Batch card shuffling apparatuses including multi card storage compartments

• US 9,849,368 B2
• Filed: 12/18/2014
• Issued: 12/26/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 07/27/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LNW Gaming Incorporated (Light & Wonder Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Bally Gaming Incorporated (Light & Wonder Incorporated)
• Inventors: Stasson, James B., Rynda, Robert J., Scheper, Paul K., Swanson, Ronald R., Grauzer, Attila
• Primary Examiner(s): Simms, John
• Assistant Examiner(s): COLLINS, DOLORES R
• Application Number:
  US14/575,689
• Publication Number:
  US 20150182850A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,104 Days
• Field of Search: 273149 R
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 1/12 Card shufflers

Abstract

Automatic card shufflers include a card input mechanism for inputting cards into the card shuffler, a card storage device for receiving cards from the card input mechanism and temporarily storing cards within the card shuffler, and a card output mechanism for outputting shuffled cards from the card shuffler. The card storage device may include a movable rack configured to move vertically within the card shuffler. The movable rack may have a plurality of card storage compartments therein, each of which may be sized and configured to hold two cards therein. The card output mechanism includes a movable ejector configured to simultaneously eject cards out from two or more card storage compartments of the movable rack. Related methods include methods of fabricating such card shufflers, and methods of using such card shufflers.

Claims

1. An automatic card shuffler, comprising:

a card input mechanism configured to input cards into the automatic card shuffler;

a card storage device configured to receive cards from the card input mechanism and temporarily store cards within the automatic card shuffler, the card storage device including a movable rack configured to move within the automatic card shuffler, the movable rack comprising a plurality of card storage compartments, each card storage compartment sized and configured to hold at least one card therein; and

a card output mechanism for receiving a stack of shuffled cards from the card storage device and outputting the stack of shuffled cards from the automatic card shuffler, the card output mechanism comprising a movable ejector configured to simultaneously eject cards out from two or more card storage compartments of the movable rack, the movable ejector capable of simultaneously ejecting cards out from at least two card storage compartments of the movable rack.

2. The automatic card shuffler of claim 1, wherein the movable ejector is configured to move horizontally within the automatic card shuffler.

3. The automatic card shuffler of claim 1, wherein the movable ejector is elongated and extends vertically alongside the cards in the card storage device as the movable ejector moves horizontally within the automatic card shuffler to eject cards out from two or more card storage compartments of the movable rack.

4. The automatic card shuffler of claim 1, wherein the movable ejector is sized, shaped, and configured to simultaneously eject cards out from all card storage compartments of the movable rack.

5. The automatic card shuffler of claim 1, wherein each card storage compartment is sized and configured to hold two cards therein and to prevent insertion of more than two cards therein.

6. The automatic card shuffler of claim 1, further comprising a card reading system configured to acquire data from one or more images of cards moving through the card input mechanism and toward the card storage device and to identify one or more distinguishing characteristics of the cards comprising at least one of rank and suit using the acquired data from the one or more images.

7. The automatic card shuffler of claim 1, wherein the movable ejector is configured to be located on a first side of the movable rack adjacent the card input mechanism while cards move from the card input mechanism into the card storage compartments of the movable rack.

8. The automatic card shuffler of claim 7, wherein the movable ejector is sized and configured to prevent cards within the movable rack from moving out from the first side of the movable rack as the movable rack moves within the automatic card shuffler as additional cards are inserted into the card storage compartments of the movable rack.

9. The automatic card shuffler of claim 1, further comprising a control system programmed to randomly select a location for each card moving through the card input mechanism, and to align the movable rack relative to the card input mechanism such that each card moving through the card input mechanism is inserted into the respective randomly selected location for each card.

10. The automatic card shuffler of claim 9, wherein the control system is programmed to control operation of components of the card input mechanism, the card storage device, and the card output mechanism.

11. An automatic card shuffler, comprising:

a card storage device configured to temporarily store cards within the automatic card shuffler, the card storage device comprising a movable rack configured to move within the automatic card shuffler, the movable rack comprising card storage compartments, each card storage compartment sized and shaped to hold at least one card therein;

a card input mechanism configured to automatically transfer cards into the card storage device; and

a card output mechanism configured to automatically remove a stack of shuffled cards from the card storage device and output the stack of shuffled cards from the automatic card shuffler, the card output mechanism comprising a movable ejector configured to simultaneously eject cards out from at least two card storage compartments of the movable rack.

12. The automatic card shuffler of claim 11, wherein the movable ejector is configured to move horizontally within the automatic card shuffler.

13. The automatic card shuffler of claim 11, wherein the movable ejector is elongated and extends vertically alongside the cards in the card storage device as the movable ejector moves horizontally within the automatic card shuffler to eject cards out from two or more card storage compartments of the movable rack.

14. The automatic card shuffler of claim 11, wherein the movable ejector is sized, shaped, and configured to simultaneously eject cards out from all card storage compartments of the movable rack.

15. The automatic card shuffler of claim 11, wherein each card storage compartment is sized and configured to hold two cards therein and to prevent insertion of more than two cards therein.

16. The automatic card shuffler of claim 11, further comprising a card reading system configured to acquire data from one or more images of cards moving through the card input mechanism and toward the card storage device and to identify one or more distinguishing characteristics of the cards comprising at least one of rank and suit using the acquired data from the one or more images.

17. The automatic card shuffler of claim 11, wherein the movable ejector is configured to be located on a first side of the movable rack adjacent the card input mechanism while cards move from the card input mechanism into the card storage compartments of the movable rack.

18. The automatic card shuffler of claim 17, wherein the movable ejector is sized and configured to prevent cards within the movable rack from moving out from the first side of the movable rack as the movable rack moves within the automatic card shuffler as additional cards are inserted into the card storage compartments of the movable rack.

19. The automatic card shuffler of claim 11, further comprising a control system programmed to randomly select a location for each card moving through the card input mechanism, and to align the movable rack relative to the card input mechanism such that each card moving through the card input mechanism is inserted into the respective randomly selected location for each card.

20. An automatic card shuffler, comprising:

a card input mechanism configured to input cards into the automatic card shuffler;

a card storage device configured to receive cards from the card input mechanism and temporarily store cards within the automatic card shuffler, the card storage device including a movable rack configured to move within the automatic card shuffler, the movable rack comprising a plurality of card storage compartments, each card storage compartment sized and configured to hold at least one card therein;

a card output mechanism for receiving a stack of shuffled cards from the card storage device and outputting the stack of shuffled cards from the automatic card shuffler, the card output mechanism comprising a movable ejector configured to simultaneously eject cards out from two or more card storage compartments of the movable rack, the movable ejector capable of simultaneously ejecting cards out from at least two card storage compartments of the movable rack;

wherein the movable ejector is sized, shaped, and configured to simultaneously eject cards out from all card storage compartments of the movable rack;

further comprising a control system programmed to randomly select a location for each card moving through the card input mechanism, and to align the movable rack relative to the card input mechanism such that each card moving through the card input mechanism is inserted into the respective randomly selected location for each card; and

wherein the control system is programmed to control operation of components of the card input mechanism, the card storage device, and the card output mechanism.