Methods of randomizing cards
First Claim
1. A card shuffling apparatus configured to shuffle a stack of playing cards, the apparatus comprising:
- a card receiver configured to receive a stack of playing cards therein;
card storage compartments;
an input card moving mechanism configured to sequentially move playing cards from a stack of playing cards in the card receiver into at least some of the card storage compartments, the input card moving mechanism including;
at least one pick-off roller located and configured to rotate at a first speed and commence movement of a playing card from the stack of playing cards toward one of the card storage compartments; and
at least one speed-up roller located and configured to rotate at a second, greater speed and drive the playing card responsive to the rotation of the at least one pick-off roller into the card storage compartment;
a card output tray;
an output mechanism configured to transfer the playing cards from the at least some of the card storage compartments to the card output tray; and
a control unit configured to control movement of the input card moving mechanism and the output mechanism, the control unit configured under control of a computer program to randomly assign each playing card in the stack of playing cards in the card receiver to one of the at least some card storage compartments, to individually move each playing card to its assigned card storage compartment until all cards in the stack of playing cards in the card receiver have been moved into the at least some card storage compartments, and to then transfer the playing cards from the at least some card storage compartments to the card output tray.
6 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Apparatuses and methods for moving playing cards from a first group of cards into plural hands of cards, wherein each of the hands contains a random arrangement of cards. The apparatus may comprise a card receiver for receiving the first group of cards, a single stack of card-receiving compartments generally adjacent to the card receiver, the stack generally vertically movable, an elevator for moving the stack, a card-moving mechanism between the card receiver and the stack, and a microprocessor that controls the card-moving mechanism and the elevator so that an individual card is moved into an identified compartment. The number of compartments receiving cards and the number of cards moved to each compartment may be selected. Apparatuses for feeding cards may comprise a surface for supporting a stack of cards, a feed roller with a frictional outer surface, a drive mechanism for causing rotation of the feed roller, a pair of speed-up rollers to advance the cards out of the feed roller, and a clutch mechanism for disengaging the feed roller from the drive mechanism as the card comes into contact with the speed-up rollers.
907 Citations
25 Claims
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1. A card shuffling apparatus configured to shuffle a stack of playing cards, the apparatus comprising:
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a card receiver configured to receive a stack of playing cards therein; card storage compartments; an input card moving mechanism configured to sequentially move playing cards from a stack of playing cards in the card receiver into at least some of the card storage compartments, the input card moving mechanism including; at least one pick-off roller located and configured to rotate at a first speed and commence movement of a playing card from the stack of playing cards toward one of the card storage compartments; and at least one speed-up roller located and configured to rotate at a second, greater speed and drive the playing card responsive to the rotation of the at least one pick-off roller into the card storage compartment; a card output tray; an output mechanism configured to transfer the playing cards from the at least some of the card storage compartments to the card output tray; and a control unit configured to control movement of the input card moving mechanism and the output mechanism, the control unit configured under control of a computer program to randomly assign each playing card in the stack of playing cards in the card receiver to one of the at least some card storage compartments, to individually move each playing card to its assigned card storage compartment until all cards in the stack of playing cards in the card receiver have been moved into the at least some card storage compartments, and to then transfer the playing cards from the at least some card storage compartments to the card output tray. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A card shuffling apparatus configured to shuffle a stack of playing cards, the apparatus comprising:
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a card receiver configured to receive a stack of playing cards therein; a plurality of card storage compartments; and an input card moving mechanism configured to sequentially move playing cards from a stack of playing cards in the card receiver into at least some card storage compartments of the plurality, the input card moving mechanism including; at least one pick-off roller located and configured to commence movement of playing cards from a stack of playing cards in the card receiver toward the plurality of card storage compartments; a pick-off motor configured to drive rotation of the at least one pick-off roller at a first rate; at least one speed-up roller located and configured to drive playing cards moving responsive to rotation of the at least one pick-off roller into the at least some card storage compartments of the plurality; and a speed-up motor configured to drive rotation of the at least one speed-up roller at a second, greater rate. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A card shuffling apparatus configured to shuffle a stack of playing cards, comprising:
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a card receiver configured to receive a stack of playing cards therein; a pair of speed-up rollers for advancing cards individually within the card shuffling apparatus at a first rate; a feed roller with a frictional outer surface, mounted to a rotational shaft and positioned to feed cards individually from the stack of playing cards into the pair of speed-up rollers at a second, slower rate; a drive mechanism to rotate the feed roller; a clutch mounted to the shaft for disengaging the feed roller from the drive mechanism as an individual card contacts the pair of speed-up rollers. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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Specification