PLAYING CARDS STORING DEVICE
A playing card storing device is for holding and/or manipulating a set of playing cards and includes an open box having at least two mutually opposite lateral walls, a bottom wall between the lateral walls and a backwall between the lateral walls. The bottom wall and the backwall are connected along a coupling rib. In longitudinal direction and a sense from the backwall towards the inner side of the box, the outmost point of the side of the lateral walls opposite to the bottom wall extends beyond the outmost point of the side of the lateral walls contacting the bottom wall.
The present invention generally relates to a playing cards storing device for holding, storing and manipulating a set of playing cards, and its use in casinos and for playing card games.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONCard playing games are well known nowadays. Often the game is based upon the unpredictability of the order of cards being dealt or drawn from a randomly ordered deck or set of playing cards, wherein a set of playing cards comprises more than one deck of playing cards being randomly ordered at set level.
As an example, baccarat is played with a randomly ordered set of 8 decks of playing cards, in total 416 randomly ordered cards. For some games, once cards are drawn from the set, the drawn cards cannot be used anymore as such, since the order of drawing and setting aside the drawn cards can be monitored. Players can turn the cards themselves after the bet resulting in compromised, damaged, or destroyed cards. Reusing the used cards may be open for prediction of order, hence of cheating.
Seen the high stakes involved, in fact any source of fraudulent playing or behaviour must be avoided. The handling time between production of a set of playing cards and using it at the playing table needs to be as little as possible to avoid to large extent the possibility for fraudulent actions. Manipulation of playing cards themselves is to be restricted as much as possible, as each manipulation of one or more playing cards can be a source for fraudulent activities, like taking away playing cards or replacing the playing card or cards with another card or cards of which the rank and suit is known.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONIt is an object of the present invention to provide a device and a method which is able to provide safe manipulation, storage and transportation of playing cards without the need to touch the playing cards themselves. It is a further object of the invention to provide a device that will facilitate a safe and ergonomic loading of played cards from a receptacle or a dedicated location at the game table back into any kind of card holder which is adapted to carry and allow transportation of cards, e.g. a cartridge.
“Safe” means that cards are not touched by any person after a card game was played using said cards. It inhibits access from players to the cards after the game has played. “A set of playing cards” means one or preferably more than one deck of playing cards, which deck or decks of playing cards each comprise a plurality of playing cards, usually 52 playing cards. The cards storing device according to the invention may be adapted to store 1 or more than one deck of playing cards, like 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 10 or even more decks of playing cards.
According to the first aspect of the present invention, a playing cards storing device for storing a set of playing cards is provided. The playing cards storing device comprises an open box comprising at least two mutually opposite lateral walls, a bottom wall between the lateral walls and a backwall between the lateral walls, the bottom wall and the backwall being connected along a coupling rib. In longitudinal direction and a sense from the backwall towards the inner side of the box, the outmost point of the side of the lateral walls opposite to the bottom wall extends beyond the outmost point of the side of the lateral walls contacting the bottom wall. According to some embodiments, the box may have a volume of a trapezoidal prism.
The open box further may comprise a face side, also referred to as face wall, and a top side, also referred to as top wall, which may be partially or completely open surfaces. Hence the face side, i.e. the side opposite the backwall, may be partially or completely open. The top side, i.e. the side opposite the bottom wall, may be partially or completely open.
So in longitudinal direction and a sense from the backwall towards the inner side of the box, the outmost point, i.e. the point most remote from the backwall, of the side of the lateral walls opposite to the bottom wall extends beyond the outmost point, i.e. the point most remote from the backwall, of the side of the lateral walls contacting the bottom wall. For the two lateral walls, the two points most remote from the backwall of the side of the lateral walls opposite to the bottom wall may extend over the same length from the backwall. Alternatively, For the two lateral walls, the two points most remote from the backwall of the side of the lateral walls opposite to the bottom wall, the point most remote from the backwall of the side opposite to the bottom wall of one of the lateral walls may extend further from the backwall as compared to the point most remote from the backwall of the side opposite to the bottom wall of the other of the two lateral walls.
Or in other words, in lateral direction, the lateral walls are delimited by the backwall and an edge defined by the intersection of the lateral walls with a plane perpendicular to said lateral walls such that for both lateral walls, for the point of the side of the lateral wall opposite to the bottom wall, which point is most remote from the bottom wall, the perpendicular projection point to the bottom wall of this point extends further from the coupling rib than the intersection point with said plane of the side of the lateral wall contacting the bottom wall.
The playing card storing device is adapted to store a plurality of playing cards which may enter the box via the face side, also referred to as face wall, i.e. a side opposite to the bottom wall, this side being typically open. The box can be handled and manipulated with no risk for the playing cards falling from the open box when the box is held in its upright position.
As playing cards being directly manipulated is an origin of possible misconduct or fraudulent activity, it is of importance that playing cards are touched and manipulated as little as possible. Playing cards having been drawn from e.g. a dealer shoe during playing of a card game, are to be safely stored as soon as the playing cards are to be removed from the table. The played playing cards can be stored and held in the playing cards storing device immediately after the playing cards being set aside in the game. Once the game has ended, the played playing cards need to be returned to the backyard or back office of e.g. the casino, optionally being combined with the undealt playing cards, in order to send the complete set of playing cards back to the back office for verification of the completeness of the set of playing cards. The undealt playing cards can be inserted in the playing cards manipulation device, which device can be used to transport the used set of playing cards back to the back office.
Alternatively, the playing cards are drawn via a dealer shoe from a set of playing cards stored in a closed cartridge. The played playing cards can be stored and held in the playing cards storing device immediately after the playing cards have been set aside in the game. Once the game has ended, the cartridge may be opened, i.e. a place in the cartridge for storing the dealt playing cards is opened. The playing cards storing device can be used as a tool to transfer the played playing cards into the void space of the cartridge, fit for receiving the played playing cards. The complete set of cards can be sent back to the back office using the cartridge itself.
The lateral walls have at the side facing away from the backwall an inclined edge, which may be brought in contact with an opened top surface of a cartridge installed in a dealing shoe. The playing cards in the playing cards storing device may easily be transferred to the inner void of such cartridge.
According to some embodiments, the backwall may have a perimeter substantially identical, such as identical, to the perimeter of the playing cards to be held and manipulated by the playing cards manipulation means, such as a rectangular perimeter.
According to some embodiments, the face side of the open box may be an open surface. The face side of the box is the side opposite to the backwall. According to some embodiments, the top side of the open box may be an open surface. The top side of the box is the side opposite to the bottom wall.
According to some embodiments, the box may have a volume of a trapezoidal prism. According to some embodiments, the box may have a volume of a parallelepiped. Possibly the volume of the parallelepiped is a rectangular parallelepiped volume. According to some embodiments, the box may have a volume of a cuboid.
According to some embodiments, the bottom wall may extend beyond the point most remote from the backwall, of the sides of the lateral walls contacting the bottom wall.
According to some embodiments, the bottom wall may have a grip along the rim of the bottom wall being remote from the backwall.
The grip may be a small lip or protrusion which can be gripped by two or more fingers. This grip may be used to manipulate the box and to carry it from one place to the other. It may be used to lift the box from a void space in e.g. a card playing table, when the box is housed in such void space in the table.
The upper rim of the bottom wall, this is the rim which is opposite to the coupling rib or rim of the bottom wall and the backwall, may extend further from the coupling rib, as compared to the intersection point of the side of the lateral wall contacting the bottom wall. Possibly, the upper rim of the bottom wall, this is the rim which is opposite to the coupling rib of the bottom wall and the backwall, coincides with the perpendicular projection point to the bottom wall of the intersection point of the sides of the lateral wall opposite to the bottom wall.
According to some embodiments, at the plane opposite the bottom wall, two wall sections may be provided, each wall section being connected to the side of the lateral wall along the length of the side of the lateral wall and facing towards the opposite lateral wall.
The two wall sections may provide an open strip or zone in the lateral direction of the volume along the top side of the truncated parallelepiped volume. These two sections provide a hindrance and avoiding cards to slip out of the volume of the playing cards storing device in a direction perpendicularly away from the bottom wall. The playing cards may not fall out of the playing cards storing device in a direction perpendicular to the bottom wall.
According to some embodiments, the backwall may have a cut out along a part of the side remote from the bottom wall.
This cut out allows the card in the volume being closest to the bottom wall to be pushed in lateral direction towards the front open side of the volume. This cut out also allows to manipulate and carry the playing cards storing device to be handled with the thumb of the person handling the device being located in the cut out. Hence the cut out facilitates the holding of the device by providing a place for the thumb of the person holding the device.
According to some embodiments, the walls may be provided from transparent polymer. The playing cards are visible from all sides at any time, which gives more clarity to the persons involved in the manipulation of the playing card manipulation device, regarding the content and movements of the playing cards during manipulation of the playing card manipulation device.
According to some embodiments, the walls may be provided from opaque or even non-transparent polymer.
According to some embodiments, the playing cards storing device may have a holding means to hold a gameplay object or seal. The playing cards to be held within the device may form part of a previously sealed set of playing cards, provided in a sealed playing card cartridge or a vault. The playing cards are deposited in a dealing shoe to be able to draw playing cards from the set of playing cards one by one. When the set of playing cards is to be inserted in the dealer shoe. the cartridge or vault is unsealed. The playing cards storing device may have a special, dedicated place to store the broken seal from the cartridge of vault. As such the broken seal is prevented from getting lost during playing of the card game.
According to some embodiments, the playing cards storing device may have a holding means to hold the cover plate, or “cap”, of a cartridge, which cartridge may e.g. comprise playing cards. With the cover plate or cap is meant a part, preferably a plastic part, belonging to a cartridge that prevent access to the playing cards when placed in its intended position on a cartridge. The cover plate may be equipped with two “teeth” that engage with designated holes in the cartridge. It may also be equipped with two snap hooks that snap into designated holes in a bridge of the cartridge. The designated holes for the teeth and the snap hooks may be copied on the topside of the discard rack allowing the cover plate to be stored on the discard rack. Underneath the holding area for the cover plate on the discard rack also a receptacle may be provided that fits the exact geometry of a broken seal. During gameplay, the seal can be properly stored in this holding area that will be closed off when the cover is locked in its stored position on the discard rack, thus preventing the loss of a gameplay object. Cartridges are foreseen to hold sets of playing cards during a game being played. Such cartridges may be inserted, e.g. clicked, in a dealer shoe by means of which the cards are drawn out of the cartridge. Before the game starts, and after the game has ended, a cover plate is provided to the cartridge to avoid cards being drawn from the cartridge. During the game, this cover plate is removed from the cartridge, e.g. prior to inserting the cartridge in the dealer shoe. To properly store this cover plate, the playing cards storing device may comprise a holding means to hold this cover plate being removed from the cartridge.
According to a first particular facet of the first aspect of the invention, the playing cards storing device further may comprise a container for holding the open box, said open box fits completely into the container.
Such container can be used as a receptacle for the box. The container can be used to store the box temporarily while loading or unloading the box with playing cards. The container can temporarily be stored in a void space in e.g. a card playing table. The boxes may be taken in and out of the container when needed. If present, the grip may be used to insert or pull out the box from the container.
According to some embodiments, the container may have lid covering an insert opening of the container delimited by container walls.
This opening can be used to insert playing cards via this opening in the box.
According to some embodiments, between the lid and at least one of the container walls, a slit may be provided.
The slit is large enough to slip in a playing card into the container. As such, playing cards can be slid into the container, hence into the box without opening the lid.
According to some embodiments, the face wall of the open box may be an open surface, the face wall of the open box faces the lid when the open box is inserted in the container.
According to some embodiments, the inner surface of the container may fit the outer surface of the open box. When playing cards are slid into the container, the playing cards will fall into the open box via the open face wall.
In case the bottom wall of the open box has a grip along the rim of the bottom wall being remote from the backwall, this grip can be used to pull the open box out of the container when the lid is opened.
According to some embodiments, the container may have a holding means to hold a seal or gameplay object. According to some embodiments, the container may have a lid being rotatably fixed to the container at a first side of the container, the holding means for holding the seal is part of the lid, e.g. being present at the upper side of the lid, and the cover plate, or “cap”, is held at the side of the lid away from said first side.
According to some embodiments, the container may have a holding means to hold the cover plate of a cartridge.
According to some embodiments, the container may have a lid being rotatably fixed to the container at a first side of the container, the holding means for holding the cover plate is part of the lid, e.g. being present at the upper side of the lid, and the cover plate is held at the side of the lid away from said first side.
As such, a location to store the cover plate during the playing of a card game is provided.
According to a second particular facet of the first aspect of the invention, the playing cards storing device further may comprise a cover to cover at least one of the face side being opposite to the backwall and the top side being the opposite to the bottom wall. The face side and/or the top side of the open box may be open, i.e. uncovered. The cover may be used to temporarily close these open sides or faces of the open box during transportation of the playing cards manipulation device, and avoids card being held by the open box to fall out of the open box. According to some embodiments, the cover may cover the face side being opposite to the backwall and the top side being the opposite to the bottom wall.
According to some embodiments, the cover may have a hooked shape, also referred to as an L shape, e.g. an L-shaped plate, such as an L-shaped polymeric plate. According to some embodiments, the short side of the L-shape may cover the face side of the open box. According to some embodiments, the long side of the L-shape may cover the top side of the open box.
According to some embodiments, in the plane opposite the bottom wall, two wall sections may be provided. For each lateral wall, one wall section is connected to the side of the lateral wall along the length of the side of the lateral wall, the edge of the wall section being oriented away from the opposite lateral wall. The cover may comprise one or more sliding means for receiving one of these wall sections during mounting the cover to the open box. The cover may slide from the face side of the open box downwards to the back wall, while the sliding means fit over the wall sections. Possibly the sliding means may exercise a force to the wall sections, e.g. a clamping force, necessitating a minimum force to be applied to open or remove the cover from the open box by sliding the cover in opposite direction.
According to some embodiments, the playing cards storing device may comprise a coupling means to releasably couple the open box to the cover. Such coupling means may be a hoop-and-loop coupling means, one or more sets of magnets, or a physical coupling means of male and female parts, where a male part connects with a female part, e.g. by pushing the male to the female part and e.g. clicking one into the other. This coupling means causes the two parts, i.e. the cover and the open box, to form temporarily a partially or completely closed volume from which cards being present in the open box, can leave only on purpose, or even cannot leave while keeping the coupling closed.
According to some embodiments, at the face side of the open box opposite to the backwall, an opening or slit may be provided between the open box and the cover when the open box and the cover are coupled. The playing cards storing device in coupled state may be inserted in an appropriate opening in a playing table, the face side facing upwards and extending above the playing table surface. Cards to be removed from the table may be provided into the playing cards storing device through this slit or opening. The cards fall into the open box downwards to the backwall. The slit, which preferably has at least the width of the short or long side of the playing card, may be provided by dimensioning one of one of the lateral sides such that it does not touch the side of the cover closing the face side of the open box, e.g. the short side of the L-shaped cover. As an example, for the two points most remote from the backwall of the side of the two lateral walls opposite to the bottom wall, the point most remote from the backwall of the side opposite to the bottom wall of one of the lateral walls may extend less far from the backwall as compared to the point most remote from the backwall of the side opposite to the bottom wall of the other of the two lateral walls. As such, between the lateral wall with the point most remote from the backwall of the side opposite to the bottom wall of one of the lateral walls, which point is less far remote, a slit may be provided between this lateral wall and the short side of the L-shaped cover. Alternatively, slits may be provided along both lateral walls. Also as an alternative, the bottom wall of the open box is so dimensioned that it does not tough the cover when the open box and the cover are coupled to each other. as such a slit may be provided between the cover and the bottom wall of the open box.
The playing cards manipulation device, with connected open box and cover, may be positioned into an opening in the playing table, such that the slit is flush with the surface of the playing table. Played cards can easily be slipped into the slit, after which this card is and remains stored in the void of the open box.
According to some embodiments, the playing cards storing device may comprise a cover, the playing cards storing device comprising a holding means to hold a seal, the holding means to hold a seal being part of the cover.
According to some embodiments, the playing cards storing device may comprise a cover, the playing cards storing device comprising a holding means to hold the cover plate of a cartridge, the holding means to hold the cover plate of a cartridge being part of the cover.
According to some embodiments, the playing cards storing device may comprise a cover having an L-shape, the playing cards storing device comprises a holding means to hold a seal and/or a holding means to hold the cover of a dealer shoe, holding means to hold a seal and/or a holding means to hold the cover of a dealer shoe being part of the short side of the L-shape.
Hence according to some embodiments, the cover may have a holding means to hold the cover of a dealer shoe. As such, a location to store the cover of the dealer shoe during the playing of a card game is provided.
According to some embodiments, the cover may have a holding means to hold a seal. As such, a location to store the seal during the playing of a card game is provided.
According to some embodiments, the cover and/or the open box may be provided from transparent or untransparent or non-transparent polymer, e.g. opaque or black polymer.
The playing cards storing device according to the first aspect of the invention can be used to store the played playing cards during a card game. Once the card game is finished, the playing cards storing device contains the played cards. It can be used to return the played playing cards back to the back office of the casino, or it can be used to insert the played playing cards back into a void place in the cartridge from which the playing cards are drawn, typically using a dealer shoe.
Hence it avoids that playing cards, even played playing cards, are touched by persons, except for the dealer during playing of the card game. Hence it avoids manipulations to the playing cards themselves, which manipulations can be a source of fraudulent activity, like taking away of playing cards to be able to cheat in another card game with this stolen playing card.
According to a second aspect, a playing cards storing device according to the first aspect of the invention is used to store playing cards, e.g. dealt playing cards from a set of playing cards, and this e.g. during the period a card play is played. Hence the use of a playing cards storing device according to the first aspect of the invention to store playing cards in a casino, preferably at a casino table is provided. The playing cards storing device according to the first aspect of the invention is used to transport playing cards, e.g. dealt playing cards from a set of playing cards, e.g. from a playing table in a casino to the back office of the casino.
In the figures, the same references refer to the same or a similar element of the device or apparatus.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENT(S)A playing cards storing device 10 for holding and/or manipulating a set of playing cards is shown in
The face side 101 of the open box 100 is an open surface, the face wall of the open box 100 faces the lid 21 when the open box 100 is inserted in the container 20. The face side of the open box 100 is the side opposite to the backwall 102.
The inner surface 25 of the container 20 fits the outer surface 103 of the open box 100.
The container 20 has a holding means 26 to hold a seal and a holding means to hold the cover plate 30 or “cap” of a cartridge. More particular, the lid 21 is rotatably fixed to the container 20 at a first side 27 of the container 20, the holding means for holding the cover plate 30 is present at the upper side 28 of the lid 21, at the side 29 of the lid 21 away from this first side 27. The lid can be detachably connected to the side of the container by a detachable coupling means comprising a male 32 and a female 31 part.
The open box 100 comprising at least two mutually opposite lateral walls 110 and 111, a bottom wall 112 between the lateral walls and a backwall 102 between the lateral walls. The bottom wall 112 and the backwall 102 are connected along a coupling rib 113. The open box 100 has a volume of a trapezoidal prism, more precisely a cuboid.
In longitudinal direction 120 and a sense from the backwall 102 towards the inner side of the open box 100, the outmost point 130 of the side of the lateral walls 110 and 111 opposite to the bottom wall 112 extends beyond the outmost point 140 of the side of the lateral walls contacting the bottom wall 112. One of the lateral walls 111 has a length in lateral direction 120 which is shorter as compared to the length of the other lateral walls 110. The sides of the container 20 matching the shortest lateral wall 111 and the top side of the open box 100 are shorter as compared to the other walls in lateral direction. When the lid 21 is in closed position, a slit is provided between the lid 21 and these two shorter walls of the container. This combined with the shorter lateral wall 111 provides the slit 24 allowing cards to be slipped through the slit along the lateral wall 111 and the top side of the open box, into the void of the open box.
Along the rim of the bottom wall 112 being remote from the backwall 112 the bottom wall 102 has a grip 115, e.g. a lip. When the open box 100 is to be taken out of the container 20, this grip 115 can be used to provide grip to the open box 100. The person taking out the open box 100 can pull the open box from the container 20.
At the plane opposite the bottom wall 112, two wall sections 150 and 151 are provided, each wall section 150 and 151 being connected to the side of the lateral wall 110 and 111 along the length of the side of the lateral wall 110 and 111 and facing towards the opposite lateral wall 110 and 111. Playing cards dropped in the open box 100 are prevented to fall out of the open box in a direction away from the bottom wall 112 during manipulation of the open box 100.
The backwall 102 has a cut out 116 along a part of the side remote from the bottom wall 112. This cut out may serve to allow a thumb of a person carrying the open box, to be positioned in, thereby facilitating the carrying of the open box 100.
This open box, positioned in a container, on its turn positioned in an opening in the playing table, can be used to collect dealt cards from the game during the game. When the game is ended, the dealt cards preferably are reunited with the undealt cards from the set of playing cards, which are held by a cartridge. As shown in detail in
Due to its shape, the open box has two sloping sides 160 and 161, one on each side surface 110 and 111. By introducing part of the bottom side 112 inside the volume of the cartridge 200, until the sloping sides 160 and 161 meet the upstanding sides 202 and 203 of the cartridge 200, the playing cards held in the open box can easily slide into the opened volume of the cartridge 200, and this without the playing cards being present in the open box, to be taken out or significantly being manipulated. The cards just need to be pushed inwards the open volume of the cartridge, if they don't slide by themselves. To precisely orient the open box 100 and the cartridge 200, the cartridge may have in its lower or bottom surface 204 a cut out 205, in which the grip 115, being a lip, snuggly fits in.
An alternative playing cards storing device 1010 for holding and/or manipulating a set of playing cards is shown in
The playing cards storing device comprises an open box 1000. The open box 1000 may be provided from transparent polymer material or from untransparent, e.g. opaque or black polymer.
The face side 1101 of the open box 1000 is an open surface. The face side of the open box 1000 is the wall opposite to the backwall 1102.
The open box 1000 comprising at least two mutually opposite lateral walls 1110 and 1111, a bottom wall 1112 between the lateral walls and a backwall 1102 between the lateral walls. The bottom wall 1112 and the backwall 1102 are connected along a coupling rib 1113. The open box 1000 has a volume of a trapezoidal prism, more precisely a cuboid.
In longitudinal direction 1120 and a sense from the backwall 1102 towards the inner side of the open box 1000, the outmost point 1130 of the side of the lateral walls 1110 and 1111 opposite to the bottom wall 1112 extends beyond the outmost point 1140 of the side of the lateral walls contacting the bottom wall 1112.
At the plane opposite the bottom wall 1112, two wall sections 1150 and 1151 are provided, each wall section 1150 and 1151 being connected to the side of the lateral wall 1110 and 1111 along the length of the side of the lateral wall 1110 and 1111 and facing away from the opposite lateral wall 1110 and 1111.
The backwall 1102 has a cut out 1116 along a part of the side remote from the bottom wall 1112. This cut out may serve to allow a thumb of a person carrying the open box, to be positioned in, thereby facilitating the carrying of the open box 1000.
The playing cards storing device 1010 further comprises a cover 1200, being an L-shaped polymer plate, having a long side 1201 and a short side 1202. The cover 1200 may be provided from transparent polymer material or from untransparent, e.g. opaque or black polymer.
Along the two long sides 1201 of the cover 1200, a series of sliding means 1204 are provided, which are adapted to slide over the wall sections 1150 and 1151 of the open box 1100, when the cover 1200 is mount to the open box 1100 by sliding the cover over the face side of the open box 1100 in longitudinal direction 1120. The sliding means 1204 may slightly clamp to the wall sections 1150 and 1151 such that a minimum force is needed to move the cover versus the open box, e.g. for opening or closing the open box with the cover.
The cover 1200 has a holding means 1027 to hold a seal 301 and a holding means 1026 to hold the cover plate 300 of a cartridge. More particular, the holding means 1026 for holding the cover plate 330 and the holding means 1027 to hold a seal 301 are present at the outer surface 1208 of the cover, which surface is delimited by the short sides 1202 of the cover 1200.
As best visible in
This playing cards storing device 1010 thus can be used to collect dealt cards from the game during the game. When the game is ended, the dealt cards preferably are reunited with the undealt cards from the set of playing cards, which are held by a cartridge. As shown in detail in
Although the present invention has been illustrated by reference to specific embodiments, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the invention is not limited to the details of the foregoing illustrative embodiments, and that the present invention may be embodied with various changes and modifications without departing from the scope thereof. The present embodiments are therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description, and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein. In other words, it is contemplated to cover any and all modifications, variations or equivalents that fall within the scope of the basic underlying principles and whose essential attributes are claimed in this patent application. It will furthermore be understood by the reader of this patent application that the words “comprising” or “comprise” do not exclude other elements or steps, that the words “a” or “an” do not exclude a plurality, and that a single element may fulfil the functions of several means recited in the claims. Any reference signs in the claims shall not be construed as limiting the respective claims concerned. The terms “first”, “second”, third“, “a”, “b”, “c”, and the like, when used in the description or in the claims are introduced to distinguish between similar elements or steps and are not necessarily describing a sequential or chronological order. Similarly, the terms “top”, “bottom”, “over”, “under”, and the like are introduced for descriptive purposes and not necessarily to denote relative positions. It is to be understood that the terms so used are interchangeable under appropriate circumstances and embodiments of the invention are capable of operating according to the present invention in other sequences, or in orientations different from the one(s) described or illustrated above.
Claims
1.-18. (canceled)
19. A playing cards storing device for holding, storing and/or manipulating a set of playing cards,
- wherein the playing cards storing device comprises an open box comprising at least two mutually opposite lateral walls, a bottom wall between the lateral walls and a backwall between the lateral walls, the bottom wall and the backwall being connected along a coupling rib, and
- wherein, in longitudinal direction and a sense from the backwall towards the inner side of the box, the outmost point of the side of the lateral walls opposite to the bottom wall extends beyond the outmost point of the side of the lateral walls contacting the bottom wall.
20. The playing cards storing device according to claim 19, wherein the face wall of the open box is a partially or completely open surface.
21. The playing cards storing device according to claim 19, wherein the top wall, i.e. the side opposite the bottom wall, is partially or completely open.
22. The playing cards storing device according to claim 19, wherein the backwall has a perimeter substantially identical to the perimeter of the playing cards to be stored in the card storage device.
23. The playing cards storing device according to claim 19, wherein the box has a volume of a trapezoidal prism, preferably a cuboid.
24. The playing cards storing device according to claim 19, wherein said playing cards storing device has a holding means to hold a seal.
25. The playing cards storing device according to claim 19, wherein said playing cards storing device has a holding means to hold the cover plate of a cartridge.
26. The playing cards storing device according to claim 19, wherein the backwall has a cut out along a part of the side remote from the bottom wall.
27. The playing cards storing device according to claim 19, wherein the playing cards storing device further comprises a cover to cover at least one of the face side being opposite to the backwall and the top side being the opposite to the bottom wall.
28. The playing cards storing device according to claim 27, wherein the cover covers the face side being opposite to the backwall and the top side being the opposite to the bottom wall.
29. The playing cards storing device according to claim 27, wherein the cover has an L shape.
30. The playing cards storing device according to claim 29, wherein the short side of the L-shape covers the face side of the open box.
31. The playing cards storing device according to claim 29, wherein the long side of the L-shape covers the top side of the open box.
32. The playing cards storing device according to claim 27, wherein the playing cards storing device comprises a coupling means to releasably couple the open box to the cover.
33. The playing cards storing device according to claim 32, wherein at the face side of the open box opposite to the backwall, a slit is provided between the open box and the cover when the open box and the cover are coupled.
34. The playing cards storing device according to claim 27, wherein the cover and/or the open box are provided from non-transparent polymer.
35. The playing cards storing device according to claim 27, wherein the cover and/or the open box are provided from transparent polymer.
36. The use of a playing cards storing device according to claim 19 to store playing cards in a casino, preferably at a casino table.
Type: Application
Filed: Dec 5, 2022
Publication Date: Jun 6, 2024
Inventor: Erik VAN GENECHTEN (Geel)
Application Number: 18/553,032
