Covers for casino gaming table playing surfaces and methods of manufacturing and installing the same

Abstract

A laminated cover for a casino gaming table, methods of manufacturing the cover, and methods of installing the cover are shown and described. The laminated cover includes a fabric sheet and a backing member adhered together. The laminated cover can be shaped to correspond to the shape of the gaming table. The fabric side of the laminated cover is printed to add features that are typically found on casino gaming tables such as betting circles or numbered squares. The features can be registered with respect to either the shape of the laminated cover or some other reference datum. In either aspect, the features on the cover will be consistently located with respect to the gaming table after each successive placement of the cover on the table.

1 . A cover for a casino gaming table, the cover comprising: 
 a fabric sheet;    a second sheet coupled to the fabric sheet in a fixed manner to form a laminated cover; and    an alignment perimeter continually formed around the laminated cover to define a shape corresponding to a shape of a gaming table playing surface.    
   
   
       2 . The cover according to  claim 1  wherein the fabric sheet has a layout of printed features on an upper surface thereof and at least one of the printed features is registered with respect to a reference datum.  
   
   
       3 . The cover of  claim 1  wherein the laminated cover is bendable, yet substantially non-stretchable in-plane of the laminated cover.  
   
   
       4 . The cover of  claim 1  wherein the second sheet is made from a foam material.  
   
   
       5 . The cover of  claim 4  wherein the foam material is Neoprene.  
   
   
       6 . The cover of  claim 1  wherein the fabric sheet is a synthetically woven material.  
   
   
       7 . The cover of  claim 1  wherein the printed features represent at least some of the graphics selected from the group consisting of betting circles, insurance bars, and double down wagering regions.  
   
   
       8 . The cover of  claim 1  wherein the printed features represent at least some of the betting grid graphics found on a Roulette gaming table cover.  
   
   
       9 . The cover of  claim 1  wherein the alignment perimeter is configured to conform to a gaming table surface perimeter, the gaming table surface perimeter defining the shape of the gaming table playing surface.  
   
   
       10 . The cover of  claim 1  wherein the reference datum is located on a portion of the alignment perimeter of the cover.  
   
   
       11 . The cover of  claim 1  wherein the reference datum is a marked region on the cover that indicates a position of an optical reader.  
   
   
       12 . A casino gaming table, comprising: 
 a gaming table playing surface having a perimeter; and    a gaming table cover having a fabric sheet coupled to a second sheet in a fixed manner, the cover further having an alignment perimeter to define a shape corresponding to a shape of the perimeter of the gaming table playing surface, the fabric sheet having a layout of printed features on an upper surface thereof such that at least some of the printed features are registered with respect to a reference datum, and at least a portion of the alignment perimeter of the cover closely corresponds to the shape of the perimeter of the gaming table playing surface.    
   
   
       13 . The table of  claim 12 , further comprising: 
 a rail formed around at least a portion of the gaming table playing surface to retainably secure the cover with respect to the gaming table.    
   
   
       14 . The table of  claim 12  wherein the reference datum is the alignment perimeter of the cover.  
   
   
       15 . The table of  claim 12  wherein the reference datum is a marked region on the cover that indicates a position of an optical reader.  
   
   
       16 . The table of  claim 12 , further comprising: 
 an optical reader attached to the gaming table for acquiring optical data regarding a gaming activity.    
   
   
       17 . The table of  claim 16  wherein a desired configuration of the optical reader is maintained with respect to the features on the gaming table even after one cover is removed and replaced with another cover.  
   
   
       18 . The table of  claim 12 , further comprising: 
 a base member having a shape that substantially corresponds to the shape of the gaming table playing surface, the base member located between the gaming table playing surface and the cover.    
   
   
       19 . The table of  claim 18  wherein the base member is made from a foam material.  
   
   
       20 . A method for manufacturing a cover for a gaming table, the method comprising: 
 selecting a fabric sheet;    selecting a backing member;    adhering the fabric sheet to the backing member to form a laminated cover;    forming the laminated cover to substantially correspond to dimensions of a gaming table playing surface shape; and    printing a layout of features on the fabric of the laminated cover such that at least some of the features are registered with respect to a reference datum.    
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 20  wherein adhering the fabric sheet to the second sheet is accomplished with adhesive.  
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 20 , further comprising: 
 performing a final forming procedure after printing to bring the dimensions of the laminated cover to within a specified tolerance with respect to the dimensions of the gaming table playing surface shape.    
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 22  wherein performing a final forming procedure after printing of the laminate sheet member is accomplished with a die cutter.  
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 20  wherein forming the laminated cover is accomplished with a die cutter.  
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 20 , further comprising: 
 verifying that the dimensions of the cover substantially correspond to the dimensions of the gaming table playing surface shape.    
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 20  wherein printing the layout of features is done by ink jet printing techniques, silkscreen printing techniques, dye sublimation printing techniques, or thermal transfer printing techniques.  
   
   
       27 . The method of  claim 20  wherein printing the layout of features results in the features having enhanced graphic characteristics.  
   
   
       28 . A method for installing a laminated gaming table cover onto a gaming table, the method comprising: 
 orienting the laminated cover such that a shape of the cover corresponds to a shape of the gaming table;    placing the laminated cover onto the gaming table such that a side of the laminated cover having printed features faces upward; and    verifying that a reference datum on the laminated cover is aligned with a selected feature on the gaming table.    
   
   
       29 . The method of  claim 28 , further comprising: 
 removing a worn gaming table cover.    
   
   
       30 . The method of  claim 28 , further comprising: 
 removing a rail from the gaming table.    
   
   
       31 . The method of  claim 30 , further comprising: 
 reinstalling a rail to the gaming table.    
   
   
       32 . The method of  claim 28 , further comprising: 
 placing the laminated cover onto a base member provided on the gaming table.    
   
   
       33 . The method of  claim 28  wherein verifying that a reference datum on the laminated cover is aligned with a selected feature on the gaming table includes aligning at least some portions of the laminated cover perimeter with at least some portion of the gaming table surface perimeter.  
   
   
       34 . The method of  claim 28  wherein verifying that a reference datum on the laminated cover is aligned with a selected feature on the gaming table includes aligning a region of the laminated cover with an optical reader position on the gaming table.  
   
   
       35 . A device for a gaming table comprising: 
 means for attaching a fabric sheet to a backing member;    means for forming the attached fabric sheet and backing member into a laminated cover having a desired shape;    means for printing a layout of features onto a fabric side of the laminated cover; and    means for registering at least some of the features with respect to a reference datum located in relationship to the laminated cover.    
   
   
       36 . A gaming table cover comprising: 
 a fabric member having a fixed, substantially non-stretchable backing and a plurality of printed features provided on an upper surface of the fabric member, at least one of the printed features being positioned in a selected, fixed location relative to a perimeter of the cover.