초록 ▼

At least one first poker chip case is provided which includes a case body having a cavity, an opening to the cavity, a bottom outer surface, and a case lid operative to close the opening. The case lid includes a top outer surface. The cavity includes at least one cavity wall and a plurality of divid

At least one first poker chip case is provided which includes a case body having a cavity, an opening to the cavity, a bottom outer surface, and a case lid operative to close the opening. The case lid includes a top outer surface. The cavity includes at least one cavity wall and a plurality of divider accepting slots spaced apart along the at least one cavity wall. At least one divider is operative to slide into any one of the plurality of divider accepting slots. The cavity is operative to support a plurality of poker chips therein in stacked relation. The top outer surface and the bottom outer surface include interlocking features which are operative to co-operatively engage respectively with at least two bottom surfaces and at least two top outer surfaces of further cases placed above and under the at least one first case in stacked relation.

대표청구항 ▼

We claim: 1. An apparatus comprising: at least one first case including: a case body, wherein the case body includes: a cavity, wherein the cavity includes therein: at least one cavity wall; a plurality of divider accepting slots spaced apart along the at least one cavity wall; wherein the cavity i

We claim: 1. An apparatus comprising: at least one first case including: a case body, wherein the case body includes: a cavity, wherein the cavity includes therein: at least one cavity wall; a plurality of divider accepting slots spaced apart along the at least one cavity wall; wherein the cavity is operative to support a plurality of poker chips therein in stacked relation; an opening to the cavity; a bottom outer surface; at least one case lid operative to close the opening to the cavity, wherein the at least one case lid includes: a top outer surface; wherein the top outer surface and the bottom outer surface include interlocking features which are operative to co-operatively engage respectively with at least two bottom outer surfaces and at least two top outer surfaces of further cases placed above and under the at least one first case in stacked relation; at least one divider operative to slide into any one of the plurality of divider accepting slots. 2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the case body includes at least one set of a plurality of spaced apart projections in operative connection with the at least one cavity wall, wherein each slot extends between adjacent pairs of the spaced part projections. 3. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the cavity includes a bottom inner surface, wherein the case body includes two sets of the plurality of spaced apart projections, wherein the two sets are positioned on opposed sides of the bottom inner surface, wherein the divider accepting slots in the two sets of projections are aligned, such that the divider is capable of sliding into aligned pairs of the divider accepting slots positioned on opposed sides of the bottom surface. 4. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the projections are positioned in the cavity such that a circular poker chip is not capable of sliding into the divider accepting slots. 5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the interlocking features of the top outer surface are operative to co-operatively engage with the bottom outer surfaces of at least two cases placed in side by side relation on top of the at least one case lid, wherein the interlocking features of the bottom outer surface are operative to co-operatively engage with the top outer surfaces of at least two cases placed in side by side relation under the case body. 6. The apparatus according to claim 1, comprising; at least three pairs of the cases in stacked relation, wherein for each pair of cases, the cases are position in side by side relation, wherein each pair of cases is stacked below or above at least one other pair of cases, wherein each pair of cases is rotated 90 degrees about a vertical axis with respect to the pair of cases at least one of immediately thereabove and immediately therebelow. 7. The apparatus according to claim 1, comprising: at least three sets of three cases in stacked relation, wherein for each set of three cases, the three cases are position in side by side relation, wherein each set of three cases is stacked below or above at least one other set of three cases, wherein each set of three cases is rotated 90 degrees about a vertical axis with respect to the set of three cases at least one of immediately thereabove and immediately therebelow. 8. The apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising a flexible bag, wherein the at least three sets of three cases in stacked relation are positioned inside the bag, wherein each case includes at least one stack of poker chips, wherein at least one case includes at least two stacks of poker chips, wherein the at least two stacks of poker chips are separated by the at least one divider. 9. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the interlocking features include at lease one raised portion, wherein the interlocking features include at least one recessed portion, wherein the at least one raised portion of the at least one first case is operative to project in at least one recessed portion of at least one other case. 10. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the interlocking features include at least one raised projection, wherein the at least one raised portion of the at least one first case is operative to resist lateral movement of at least one raised portion of at least one other case stacked at least one of below or on top of the at least one first case. 11. A method comprising: a) providing a plurality of cases, wherein each case includes: a case body, wherein the case body includes: a cavity, wherein the cavity includes therein: at least one cavity wall; a plurality of divider accepting slots spaced apart along the at least one cavity wall, wherein the cavity is operative to support a plurality of poker chips therein in stacked relation; an opening to the cavity; a bottom outer surface; at least one case lid operative to close the opening to the cavity, wherein the case lid includes: a top outer surface; b) for at least one case, inserting at least one divider into a slot; c) inserting at least one stack of poker chips into each case; and d) stacking at least three pairs of the cases to form a stack of cases, wherein for each pair of cases, the cases are position in side by side relation, wherein each pair of cases is stacked below or above at least one other pair of cases, wherein each pair of cases is rotated 90 degrees about a vertical axis with respect to the pair of cases at least one of immediately thereabove and immediately therebelow. 12. The method according to claim 11, wherein in (d), the top outer surface and the bottom outer surface of each case include interlocking features which are operative to co-operatively engage respectively with at least one bottom surface and at least one top outer surface of further cases placed immediately thereabove or immediately therebelow. 13. The method according to claim 12, wherein at least one of the slots in each case is positioned a first distance from at least one end of the case body, wherein (b) includes, for each one of at least two cases, inserting at least one divider into the slot positioned the first distance from the at least one end of the respective case body, wherein (c) includes inserting a stack of poker chips on each side of the divider in the at least two cases, wherein the chips on one side of the divider include chips of a different color than chips on a second side of the divider. 14. The method according to claim 13, further comprising: e) transporting the cases as a stack to a poker game location. 15. The method according to claim 14, wherein the poker game location includes a plurality of poker players, further comprising: f) issuing at least one case to each poker player, wherein the cases issued include the at least two cases. 16. The method according to claim 15, further comprising: g) playing at least one game of poker at the poker game location, including removing at least one chip from the cases issued in (f). 17. The method according to claim 16, wherein (a) through (d) are carried out in at least one location remote from the poker game location. 18. The method according to claim 16, wherein in (f) the at least two cases are issued to respective players before any of the chips in the at least two cases are removed from the at least two cases at the poker game location. 19. The method according to claim 12, wherein (d) includes stacking at least three sets of three cases in stacked relation, wherein for each set of three cases, the three cases are positioned in side by side relation, wherein each set of three cases is stacked below or above at least one other set of three cases, wherein each set of three cases is rotated 90 degrees about the vertical axis with respect to the set of three cases at least one of immediately thereabove and immediately therebelow. 20. The apparatus according to claim 19, further comprising: e) placing the cases as a stack into a bag; and f) transporting the cases as a stack inside the bag to a poker game location.