Abstract: Card-handling devices may include a card-shuffling apparatus, a card output portion, and/or a card input portion. The card input portion may include a card rotation device. The card rotation device may be configured to receive and rotate cards about a minor axis of the cards. The card-handling device may include a card-shuffling apparatus including a carousel having at least one hundred compartments each configured to hold between one and ten cards and arranged radially about the carousel. The card-handling device may be positioned at a gaming structure with a playing surface. The card-handling device may include a card output portion for receiving shuffled cards from the card-shuffling apparatus. The card output portion may be configured to receive the cards where major faces of the playing cards are oriented in a plane substantially transverse to the playing surface.

Abstract: Disclosed are a dart game apparatus and a dart game system including an image projector according to exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure. The dart game apparatus and the dart game system including the image projector may include: a sensing unit sensing hitting of a thrown dart pin; a dart target allowing the dart pin to be received; a display area formed to surround an exterior of the dart target, provided in a body structure of the dart game apparatus, and receiving an image projected from an image projector to output a variable screen; an image projector projecting the image toward the display area; and a controller controlling operations of the dart game apparatus.

Abstract: A device and methods for training a person for face-offs in athletic activities and games. The device includes a base connector, a main resilient member, and a stick wrap. The stick wrap is connected to the heel of the stick and to the main resilient member. The base connector is connected to the main resilient member and serves to connect the training device to a stationary structure. The main resilient member is configured to provide a desired level of resistance to a face-off motion of the stick by the user. An auxiliary resilient member is provided for connection in parallel to the main resilient member to enable the device to provide increased resistance to the face-off motion of the stick by the user.

Abstract: A battling stadium game apparatus and methods for toy tops providing multiple play level surfaces which may include platform inserts to actively direct interactions of spinning tops across multiple play level surfaces, a base, concave areas at a first play level surface at the base, concave areas with battling surfaces at the first play level. The battling surface includes a middle area and a periphery area surrounding the middle area, an overdrive surface disposed at a second play level surface at the base, the overdrive surface is at a level elevated from the concave arena. A lid nests within the base and defines an exterior wall around the perimeter of the base, with a third level platform element between the base and the lid for a third play level surface.

Abstract: A bike balance trainer apparatus for training a rider to balance on a single wheel of a bicycle and including a mount for a service stand and an attachment to allow it to act as a bike stand or storage apparatus is provided. The apparatus may have a base support member and a tire retention member movably connected to the base support member about a first pivot.

Abstract: A net post system for padel tennis. The system comprises of a pair of post. Each post defines a lower ball launching aperture and a ball feeding aperture. A pair of ball chutes, each chute leads to the ball feeding aperture. A pair of controllers. Each controller connects to a power source. Each controller receives commands from a remote. A pair of housings. Each housing has a first servomotor that has a first wheel that spins counterclockwise, a second servomotor that has a second wheel that spins clockwise, wherein the first wheel and the second wheel are spatially separated so that a ball can be pushed into a space, and a third servomotor that controls a lever that is configured to push the ball within the space that leads to the ball launching aperture. And, a net that attaches to the pair of posts.

Abstract: Methods and systems for equipping a toilet with hygiene and safety features by controlling and reducing potential escape of liquid waste from the toilet.

Abstract: A smart soccer goal for tracking and communicating motion of objects includes a goal frame; a net coupled to the goal frame including a plurality of lights; and one or more sensors coupled to the goal frame. A first sensor of the one or more sensors is directed to detecting movement within and immediately near the smart soccer goal and a second sensor of the one or more sensors is directed to detecting movement outside of the smart soccer goal.

Abstract: A backstop for placement around a goal to stop sport projectiles from traveling beyond the outer edge of the goal, the backstop includes a material implement having a goal acceptance aperture located substantially central to the bottom edge and extending towards the top edge. The backstop includes an attachment mechanism that secures the material implement to the goal. The backstop further includes at least one bracket that is operable to attach to the goal frame. A support structure extends from the at least one bracket and is operable to support the material implement to extend beyond the outer edge of the goal.

Abstract: An outcome determination device includes a controller a random generator configured to determine an outcome from a predetermined number of outcomes. The device includes a display device, which may in the form of a wheel, having a plurality of sectors. A plurality of illumination devices are associated with each of the sectors. The sectors correspond to the predetermined number of outcomes. The random number generator and controller determine an outcome for a game, with the outcome corresponding to one of the sectors. The controller illuminates the illumination device corresponding to the sector that corresponds to the determined outcome. The illumination devices may be illuminated before, during, and/or after determination of the outcome, and may be illuminated in sequence to produce a rotating effect or may be illuminated randomly.

Abstract: A remote-controlled retriever for collecting a ball on a sports playing surface and for controllably releasing the ball includes a front end ball collector having two spaced-apart blades defining a ball collection space. Each blade includes a passive or an active detent for retaining the collected ball in the collection space until a programmed or manually-directed release toward a target location such as a tennis baseline. The retriever includes a processor-controller for controlling and directing the retriever during a retrieval session.

Abstract: Aspects of this disclosure relate to improved ergonomic hockey sticks and hockey goalie sticks having shafts and paddles with variable geometric shapes and facets for enhanced gripping ability, and methods for the production thereof.

Abstract: A skating aid comprising novelty figure, such as a snowman, from which a stick or handle, similar to the handle of the hockey stick, protrudes is described. The base of the novelty figure typically has two flat sections proximate its bottom angled relative to each other with the first flat section defining a storage position of the aid when it is not in use, and the second flat section defining a skating position for the aid when in use.

Abstract: A swing analysis system is disclosed herein. The swing analysis system includes a motion capture system comprising at least one motion capture device configured to detect motion of one or more body segments of a user and generate first output data, and further configured to detect the motion of a head and/or face of the user, a hand and/or fingers of the user, and/or an object being manipulated by the user, and generate second output data; and at least one data processing device operatively coupled to the motion capture system, the at least one data processing device configured to determine one or more swing performance parameters for the user using first positional information of the one or more body segments of the user, and/or second positional information for the head and/or face of the user, the hand and/or fingers of the user, and/or the object being manipulated by the user.

Abstract: A connection device that facilitates easy manual connector assembly and disassembly, however, having the ability to semi securely hold the connectors together with a progressive frictional interference fit that can be disassembled with some additional manual frictional force, further, the connector assembly can desirably have a rotational lock interface to prevent inadvertent relative rotation between the connector assembly, in addition the connector assembly would have piloting interface to add bending moment resistance to the connector interface.

Abstract: A putter assembly, configured to facilitate improved alignment by enabling the face angle of the putter to be properly aligned with the hole, including: (a) an elongated shaft; (b) a putter head; (c) a grip; (d) an image sensor, wherein the image sensor is associated with at least one of the putter head and the elongated shaft; (e) a display, wherein the display is in communication with the image sensor; and (f) an energy source, wherein the energy source is in electrical communication with the image sensor and the display.

Abstract: The present invention generally relates to a ball gaming system such as a roulette wheel apparatus, and in particular to a ball launcher for use in a gaming system such as a roulette wheel apparatus and to a gaming system such as a roulette wheel apparatus comprising the ball launcher, wherein the ball launcher includes a ball shuttle for transporting a ball from at least one ball-receiving station to at least one launch tube. According to the present invention, said ball shuttle is configured to move to a reject-ball station in response to a reject-ball signal to transport any old and/or defective ball to said reject-ball station instead of said at least one launch tube.

Abstract: A practice target that includes: a front face; a rear face; a side face with a plurality of pockets, including first and second sets of pockets into which are disposed first and second sets of magnets. The first and second sets of magnets are identical in shape but are oriented opposite each other so that when the practice targets are stacked they have mutual attraction instead of being repelled by like magnets. The magnets include notches/cutouts/protrusions/etc. that match with similar structures in the pockets to hold them in place in the pockets. There are off-center pin holes through the magnets that make sure that they are oriented correctly during injection molding. There are netting grooves between the plurality of pockets and a tether aperture with a tether for attaching to a net.

Abstract: Disclosed is an educational board game having a game surface and associated physical gaming elements that cooperatively simulate distinct phases of a supply chain, in which different physical gaming elements and game board segments correspond to those distinct supply chain phases. Mating, player-specific (e.g., color coded) material game pieces represent materials that may be combined to form a simulated product. Combined game pieces representing player-specific products may then be moved across the game board with players paying various supply chain costs and receiving payment for product sales through the segments of the supply chain. A random number generator, such as one or more dice, in combination with various cards, are used by the players to determine the occurrence of various supply chain risks, values, and projections as the players progress through the segments of the supply chain to ultimate sale of finished products.

Abstract: A compound bow may feature the ability to pre-store energy before the drawing back of the draw string. Various embodiments contemplate that this may allow an archer to draw back the draw string or cable, and upon reaching the let off region of the compound bow's draw profile, cause the pre-stored energy to be transferred to the energy being stored by the bow. Various embodiments contemplate that this addition of pre-stored energy may give the archer more energy, held in the draw string or cable, to transfer to an arrow upon release, propelling it at greater speeds than would have been achieved with a compound bow of equal draw weight that does not feature an energy storage mechanism. Various embodiments contemplate that a system may provide for a return position of the draw.