Playing card shufflers and related methods

• US 10,137,359 B2
• Filed: 07/31/2017
• Issued: 11/27/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 04/07/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sg Gaming, Inc. (Light & Wonder Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Bally Gaming Incorporated (Light & Wonder Incorporated)
• Inventors: Sines, Randy D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Layno, Benjamin
• Application Number:
  US15/664,170
• Publication Number:
  US 20170326438A1
• Time in Patent Office: 484 Days
• Field of Search: 273149 R, 273149 P, 463 22
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 1/12 Card shufflers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 1/14 Card dealers

Abstract

An apparatus is for shuffling a plurality of playing cards used in gaming. The apparatus includes a card support adapted to support the unshuffled cards on-edge. An exciter is also included, and is adapted to impart vibrational action to the supported cards. Cards drop in a random fashion such as by controlling the relative position of the cards and passage through one or more card slots in a card rest. In at least some of the apparatuses, a medial card receiver is adapted to receive at least one card dropped from the card support and to retain the at least one received card to substantially block the card slot to prevent further cards from dropping. A positioner is preferably included to change a relative position of the unshuffled deck and card slots though which the cards drop.

Claims

1. A method of shuffling cards, comprising:

providing a set of cards to be shuffled on a support surface such that an edge of each card is supported by the support surface, the support surface having a slot therethrough sized to enable only one card to drop through the slot at a time;

randomly positioning a support structure such that only a first card of the set of cards drops through the slot and stops on a card stop beneath the support surface such that the first card partially remains in the slot, wherein a trailing edge of the first card is positioned such that other cards of the set of cards can slide over the slot but no additional card can enter the slot, wherein the support structure is positionable on first and second sides of the set of cards to be shuffled;

randomly positioning the support structure to move the set of cards laterally across the support surface and to align a randomly selected second card with the slot; and

removing the first card from the card stop to allow the second card to drop through the slot and contact the card stop beneath the support surface such that the second card partially remains in the slot, wherein a trailing edge of the second card is positioned such that other cards of the set of cards can slide over the slot but no additional card can enter the slot.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein providing a set of cards to be shuffled on a support surface comprises providing a set of cards to be shuffled on a horizontal support surface.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein removing the first card from the card stop comprises transferring the first card to a card receiver.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising removing the second card from the card stop and transferring the second card to a card receiver, wherein the first card and the second card are deposited in the card receiver in an order in which the first card and the second card dropped through the slot.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising vibrating the cards on the support surface.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein vibrating the cards comprises vibrating the cards at a frequency in a range from about 10 Hz to about 100,000 Hz.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising generating a first random number, wherein randomly positioning a support structure comprises positioning the support structure at a position corresponding to the first random number.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising generating a second random number, wherein aligning a randomly selected second card with the slot comprises positioning the support structure at a position corresponding to the second random number.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein randomly positioning a support structure comprises operating an actuator to move the support structure laterally across the support surface.

10. A card shuffler, comprising:

a support surface configured to support an edge of each card of a set of cards to be shuffled, the support surface having a slot therethrough sized to enable only one card to drop through the slot at a time;

a support structure positionable on first and second sides of the set of cards to be shuffled and movable laterally across the support surface to align a randomly selected card with the slot; and

a card stop beneath the support surface positionable to cause the randomly aligned card to drop through the slot and partially remain in the slot, wherein when a card partially remains in the slot, a trailing edge of the card is positioned such that other cards of the set of cards can slide over the slot but no additional card can enter the slot.

11. The card shuffler of claim 10, further comprising a card receiver configured to receive the cards from the card stop.

12. The card shuffler of claim 11, wherein the card shuffler is configured to drop cards through the slot in a randomized order.

13. The card shuffler of claim 11, wherein the card shuffler is configured to sequentially pass the dropped cards from the card stop to the card receiver in an order in which the cards are dropped through the slot.

14. The card shuffler of claim 10, further comprising an exciter configured to impart vibration to the cards on the support surface.

15. The card shuffler of claim 10, wherein the support structure comprises at least one face guide substantially parallel to the cards when the cards are supported on edge on the support surface.

16. The card shuffler of claim 10, wherein the support surface is a horizontal support surface.

17. The card shuffler of claim 10, further comprising an actuator configured to move the support structure laterally across the support surface.

18. The card shuffler of claim 10, wherein the support surface and the support structure at least partially define a receptacle configured to receive the set of cards from a user of the card shuffler.

19. A method of shuffling cards, comprising:

providing a set of cards to be shuffled on a support surface such that an edge of each card is supported by the support surface, the support surface having a slot therethrough sized to enable only one card to drop through the slot at a time;

moving a support structure to move the set of cards laterally across the support surface and to align a first card of the set of cards with the slot, the first card associated with a first random number;

dropping the first card through the slot and stopping the first card against a card stop beneath the support surface such that the first card partially remains in the slot, wherein a trailing edge of the first card is positioned such that other cards of the set of cards can slide over the slot but no additional card can enter the slot;

moving the support structure to move the set of cards laterally across the support surface and to align a second card of the set of cards with the slot, the second card associated with a second random number; and

removing the first card from the card stop to allow the second card to drop through the slot and contact the card stop beneath the support surface such that the second card partially remains in the slot, wherein a trailing edge of the second card is positioned such that other cards of the set of cards can slide over the slot but no additional card can enter the slot.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising transferring the first card and the second card from the card stop to a card receiver in an order in which the first card and the second card are dropped through the slot.