Automatic card shuffler

• US 7,594,660 B2
• Filed: 05/22/2006
• Issued: 09/29/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/23/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sg Gaming, Inc. (Scientific Games Corporation)
• Original Assignee: SHFL Entertainment Incorporated (Scientific Games Corporation)
• Inventors: Blad, Steven J., Hessing, Lynn, Price, Carl W., Price, Phil, Baker, Thompson
• Primary Examiner(s): Kim; Gene
• Assistant Examiner(s): COLLINS, DOLORES R
• Application Number:
  US11/419,729
• Publication Number:
  US 20060220312A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,226 Days
• Field of Search: 273/149.R
• US Class Current: 273/149.00R
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 1/10 Card holders
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 1/12 Card shufflers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 1/14 Card dealers

Abstract

An automatic card shuffler includes a card input unit, card ejection unit, card separation and delivery unit and card collection unit. A card ejection unit ejects cards in a singular fashion from a stack of cards placed into the input unit. The cards are ejected to a stop arm maintaining the entrance to the card separation unit. Adjustment means permit the shuffler to accommodate different sized cards. Upon processor command, the stop arm raises to allow a plurality of cards to pass under to the card separation and delivery unit. A series of rotating belts and rollers act to separate the cards and propel them individually to the collection unit. By utilizing separate motors to drive the belts and rollers it is possible to cease the movement of the belts so that the rollers independently act upon the cards. A floating gate slightly forward of the stop arm dictates that a minimum number of cards are managed simultaneously. The shuffler is controlled by a processing unit in communication with multiple internal sensors. An audio system communicates voice outputs regarding shuffler malfunctions and instructions to an operator.

Claims

1. A method of shuffling cards comprising:

moving randomly organized cards to a card transport section, said card transport section comprising a card traveling surface, lower powered belts mounted adjacent to a first portion of the card traveling surface, upper powered rollers and lower powered rollers mounted adjacent a second portion of the card traveling surface, all of which act in tandem to move cards through the card transport section;

transporting one or more cards from the first portion of the card traveling surface to the second portion of the card traveling surface using the lower powered belts; and

transporting cards from the second portion of the card traveling surface to a collection tray by pulling a card from the one or more cards transported by the lower powered belts using the upper and lower powered rollers;

wherein

in response to sensing that a card has moved into said card transport section, cutting power to the lower powered belts such that only the upper powered rollers and lower powered rollers act on the card thereby facilitating the separation of any overlapping cards;

in response to sensing that the card has moved substantially through said card transport section, restoring power to the lower powered belts; and

repeating cutting and restoring power to the lower powered belts until at least a portion of the randomly organized cards are moved through said card transport section.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising utilizing a stepper motor to power said lower powered belts.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising utilizing a separate motor to power said upper powered rollers.

4. A method of shuffling cards comprising:

moving randomly organized cards to a card transport section, said card transport section comprising a card traveling surface, lower powered belts mounted adjacent to a first portion of the card traveling surface, upper powered rollers and lower powered rollers mounted adjacent a second portion of the card traveling surface which act on a card face and back to move cards through the card transport section;

in response to sensing that at least one card has moved into said second portion of the card traveling surface of the card transport section, cutting power to the lower powered belts so that only the lower and upper powered rollers act on the at least one card or an uppermost card in a pair or more of overlapping cards thereby separating the uppermost card from the pair of more of overlapping cards that may have unintentionally been moved into the second portion of the card traveling surface of the card transport section simultaneously;

in response to sensing that the card has moved substantially through the second portion of the card traveling surface of said card transport section to a card collection tray, restoring power to the lower powered belts; and

repeating culling and restoring power to the lower powered belts until at least a portion of the randomly organized cards are moved through said card transport section to the collection tray.

5. The method of claim 4 further comprising utilizing a stepper motor to power said lower powered belts.

6. The method of claim 4 further comprising utilizing a separate motor to power said upper powered rollers.

7. A method of shuffling playing cards comprising the steps of:

intermittently allowing a predetermined number of randomly organized cards to pass to a card separation and delivery unit, the card separation and delivery unit including a card traveling surface with a first portion having one or more lower powered belts mounted adjacent thereto and a second portion having an upper and a lower set of powered rollers, wherein said upper rollers and lower rollers are positioned to contact opposing sides of each playing card;

transporting one or more cards from the first portion of the card traveling surface to the second portion of the card traveling surface using the lower powered belts;

restricting power to the lower powered belts;

transporting cards from the second portion to a collection tray using the upper and lower powered rollers to pull a card from the one or more cards transported to the second portion the card traveling surface; and

restoring power to the lower powered belts upon a card being received in the collection tray.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising powering the lower belts with a stepper motor.

9. The method of claim 7 further comprising utilizing sensors to detect cards exiting the card transport section, said detection causing said power to said lower belts to be restored.