Card shuffling device

• US 20030047870A1
• Filed: 12/10/2001
• Published: 03/13/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/12/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sg Gaming, Inc. (Scientific Games Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Shuffle Master GMBH & Co KG (Scientific Games Corporation)
• Inventors: Krenn, Peter, Blaha, Ernst
• Granted Patent: US 6,659,460 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 273/149R
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 1/12 Card shufflers

Abstract

A card shuffler with a drivable card shuffling means (2′) with compartments (69) for receiving cards (13), which shuffling means is associated with an input apparatus for the individual insertion of cards into the compartments (69) and an output device distanced from the same for the shuffled cards, with the drive of the shuffling storage means (2′) being controlled by a randomizer, and the same being held on a basic body (1) which also carries the output device comprising a card storage means (42, 42′) for the shuffled cards. In order to enable the versatile use of such a shuffler it is provided that different card storage means (42, 42′) are provided for the removal of the shuffled cards (13) either one-by-one or in stacks, which storage means can be fastened alternatingly to a receiving means of the basic body (1).

Claims

1. A card shuffler with a drivable card shuffling storage means (2′

) with compartments (69) for receiving cards (13), which shuffling storage means is associated with an input apparatus for the individual insertion of cards into the compartments (69) and an output device distanced from the same for the shuffled cards, with the drive of the shuffling storage means (2′

) being controlled by a randomizer, and the same being held on a basic body (1) which also carries the output device comprising a card storage means (42, 42′

) for the shuffled cards, characterized in that different card storage means (42, 42′

) are provided for the removal of the shuffled cards (13) either one-by-one or in stacks, which storage means can be fastened alternatingly to a receiving means of the basic body (1).

2. A card shuffler as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the receiving means for a card storage means (42, 42′

) comprises two alignment pins (100).

3. A card shuffler as claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the card storage means (42) for shuffled cards is provided for the stack-wise removal of cards (13) with a U-shaped table (43) for receiving the cards (13) whose one wall adjacent to the output device comprises a slot for pushing through the cards (13) which is in alignment with the nip gap of the grip rollers (40).

4. A card shuffler as claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the card storage means (42′

) for the one-by-one removal of cards is provided with a gap (50) which is adjacent to the nip gap of the grip rollers (40), is limited by an inclined downwardly leading wall (49) and is further limited by a shoe (47) spring-loaded against the inclined wall (49), with an output slot (73) for the cards being provided between the lower end of the inclined wall (49) and a base plate, with the lower edge of the inclined wall (49) being provided with removal recess (72) which is open on its edge.

5. A card shuffler as claimed in one of the claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the compartments (69) of the shuffling storage means (2′

) are at least partly open at their end opposite of the output end and the output device is provided with an oscillatingly drivable lever (35, 36) which engages in the opening opposite of the output end of a compartment (69) of the shuffling storage means (2′

) which is in the output position and pushes the content of said compartment (69) between grip rollers (40) disposed before the output end of said compartment (69).

6. A card shuffler as claimed in one of the claims 1 to 5, in which the shuffling storage means (2′

) is formed by a drum (2), characterized in that the drum (2) is provided with a gear rim (70) which is in engagement with a drivable pinion (4).

7. A card shuffler as claimed in one of the claims 1 to 6, in which the shuffling storage means (2′

) is formed by a drum (2), characterized in that the radially outer openings of the compartments (69) of the drum (2) are covered by means of springs (52) which are provided with nose-like shapings (55) at their free end.

8. A card shuffler as claimed in one of the claims 1 to 6, in which the shuffling storage means (2′

) is formed by a drum (2), characterized in that retainer springs (51) are disposed in the compartments (69) of the drum (2), which retainer springs are pretensioned against the opposite wall of the respective compartment (69) and are preferably provided with an arc-shaped arrangement.

9. A card shuffler as claimed in one of the claims 1 to 8, characterized in that a sensor (24) for recognizing the card symbols is provided which is connected with a device for monitoring the cards (13) located in the game, with the sensor (24) preferably being disposed in the zone of the input apparatus.

10. A card shuffler as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the receiving means for the card storage means (42, 42′

) is provided with clips connectors.

11. A card shuffler as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the receiving means for the card storage means (42, 42′

) are formed by a recess in the basic body (1) in which a card storage means (42, 42′

) can be inserted and can be latched by means of spring-loaded latching bodies.