Playing card shuffler
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An automated playing card shuffler, comprising:
- a frame;
an unshuffled stack holder for holding an unshuffled stack of playing cards;
a shuffled stack receiver for holding a shuffled stack of playing cards;
at least one ejector carriage mounted adjacent to said unshuffled stack holder, said at least one ejector carriage and said unshuffled stack holder being mounted so as to provide relative movement between said unshuffled stack holder and said at least one ejector carriage;
a plurality of ejectors mounted upon said at least one ejector carriage adjacent the unshuffled stack holder, for ejecting playing cards from the unshuffled stack, said ejecting occurring at various random positions from the unshuffled stack.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A playing card shuffler having an unshuffled stack holder which holds an infeed array of playing cards. One or more ejectors are mounted adjacent the unshuffled stack holder to eject cards from the infeed array at various random positions. Multiple ejectors are preferably mounted on a movable carriage. Extractors are advantageously used to assist in removing playing cards from the infeed array. Removal resistors are used to provide counteracting forces resisting displacement of cards, to thereby provide more selective ejection of cards from the infeed array.
288 Citations
139 Claims
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1. An automated playing card shuffler, comprising:
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a frame; an unshuffled stack holder for holding an unshuffled stack of playing cards; a shuffled stack receiver for holding a shuffled stack of playing cards; at least one ejector carriage mounted adjacent to said unshuffled stack holder, said at least one ejector carriage and said unshuffled stack holder being mounted so as to provide relative movement between said unshuffled stack holder and said at least one ejector carriage; a plurality of ejectors mounted upon said at least one ejector carriage adjacent the unshuffled stack holder, for ejecting playing cards from the unshuffled stack, said ejecting occurring at various random positions from the unshuffled stack. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 32, 33)
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29. An automated playing card shuffler, comprising:
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a frame; an unshuffled array holder for holding an unshuffled array of playing cards; a shuffled array receiver for holding a shuffled array of playing cards; at least one discharger mounted adjacent to the unshuffled array holder for discharging playing cards from various card discharge positions from within the unshuffled array and into the shuffled array receiver;
said at least one discharger including a plurality of ejectors which displace cards being discharged. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52)
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53. An automated playing card shuffler, comprising:
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a frame; a first holder for holding unshuffled playing cards in an infeed array; a second holder for holding shuffled playing cards in an outfeed array; a plurality of ejectors mounted adjacent the first holder;
said plurality of ejectors being mounted to eject cards from the infeed array at various card discharge positions of the infeed array;at least one extractor for facilitating discharge of ejected playing cards. - View Dependent Claims (54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78)
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79. A method for automated shuffling of playing cards, comprising:
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forming an unshuffled array of playing cards which are to be shuffled; holding the unshuffled array in an unshuffled array holder; selectively discharging playing cards from the unshuffled array at various card discharge positions of the unshuffled array; receiving playing cards from said discharging step in a shuffled card receiver wherein discharged playing cards are formed into a shuffled card array; resisting discharge of playing cards by providing counteractive force opposing discharge of playing cards from the unshuffled stack array. - View Dependent Claims (80, 81)
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82. A method for automated shuffling of playing cards, comprising:
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forming an unshuffled array of playing cards which are to be shuffled; holding the unshuffled array in an unshuffled array holder; selectively discharging playing cards from the unshuffled array at various card discharge positions of the unshuffled array; receiving playing cards from said discharging step in a shuffled card receiver wherein discharged playing cards are formed into a shuffled card array; moving an ejector carriage to position a plurality of ejectors mounted upon the ejector carriage at desired positions along the unshuffled array to allow said selective discharge of playing cards from random card positions from within the unshuffled array.
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83. A method for automated shuffling of playing cards, comprising:
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forming an unshuffled array of playing cards which are to be shuffled; holding the unshuffled array in an unshuffled array holder; selectively discharging playing cards from the unshuffled array at various card discharge positions of the unshuffled array; receiving playing cards from said discharging step in a shuffled card receiver wherein discharged playing cards are formed into a shuffled card array; wherein said selectively discharging step is effected using a plurality of ejectors. - View Dependent Claims (84, 85)
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86. A method for automated shuffling of playing cards, comprising:
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forming an unshuffled array of playing cards which are to be shuffled; holding the unshuffled array in an unshuffled array holder; selectively discharging playing cards from the unshuffled array at various card discharge positions of the unshuffled array; receiving playing cards from said discharging step in a shuffled card receiver wherein discharged playing cards are formed into a shuffled card array; resisting discharge of playing cards by engaging the cards with at least one resilient member.
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87. A method for automated shuffling of playing cards, comprising:
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forming an unshuffled array of playing cards which are to be shuffled; holding the unshuffled array in an unshuffled array holder; selectively discharging playing cards from the unshuffled array at various card discharge positions of the unshuffled array; receiving playing cards from said discharging step in a shuffled card receiver wherein discharged playing cards are formed into a shuffled card array; resisting discharge of playing cards by engaging the cards with at least one rotating member. - View Dependent Claims (88)
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89. An automated playing card shuffler, comprising:
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a frame; an unshuffled stack holder for holding an unshuffled stack of playing cards; a shuffled stack receiver for holding a shuffled stack of playing cards; at least one ejector carriage mounted adjacent to said unshuffled stack holder, said at least one ejector carriage and said unshuffled stack holder being mounted so as to provide relative movement between said unshuffled stack holder and said at least one ejector carriage; at least one ejector mounted upon said at least one ejector carriage adjacent the unshuffled stack holder, for ejecting playing cards from the unshuffled stack, said ejecting occurring at various random card positions from the unshuffled stack; at least one removal resistor which provides counteractive force opposing displacement of playing cards. - View Dependent Claims (90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, 100, 101, 102, 103, 104, 105, 106, 107)
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108. An automated playing card shuffler, comprising:
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a frame; an unshuffled stack holder for holding an unshuffled stack of playing cards; a shuffled stack receiver for holding a shuffled stack of playing cards; at least one ejector carriage mounted adjacent to said unshuffled stack holder, said at least one ejector carriage and said unshuffled stack holder being mounted so as to provide relative movement between said unshuffled stack holder and said at least one ejector carriage; a plurality of ejectors mounted upon said at least one ejector carriage adjacent the unshuffled stack holder, for ejecting playing cards from the unshuffled stack, said ejecting occurring at various random card positions from the unshuffled stack; at least one extractor which assists in discharging cards which have been displaced by said plurality of ejectors;
said at least one extractor including at least a pair of rollers. - View Dependent Claims (109, 110, 111, 112, 113, 114, 115, 116, 117, 118, 119, 120, 121, 122, 123, 124, 125, 126)
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127. A method for automated shuffling of playing cards, comprising:
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forming an unshuffled stack array of playing cards which are to be shuffled;
said playing cards being in stacked array formation with adjacent cards touching;holding the unshuffled stack array in an unshuffled stack array holder; selectively discharging playing cards from the unshuffled stack array at various card discharge positions of the unshuffled stack array;
said selectively discharging playing cards being performed using at least one powered ejector which displaces the cards laterally from the stack array;receiving playing cards from said discharging step in a shuffled card receiver wherein discharged playing cards are formed into a shuffled card array. - View Dependent Claims (128, 129, 130, 131, 132, 133, 134, 135, 136, 137, 138, 139)
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Specification