Systems and methods for providing ultraviolet sterilization, disinfection and decontamination of gaming machines and associated equipment

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11344791-B2
Application number	US-202016909895-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 23, 2020
Priority date	Apr 20, 2020
Publication date	May 31, 2022
Grant date	May 31, 2022

Abstract

Systems and methods for providing ultraviolet (UV) sterilization, disinfection and decontamination of electronic gaming machines (EGMs), gaming chips, dice, playing cards, currency, TITO tickets, etc. The ultraviolet sterilization, disinfection and decontamination may include a singular or plurality of UV lamps of any type or style or UV LEDs or RGB-UV LEDs or any type or style of UV LEDs of at least such wavelengths to be effective in at least partially reducing or eliminating viruses or the like. The UV sources are mounted on, in or proximate to a variety of gaming devices or equipment such as EGMs, mechanical gaming machines, chip trays, chippers, dice holders, automatic card shufflers, bill validators, currency counting devices, currency dispensing devices, printers, magnetic card readers, playing card and currency sterilization, disinfection or decontamination storage mechanisms, ATMs, redemption machines, promotional kiosks, etc., or similar devices used in other industries.

First claim

We claim:

1. A gaming chip storage tray comprising:
a gaming chip tray housing, said gaming chip tray housing including a chip holding member configured to hold a plurality of gaming chips in one or more adjacent horizontal rows;
a source of ultraviolet light positioned on or in said gaming chip tray housing to direct ultraviolet light onto one or more of said plurality of gaming chips in said gaming chip tray housing to at least partially sterilize, disinfect and/or decontaminate said one or more gaming chips; and a lockable cover having a source of ultraviolet light is on an under surface thereof.

2. The gaming chip storage tray of claim 1 wherein said chip holding member comprises a plurality of semi-circular profile recesses.

3. The gaming chip storage tray of claim 1 wherein said source of ultraviolet light is positioned below the chip holding member.

4. The gaming chip storage tray of claim 3 wherein said chip holding member includes one or more openings for passage of ultraviolet light from said source of ultraviolet light.

5. The gaming chip storage tray of claim 1 wherein said source of ultraviolet light is one or more UVC LEDs.

6. The gaming chip storage tray of claim 1 wherein said source of ultraviolet light is one or more UVC lamps.

7. The gaming chip storage tray of claim 1 wherein said source of ultraviolet light is one or more UVC excimer lamps.

8. The gaming chip storage tray of claim 5 , 6 , or 7 wherein said ultraviolet light has a general wavelength of between 207 nm and 222 nm.

9. The gaming chip storage tray of claim 1 further comprising one or more flanges for seating said gaming chip storage tray in an opening in a gaming table.

10. The gaming chip storage tray of claim 1 further comprising a power source and controller.

11. A gaming chip storage tray comprising:
a gaming chip tray housing;
a chip holding member configured to hold a plurality of gaming chips;
a gaming chip storage tray cover configured to secure said plurality of gaming chips in said chip holding member;
a source of ultraviolet light integral with said gaming chip tray housing, said chip holding member and/or said gaming chip storage tray cover, said source of ultraviolet light configured to transmit ultraviolet light onto one or more of said plurality of gaming chips while in said chip holding member to at least partially sterilize, disinfect and/or decontaminate said one or more gaming chips; and
wherein a controller is programmed to deactivate said source of ultraviolet light when said gaming chip storage tray cover is not closed or locked in place on said gaming chip tray housing.

12. The gaming chip storage tray of claim 11 wherein said chip holding member comprises a plurality of semi-circular profile recesses.

13. The gaming chip storage tray of claim 11 wherein said source of ultraviolet light is positioned underneath the chip holding member.

14. The gaming chip storage tray of claim 13 wherein said chip holding member includes one or more openings for passage of ultraviolet light from said source of ultraviolet light.

15. The gaming chip storage tray of claim 11 wherein said source of ultraviolet light is one or more UVC LEDs.

16. The gaming chip storage tray of claim 11 wherein said source of ultraviolet light is one or more UVC lamps.

17. The gaming chip storage tray of claim 11 wherein said source of ultraviolet light is one or more UVC excimer lamps.

18. The gaming chip storage tray of claim 15 , 16 , or 17 wherein said ultraviolet light has a general wavelength of between 207 nm and 222 nm.

19. The gaming chip storage tray of claim 11 further comprising one or more flanges for seating said gaming chip storage tray in an opening in a gaming table.

20. The gaming chip storage tray of claim 11 further comprising a power source and controller to power and control said source of ultraviolet light.

21. The gaming chip storage tray of claim 11 wherein said source of ultraviolet light is on an under surface of said gaming chip storage tray cover generally facing the chip holding member.

22. The gaming chip storage tray of claim 11 wherein said gaming chip storage tray cover is lockable to said gaming chip tray housing.

23. A gaming chip storage tray comprising:
a gaming chip tray housing containing a chip holding member configured to hold a plurality of gaming chips in a generally vertical or horizontal stacked arrangement;
one or more gaming chip separator mechanisms configured to at least partially separate individual gaming chips while in said generally vertical or horizontal stacked arrangement; and a source of ultraviolet light integral with said housing, the source of ultraviolet light configured to transmit ultraviolet light onto one or more of said plurality of gaming chips in said gaming chip tray housing to at least partially sterilize, disinfect and/or decontaminate said one or more gaming chips; and
wherein said one or more gaming chip separator mechanisms are configured to move in a generally parallel fashion to said gaming chips in a generally vertical or horizontal stacked arrangement to at least partially separate pairs of neighboring individual gaming chips so that ultraviolet light can be directed onto the top and bottom surfaces of individual gaming chips within said stacked arrangement.

24. The gaming chip storage tray of claim 23 wherein said one or more gaming chip separator mechanisms are configured to disengage from separating said gaming chips in a generally vertical or horizontal stacked arrangement and return to a predetermined home position once reaching a predetermined distance from said home position.

25. The gaming chip storage tray of claim 23 wherein said chip holding member comprises a plurality of semi-circular profile recesses.

26. The gaming chip storage tray of claim 23 wherein said source of ultraviolet light is one or more UVC LEDs.

27. The gaming chip storage tray of claim 23 wherein said source of ultraviolet light is one or more UVC lamps.

28. The gaming chip storage tray of claim 23 wherein said source of ultraviolet light is one or more UVC excimer lamps.

29. The gaming chip storage tray of claim 26 , 27 , or 28 wherein said ultraviolet light has a general wavelength of between 207 nm and 222 nm.

30. The gaming chip storage tray of claim 23 further comprising one or more flanges for seating said gaming chip storage tray in an opening in a gaming table.

31. The gaming chip storage tray of claim 23 further comprising a lockable cover for said gaming chip tray housing.

32. A gaming chip storage tray comprising:
a gaming chip tray housing;
a chip holding member configured to hold a plurality of gaming chips in a generally vertical or horizontal stacked arrangement;
one or more gaming chip separator mechanisms configured to at least partially separate individual gaming chips while in said generally vertical or horizontal stacked arrangement;
a source of ultraviolet light positioned to transmit ultraviolet light onto at least a portion of the top and bottom surfaces of one or more of said plurality of gaming chips when separated at least partially by said one or more gaming chip separator mechanisms to sterilize, disinfect and/or decontaminate said one or more gaming chips; and
wherein said one or mo

Assignees

• Gaming Arts LLC

Inventors

• Colvin David
• Colvin Eric D
• Kruczynski Keith Matthew
• Sarhadian Sassoun

Classifications

• A61L2/24

  Apparatus using programmed or automatic operation · CPC title

• G07F17/3216

  Construction aspects of a gaming system, e.g. housing, seats, ergonomic aspects · CPC title

• A61L2202/11

  Apparatus for generating biocidal substances, e.g. vaporisers, UV lamps · CPC title

• A61L9/20

  Ultraviolet radiation · CPC title

• G07F17/3209

  Input means, e.g. buttons, touch screen · CPC title