IPC분류정보
국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
|
국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
|
출원번호 |
US-0194652
(2011-07-29)
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등록번호 |
US-8342526
(2013-01-01)
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발명자
/ 주소 |
- Sampson, David E.
- Forte, Steven L.
|
출원인 / 주소 |
|
대리인 / 주소 |
Chernoff Vilhauer McClung & Stenzel LLP
|
인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
64 인용 특허 :
108 |
초록
▼
A card shuffler that moves cards one-at-a-time from the bottom of a deck in a deck-crib to randomly designated single-card receptacles in a dealing rack. The dealing rack is moved by a motor to align a receptacle, randomly selected from among remaining empty receptacles, with an outfeed slot of the
A card shuffler that moves cards one-at-a-time from the bottom of a deck in a deck-crib to randomly designated single-card receptacles in a dealing rack. The dealing rack is moved by a motor to align a receptacle, randomly selected from among remaining empty receptacles, with an outfeed slot of the deck-crib to receive each card to be moved from the deck-crib. A space is provided in the dealing rack where a dealer's hand can reach cards and remove them from the dealing rack. A controller can cause the dealing rack to move so as to allow a selected number of cards to be removed by the dealer for a player hand or a dealer hand. A card reader may be included, and positions in the dealing rack of cards identified by the card reader can be stored in memory in the controller.
대표청구항
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1. A card shuffler comprising: (a) a base;(b) a deck-crib supported by said base and capable of containing a plurality of cards;(c) a dealing rack defining a plurality of single-card receptacles and located adjacent to and aligned with said deck-crib;(d) a card shield movable in a track located alon
1. A card shuffler comprising: (a) a base;(b) a deck-crib supported by said base and capable of containing a plurality of cards;(c) a dealing rack defining a plurality of single-card receptacles and located adjacent to and aligned with said deck-crib;(d) a card shield movable in a track located alongside said dealing rack, between a first position and a second position, said dealing rack including a latch operable selectively to engage said card shield and thereby to move said card shield along with said dealing rack between said first and second positions when said latch is engaged;(e) a card mover associated with the deck-crib and operable to move a single card from said deck-crib to a selected one of said plurality of single-card receptacles;(f) a motor associated with said base and arranged to move said dealing rack relative to said deck-crib; and(g) a controller arranged to: (i) randomly select an empty one of said plurality of single-card receptacles of said dealing rack;(ii) thereafter cause said motor to move said dealing rack to place said randomly selected empty one of said plurality of single-card receptacles into alignment with said card mover;(iii) thereafter cause said card mover to move a single card from said deck-crib into said randomly selected empty one of said plurality of single-card receptacles; and(iv) thereafter repeat steps (i), (ii), and (iii) until said deck-crib has been emptied of cards. 2. The card shuffler of claim 1 wherein an outfeed side of said deck-crib defines a card transfer slot. 3. The shuffler of claim 2 wherein said deck-crib includes a card block wall and said card mover includes a drive roller having an upper surface and wherein said card transfer slot has a gap height, between said upper surface and a lower surface of said card block wall, that is greater than a thickness of a card and less than twice said thickness of said card. 4. The shuffler of claim 3 wherein said dealing rack is separated from said card block wall by a distance in the range of 0.02-0.25 inch. 5. The shuffler of claim 4 wherein said distance is not more than about 0.09 inch. 6. The shuffler of claim 4 wherein said distance is not more than about 0.04 inch. 7. The shuffler of claim 3 wherein a card in said deck-crib has a width and the deck-crib and the dealing rack are located so that the card is required to move only a distance about equal to its own width plus the thickness of said card block wall from said deck-crib into a single-card receptacle aligned with said card mover. 8. The card shuffler of claim 3 including a sensor located adjacent said card block wall and arranged to provide a signal to said controller to enable said controller to count each card moved from said deck-crib through said card transfer slot to one of said single-card receptacles. 9. The card shuffler of claim 3 including a sensor located adjacent said card block wall and arranged to provide a signal to said controller to indicate that no card is present in the card transfer slot, and that the dealing rack is thus free to be moved. 10. The card shuffler of claim 1 wherein said controller includes a random number generator arranged to randomly select an empty one of said plurality of single-card receptacles. 11. The card shuffler of claim 1 wherein said dealing rack is movable to a position with respect to said base wherein at least one of said plurality of single-card receptacles is exposed in a position from which every card in each exposed one of said plurality of single-card receptacles can be slid out simultaneously to be dealt. 12. The card shuffler of claim 1 including a screw drive associated with said dealing rack and wherein said motor is a stepper motor interconnected with said controller so as to operate said screw drive to move said dealing rack to place said selected empty one of said plurality of single-card receptacles into alignment with said card mover. 13. The card shuffler of claim 1 wherein said dealing rack includes a plurality of partial shelves aligned with one another as pairs separated from one another by a card removal gap and defining said single-card receptacles between adjacent pairs. 14. The card shuffler of claim 1 wherein said dealing rack includes a pair of opposite ends, a base interconnecting said opposite ends, and a plurality of shelves arranged above one another along each of said opposite ends, each shelf of said plurality along one end being aligned opposite a shelf of said plurality at the opposite end, and said plurality of shelves at one end of said rack being separated from said plurality of shelves at the opposite end of said rack by a card removal gap, so that a card in one of said single-card receptacles bridges said card removal gap. 15. The shuffler of claim 14 defining a card removal cavity communicating with said card removal gap. 16. The card shuffler of claim 1 wherein said card mover includes a drive roller protruding upward above a top surface of a bottom member of said deck-crib, in position to engage a bottom surface of a card located adjacent said bottom member of said deck-crib. 17. The card shuffler of claim 16 having a deck follower including an idler roller, said deck follower being free to move so as to keep said idler roller in contact with and exerting pressure against a card in said deck-crib. 18. The card shuffler of claim 1 including a blocking wall located on and extending upward from said base, adjacent a side of said dealing rack spaced apart from and facing away from said card mover. 19. The card shuffler of claim 18 including a sensor mounted adjacent said blocking wall and arranged to provide a signal to said controller when a single-card receptacle of said dealing rack in a predetermined location is empty. 20. The shuffler of claim 1 wherein said deck-crib incorporates a shelf located so as to support said plurality of cards in said deck-crib where a portion of each card extends outside said shuffler through an opening and thus is visible from outside said shuffler. 21. The card shuffler of claim 1 including a sensor arranged to determine when a single-card receptacle that is located in alignment with said card mover contains a card and accordingly to provide a corresponding electronic signal to said controller. 22. The card shuffler of claim 1 wherein said controller is arranged to receive an input signal and to cause said dealing rack to move a predetermined distance in response to said signal and thereby to place a predetermined number of single-card receptacles into a card presenting position in which said predetermined number of cards can be removed simultaneously from said predetermined number of single-card receptacles. 23. The card shuffler of claim 1 including a dealer manager switch interconnected electrically with said controller and capable of entering control signals into said controller without need for other controls, to commence, modify, interrupt, continue, and stop operation of said card shuffler. 24. The card shuffler of claim 1 including a sensor associated with said deck-crib and interconnected electrically with said controller so as provide a signal to said controller indicating whether there is a card in said deck-crib. 25. A card shuffler comprising: (a) a base;(b) a deck-crib supported by said base and capable of containing a plurality of cards;(c) a dealing rack defining a plurality of single-card receptacles and located adjacent to and aligned with said deck-crib;(d) a card mover associated with the deck-crib and operable to move a single card from said deck-crib to a selected one of said plurality of single-card receptacles;(e) a blocking wall located on and extending upward from said base, adjacent a side of said dealing rack spaced apart from and facing away from said card mover;(f) a motor associated with said base and arranged to move said dealing rack relative to said deck-crib; and(g) a controller arranged to: (i) randomly select an empty one of said plurality of single-card receptacles of said dealing rack;(ii) thereafter cause said motor to move said dealing rack to place said randomly selected empty one of said plurality of single-card receptacles into alignment with said card mover;(iii) thereafter cause said card mover to move a single card from said deck-crib into said randomly selected empty one of said plurality of single-card receptacles; and(iv) thereafter repeat steps (i), (ii), and (iii) until said deck-crib has been emptied of cards; and wherein(h) said dealing rack is movable to a position with respect to said blocking wall in which at least one of said single-card receptacles is exposed beyond a margin of said blocking wall, and wherein said shuffler includes a sensor located adjacent said blocking wall and aligned with respect to an intended position of one of said at least one of said single-card receptacles exposed beyond said margin, so as to determine that all of said at least one single-card receptacles are empty of cards and to provide a corresponding signal to said controller. 26. The card shuffler of claim 25 wherein an outfeed side of said deck-crib defines a card transfer slot. 27. The shuffler of claim 26 wherein said deck-crib includes a card block wall and said card mover includes a drive roller having an upper surface and wherein said card transfer slot has a gap height, between said upper surface and a lower surface of said card block wall, that is greater than a thickness of a card and less than twice said thickness of said card. 28. The shuffler of claim 27 wherein said dealing rack is separated from said card block wall by a distance in the range of 0.02-0.25 inch. 29. The shuffler of claim 28 wherein said distance is not more than about 0.9 inch. 30. The shuffler of claim 28 wherein said distance is not more than about 0.04 inch. 31. The shuffler of claim 27 wherein a card in said deck-crib has a width and the deck-crib and the dealing rack are located so that the card is required to move only a distance about equal to its own width plus the thickness of said card block wall from said deck-crib into a single-card receptacle aligned with said card mover. 32. The card shuffler of claim 27 including a sensor located adjacent said card block wall and arranged to provide a signal to said controller to enable said controller to count each card moved from said deck-crib through said card transfer slot to one of said single-card receptacles. 33. The card shuffler of claim 27 including a sensor located adjacent said card block wall and arranged to provide a signal to said controller to indicate that no card is present in the card transfer slot and that the dealing rack is thus free to be moved. 34. The card shuffler of claim 25 wherein said controller includes a random number generator arranged to randomly select an empty one of said plurality of single-card receptacles. 35. The card shuffler of claim 25 wherein said dealing rack is movable to a position with respect to said base wherein at least one of said plurality of single-card receptacles is exposed in a position from which every card in each exposed one of said plurality of single-card receptacles can be slid out simultaneously to be dealt. 36. The card shuffler of claim 25 including a screw drive associated with said dealing rack and wherein said motor is a stepper motor interconnected with said controller so as to operate said screw drive to move said dealing rack to place said selected empty one of said plurality of single-card receptacles into alignment with said card mover. 37. The card shuffler of claim 25 wherein said dealing rack includes a plurality of partial shelves aligned with one another as pairs separated from one another by a card removal gap and defining said single-card receptacles between adjacent pairs. 38. The card shuffler of claim 25 wherein said dealing rack includes a pair of opposite ends, a base interconnecting said opposite ends, and a plurality of shelves arranged above one another along each of said opposite ends, each shelf of said plurality along one end being aligned opposite a shelf of said plurality at the opposite end, and said plurality of shelves at one end of said rack being separated from said plurality of shelves at the opposite end of said rack by a card removal gap, so that a card in one of said single-card receptacles bridges said card removal gap. 39. The shuffler of claim 38 defining a card removal cavity communicating with said card removal gap. 40. The card shuffler of claim 25 wherein said card mover includes a drive roller protruding upward above a top surface of a bottom member of said deck-crib, in position to engage a bottom surface of a card located adjacent said bottom member of said deck-crib. 41. The card shuffler of claim 40 having a deck follower including an idler roller, said deck follower being free to move so as to keep said idler roller in contact with and exerting pressure against a card in said deck-crib. 42. The card shuffler of claim 25 including a blocking wall located on and extending upward from said base, adjacent a side of said dealing rack spaced apart from and facing away from said card mover. 43. The card shuffler of claim 42 including a sensor mounted adjacent said blocking wall and arranged to provide a signal to said controller when a single-card receptacle of said dealing rack in a predetermined location is empty. 44. The shuffler of claim 25 wherein said deck-crib incorporates a shelf located so as to support said plurality of cards in said deck-crib where a portion of each card extends outside said shuffler through an opening and thus is visible from outside said shuffler. 45. The card shuffler of claim 25 including a sensor arranged to determine when a single-card receptacle that is located in alignment with said card mover contains a card and accordingly to provide a corresponding electronic signal to said controller. 46. The card shuffler of claim 25 wherein said controller is arranged to receive an input signal and to cause said dealing rack to move a predetermined distance in response to said signal and thereby to place a predetermined number of single-card receptacles into a card presenting position in which said predetermined number of cards can be removed simultaneously from said predetermined number of single-card receptacles. 47. The card shuffler of claim 25 including a dealer manager switch interconnected electrically with said controller and capable of entering control signals into said controller without need for other controls, to commence, modify, interrupt, continue, and stop operation of said card shuffler. 48. The card shuffler of claim 25 including a sensor associated with said deck-crib and interconnected electrically with said controller so as provide a signal to said controller indicating whether there is a card in said deck-crib. 49. A card shuffler comprising: (a) a base;(b) a deck-crib supported on said base and capable of containing a plurality of cards;(c) a dealing rack located adjacent to and aligned with said deck-crib and defining a plurality of single-card receptacles arrayed closely adjacent to and parallel with one another;(d) a card mover associated with the deck-crib and operable to move each of a plurality of cards separately and serially from said deck-crib to respective selected ones of said plurality of single-card receptacles;(e) a motor arranged to move said dealing rack relative to said deck-crib so as to place serially each selected one of said plurality of single-card receptacles into alignment with said card mover;(f) a blocking wall mounted on said base and extending alongside a side of said dealing rack opposite from and spaced apart from said deck-crib when said dealing rack is in a first position; and(g) a controller arranged to cause said motor in response to a predetermined condition to move said dealing rack to a second position in which at least one of said plurality of single-card receptacles is exposed beyond a margin of said blocking wall, thereby permitting every card held in said exposed at least one of said single-card receptacles to be removed therefrom by being moved over said margin of said blocking wall, while said blocking wall prevents removal of any card from any of said receptacles not exposed beyond said margin of said blocking wall. 50. The card shuffler of claim 49 including a generally planar card shield located alongside said blocking wall, between said blocking wall and said dealing rack, and arranged for movement between a first position in which said card shield does not extend beyond said margin of said blocking wall and a second position in which said card shield extends beyond said margin of said blocking wall far enough to cover an adjacent side of said dealing rack when said dealing rack is in a farthest position of extension beyond said margin of said blocking wall required to place any of said single-card receptacles into alignment with said card mover. 51. The card shuffler of claim 49 wherein said dealing rack defines a card removal gap and wherein said card shuffler has a body cover that defines a card removal cavity above said deck-crib and communicating with said card removal gap. 52. The shuffler of claim 49 wherein said controller is arranged to cause said dealing rack to move a predetermined number of times to respective positions in each of which a selected number of said plurality of single-card receptacles is exposed beyond said margin of said blocking wall as a respective hand of cards. 53. A method of dealing a plurality of playing cards comprising: (a) placing a plurality of playing cards into a dealing rack including a plurality of single-card receptacles stacked adjacent one another in a fixed array arranged so that said playing cards are parallel with each other;(b) placing said dealing rack into a first position alongside a blocking wall adjacent a card removal side of said dealing rack;(c) in response to a predetermined condition automatically moving said dealing rack a distance relative to said blocking wall determined by a controller and thereby exposing a first selected number of single-card receptacles beyond a margin of said blocking wall, thereby creating an open path along said margin of said blocking wall for removal of a first selected number of said cards from said dealing rack;(d) removing said first selected number of said cards from said exposed single-card receptacles as a group of said cards;(e) thereafter sensing and automatically communicating electrically to said controller that it is appropriate to move the dealing rack to expose additional ones of said a single-card receptacles beyond said margin of said blocking wall;(f) in response thereto, moving said dealing rack a further distance relative to said blocking wall and thereby exposing a selected number of additional ones of said plurality of single-card receptacles beyond said margin of said blocking wall; and(g) thereafter repeating steps (d) through (f) until a desired number of groups of said cards have been removed from said dealing rack. 54. The method of claim 53 wherein step (e) includes sensing that at least one of said single-card receptacles exposed beyond said margin of said blocking wall has been emptied. 55. The method of claim 54 wherein said step of sensing and communicating is performed with respect to an exposed single-card receptacle that is closest to said margin of said blocking wall. 56. The method of claim 53 including the further steps of sensing that a predetermined time has passed since a group of cards has been removed, and in response thereto causing said dealing rack to move farther and thereby exposing all remaining ones of said plurality of single-card receptacles beyond said margin of said blocking wall, and thereafter removing all remaining ones of said plurality of playing cards from said dealing rack. 57. The method of claim 53 including the further steps of determining that a predetermined number of cards have been removed and in response thereto moving said dealing rack a further distance relative to said blocking wall, thereby exposing all remaining ones of said plurality of single-card receptacles beyond said margin. 58. The method of claim 53 including the step of keeping said dealing rack in such a position alongside said blocking wall that said blocking wall retains said ones of said playing cards in ones of said single-card receptacles not exposed beyond said margin of said blocking wall. 59. The method of claim 53 wherein the first selected number of single-card receptacles to be exposed is randomly selected by said controller. 60. The method of claim 53 including the further step of moving said dealing rack in response to said controller, a distance relative to said blocking wall in an opposite direction to said step of moving said dealing rack and exposing said selected number of single-card receptacles, after exposing said selected number of single-card receptacles and prior to removal of said selected number of cards therefrom, thereby reducing the number of said cards that can be removed from said dealing rack without further movement of said dealing rack relative to said blocking wall. 61. The method of claim 53 wherein said first selected number of single-card receptacles is randomly selected by said controller from a predetermined range of numbers, and wherein said selected number of additional ones of said single-card receptacles is equal to the arithmetical difference between said first selected number and a total number of cards for a player's hand according to rules of a game for which said dealing is performed and wherein said first selected number of said cards determines the starting position for the deal. 62. The method of claim 53 including the further step, during a sequence of dealing a plurality of said groups of cards, of providing a signal to the controller and thereby placing the controller into a burn card mode; thereafter providing a signal to the controller indicating a number of cards to be burned; and in response thereto moving said dealing rack a further distance relative to said blocking wall and thereby exposing a number of said plurality of single-card receptacles, equal to said number of cards to be burned, beyond said margin of said blocking wall. 63. A method of preparing to deal a plurality of playing cards, comprising: (a) placing a plurality of playing cards into a dealing rack including a plurality of single-card receptacles stacked adjacent one another in a fixed array arranged so that said playing cards are parallel with each other;(b) placing said dealing rack into a first position alongside a blocking wall adjacent a card removal side of said dealing rack;(c) in response to a first signal provided to a controller, moving said dealing rack relative to said blocking wall and thereby exposing a plurality of single-card receptacles beyond a margin of said blocking wall, thereby creating an open path along said margin of said blocking wall for removal of playing cards from said plurality of exposed single-card receptacles;(d) in response to a second signal provided to said controller at a time selected during said step of moving said dealing rack, stopping movement of said dealing rack;(e) thereupon removing all cards simultaneously from all of said single-card receptacles exposed beyond said margin of said blocking wall as a first cut portion;(f) in response thereto, moving said dealing rack a further distance relative to said blocking wall and thereby exposing all remaining ones of said plurality of single-card receptacles beyond said margin of said blocking wall; and(g) thereafter removing all cards simultaneously from said remaining ones of said plurality of single-card receptacles as a last cut portion. 64. The method of claim 63 wherein said second signal is provided at a time selected by a player during said step of moving said dealing rack.
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