Automatic system and methods for accurate card handling

• US 8,579,289 B2
• Filed: 11/10/2010
• Issued: 11/12/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LNW Gaming Incorporated (Light & Wonder Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: SHFL Entertainment Incorporated (Light & Wonder Incorporated)
• Inventors: Rynda, Robert J., Bourbour, Feraidoon, Swanson, Ronald R., Grauzer, Attila
• Primary Examiner(s): Fernstrom, Kurt
• Assistant Examiner(s): COLLINS, DOLORES R
• Application Number:
  US12/943,871
• Publication Number:
  US 20110109042A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,098 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 273/149.R
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 1/08 Card-presses
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 1/12 Card shufflers

Abstract

A playing card handling device comprises a card storing area that supports a stack of playing cards, the card storing area having a playing card support surface. A card removing system is provided that removes playing cards individually from the bottom of the stack. A pivoting arm is automatically moved by a motor between at least two positions, wherein in a first position the end of the arm opposite a pivot is disengaged from a playing card at the top of the stack and in a second position the end of the min is engaged with a playing card at the top of the stack. A processor in the playing card handling device directs movement of the pivoting arm between at least a first and second position when information is known to the processor that a predetermined number of cards is present in the card storing area of the card handling device. Methods of card handling employing the use of a pivotal arm are also disclosed.

Claims

1. A playing card handling device, comprising:

a card storing area that supports a stack of playing cards, the card storing area having a playing card support surface;

a card removing system that removes playing cards individually from a bottom of the stack;

a card weight comprising an arm pivotally engaged to the playing card handling device that is automatically moved by a motor between at least two positions, wherein in a first position an end of the card weight opposite a pivot is disengaged from a playing card at the top of the stack and, in a second position, the end of the card weight is engaged with a playing card at the top of the stack; and

a processor in the playing card handling device that directs movement of the card weight between at least a first and second position when information is known to the processor that a predetermined number of cards is present in the card storing area of the card handling device.

2. The card handling device of claim 1, further comprising a shuffling system within the playing card handling device.

3. The card handling device of claim 2, wherein the card storing area is located within the card shuffling system.

4. The card handling device of claim 1, wherein the card storing area is a card infeed area and the card weight is located within the card infeed area.

5. The card handling device of claim 1, wherein the predetermined number of cards is between 8 and 20.

6. The card handling device of claim 1, wherein the card removing system comprises a pick-off roller and wherein the movement of the card weight into the second position applies pressure continuously against a playing card at the top of the stack and provides force between a lowest playing card in the stack and the pick-off roller during card movement.

7. The card handling device of claim 1, further comprising at least one sensor to indicate a number of cards present in the card storing area.

8. The card handling device of claim 7, wherein the processor is in communication with the at least one sensor.

9. The card handling device of claim 1, wherein the processor maintains a count of playing cards in the card storing area during operation of the playing card handling device.

10. The card handling device of claim 9, wherein the processor causes the card weight to pivot into an engaged position when a card count reaches a predetermined threshold amount.

11. The playing card handling device of claim 1, wherein the playing card handling device is a shuffling system, wherein the shuffling system comprises a playing card collection area where cards are moved individually from a playing card infeed area to the playing card collection area, and the card weight is located in the playing card infeed area, wherein the card weight moves automatically from a first card disengaged position to a second card engaged position when the card infeed area contains cards and moves from the second card engaged position to the first card disengaged position when the card infeed area is empty.

12. The card handling device of claim 11, wherein a set of grippers is provided in the playing card collection area, and further comprising a stationary card feeder and an elevator, wherein cards are elevated to an elevation of the set of grippers and the set of grippers grasp card edges, and when the elevator is lowered, at least one card is suspended and a gap is created below the suspended at least one card and a card support surface of the elevator or any cards on the elevator for insertion of a next card.

13. The card handling device of claim 12, further comprising a random number generator to randomly determine a number of cards suspended by means of the set of grippers.

14. The card handling device of claim 13, wherein the processor is configured so that when the random number generator provides a number of suspended playing cards that is equal to or less than a predetermined number, the processor directs a pivotally mounted bracing member with a pivot point and an opposite end to rotate so that the opposite end of the pivotally mounted bracing member moves into an engaged position above gripped cards.

15. The card handling device of claim 1, wherein the processor is programmed to activate the weight in response to a signal from a sensor indicating a number of playing cards in at least one storage area has reached a predetermined number.

16. The card handling device of claim 15, wherein when the processor has information that less than or equal to a predetermined number of playing cards is in the at least one storage area, the processor signals a second motor to move the card weight to an engaged position.

17. A playing card handling device, comprising:

a card infeed area that supports a stack of playing cards that has a playing card support surface;

a card removing system that removes playing cards individually from a bottom of the stack and delivers cards into a playing card collection area;

a playing card collection area where playing cards are received one at a time after being removed individually from the bottom of the stack;

a card weight comprising an arm pivotally engaged to the playing card handling device and movable between a first position where a distal end of the card weight is not in contact with any playing cards in the playing card collection area and a second position where the distal end of the card weight is in contact with a top card in the playing card collection area;

a motor to cause the card weight to pivot;

a processor to provide signals to the motor to move the card weight between the first position and the second position in response to information received from a playing card counting system; and

a playing card counting system that identifies total numbers of playing cards in at least one area in the playing card collection system.

18. The playing card handling device of claim 17, wherein the playing card counting system determines a number of cards remaining in the card infeed area.

19. A playing card shuffling device, comprising:

a card infeed area that supports a stack of playing cards and that has a playing card support surface;

a card removing system that removes playing cards individually from a bottom of the stack and into a playing card collection area;

a playing card collection area where playing cards are received one at a time after being removed individually from the bottom of the stack;

a card weight comprising an arm pivotally engaged to the playing card handling device and movable between a first disengaged position where a distal end of the card weight is not in contact with any playing cards in the playing card collection area and a second engaged position where the distal end of the card weight is in contact with a top card in the playing card collection area, wherein the card weight is automatically movable by a motor;

a processor in the card handling device to provide signals to the motor to move the card weight between the first position and the second position;

a playing card counting system that identifies total numbers of playing cards in at least one area in the playing card collection area;

a pair of grippers for grasping edges of cards within the card collection area;

an elevator in the card collection area for raising and lowering cards in the card collection area; and

a disengaged position and an engaged position, wherein the card weight is placed above gripped cards in the engaged position.

20. The playing card shuffling device of claim 19, wherein the processor receives a signal from a sensor that causes the card weight to pivot.

21. A method of handling playing cards, comprising:

positioning a vertically disposed stack of playing cards into a card storing area of a card handling device;

providing a card moving system that moves cards individually out of the card storing area and into a second area from a bottom of the stack;

measuring at least one parameter selected from the group consisting of;

a number of cards fed from the card storing area, a number of cards remaining in the card storing area, a percent shuffle completion and a height of the stack of cards in the card storing area;

and when a predetermined value of a parameter is measured, providing a force to an uppermost card in the stack in the card storing area, thereby increasing a force between a lowest card in the stack and the card moving system.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the second area is a card shuffling area, and further comprising the step of shuffling the cards.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein shuffling the cards comprises by suspending at least a portion of the stack in a randomly determined location, creating a gap in the stack at the randomly determined location, inserting a card, and then repeating the steps of randomly determining a location, creating a gap and inserting a card.

24. A method of handling playing cards, comprising:

positioning a plurality of stacked cards in a card handling area;

selecting a location to divide the plurality of stacked cards;

creating a gap in the plurality of stacked cards at the selected location by suspending all cards above the selected location in the plurality of stacked cards; and

applying a bracing member above a top card in the suspended stacked cards to prevent cards from moving out of suspension.

25. The method of claim 24, further comprising the step of providing a stack of cards in a card storing area, and moving cards individually into the card handling area.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the cards are fed individually from a bottom of a vertically positioned stack in the card storing area.

27. The method of claim 25, wherein an elevator with an upper surface is provided in the card handling area, and cards are elevated in the card handling area.

28. The method of claim 24, wherein the location to divide the plurality of stacked cards is randomly selected.

29. The method of claim 24, wherein the gap is created in the plurality of stacked cards by elevating cards to a preselected elevation, grasping a number of cards above the selected location and lowering the cards that were not grasped to create an opening for insertion of a next card.

30. The method of claim 24, and further comprising the step of moving the bracing member to a disengaged position.