SHUFFLED PLAYING CARDS AND MANUFACTURING METHOD THEREOF

• US 20150151191A1
• Filed: 12/03/2014
• Published: 06/04/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/27/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Angel Group Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Angel Playing Cards Co Ltd (Angel Group Company Limited)
• Inventors: SHIGETA, Yasushi
• Granted Patent: US 9,914,044 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 1/00 Card games aspects of games using an electronically generated display having two or more dimensions showing representations related to the game A63F13/00; card games played on a gaming machine G07F17/32
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 1/02 Cards; Special shapes of cards card-printing methods B41K, B41M
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 1/062 Boxes or cases for cards
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 1/10 Card holders
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 1/12 Card shufflers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 1/18 Score computers; Miscellaneous indicators time-testing devices G07C
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 11/00 Game accessories of general use , e.g. score counters, boxes
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2001/022 Manufacturing of cards
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2250/58 Antifraud or preventing misuse

Abstract

The present invention provides shuffled playing cards which eliminate the need for a game host to shuffle cards before games by taking a lot of time as well as eliminate the possibility of cheating. A shuffled playing cards (1) obtained by shuffling a predetermined number of decks of playing cards (12) using a shuffling machine is packaged as an individual pack. The shuffled playing cards (1) is individually packaged and sealed with an adhesive label (13). A bar code (13a) which represents a unique shuffled card ID has been printed on the adhesive label (13). The shuffled card ID is registered in a database by being associated with information which allows identification of a shuffling machine used to shuffle the playing card set.

Claims

1. A method of manufacturing shuffled decks of playing cards, the method comprising:

a shuffling step of shuffling multiple numbers of decks of playing cards at random in a factory;

wherein the shuffling step has at least a first card feeding step and a second card feeding step;

an inspection step of detecting a rank and a suit of each card, counting the number of each rank and suit and inspecting whether or not there is any excess or deficiency in the rank or suit contained in the number of decks of playing cards, during or after the shuffling of the cards, but before packaging;

a packaging step of packaging a set of shuffled decks of the playing cards in an individual package;

an ID attaching step of attaching a shuffled card ID to the individual package.

2. The manufacturing method according to claim 1, wherein the first card feeding step is functionally independent of the second card feeding step.

3. The manufacturing method according to claim 1, wherein the first card feeding step comprises feeding the cards into multiple receptacles.

4. The manufacturing method according to claim 3, wherein the second card feeding step comprises feeding the cards into multiple receptacles.

5. The manufacturing method according to claim 4, wherein the multiple receptacles for the first card feed step are different than the multiple receptacles for the second card feeding step.

6. The manufacturing method according to claim 1, wherein the multiple number of decks of playing cards are shuffled at random using a random generator so as to make each set have a different sequence of cards.

7. The manufacturing method according to claim 1, further comprising a card inspection step of inspecting the each card for a smudge or a pattern of a back design during or after the shuffling of the cards, but before packaging to identify a defective card.

8. The manufacturing method according to claim 1, further comprising a card inspection step of inspecting whether or not the each card has been cut properly or complies with predetermined standards during or after the shuffling of the cards, but before packaging to identify a defective card.

9. The manufacturing method according to claim 7, further comprising a card discarding step of discarding the defective card after the card inspection step.

10. The manufacturing method according to claim 8, further comprising a card discarding step of discarding the defective card after the card inspection step.

11. The manufacturing method according to claim 1, further comprising a card discarding step of discarding the set of cards which has any excess or deficiency in the rank or the suit.

12. The manufacturing method according to claim 1, wherein after the shuffled card ID has been attached to the individual package, predetermined numbers of packages are assembled and the shuffled card IDs of the predetermined number of packages are read, the predetermined number of packages are delivered as a set.

13. The manufacturing method according to claim 1, wherein a set of packages, of which the shuffled card IDs of the packages were read, are packaged as a set in a carton and a carton ID is assigned to each carton to identify the carton.

14. Shuffled playing cards comprising:

a multiple number of decks of playing cards being shuffled at random in a factory;

a rank and suit of each card being detected during or after the shuffling of the cards and before packaging;

wherein a rank and suit of each card is detected, the number of each rank and suit of cards of number of decks of playing cards are counted, and it is inspected whether or not there is any excess or deficiency in the rank or suit contained in the number of decks of playing cards during or after the shuffling of the cards before packaging;

wherein a set of shuffled decks of the number of playing cards are packaged in an individual package, and a unique shuffled card ID is attached to the individual package as having been completed the final process of shuffling.

15. The shuffled playing cards according to claim 14, wherein the multiple number of decks of playing cards are shuffled at random using a random generator so as to make each set have a different sequence of cards.

16. The shuffled playing cards according to claim 14, wherein the each card is inspected for any smudge or a pattern of a back design during or after the shuffling of the cards before packaging.

17. The shuffled playing cards according to claim 14, wherein it is inspected whether or not the each card has been cut properly or complies with predetermined standards during or after the shuffling of the cards before packaging.

18. The shuffled playing cards according to claim 14, wherein after the unique shuffled card ID has been attached to the individual package, predetermined number of packages are set and shuffled card IDs of the predetermined number of packages are actually read, the set of the packages of which all of the shuffled card IDs were read are delivered as a set.

19. The shuffled playing cards according to claim 14, wherein a set of packages of which shuffled card IDs of the packages were read are packaged as a set in a carton including a unique carton ID to identify the carton.