Playing card shuffler apparatus and method
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An automated playing card shuffler, comprising:
- a frame;
an unshuffled stack holder for holding an unshuffled array of playing cards in a stacked configuration with adjacent cards in physical contact with each other and forming an unshuffled stack;
a shuffled array receiver for holding a shuffled array of playing cards;
at least one ejector for ejecting playing cards located at different positions within the unshuffled stack;
a drive which is controllable to achieve a plurality of different relative positions between the unshuffled stack holder and said at least one ejector.
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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.
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Citations
21 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 array of playing cards in a stacked configuration with adjacent cards in physical contact with each other and forming an unshuffled stack; a shuffled array receiver for holding a shuffled array of playing cards; at least one ejector for ejecting playing cards located at different positions within the unshuffled stack; a drive which is controllable to achieve a plurality of different relative positions between the unshuffled stack holder and said at least one ejector. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. An automated playing card shuffler, comprising:
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a frame; an unshuffled stack holder for holding an unshuffled array of playing cards in a stacked configuration with adjacent cards in physical contact with each other and forming an unshuffled stack; 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 discharge positions from within the unshuffled array and into the shuffled array receiver. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11)
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12. A method for automated shuffling of playing cards, comprising:
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forming an unshuffled stack of playing cards wherein adjacent cards are in physical contact with each other; holding the unshuffled stack in an unshuffled stack holder; selectively discharging playing cards from the unshuffled stack at a plurality of different discharge positions, from within the unshuffled stack, 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 (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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Specification