APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR ADAPTING A CARD SHUFFLER FOR TABLE MOUNTING

Abstract

Installing a flush-mounted table-top shuffler in an oversized aperture in a card table top may result in a gap between an edge of the shuffler top plate and a side of the aperture opening if the shuffler is not well centered in the aperture. The table may be covered with a felt having an underlying resilient pad. The pad may be compressed by a lip of the shuffler top surface so that a thickness of the shuffler top surface plate is subsumed in the depression in the table top covering caused by the weight of the shuffler. The range of horizontal motion of the shuffler in the aperture may be restricted by spacers so that a gap does not form and that the force applied to the resilient pad by the weight of the shuffler is more evenly distributed around the periphery of the top surface of the shuffler.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising: an enclosure of a card shuffler with a bottom portion, a top portion having a horizontal lip and sides joining the top portion and the bottom portion; and a pair of spacers attached to the enclosure at opposing sides of an underside of the horizontal lip or to opposing sides of the enclosure proximal to the underside of the horizontal lip, wherein the pair of spacers are sized and dimensioned such that, when attached to the enclosure and the enclosure inserted in a table top having an aperture with planar dimensions greater than a horizontal spacing between opposing sides of the bottom portion of the enclosure without the attached pair of spacers, the enclosure is substantially centered in the aperture such that the horizontal lip covers the aperture and the horizontal lip is in contact with an upper surface of the table top.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a spacer of the pair of spacers has an elongate shape with a longitudinal dimension and a first transverse dimension and a second transverse dimension orthogonal to an elongate dimension, wherein the aperture has a dimension, A, greater than a horizontal width W of a side of two opposing side surfaces of the enclosure, and one of the first transverse dimension or the second transverse dimension, T, of the spacer is determined such that the aperture is covered by the horizontal lip.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the pair of spacers are removably attachable to the shuffler apparatus.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the pair of spacers are fixedly attachable to the shuffler apparatus.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a spacer of the pair of spacers is sized and dimensioned so as to result in a substantially same spacing between a surface of opposing a wall of the aperture as is obtained between a side of another shuffler apparatus for which the aperture has been sized to fit without a sized spacer.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 where the same spacing is between about 1/16 inch and about inch.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the spacers are fabricated of at least one of a wood, a plastic, a metal or a composite material.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, where the spacers are attached to the shuffler apparatus by a glue, an epoxy, by machine screw and nut fasteners or by rivets.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the table top is covered with a fabric material.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, there the fabric material is underlain with a resilient material.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the resilient material is one of a closed-cell foam or other solid or composite material having substantially a same value of modulus of resilience.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, where the closed-cell foam is a sheet of polyethylene material having a thickness of between about inch about inch.

13. A method for flush mounting a shuffler apparatus in an aperture in a table top the aperture having planar dimensions greater than a horizontal spacing of two opposing sides of the shuffler apparatus, the shuffler apparatus comprising an enclosure accessible to a user through a top surface thereof, the top surface of the shuffler apparatus extending a horizontal distance from side surfaces of the shuffler apparatus to form a lip, comprising; providing a pair of spacers attachable to an underside of the lip or to the side surfaces of the shuffler apparatus and sized such that the shuffler apparatus is sufficiently centered in the aperture such that the lip covers the aperture when the shuffler apparatus is inserted in the aperture; attaching the pair of spacers to the underside of the lip or to opposing side surfaces; and lowering the shuffler apparatus into the aperture.

14. A system, comprising: a shuffler having an rectangular cross section enclosure having pairs of opposed sides and a bottom portion; a table top having an aperture in a surface thereof, the aperture having planar dimensions greater than a horizontal width between two opposing side surfaces of the lower portion of the enclosure and extending through the table top; a top surface of the enclosure orthogonal to the opposing sides of the enclosure and extending a horizontal distance from side surfaces of the enclosure to form a horizontal lip, a width of the top surface including the horizontal lip being greater than a width of the aperture in a corresponding direction; and a pair of spacers disposed on an underside of the horizontal lip, the spacers disposed between the sides of the enclosure and sides of the table top aperture, each spacer of the pair of spacers sized such that a shuffler enclosure is sufficiently centered in the aperture such that the horizontal lip covers the aperture when the shuffler is inserted in the aperture, wherein the shuffler enclosure is insertable into the table top through the aperture.

15. A kit comprising: a shuffler enclosure with a bottom portion, a top portion having a horizontal lip and opposing sides joining the top portion and the bottom portion; and a pair of spacers, attachable to the enclosure at opposing sides of an underside of the horizontal lip or to opposing side surfaces of the enclosure proximal to the underside of the horizontal lip, wherein the spacers are sized and dimensioned such that, when attached to the enclosure and the enclosure inserted in a table top having an aperture with planar dimensions greater than a horizontal dimension between the opposing side surfaces of the bottom portion of the enclosure without the spacers being attached, the enclosure is sufficiently centered in the aperture such that the horizontal lip covers the aperture and the lip is in contact with an upper surface of the table top.

16. The kit of claim 15, further comprising a glue, double sided adhesive tape, epoxy, or a machine screw compatible with a nut pressed into the s of the shuffler enclosure.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0019] FIG. 1 is a plan view of a table top configured for the playing of a game of cards, showing position that may be occupied by the players and by a dealer, and having a card shuffling device recessed in an aperture in the table top.

[0020] FIG. 2A illustrates the planar dimensions of an aperture in the table top that would accept a shuffler device and constrain the shuffler from substantial motion in the horizontal directions;

[0021] FIG. 2B illustrates the planar dimensions of another aperture in the table top that may already exist and which permits motion of the shuffler device in at least one horizontal direction;

[0022] FIG. 3A is a vertical cross section view of the shuffler in a first dimension which would fit in the aperture illustrated in FIG. 2B and have a gap between the side surface of the shuffler enclosure and a thickness dimension of the aperture in the table top;

[0023] FIG. 3B is a vertical cross section of the shuffler in a second dimension which would fit in the aperture illustrated in either FIG. 2A or 2B without having a gap between the side surface of the shuffler enclosure and the thickness direction of the aperture in the table top;

[0024] FIG. 4 illustrates an approach to accommodating the shuffler in the dimension shown in FIG. 3A by providing a bezel to extend a lip of a top plate of the shuffler so as to overlap the table top and to compress a resilient table top covering;

[0025] FIG. 5 illustrates another configuration of the shuffler of FIG. 3A and FIG. 3B where the top plate of the shuffler extends to overlay the table top and to compress a resilient table top covering and a gap is formed between the side surfaces of the shuffler and the thickness direction of the table top in at least one horizontal dimension.

[0026] FIG. 6 A shows a plan view of the shuffler as installed in the table top;

[0027] FIG. 6B shows a vertical cross-section view of the shuffler in direction A-A where there is no substantial gap;

[0028] FIG. 6C shows a vertical cross-section view of the shuffler in direction B-B where a substantial gap is formed and a pair of spacers is provide to reduce the horizontal range of motion of the shuffler in the gap direction

[0029] FIG. 7A is a detail of the cross-section view of FIG. 6B showing the compression of a resilient top surface covering of the table top by the lip of the top plate of the shuffler;

[0030] FIG. 7B is a detail of the cross-section view of FIG. 6C showing the compression of the top surface covering of the table top by the lip of the top plate of the shuffler; the spacers constraining the motion of the shuffler in the direction of the gap are not shown;

[0031] FIG. 8A illustrates the arrangement of FIG. 6C and FIG. 7B where a spacer is provided in the gap region so as to restrict the range of horizontal motion of the shuffler with respect to the aperture;

[0032] FIG. 8B is another example of the arrangement of FIG. 6C and FIG. 7B where a spacer is provided in the gap region so as to restrict the range of horizontal motion of the shuffler with respect to the aperture;

[0033] FIG. 9A is a side view of the enclosure showing a face of the enclosure to which a spacer is attached by fasteners;

[0034] FIG. 9B is a detail of a spacer showing the surface of the spacer distal from the shuffler surface to which it is attached;

[0035] FIG. 9C is a detail of the spacer showing a cross section having a smooth through hole for insertion of a machine screw; and,

[0036] FIG. 9D is a detail of the side of the shuffler shown in FIG. 9A where a press nut is provided to captivate the machine screw and spacer to the side of the shuffler.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0037] Exemplary embodiments may be better understood with reference to the drawings, but these examples are not intended to be of a limiting nature. Like numbered elements in the same or different drawings perform equivalent functions. The drawings are meant to be illustrative and are not to scale, even where dimensions are given in an example.

[0038] When a specific feature, structure, or characteristic is described in connection with an example, it will be understood that one skilled in the art may effect such feature, structure, or characteristic in connection with other examples, whether or not explicitly stated herein.

[0039] While the methods disclosed herein have been described and shown with reference to particular steps performed in a particular order, it will be understood that these steps may be combined, sub-divided, or reordered to from an equivalent method without departing from the teachings of the present invention. Accordingly, unless a specific order of the steps is explicitly required in the claims the order and grouping of steps in the claims is not intended to be a limitation of the claimed scope.

[0040] A electromechanical (automatic) shuffler device 100 as shown in a vertical cross-section view in one horizontal dimension in FIG. 5 may be, for example, the rectangular cross-section container as shown in FIG. 3, with one or more apertures (not shown in this figure) in a top surface 110 thereof for receiving an unshuffled deck of cards and for dispensing a shuffled deck of cards; the apertures may be covered by a door (not shown in this figure) that may be hinged and arranged such that the exposed surface of the closed door and the top surface of the shuffler are flush with each other in some operating states, and the door rotated to an open position in other operating states. The top surface 110 of the shuffler 100 may extend a distance L from the periphery of the container so as to form a lip having a width in each orthogonal horizontal dimension so that the overall size of the top plate and lip is at least greater than each dimension of the aperture 500 in the table top 10 into which the shuffler is fitted. The lip as an extension of the top surface 110 of the shuffler device 100 may be finished near the outer periphery of the lip by being tapered to a smaller thickness at the edges thereof, having a rounded edge, or a combination of the such features to provide a transition region between the table top 10 and the remainder of the top surface 110 of the shuffler 100.

[0041] The table top 10 may be one that is specifically designed for the playing of games of card and the surface may be covered by a baize, felt or other fabric, fabric-like material which may be a woven polyester, or plastic material and is often underlain by a resilient foam pad. The surface of table top covering 14 may be printed with indicia (not shown) that are used in the playing of the game for purposes of defining areas on the table top 10 where the cards may be displayed and where bets may be placed by players. The pad may be typically a thick closed-cell foam, although other materials or thicknesses may be used. For purposes of description, the table covering 14 may be considered as a layered combination of the surface material and the underlying pad An example of surface covering material are the gaming table layouts sold under the trademark BRAVO, available from Genesis Gaming, Spring, Tex. An example of foam padding is sold under the trademark VOLTARA, available from Casino Supply, Dallas, Tex.

[0042] In describing the embodiments, a single cross-sectional dimension of the shuffler is described in detail as the description is equally applicable to one or two dimensions having different values. Similarly, the dimension of the lip as an extension of the top surface 110 is generalized as L, where it is understood that the dimension of the lip may have different values in the orthogonal horizontal dimensions. The combination of the table top covering 14 and the underlying body of the table 15 is often referred to as the table top 10, except where specific features are described in detail, as would be understood by a person of skill in the art. The body of the table 15 may be fabricated of any suitable engineering material which may be wood, plywood composite, or other composite material.

[0043] FIG. 5 shows a vertical cross section of one linear horizontal dimension of the shuffler device 100 where the horizontal dimension of the shuffler device is substantially equal to the width of the aperture 500 in the table top 10 and the top surface 110 has a lip L extending outward horizontally around the periphery of the shuffler device extending from the planar cross section of the shuffler device and sized so as to overlap the aperture edges in the table top 10 table top and rest on the table covering 14 having the resilient pad. The weight of the shuffler may compress the resilient pad 14 so that the thickness of the top surface 14 of the top surface of the shuffler device 100 is partially or wholly subsumed in the compressed region 12 of the table covering 14 and the surface of the uncompressed remainder of the table top covering 14 and that of the top surface 110 and lip L are substantially in a same plane as the top surface of the uncompressed table top covering 14, so that a playing card or cards of the deck of cards being used in conjunction with the table top and shuffling device may be slid smoothly over the transition there between without detrimentally engaging with a discontinuity in the surface. This transition may be facilitated by a sloping edge or rounded edge of the top plate 110.

[0044] In this example, a typical gap between the side of the shuffler device 100 opposing the inner surface of the aperture 500 and the inner surface of the aperture of 0.5 in. is used for illustrative purposes.

[0045] The shuffler device 100 is shown as being symmetrically disposed with respect to the surfaces of the aperture 500 so that the lip L of the shuffler device 100 overlaps the surface of the table top 10 and compresses the resilient surface 14 so as to form a region of reduced thickness 12, thus reducing a height discontinuity in the transition between the table top 10 and the top surface 110 of the shuffler device 100. However, the shuffler device 100 is unconstrained in horizontal motion within the aperture 500 and when being installed in the table top 10 may be difficult to center the shuffler device 100 in the aperture 500 or to be securely maintain the shuffler device 100 in a desired location after installation, as lowering the shuffler 100 into the aperture 500 is often performed after the table top 10 has been positioned in its use location.

[0046] An example of a shuffler 100 adapted for mounting in an aperture in a table top where the linear width of the shuffler side 140 is commensurate with that of the aperture 50 in a first dimension and a linear width of the shuffler side 130 is less than that of the aperture in a second dimension is shown in plan view in FIG. 6A.

[0047] In FIG. 6A, the linear dimension of the table top aperture is A, the width of the shuffler body is W, and the width of the top plate is T. The extension of the top plate 110 with respect to the shuffler body is the lip L and is included in the width T in each orthogonal direction. The width T in the orthogonal directions may differ where the aperture is not square. A shuffler access door 160 is representative of a flush-mounted access port to the card reception and dispensing apertures disposed underneath to accept a deck of cards for shuffling by the shuffler device. This door may be automatically or manually actuated, and is an optional aspect of the shuffler device. FIG. 6B shows a cross-section elevation view of the shuffler 100 installed in the aperture 500 in a dimension where the width of the shuffler side 140 is closely equal to the aperture width in the same direction. In order to prevent an interference fit, the width dimension of the aperture is slightly greater than that of the shuffler side 140. Quantifying this fit tolerance depends on practical experience with the actual tolerances for fabricating the aperture in the table top, as will be appreciated by a person of skill in the art, but a gap of 1/16 in. to in. on each side of the shuffler body with respect to the wall of the aperture may be suitable, for example.

[0048] In a cross-section elevation view in an orthogonal dimension shown in FIG. 6C, the width W of the shuffler body is less than the width of the aperture A, and a gap G exists between the side of the enclosure and the periphery of the aperture 500. To aid in centering the shuffler device 100 in the aperture 500, a pair of spacers 200 may be affixed to the sides of the shuffler 100, for example, facing table core 15 at the gap G. The shuffler 100 is shown centrally positioned in the aperture 500 and the size of the spacer 200 in the width dimension is determined so that a fit tolerance exists between the spacer 200 and the side of the aperture 500 in the table 10. This tolerance may be the same as for the situation described in FIG. 6B or may be somewhat larger as the closer fit in the direction shown in FIG. 6B also cooperates with the spacer 200 to limit the linear and rotational displacement of the shuffler device 100 with respect to the aperture 500.

[0049] Depending on the actual size of the aperture with respect to the shuffler, a gap G may exist in each of the principal horizontal dimensions of the shuffler device shown and may be of different dimensions. In such a case, spacers 200 may be used in each horizontal direction, with the dimensions of the spacers 200 selected accordingly.

[0050] FIG. 7A is a detail of FIG. 6B where the shuffler 100 fills the aperture 500 in a direction so that a small gap or tolerance fit obtains and a spacer 200 is not required. Due to the small dimension, a gap is not shown in the figure. The lip extension L from the top surface plate 110 of the shuffler overlaps the resilient felt covering 14 of the table core 15, and the region of overlap 12 is compressed so that the surface of the top plate 110 and the upper surface of the felt covering 14 may at a substantially same height above the rigid table core 15. Under this condition, and with cover plate 120 in a closed position, the playing cards may be slid from the table top cover 10 over the top surface plate 110 and the closed cover plate 120 without interference. A design criteria for achieving this result would be to size the horizontal dimensions of the lip in each orthogonal dimension so that the force per unit area imposed on the table top fabric and foam underlayment results in a compression of the table top covering 14 that is equal to the thickness of the lip at the periphery thereof where the transition between the table top surface 14 and the top surface plate occurs.

[0051] In other examples, where the table top covering is not resilient a slight difference in height between the top plate 110 and the table top surface 14 may exist, as would have been the case as well with another shuffler device sized to have a tolerance fit in the hole.

[0052] FIG. 7B is a detail of FIG. 6C in the circumstance where the width of the side 130 of the shuffler 110 is sufficiently less than that of the aperture 500 in the same horizontal direction such that a gap G exists, The spacer 200, shown in FIG. 6C is not shown in FIG. 7B for clarity, but is located in the void between the side 140 of the shuffler device 100 and the body 15 of the table top 10. The spacer 200 may be affixed to the side surface 140 of the shuffler device 110, the underside to the lip of the top surface 110 or to both surfaces.

[0053] FIG. 8A illustrates an example of a spacer 200 attached to the top plate 100 of the shuffler device 100 such that the distance between the surface facing the proximal surface of the body of the table top 15 is spaced a distance S form the proximal side surface 140 of the body of the shuffler device 100, so that when a symmetrical gap G exists, the resultant residual distance between the spacer 200 and the side surface of the body 15 of the table top 10 in the aperture 500 is approximately a tolerance fit.

[0054] FIG. 8B illustrates another example of providing a spacer 200 attached to the side 130 of the shuffler 100 proximal to the top plate 110. The spacer may have an elongate shape, with the longitudinal direction oriented parallel to the plane of the table top and a first and a second transverse direction each transverse being orthogonal to the to the longitudinal direction; e.g., a bar. The first and the second transverse directions may be of different lengths. Alternatively the spacer 200 may be attached to the underside of the top surface of the underside of the top surface 110 of the shuffler or may be attached both the underside of the top surface and to the side surface of the shuffler body. The spacer 200 is located such that at least a portion of the surface of the spacer 200 that is furthest from the surface of the side plate 140 opposes the rigid portion of the table body thickness 15, thus limiting the horizontal motion of the shuffler 100 with respect to the table top 10.

[0055] The spacer 200 may not be subject to significant force, as the weight of the shuffler is supported by the table top 10 in contact with the lip L, and may be fabricated of a variety of engineering materials such as plastic, wood, metal, composite material, or the like. While a solid form of the spacer 200 is shown, the shape may a U-channel, box beam, L-bracket or the like oriented to perform the same spacing function with respect to surrounding surfaces of the aperture 500 as the as the spacer 200 may be used. While a single continuous spacer is shown, the spacer may be comprised of a plurality of shorter-length spacers which provide for a substantially similar alignment of the shuffler 100 with respect to the aperture 500.

[0056] FIG. 9A is an example of a side view of the shuffler side 130 to which the spacer 200 has been attached, as shown in FIG. 8A, with the spacer 200 attached by fasteners 220. The spacer 200 may have the form of a solid rectangular bar having an elongate shape and be attached by machine screws 220 fitted in a smooth hole formed in the spacer 200. The screws may be used to affix the spacer 200 to the side of the shuffler 100 where a press nut 250, captive fastener or the like has been positioned as shown in the partial side view of FIG. 9D. Alternatively, the spacer may be affixed at least one of the side surface (130, 140 as needed) of the shuffler or the underside of the top plate 110 by glue, double sided adhesive tape, epoxy, or the like.

[0057] In a further aspect, the spacer 200 may comprise a plurality of spacers of a same width in the gap dimension, each spacer of the plurality of attached to the side of the apparatus or to the underside of the top plate of the apparatus so that the spacers are oriented in substantially the same position as a single spacer previously described. A different means of attaching the spacer to the shuffler device may be used in each instance.

[0058] A method of installing a shuffler 100 in an oversized aperture 500 may include measuring orthogonal dimensions of the body of the shuffler 100 and measuring the corresponding orthogonal dimensions of the aperture. Where the difference in dimension in either of the of the orthogonal dimensions is greater than about 1/16 in. to about in., a spacer is selected so that the width of two spacers reduces the overall difference in the overall dimension of the shuffler body with the spacers installed and the corresponding dimension of the aperture. The spacers are affixed to the opposing sides or the underside of the top surface of the shuffler corresponding to the dimension to be extended. Depending on the availability of information regarding the dimensions of the aperture, spacers may be affixed to the shuffler body during a manufacturing process. Alternatively the shuffler device may be supplied as a kit with one or more spacers and the means to affix the spacers to the shuffler prior to installation based on measuring or confirming the aperture dimensions. The shuffler lowered into the aperture with the spacers providing tactile guidance as to proper insertion in the aperture so that the shuffler may be lowered so that the lip contacts the table surface. When the shuffler is fully inserted into the aperture the shuffler is substantially centered in the aperture and the horizontal range of motion or rotation of the shuffler is limited by the spacers.

[0059] The amount of tolerance in the fit between the shuffler body and the aperture may at least be sufficient to constrain the motion of the shuffler with respect to the table top so that a gap cannot be formed between an edge of a lip of the shuffler device and any side of the aperture. This prevents a card from falling through such a gap in the table top and compromising the integrity of a deck of cards by changing the number of cards in the deck arising from the card that has exited through the gap. The amount of horizontal motion permitted may also take into consideration the downward force applied to the table top covering 14 of the table 10 by the lip portion L of the shuffler device to so as to more evenly distribute the downward force around the periphery of the aperture. This results in a more uniform compression of the thickness of the resilient portion of the table top covering 14 so the thickness of the edge of the top surface 110 is subsumed in the depression caused by the applied force and the discontinuity is minimized. These dimensions and tolerances may depend on the specific type of table covering used and the weight of the shuffler device when compared with the shuffler device originally intended to fit in the aperture that is oversized for the replacement shuffler. The amount of force to be applied to the table top covering 14 to achieve the desired result may depend on the modulus of resilience of the pad. In an aspect, the lip dimensions of the shuffler device for installation in the oversized aperture 500 may be selected so as to provide approximately the same downforce per unit area of the table top covering as the device being replaced.

[0060] Although the present invention has been explained by way of the examples described above, it would be understood by the ordinary skilled person in the art that scope the invention is not limited to the embodiments, but rather that various changes or modifications of embodiments thereof are possible without departing from the spirit of the invention. Accordingly, the scope of the invention shall be determined only by the appended claims and their equivalents.