased,
• display means structured and disposed to display the pricing and purchase information regarding the items to be purchased and the pricing totals regarding all of the items to be purchased to a user,
• a primary support surface,
• a loading platform movably disposed on said primary support surface and structured to receive each of the items to be purchased individually thereon,
• automatic bagging means structured and disposed to position an empty bag in an open position such that it will receive the item to be purchased on said loading platform therein only if said item to be purchased has been properly scanned by said product scanning means, said automatic bagging means being further structured to enable only a predetermined quantity of said items to be purchased to be disposed in said bag,
• wherein said primary support surface includes an access opening, said access opening being structured and disposed to overlie said bag of said automatic bagging means and allow access thereto by said items to be purchased,
• wherein said loading platform is disposed above said access opening such that upon movement of said loading platform out of covering relation above said access opening, said item to be purchased on said loading platform will fall off said loading platform into said bag beneath said access opening,
• wherein said loading platform has an upper face and wherein said product scanning means is mounted in said loading platform upper face such that placing said item to be purchased onto said loading platform both causes said item to be scanned and positions said item to fall from said loading platform into said bag upon said movement of said loading platform,
• and wherein two of said automatic bagging means are disposed to alternately receive said items to be purchased from said loading platform until said predetermined quantity of said items to be purchased is disposed in the bag of each of said automatic bagging means.