Card shuffling apparatus with integral card delivery
DC CAFCFirst Claim
1. A device for forming a random set of playing cards comprising:
- a top surface and a bottom surface of said device;
a card receiving area for receiving an initial set of playing cards;
a randomizing system for randomizing the order of an initial set of playing cards;
a collection surface in a card collection area for receiving randomized playing cards, the collection surface receiving cards so that all cards are received below the top surface of the device;
an elevator for raising the collection surface so that at least some randomized cards are elevated at least to the top surface of the device; and
an automatically moveable cover over the elevator.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A card shuffling device includes a top surface, a card receiving area for receiving an initial set of playing cards, a randomizing system for randomizing the initial set of playing cards, a collection surface in a card collection area for receiving randomized playing cards, the collection surface receiving cards positioned so that all cards collected are below the top surface of the device, and an elevator for raising the collection surface so that at least some randomized cards are elevated above the top surface of the device. An automatic card shuffler includes a microprocessor with memory, an infeed compartment for receiving cards to be randomized, a card moving mechanism for moving cards individually from the infeed compartment into a card mixing compartment, a card mixing compartment comprising a plurality of substantially vertical supports, an opening for the passage of cards from the infeed compartment, a moveable lower support surface, at least one stationary gripping arm, a lower edge proximate the opening, the gripping arm capable of suspending cards above the opening, and an elevator for raising and lowering the moveable support surface. A position of the elevator is randomly selected and the support surface is moved to the selected position, and after the gripping arm grasps at least one side of the cards, the elevator lowers, creating a space beneath the gripping arm, wherein a card is moved from the infeed compartment into the space, thereby randomizing the cards. A method of randomizing a group of cards utilizing the apparatus is also disclosed.
334 Citations
51 Claims
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1. A device for forming a random set of playing cards comprising:
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a top surface and a bottom surface of said device;
a card receiving area for receiving an initial set of playing cards;
a randomizing system for randomizing the order of an initial set of playing cards;
a collection surface in a card collection area for receiving randomized playing cards, the collection surface receiving cards so that all cards are received below the top surface of the device;
an elevator for raising the collection surface so that at least some randomized cards are elevated at least to the top surface of the device; and
an automatically moveable cover over the elevator. - 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)
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26. A device for forming a random set of playing cards comprising:
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a top surface and a bottom surface of said device;
a card receiving area for receiving an initial set of playing cards;
a randomizing system for randomizing the order of an initial set of playing cards;
a collection surface in a card collection area for receiving randomized playing cards, the collection surface receiving cards so that all cards are received below the top surface of the device;
an elevator for raising the collection surface so that at least some randomized cards are elevated at least to the top surface of the device; and
an automatically moveable cover over the elevator, wherein a microprocessor is present in the device and the microprocessor controls vertical movement of the card collection surface, the sensor identifies the position of the card collection surface so as to place the top card at a position that is level with or above the bottom of at least one card gripping element that is movable from at least one side of the collection area towards playing cards within the card collection area, the microprocessor is programmed to determine a distance that the card collection surface must be vertically moved to position at least one specific card at a bottom edge of the at least one card gripping element when the card gripping element moves to contact cards within the card collection area, the at least one card gripping element comprises at least two gripping elements, at least one of which moves from a side of the collection area towards playing cards within the card collection area, and wherein the microprocessor is programmed to lower the card collection surface within the card collection area after the at least one card gripping element has contacted and supported cards within the card collection area, creating two segments of cards, and a gap in between the segments. - View Dependent Claims (27)
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28. A device for forming a random set of playing cards comprising:
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a top surface and a bottom surface of said device;
a card receiving area for receiving an initial set of playing cards;
a randomizing system for randomizing the order of an initial set of playing cards;
a collection surface in a card collection area for receiving randomized playing cards, the collection surface receiving cards so that all cards are received below the top surface of the device;
an elevator for raising the collection surface so that at least some randomized cards are elevated at least to the top surface of the device; and
an automatically moveable cover over the elevator, wherein a microprocessor is present in the device and the microprocessor controls vertical movement of the card collection surface, the sensor identifies the position of the card collection surface so as to place the top card at a position that is level with or above the bottom of at least one card gripping element that is movable from at least one side of the collection area towards playing cards within the card collection area, the microprocessor is programmed to determine a distance that the card collection surface must be vertically moved to position at least one specific card at a bottom edge of the at least one card gripping element when the card gripping element moves to contact cards within the card collection area, the at least one card gripping element comprises at least two grinning elements, at least one of which moves from a side of the collection area towards playing cards within the card collection area, and wherein the microprocessor is programmed to lower the card collection surface within the card collection area after the two elements have contacted and supported cards within the card collection area, creating two segments of cards and a gap between the segments. - View Dependent Claims (29)
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30. A device for forming a random set of playing cards comprising:
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a top surface and a bottom surface of said device;
a receiving area for an initial set of playing cards;
a randomizing system for randomizing the initial set of playing cards;
a collection surface in a card collection area for receiving randomized playing cards;
an elevator for raising the collection surface within the card collection area;
at least one card supporting element within the card collection area that will support a predetermined number of cards within the card collection area and suspends at least a subgroup of cards from the randomized cards over the card collection surface to create a card insertion opening; and
an automatically moveable cover over said card collection area. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39)
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40. A method of randomizing a group of cards, comprising the steps of:
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placing a group of cards to be randomized into a card infeed tray;
removing cards individually from the card infeed tray and delivering the cards into a card collection area, the card collection area having a moveable lower surface, and a stationary opening for receiving cards from the infeed tray;
elevating the moveable lower surface to a randomly determined height;
grasping at least one edge of a group of cards in the card collection area at a point just above the stationary opening;
lowering the moveable lower surface to create an opening in a stack of cards formed on the lower surface, the opening located just beneath a lowermost point where the cards are grasped;
inserting a card removed from the infeed tray into the opening; and
after randomizing all cards, elevating a collection of randomized cards and automatically raising a covering lid over the collection of randomized cards. - View Dependent Claims (41)
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42. An automatic card shuffler on a gaming table having a gaming table surface, having an upper surface and a lower surface, comprising:
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a card infeed tray mounted to insert cards from the upper surface of the card shuffler;
a shuffled card delivery tray mounted on an elevator; and
at least one automatically moveable cover over at least one of the card infeed tray and the shuffled card delivery tray, wherein an opening to the card infeed tray is located proximate an elevation of a gaming table surface and the shuffled card delivery tray can be elevated from below the gaming table surface to an elevation at the gaming table surface to raise at least some cards on the shuffled card delivery tray that were below the gaming table surface to an elevation above the gaming table surface. - View Dependent Claims (43, 44, 45, 46)
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47. A method of arranging a group of cards into a desired order in a computer controlled automatic card shuffler, the card shuffler comprising an infeed tray, a feed mechanism, a card arranging area, a retaining device for suspending cards in the card arranging area, a lower support surface in the card arranging area and an elevator for raising and lowering the lower support surface, the method comprising:
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a) assigning each card in the infeed tray a final order;
b) feeding each card individually into the card arranging area, wherein the lower support surface is lowered beneath an elevation of the card feed mechanism when the computer instructs that the card being fed is to be placed on top of the stack, c) suspending all cards in the card arranging area by means of the retaining device when the computer instructs that the card being fed is to be placed on the bottom of the stack, and d) instructing the elevator to move, causing the lower support surface to adjust to a preselected elevation, retaining a subgroup of cards above a feed elevation and lowering the lower surface, creating an opening, and placing a card between the subgroup of suspended cards and the remaining cards supported by the lower support surface wherein steps b), c) and d) are performed while an automatically moveable cover is closed over at least one of the infeed tray and the stack. - View Dependent Claims (48, 49, 50, 51)
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Specification