Lottery scratch ticket container

Abstract

The lottery scratch ticket container provides a surface on which to scratch lottery tickets and a receiver for holding the shavings from the scratched tickets. The lottery scratch ticket container is also able to hold a variety of lottery tickets within the container. The lottery scratch ticket container is a hinged container, connecting a lid portion to a container base portion. The lid portion allows a user to wipe scratchings through apertures defined between a base surface of the lid portion and the sidewalls of the lid portion and into gutters within the container base portion. Also, the container base portion includes several ticket holders to hold lottery tickets of varying sizes.

1 . A lottery scratch ticket container, comprising: 
 a lid portion having a base surface and a frame normal to the base surface, the frame having a top portion, a bottom end wall and opposing sidewalls connecting the top portion and the bottom end wall, the base surface being attached to at least the top portion and the bottom end wall, the base surface being recessed between the top and bottom portions and the sidewalls; and    a container base portion having a base surface and a frame normal to the base surface, the frame having a top portion, a bottom end wall and opposing sidewalls, the top portion, bottom end wall and opposing sidewalls of the base portion defining a recess therein, at least one of the opposing sidewalls of the base portion having a gutter defined therein extending from the top portion to the bottom end wall of the container base portion.    
   
   
       2 . The lottery scratch ticket container as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the bottom end wall and opposing sidewalls of the lid portion each have an overhang portion disposed above the base surface of the lid portion.  
   
   
       3 . The lottery scratch ticket container as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said lid portion frame and said container base portion frame each have a substantially rectangular contour.  
   
   
       4 . The lottery scratch ticket container as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising means for releasably storing a scratching device.  
   
   
       5 . The lottery scratch ticket container as recited in  claim 4 , wherein said storing means comprises a coin holder mounted on said lid portion, the coin holder having an arcuate wall and a top flange extending inward from the arcuate wall to define a slot adapted for frictionally receiving a coin.  
   
   
       6 . The lottery scratch ticket container as recited in  claim 5 , further comprising a frictional element mounted on said lid portion within the arc defined by said coin holder for frictionally engaging the coin.  
   
   
       7 . The lottery scratch ticket container as recited in  claim 5 , wherein a recess is formed in said lid portion adjacent said coin holder, the recess being adapted for inserting a fingertip below the coin for ease in removing the coin from said coin holder.  
   
   
       8 . The lottery scratch ticket container as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising means for releasably locking said lid portion to said container base portion.  
   
   
       9 . The lottery scratch ticket container as recited in  claim 1 , wherein at least one aperture is formed through said lid portion, whereby scratchings from a lottery ticket scratched on the recessed base surface of said lid portion fall through the at least one aperture into the gutter defined in said container base portion when the container is in a closed configuration.  
   
   
       10 . The lottery scratch ticket container as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising a support tab mounted on said container base portion, the support tab having an opening formed therethrough adapted for hanging the container from a hook.  
   
   
       11 . The lottery scratch ticket container as recited in  claim 1 , wherein a support slot is formed through the base surface of said container base portion, the support slot being adapted for receiving an external support member.  
   
   
       12 . The lottery scratch ticket container as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising a first pocket formed within the container base portion recess, the first pocket being adapted for releasably receiving a first lottery scratch ticket.  
   
   
       13 . The lottery scratch ticket container as recited in  claim 12 , further comprising a second pocket formed within the container base portion recess, the second pocket being positioned beneath the first pocket and adapted for releasably receiving a second lottery ticket, the first and second pockets having different sizes dimensioned and configured for storing lottery tickets of different sizes.  
   
   
       14 . The lottery scratch ticket container as recited in  claim 12 , wherein said first pocket is pivotally mounted within said container base portion.  
   
   
       15 . The lottery scratch ticket container as recited in  claim 14 , further comprising a support member mounted to said container base portion within said recess beneath the first pocket for supporting the first pocket above the base surface of said container base portion.  
   
   
       16 . The lottery scratch ticket container as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said lid portion is pivotally attached to said container base portion.  
   
   
       17 . The lottery scratch ticket container as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of support ribs mounted to a lower surface of the base surface of said lid portion, the support ribs being positioned above the gutter when the container is in a closed configuration.