CARD SHUFFLING DEVICE AND METHOD

• US 20080315517A1
• Filed: 05/15/2008
• Published: 12/25/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/24/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AGS LLC (PlayAGS, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Shuffle Tech International, LLC
• Inventors: Toyama, Hirohide
• Granted Patent: US 7,854,430 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 273/149R
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 1/08 Card-presses
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 1/12 Card shufflers

Abstract

A device for shuffling a deck of playing cards is described. The cards are placed in a compartment having a shape of a rectangular parallelepiped, and dimensioned so that the cards are constrained in rotation in two of the three axes. The device is oriented so that a thickness dimension of the deck is horizontal, and groups of cards of the deck of cards are ejected in a vertical direction so as to provide a spacing of between a top edge of cards at rest and a bottom edge of the cards being ejected. The time duration of the ejection process is sufficient to effectively randomize the deck of cards. The ejection of cards may be by a plurality of pistons, and the pistons may be actuated by a motor, a solenoid or by air pressure.

Claims

1. A device for shuffling cards, comprising:

a compartment sized and dimensioned to receive a plurality of cards, each card of the plurality of cards having a height dimension and a width dimension parallel to a face thereof, a thickness dimension orthogonal to the face thereof; and

, edges around the periphery thereof; and

a forcer facing an edge of a card of the plurality of cards, through which an intermittent force is applied to a group of cards of the plurality of cards.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the compartment has a first dimension greater than a height dimension of a card, a second dimension greater than a thickness dimension of the plurality of cards, and a third dimension greater than twice a width dimension of a card.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the compartment has a first dimension greater than a width dimension of a card, a second dimension greater than a thickness dimension of the plurality of the cards and a third dimension greater than twice a height dimension of a card.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein when the device is in a state where shuffling is being performed, the compartment is substantially in the form of a rectangular parallelepiped.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein when the device is in a state where shuffling is being performed, a plane coincident with the face, and an edge of a card, are substantially parallel to the gravity vector.

6. The device of claim 5, wherein the force applied to the group of cards is sufficient to urge cards of the group of cards to a height above the aperture at least equal to the dimension of the cards along the gravity vector.

7. The device of claim 5, wherein the shuffling state has a duration sufficient to effectively randomize the plurality of cards.

8. The device of claim 5, wherein the duration of the shuffling state is controlled by a timer.

9. The device of claim 8, wherein the duration is at least about 20 seconds.

10. The device of claim 5, wherein the shuffling state is controlled by a switch.

11. The device of claim 10, wherein the switch is a momentary contact switch.

12. The device of claim 10, wherein the switch is actuated by gravity so as to be in an “

on”

position when an edge of the cards of the plurality of cards is substantially aligned with the gravity vector.

13. The device of claim 10 wherein the switch is an accelerometer or level sensor.

14. The device of claim 1, wherein the intermittent force is substantially impulsive.

15. The device of claim 14, wherein the impulsive force is decreased towards the end of a shuffling state.

16. The device of claim 1, wherein the cards are received through an aperture closable by a door.

17. The device of claim 16, wherein the door is rotatable about a hinge, or slid able, to cover the aperture.

18. The device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of cards is a deck of cards for playing a game of cards.

19. The device of claim 2, wherein the cards are received by a drawer slidable in the second dimension.

20. A device for shuffling a deck of cards, the comprising:

a compartment having the shape of a rectangular parallelepiped, sized and dimensioned to receive a deck of cards, and having first and second dimensions larger than a first dimension of a face of a card of the deck of cards, and a thickness of the deck of cards, respectively; and

a forcer applying an impulsive force to a group of cards of the deck of cards so as to eject the group of cards of the deck of cards into a third dimension, the third dimension being greater than the twice a second dimension of the face of the card.

21. The device of claim 20, wherein the first dimension is less than a diagonal dimension of the face of the card.

22. The device of claim 20, wherein at the ejected cards are returned to contact with the forcer by a force of gravity.

23. The device of claim 20, wherein the third dimension is aligned with a gravity vector when the forcer is applying the force.

24. The device of claim 20, wherein the forcer is a plurality of pistons, each of the plurality of pistons having a surface in contact with an edge of a plurality of the cards of the deck of cards when an edge of the card is oriented along the gravity vector and the cards are in a state of repose.

25. The device of claim 23, wherein the pistons are actuated by an electrical motor.

26. The device of claim 25, wherein a shaft of the motor has a plurality of projections, spaced apart in length and azimuth along the shaft so as to intermittently contact a surface of the piston of the plurality of pistons on a surface opposite to the piston surface contacting the cards.

27. The device of claim 26, wherein the projections are cams.

28. The device of claim 20, wherein the forcer is pneumatically actuated.

29. The device of claim 28, wherein the pneumatic actuation is a pressure applied to an edge of the group of cards through an aperture on which the cards are positioned.

30. The device of claim 28, wherein when an edge of the card of the group of cards is parallel to the gravity vector, and the force is not applied, the cards rest on a surface having a slope towards the aperture.

31. The device of claim 29, wherein the pressure is provided by an air pump.

32. The device of claim 29, wherein the pressure is provided by air reservoir having a pressure provided by operation of an air pump.

33. The device of claim 32, wherein the air reservoir is charged by the air pump until a pressure suitable for ejecting the cards is achieved.

34. The device of claim 20, wherein the force is provided by a pneumatic cylinder.

35. The device of claim 20, wherein the force is provided by a solenoid.

36. A method of shuffling cards, the method comprising:

providing a container having interior dimensions of a rectangular parallelepiped, sized and dimensioned to accept a deck of cards;

orienting the container so that a plane coincident with a face of a card, and an edge of the card, are parallel to a gravity vector;

and

propelling groups of cards of the deck of cards in a direction parallel to the face of the cards.