DICE SHAKING MECHANISM

Abstract

There is described an automated dice shaking mechanism for use for example in casinos. The dice shaking mechanism comprises a driving member; a drive shaft connected to the driving member and wherein the drive shaft is arranged in communication with a crank pin. The mechanism is operable such that the drive shaft is arranged to rotate about a drive shaft axis, the crank pin having a crank pin axis offset from the drive shaft axis; a control arm and a lifting member and wherein the control arm has a first end and an opposing second end. In the mechanism the first end is connected to the crank pin, the control arm is then arranged to move the lifting member along a vertical axis of the dice shaking mechanism. The lifting member comprises a frame attached to the second end of the control arm; and a platform attached to the frame, and in this way the platform movement provides the dice shaking and activation. The mechanism provides for improvements in reliability, repeatability and robustness of the casino gaming equipment.

Claims

1. A dice shaking mechanism, the dice shaking mechanism comprising: a driving member; and a drive shaft connected to the driving member, the drive shaft in communication with a crank pin; wherein the drive shaft is arranged to rotate about a drive shaft axis, the crank pin having a crank pin axis offset from the drive shaft axis; a control arm and a lifting member; and wherein the control arm has a first end and an opposing second end, the first end connected to the crank pin, the control arm being arranged to move the lifting member along a vertical axis of the dice shaking mechanism; and wherein the lifting member comprises a frame attached to the second end of the control arm; and a platform attached to the frame.

2. The dice shaking mechanism of claim 1, wherein the lifting member is arranged to reciprocally move between a first position and a second position, each of the first position and the second position located on the vertical axis of the dice shaking mechanism.

3. The dice shaking mechanism of claim 2, wherein the first position is located vertically above the second position.

4. The dice shaking mechanism of claim 1 further comprising: a limiting mechanism, wherein the limiting mechanism is arranged to restrict the movement of the platform to between the first position and the second position.

5. The dice shaking mechanism of as claimed in claim 1, wherein the platform has a platform width; and wherein the frame has a frame width.

6. The dice shaking mechanism of claim 1 further comprising: a guiding mechanism, wherein the guiding mechanism is arranged to restrict the motion of the platform reciprocally along the vertical axis.

7. The dice shaking mechanism of claim 6, wherein the guiding mechanism is a rigid rod and, wherein the frame is attached to the rigid rod.

8. The dice shaking mechanism of claim 7, wherein the frame is slidably attached to the rigid rod.

9. The dice shaking mechanism of claim 7 further comprising: a sensor; and an actuator.

10. The dice shaking mechanism of claim 9, wherein the actuator is arranged to activate the sensor.

11. The dice shaking mechanism of claim 9, wherein the sensor is positioned opposing the actuator.

12. The dice shaking mechanism of claim 9, wherein the sensor is positioned at a fixed point on the frame or the housing.

13. The dice shaking mechanism of claim 9, wherein the actuator is positioned at a fixed point on the frame or the housing.

14. The dice shaking mechanism of claim 9, further comprising: a housing arranged to accommodate: the frame; the driving member; the drive shaft; the control arm; and the limiting mechanism.

15. The dice shaking mechanism of claim 9, further comprising: a screen member protruding from the housing.

16. The dice shaking mechanism of claim 15, wherein the screen member is cylindrical.

17. The dice shaking mechanism of claim 2, further comprising: a damping component to assist with the final location of the dice.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0024] Specific embodiments will now be described by way of example only, and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0025] FIG. 1A shows a horizontal sectional view of the present invention shown without a housing;

[0026] FIG. 1B shows a front sectional view of the present invention of FIG. 1A with a 90 degree rotation;

[0027] FIG. 10 shows a rear sectional view of the present invention of FIG. 1B;

[0028] FIG. 1D shows a perspective view of the invention of FIG. 1A, FIG. 1B, and FIG. 1C;

[0029] FIG. 2A shows a front sectional view of the present invention including the housing and screening members;

[0030] FIG. 2B shows a rear sectional view of the present invention of FIG. 2A; and

[0031] FIG. 2C shows a perspective view of the dice shaking mechanism of FIG. 2A and FIG. 2B.

[0032] Referring to FIG. 1A and FIG. 1B, a horizontal sectional view of an example embodiment 100 of a dice shaking mechanism 100 according to the first aspect of the present invention are shown. In the example 100 shown, the dice shaking mechanism 100 comprises a driving member 101 which, in the embodiment shown, is a motor. The driving member 101 is oriented along and rotates about a horizontal axis. The driving member 101 is controlled by a controller (not shown).

[0033] Extending from the driving member 101 is a drive shaft 120 aligned along the vertical axis. The drive shaft 120 has a rotational axis aligned along the same vertical axis.

[0034] Connected to the drive shaft 120 and aligned along a plane perpendicular to that of the drive shaft axis is, in the embodiment shown, a cam wheel 102. The cam wheel 102 is centred on the drive shaft rotational axis. The cam wheel 102 has a 360-degree rotation such that a 0-degree point (or 360-degree) is located vertically above a 180-degree point, both points being along the vertical axis.

[0035] At an offset distance from the rotational axis of the drive shaft 102, protruding from the cam wheel 102 is a crankpin 103. The crankpin 103 protrudes from the cam wheel 102 in the opposite direction to the motor driving member 101. The crankpin 103 has a rotational axis (herein referred to as the crankpin axis) aligned parallel to the drive shaft axis directly on the centre of the crankpin 103 where in the offset distance describes the distance between the crankpin axis 103 and the drive shaft axis 120 radially along the cam wheel, the offset in the illustrated embodiment being approximately 2 cm.

[0036] A control arm 104 extends vertically from the crankpin 103. A proximate end of the control arm 104 is attached to the crankpin 103 at a first position 105. A distal opposing end of the control arm is located in the illustrated embodiment at a distance from the first position 105, at a second position 106.

[0037] A framework is also illustrated in FIG. 1A and FIG. 1B. Affixed to the second position 106 is a frame 107 wherein the frame 107 extends along the vertical axis. The frame 107 has a frame width W aligned along the horizontal axis and a frame length L aligned along the vertical axis, the frame width being W and the frame length being L.

[0038] Adjacent to the frame 107 is a platform 108 wherein the platform 108 is aligned along a perpendicular plane to the vertical axis of the driving member 101. The platform 108 comprises a disc with an associated upper platform surface 109. The upper platform surface 109 has an upper platform width of W and the platform 108 has a platform depth of PD, the upper platform width PW being the diameter of the upper platform surface 109 and the platform depth PD being the distance of the platform 108 along the vertical axis.

[0039] The dice shaking mechanism 100 further comprises; a limiting mechanism upper component 110 proximate the platform 108 and an opposing limiting mechanism lower component 111, both arranged to form a limiting mechanism. The limiting mechanism upper component 110 and the limiting mechanism lower component 111 are positioned to allow between them an oscillation distance, in certain embodiments the oscillation distance is approximately 10 cm.

[0040] Referring to FIG. 1B, a dice shaking mechanism 100 is shown further comprising a guiding mechanism 112. The guiding mechanism 112 is aligned to the driving member 101. The guiding mechanism 112 comprises a pair of rods attached to the frame 107, the pair of rigid rods 114 being attached on either side of the control arm 104. In the illustrated embodiment the rods are rigid. In an alternative embodiment one or more linear rails as an alternative to the rigid rods and bearings may be used.

[0041] The dice shaking mechanism 100 further comprises; a sensor 121, a corresponding sensor actuator 122 and an external sensor controller (not shown). The sensor 121 illustration positioned below the frame 107 with the corresponding sensor actuator 122 being positioned on the frame 107 at a point vertically higher along the vertical axis than the sensor in a position that directly opposes the sensor 121.

[0042] The sensor is arranged to determine the position of the platform. Other arrangements are envisaged.

[0043] It should be noted that FIG. 2A shows the same embodiment as FIGS. 1A to 1D but with added features described below.

[0044] Turning now to FIG. 2A, a front sectional view of the present invention is shown with an embodiment 200 comprising the full dice shaking mechanism 200. In the embodiment 200 shown, the dice shaking mechanism 200 comprises a housing 213 with an associated housing length of HL. The housing 213 is shaped to accommodate the platform 209 with a circular cross section.

[0045] The housing 213 further comprises an interior channel 214 with an interior channel width of CW, the interior channel width CW accommodating the circular cross section of the platform 209. The housing 213 further comprises a housing exterior 214. The housing 213 is arranged such that the platform 208 is able to rest atop a section S of the housing exterior. The interior channel 214 is arranged such that it provides a channel through which the frame 207 is able to move along the vertical axis.

[0046] The dice shaking mechanism 200 further comprises a screen member 216 having a suitable thickness. The screen member 216 is shaped to have a cross sectional shape matching that of the platform 209, the cross sectional shape being a circle in the illustrated embodiment.

[0047] The screen member 216 further comprises a cavity 217 to encompass the platform, with a larger diameter than the platform 208. The difference between the cavity diameter and the platform diameter is lower than the length of a face of a die such that the die is unable to move between edge of the platform 208 and the screen member 216.

[0048] Referring to FIGS. 2B and 2C, a rear sectional view of the present invention a perspective view of the present invention, the example embodiment 200 being the full dice shaking mechanism 200 as is shown. In the example 200 shown, the dice shaking mechanism 200 further comprises a damping component 219. The damping component 219, being a cushion, is arranged to create a barrier between the platform 209 and screen member 216. The barrier is such that the platform 209 and the housing exterior 215 are prevented from touching.

[0049] In use, the driving member 101 is arranged to rotate the drive shaft 120 at a rotational frequency that matches the rotational frequency of the driving member 101. The driving member 101 is controlled by a driving controller (not shown) which allows for the driving member 101 to rotate at a predetermined frequency chosen by the user.

[0050] The cam wheel 102 and the drive shaft 120 are arranged such that the rotation of the drive shaft 120 directly translates into the rotation of the cam wheel 102. The arrangement of drive shaft 120, cam wheel 102, crankpin 103 and the control arm 104 allows for the rotational motion of the drive shaft 120 to be converted into reciprocal vertical motion. The reciprocal vertical motion is created by the cam wheel 102 and crankpin 103 arrangement wherein the crankpin is able to rotate around the crankpin axis whilst revolving around the drive shaft axis. This allows the control arm 104 to move linearly along a vertical axis.

[0051] The frame 107 is attached in a way such that the linear motion along the vertical axis of the control arm 106 is directly converted into linear motion along the vertical axis for the platform 108. The linear motion of the platform 108 leads to an oscillation distance due to the control arm 104 being indirectly attached to the cam wheel 102 in a manner wherein the first end 150 of the control arm 104 is rotated between the 0-degree and 180-degree points of the cam wheel, thus inducing an oscillation.

[0052] The limiting mechanism 110 is oriented so that, at the end of each oscillation, the platform 108 is completely horizontal on the horizontal axis with no deviation from its intended alignment.

[0053] The guiding mechanism 112 is arranged such that the linear motion of the frame 107 and the platform 108 are restricted to movement parallel to the vertical axis. As a result, the platform 108 is able to move with all points collinear with the horizontal axis. The platform 108 therefore has no deviation from its intended alignment.

[0054] The sensor 121, which in the current embodiment is a light sensor, is positioned to reflect light off the sensor actuator 122, the sensor actuator 122 being attached to the frame 107. The arrangement allows for the external sensor controller to read the sensor 121. Other options, such as a microswitch or proximity sensor may be used. The sensor provides for determination of a location of the platform 209. This also allows for the external sensor controller to calculate the number of oscillations that the dice shaking mechanism 100 has gone through, which, in collaboration with the driving controller, lets the dice shaking mechanism 100 oscillate the correct number of times and to then instigate a final shake if required.

[0055] The cavity 217 is configured such that the platform 209 is able to move vertically within the cavity 217 without being restricted by the cavity 217. The cavity length is at least 15 cm, such that the cavity 217 is of an adequate size to allow for a number of dice to shake to a desired dice shaking characteristics.

[0056] The screen member 216 comprises a clear material. In other embodiments (not shown) the screen may comprise an opaque metal.

[0057] The damping component 219 is arranged such that the platform 209 rests below it when the control arm 204 is in its first position 206 and such that the damping component 219 and the platform 209 are not in contact whilst the platform 209 is travelling towards the second position 205. At rest the platform sits below the top of the cushion (damping component). This minimises the chance that one or more dice are leaning up against the clear cylinder when the shake is finished. There is a final ‘shimmy’ shake that assists with this too.

[0058] It will be appreciated that the above described embodiments are given by way of example only and that various modifications may be made to the described embodiments without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.