Playing card shuffling devices and related methods
First Claim
1. A playing card shuffling device, comprising:
- a card infeed area configured to support a group of cards to be shuffled;
a card collection area within the shuffling device, wherein the card collection area comprises a moveable card support surface and an elevator for raising and lowering the card support surface and any cards supported by the card support surface;
a card moving mechanism for moving cards individually from the card infeed area onto at least one of the card support surface and at least one card located on the card support surface;
a pair of grippers for grasping edges of a predetermined number of cards supported by the card support surface;
a bracing arm pivotally mounted at a proximal end within the shuffling device and movable between a disengaged position where the arm is retracted such that cards may be elevated by the elevator and an engaged position spaced above an uppermost gripped card and positioned to inhibit the card from flipping over in the event the card pops out of the grippers;
a motor for rotating the bracing arm between the engaged position and the disengaged position;
a processor programmed to randomly select an elevator location, to direct the grippers to grip at least one card, to lower the elevator a predetermined distance to suspend the at least one gripped card and create a gap below the at least one gripped card, to instruct the card moving mechanism to insert a card in the gap formed beneath the grippers, and provide signals to the motor to move the bracing arm between the engaged position and the disengaged position when a number of cards in a predetermined range are suspended in the grippers; and
a sensing system for sensing a number of gripped cards.
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Accused Products
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 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 arm 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 the first and second positions when a predetermined number of cards is present in the card storing area. Methods of card handling include employing the use of such a pivotal arm.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A playing card shuffling device, comprising:
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a card infeed area configured to support a group of cards to be shuffled; a card collection area within the shuffling device, wherein the card collection area comprises a moveable card support surface and an elevator for raising and lowering the card support surface and any cards supported by the card support surface; a card moving mechanism for moving cards individually from the card infeed area onto at least one of the card support surface and at least one card located on the card support surface; a pair of grippers for grasping edges of a predetermined number of cards supported by the card support surface; a bracing arm pivotally mounted at a proximal end within the shuffling device and movable between a disengaged position where the arm is retracted such that cards may be elevated by the elevator and an engaged position spaced above an uppermost gripped card and positioned to inhibit the card from flipping over in the event the card pops out of the grippers; a motor for rotating the bracing arm between the engaged position and the disengaged position; a processor programmed to randomly select an elevator location, to direct the grippers to grip at least one card, to lower the elevator a predetermined distance to suspend the at least one gripped card and create a gap below the at least one gripped card, to instruct the card moving mechanism to insert a card in the gap formed beneath the grippers, and provide signals to the motor to move the bracing arm between the engaged position and the disengaged position when a number of cards in a predetermined range are suspended in the grippers; and a sensing system for sensing a number of gripped cards. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method of operating a card shuffling device, comprising:
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positioning stacked cards in a card handling area of the card shuffling device; suspending, using grippers of the card shuffling device, all cards above a selected location in the stacked cards to create a gap in the stacked cards at the selected location; and moving a bracing member of the card shuffling device to an engaged position above a top card in the suspended stacked cards to prevent any cards from moving out of suspension. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A method of operating a card shuffling device to retain a group of playing cards in a card face to card back relationship during shuffling using the card shuffling device, the method comprising:
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positioning a group of playing cards in a card collection area of the card shuffling device; moving a card anti-flip arm from an inactive position proximate the group of playing cards to an active position directly over the group of playing cards; and moving grippers of the card shuffling device to grip at least a portion of the group of playing cards from two opposing edges of the group of playing cards and below the card anti-flip arm in the active position. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
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Specification