Device and method for handling, shuffling, and moving cards

• US 8,820,745 B2
• Filed: 03/14/2013
• Issued: 09/02/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/15/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sg Gaming, Inc. (Light & Wonder Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: SHFL Entertainment Incorporated (Light & Wonder Incorporated)
• Inventors: Grauzer, Attila, Rynda, Robert J., Swanson, Ronald R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Layno, Benjamin
• Application Number:
  US13/803,837
• Publication Number:
  US 20130193642A1
• Time in Patent Office: 537 Days
• Field of Search: 273/149.R, 273/149.P
• US Class Current: 273/149.R
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 1/06 Card games appurtenances
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 1/12 Card shufflers
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 19/07 Line spectrum pair [LSP] vocoders
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 2019/0001 Codebooks

Abstract

Card-handling devices include a card-holding area and a card output shoe. The card output shoe includes a card-way for passage of cards from the card-holding area into a dealing-ready area. A movable gate is positioned between the card-way and the dealing-ready area to prevent cards in the dealing-ready area from re-entering the card-way. Card shufflers include a gate mounted to allow movement of randomized groups of cards from card-receiving compartments to proximate a terminal end plate of a card output shoe and to block movement of cards in an opposite direction. In related methods of moving cards, card movement through the card-way to the dealing-ready position is allowed by a movable gate and card movement from the dealing-ready position into the card-way is prevented by the movable gate.

Claims

1. A method for continuously shuffling cards with a card shuffling apparatus having a first card receiver, a plurality of card receiving compartments that move relative to the first card receiver, and a second card receiver, the method comprising:

receiving unshuffled cards in the first card receiver;

randomly selecting a card receiving compartment to receive a card;

moving at least one card in the first card receiver to the selected compartment, wherein each compartment is adapted to receive more than one card in a selected position within the compartment relative to at least one card already in a compartment; and

unloading a compartment to the second card receiver when the compartment has received a predetermined number of cards.

2. A rack assembly for use in an automatic card shuffler, the rack assembly comprising:

more than two card receiving compartments into which cards are delivered one by one by a card transporting mechanism from a group of cards contained within a card receiving well, wherein each compartment has a top surface and a card supporting surface and can receive more than one card;

wherein each card receiving compartment comprises a plate member that includes a beveled surface so that a leading edge of a card being driven into the compartment can hit the beveled surface, with the position of the rack assembly, relative to the cards being delivered by the card transporting mechanism, being selected by a microprocessor, and wherein the beveled surface is located on the same side of the plate member in each compartment.

3. The rack assembly of claim 2, wherein the angle of the beveled surface is between ten and forty-five degrees.

4. The rack assembly of claim 2, wherein the cards are delivered to the compartments until the cards in the card receiving well are exhausted.

5. The rack assembly of claim 2, wherein the cards are emptied from the compartments into a card receiver by a card unloading pusher.

6. The rack assembly of claim 5, wherein the compartments to be emptied by the card unloading pusher are randomly selected.

7. A rack assembly for use in an automatic card shuffler, the rack assembly comprising:

more than two card receiving compartments into which cards are delivered one by one by a card transporting mechanism from a group of cards contained within a card receiving well, wherein each compartment has a top surface and a card supporting surface and can receive more than one card;

wherein each card receiving compartment comprises a plate member that includes a beveled surface located on the same side of the plate member in each compartment, with the position of the rack assembly, relative to the cards being delivered by the card transporting mechanism, being selected by a microprocessor, and wherein the cards are emptied from the compartments into a card receiver by a card unloading pusher.

8. The rack assembly of claim 7, wherein the angle of the beveled surface is between ten and forty-five degrees.

9. The rack assembly of claim 7, wherein the cards are delivered to the compartments until the cards in the card receiving well are exhausted.

10. The rack assembly of claim 7, wherein the compartments to be emptied by the card unloading pusher are randomly selected.

11. A method for continuously shuffling cards with a card shuffling apparatus having a first card receiver, a plurality of card receiving compartments that translate, and a second card receiver, the method comprising:

placing cards in the first card receiver;

selecting a card receiving compartment to receive a card;

moving at least one card in the first card receiver to the selected compartment; and

unloading a compartment to the second card receiver when the compartment has received a predetermined number of cards.

12. A rack assembly for use in an automatic card shuffler, the rack assembly comprising:

(a) at least two card receiving compartments, wherein each compartment of the at least two card receiving compartments has a top surface and a card supporting surface, and wherein each compartment of the at least two card receiving compartments is sized and configured to receive more than one card; and

(b) wherein each compartment of the at least two card receiving compartments comprises a plate member that includes a beveled surface.