Note : Les descriptions sont présentées dans la langue officielle dans laquelle elles ont été soumises.
TITLE
BATCH CARD SHUFFLING APPARATUSES INCLUDING MULTI-CARD
STORAGE COMPARTMENTS, AND RELATED METHODS
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present disclosure relates to automatic card shufflers for use in
randomizing an order of a group of cards, such as standard playing cards, to
methods of
manufacturing such automatic card shufflers, and to methods of randomizing an
order of a group
of cards using such automatic card shufflers.
BACKGROUND
[0002] Card shufflers are used to randomize an order of cards in a stack of
cards, and
are frequently used in the gaming industry for use with playing cards, such as
decks of standard
playing cards which include four suits (i.e., clubs, diamond, hearts, and
spades) of cards,
wherein each suit includes a group of thirteen (13) differently ranked cards
sequentially
numbered from two (2) through ten (10), as well as a Jack, a Queen, a King,
and an Ace. Such a
standard deck of playing cards may also include one or more additional cards,
such as two
additional Jokers. Thus, a complete deck may comprise, for example, fifty-two
(52) or fifty-four
(54) playing cards.
[0003] Card shufflers are known in the art that, in addition to shuffling
cards, may be
used to sort cards into a predetermined order, such as what is referred to in
the art as "new deck"
order. To accomplish such a sorting operation, a card shuffler must be capable
of accurately
identifying indicia on each card, such as the rank and suit of standard
playing cards. Card
shufflers capable of sorting cards often include a card imaging system, which
may include a
camera that acquires an image of each card. An algorithm may be used to
analyze the image
and compare the image to images of cards of known identity. By determining to
which known
image the acquired image most closely corresponds, the identity of each card
may be determined
and used by the card shuffler to sort cards into a predetermined order.
[0004] Many previously known card shufflers are not capable of truly
randomizing an
order of the cards in any given set of cards due to limitations in the
mechanism or system used to
shuffle the cards. Thus, there remains a need in the art for card shufflers
that are capable of truly
randomizing an order of cards in a set of cards to a sufficient degree to be
considered random in
the shuffler arts. Additionally, it may be desirable to shuffle and/or sort
cards using a card
shuffler quickly so as to increase the amount of shuffling and/or sorting
operations that may be
performed by a card shuffler in any given amount of time.
[0005] The ACE card shuffler, offered by Shuffle Master, Inc. of Las Vegas,
NV in
the past, and as described in U.S. Patent 6,149,154, is a batch-type card
shuffler with a vertically
moving rack comprising multiple compartments. This structure lacks card
recognition.
Shuffling is accomplished through random loading of the racks. Packs of cards
are formed in
compartments. The order in which the cards are delivered to hand-forming
compartments is
substantially random. However, the composition of the pack is random. Cards
placed in the
discard rack are not randomly ordered. More than two cards are delivered to
each compartment.
[0006] U.S. Patent No. 6,267,248 describes a carousel-type card shuffler that
uses a
card imaging system to identify cards as they move from a card infeed tray to
compartments in a
rotatable carousel. The card shuffler randomly loads compartments in the
carousel, and
sequentially unloads the compartments. More than two cards may be delivered to
each
compartment. U.S. Patent No. 6,651,981 describes a flush-mounted batch card
shuffler that
elevates shuffled cards to the game play surface. U.S. Patent No. 7,677,565
describes a similar
card shuffler that also includes card recognition capability. These card
shufflers form a single
stack of a shuffled deck or multiple decks. The stack formed in the shuffler
is gripped at
randomly selected elevations. A section of the stack of cards beneath the
grippers is lowered,
which creates an insertion opening into the stack into which additional cards
may be inserted to
shuffle the cards. Products as described in these patents have been
commercialized by Shuffle
Master, Inc. as DECK MATE s) and MD2 and MD3TM card shufflers.
[0007] U.S. Patent No. 7,766,332 describes a hand-forming card shuffler that
includes
card recognition capability. The device described in this patent has been
commercialized by
Shuffle Master, Inc. as the I-DEAL card shuffler.
BRIEF SUMMARY
[0008] In some embodiments, the present disclosure includes an automatic card
shuffler having 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 includes a movable rack configured to move
vertically within
the card shuffler. The rack has a plurality of card storage compartments
therein, each of which
is sized and configured to hold two or more cards therein. In one embodiment,
each
2
compartment or most compartments receive no more than two cards. The card
output
mechanism further includes a movable ejector configured to simultaneously
eject cards out from
two or more card storage compartments of the movable rack.
100091 In additional embodiments, the present disclosure includes an automatic
card
shuffler having 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 receiving a stack of
shuffled cards from the
card storage device and outputting the stack of shuffled cards from the card
shuffler. The card
storage device includes a movable rack configured to move within the card
shuffler. The rack
has a plurality of card storage compartments, each of which is sized and
configured to hold two
cards therein and to prevent insertion of more than 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. In one embodiment, all
cards in the rack
are simultaneously ejected.
[0010] In additional embodiments, the present disclosure includes an automatic
card
shuffler having 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 receiving shuffled cards
from the card storage
device and outputting the shuffled cards from the card shuffler. The card
shuffler further
includes a control system configured to receive input from a user of the
automatic card shuffler,
to output information to a user of the automatic card shuffler, and to control
operation of
components of the card input mechanism, the card storage device, and the card
output
mechanism. The control system includes a first control panel and a second
control panel. The
first control panel is located within the automatic card shuffler such that
the first control panel is
inaccessible to a user of the automatic card shuffler from outside the
automatic card shuffler,
while the second control panel is located at least partially outside the
automatic card shuffler
such that the second control panel is accessible to a user of the automatic
card shuffler from
outside the automatic card shuffler.
[0011] In additional embodiments, the present disclosure includes an automatic
card
shuffler having 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 receiving a stack of
shuffled cards from the
card storage device and outputting the stack of shuffled cards from the card
shuffler. The card
3
storage device includes a movable rack configured to move within the card
shuffler. The rack
has a plurality of card storage compartments, each of which is sized and
configured to hold two
or more 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. The movable ejector is capable of simultaneously ejecting cards out from
less than all card
storage compartments of the movable rack.
[0012] In additional embodiments, the present disclosure includes an automatic
card
shuffler including 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 receiving a stack of
shuffled cards
from the card storage device and outputting the stack of shuffled cards from
the card shuffler.
The card storage device includes a movable rack configured to move within the
card shuffler.
The rack has a plurality of card storage compartments, each of which is sized
and configured to
hold two or more 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. The movable ejector is disposed on a first side of the movable
rack as cards are
inserted into the movable rack by the card input mechanism, and the ejector
moves from the first
side of the movable rack to an opposing second side of the rack and back to
the first side of the
rack to eject cards out from the two or more card storage compartments of the
movable rack.
[0013] In additional embodiments, the present disclosure includes an automatic
card
shuffler comprising 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, the card storage device including a plurality of
card storage
compartments, and a card output mechanism for receiving shuffled cards from
the card storage
device and outputting the stack of shuffled cards from the card shuffler. The
card input
mechanism includes a card support for supporting a stack of cards thereon, at
least one pick-off
roller configured to move a bottommost card in a stack of cards supported on
the card support
toward the card storage device, and an adjustable brake roller assembly. The
brake roller
assembly includes a bracket and a brake roller coupled to the bracket and
configured to move
relative to the bracket to selectively adjust a card gap between the brake
roller and the at least
one pick-off roller.
[0014] In additional embodiments, the present disclosure includes an automatic
card
shuffler comprising a card input mechanism for inputting cards into the card
shuffler, a card
4
storage device for receiving cards from the card input mechanism and
temporarily storing cards
within the card shuffler, 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 card shuffler.
The card storage device includes a movable rack configured to move within the
card shuffler.
The rack has a plurality of card storage compartments therein. The rack
further includes a card
size adjustment member capable of being positioned relative to the rack in a
first orientation and
a different second orientation. Each of the plurality of card storage
compartments has a first size
when the card size adjustment member is positioned relative to the rack in the
first orientation,
and has a different second size when the card size adjustment member is
positioned relative to
the rack in the second orientation.
[0015] In additional embodiments, the present disclosure includes a method of
shuffling cards using an automatic card shuffler. Cards are input into an
automatic card shuffler
using a card input mechanism. Two or more cards are temporarily stored in each
of a plurality
of card storage compartments in a movable rack of a card storage device within
the card
shuffler. Cards are simultaneously ejected out from the plurality of card
storage compartments
using a movable ejector to form a stack of shuffled cards, and the stack of
shuffled cards is
output from the card shuffler using a card output mechanism of the card
shuffler.
[0016] In additional embodiments, the present disclosure includes a method of
shuffling cards using an automatic card handling machine. Cards are input into
the automatic
card handling machine using a card input mechanism. Two cards are temporarily
stored in each
of a plurality of card storage compartments in a movable rack of a card
storage device within the
automatic card handling machine without inserting more than two cards in each
of the plurality
of card storage compartments. Cards are ejected out from the plurality of card
storage
compartments using a movable ejector to form a stack of shuffled or sorted
cards, and the stack
of shuffled or sorted cards is output from the automatic card handling machine
using a card
output mechanism.
[0017] In additional embodiments, the present disclosure includes a method of
fabricating an automatic card shuffler. A card input mechanism is formed that
is carried by a
frame, and the card input mechanism is configured to input cards into the card
shuffler. A card
storage device for receiving cards from the card input mechanism is mounted to
the frame. A
card output mechanism is formed that is carried by the frame, and the card
output mechanism is
configured to receive shuffled cards from the card storage device and to
output the shuffled
cards from the card shuffler. A control system is operatively coupled to
active components of
each of the card input mechanism, the card storage device, and the card output
mechanism. The
control system is configured to receive input from a user of the automatic
card shuffler, to output
information to a user of the automatic card shuffler, and to control operation
of the active
components of the card input mechanism, the card storage device, and the card
output
mechanism. The control system is provided with a first control panel and with
a second control
panel. The first control panel is located within the automatic card shuffler
such that the first
control panel is inaccessible to a user of the automatic card shuffler from
outside the automatic
card shuffler. The second control panel is located at least partially outside
the automatic card
shuffler such that the second control panel is accessible to a user of the
automatic card shuffler
from outside the automatic card shuffler.
[0018] In additional embodiments, the present disclosure includes methods of
shuffling cards using an automatic card shuffler. Cards are input into an
automatic card shuffler
using a card input mechanism. Two or more cards are temporarily stored in each
of a plurality
of card storage compartments in a movable rack of a card storage device within
the card
shuffler. Cards are simultaneously ejected out from two or more of the
plurality of card storage
compartments using a movable ejector, without ejecting cards out from some of
the plurality of
card storage compartments, to form a stack of shuffled cards. The stack of
shuffled cards is
output from the card shuffler using the card output mechanism.
[0019] In additional embodiments, the present disclosure includes methods of
shuffling cards using an automatic card shuffler. Cards are input into an
automatic card shuffler
using a card input mechanism. Two or more cards are temporarily stored in each
of a plurality
of card storage compartments in a movable rack of a card storage device within
the card
shuffler. Cards are simultaneously ejected out from the plurality of card
storage compartments
using a movable ejector to form a stack of shuffled cards, and the stack of
shuffled cards is
output from the card shuffler using a card output mechanism. The movable
ejector is
maintained on a first side of the movable rack as cards are inserted into the
movable rack by the
card input mechanism. The movable ejector is moved from the first side of the
movable rack to
an opposing second side of the rack and back to the first side of the rack to
simultaneously eject
cards out from the plurality of card storage compartments to form the stack of
shuffled cards.
[0020] In additional embodiments, the present disclosure includes a method of
adapting an automatic card shuffler for use with cards of different
thicknesses. The method
includes driving movement of a card through a card gap between at least one
pick-off roller and
a brake roller of an adjustable brake roller assembly, and moving the brake
roller relative to a
6
bracket of the adjustable brake roller assembly to selectively adjust the card
gap between the
brake roller and the at least one pick-off roller.
[0021] In additional embodiments, the present disclosure includes a method of
adapting an automatic card shuffler for use with cards of different size.
Cards having a first card
size are temporarily stored in a plurality of card storage compartments in a
movable rack of the
automatic card shuffler while a card size adjustment member is positioned
relative to the
movable rack in a first orientation. Each of the card storage compartments has
a first size when
the card size adjustment member is positioned relative to the movable rack in
the first
orientation. The card size adjustment member is moved relative to the movable
rack to a
different second orientation. Each of the card storage compartments has a
second size when the
card size adjustment member is positioned relative to the movable rack in the
second orientation.
Cards having a different second card size are temporarily stored in the
plurality of card storage
compartments in the movable rack of the automatic card shuffler while the card
size adjustment
member is positioned relative to the movable rack in the second orientation.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0022] FIG. 1 is a back isometric view of an automatic card shuffler including
a lid to
cover a card input area and a card output area, wherein the lid is illustrated
in a closed position;
[0023] FIG. 2 is a front isometric view of the card shuffler of FIG. 1
illustrating the lid
in an open position exposing the card input area and the card output area;
[0024] FIG. 3 is a first side elevational view of a left side of the card
shuffler with an
outer cover removed to expose internal components of the card shuffler;
[0025] FIG. 4 is a second side elevational view of a right side of the card
shuffler with
the outer cover removed;
[0026] FIG. 5 is a third side elevational view of a front side of the card
shuffler with
the outer cover removed;
[0027] FIG. 6 is a fourth side elevational view of a back side of the card
shuffler with
the outer cover removed;
[0028] FIG. 7 is an isometric view of a rack of the card shuffler that
includes multiple
card storage compartments and an associated mechanism for vertically moving
the rack up and
down within the card shuffler;
[0029] FIG. 8A is a side elevational view of a component of the rack;
[0030] FIG. 8B is an enlarged view of a portion of FIG. 8A;
7
[0031] FIG. 9 is a top plan view of components of the rack illustrating the
components
assembled in a first configuration for use with cards of a first size;
[0032] FIG. 10 is a top plan view like that of FIG. 9 illustrating the
components of the
rack assembled in a second configuration for use with cards of a different
second size;
[0033] FIG. 11 is a front isometric view of a brake roller assembly of the
card
shuffler;
[0034] FIG. 12 is an elevational view of a back side of the brake roller
assembly of
FIG. 11;
[0035] FIG. 13 is a block diagram illustrating various components of a control
system
of the card shuffler;
[0036] FIGS. 14A-14H are simplified and schematically illustrated cross-
sectional
views taken through the card shuffler apparatus along a plane parallel to the
left and right sides
of the automatic card shuffler (and perpendicular to the front and back sides
of the automatic
card shuffler), wherein various components and features of the card shuffler
have been removed
to facilitate illustration and description of operation of the card shuffler;
and
[0037] FIG. 15 is a flow chart illustrating operation of the card shuffler
during a
shuffling operation.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0038] The illustrations presented herein are not meant to be actual views of
any
particular card shuffler or component thereof, but are merely idealized
representations that are
used to describe embodiments of the disclosure.
[0039] As used herein, the term "shuffle," when used with reference to cards,
means
to randomize an order of cards in a stack of cards.
[0040] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an automatic card shuffler 100. The
card
shuffler 100 is configured to automatically randomize an order of cards in a
stack of cards. The
cards may be playing cards for use in playing card games, such as poker,
single deck blackjack
or double deck blackjack, or other hand-pitched games. The card shuffler 100
is a batch card
shuffler, in that a plurality of cards are inserted into the card shuffler 100
in the form of a first
stack, the card shuffler 100 randomly reorders the cards and assembles the
cards into a second
shuffled stack, which is then output from the card shuffler 100 in batch form
as a stack of
shuffled cards.
8
[0041] The card shuffler 100 may be capable of performing additional
operations on
one or more cards inserted into the card shuffler 100. For example, the card
shuffler 100 may be
configured to sort cards in a stack of cards inserted into the card shuffler
100 into a predefined
order. The card shuffler 100 may be configured to verify the presence or
absence of cards in a
predefined set of different cards having one or more distinguishing
characteristics (e.g., rank
and/or suit of standard playing cards and/or special card markings). The card
shuffler 100 may
be configured to detect and identify cards that are damaged to allow the cards
to be removed
from a set of cards prior to use of the set of cards in a playing card game.
Thus, although the
card handling machine is referred to herein as a card "shuffler," it may also
be characterized as a
card sorter, a card verifier, etc.
[0042] As discussed in further detail below, the card shuffler 100 includes an
internal
card storage device, a card input mechanism for moving cards from a card input
area into the
internal card storage device, and a card output mechanism for moving cards
from the internal
card storage device to a card output area. The card shuffler 100 also may
include a card reading
system for capturing data from one or more images of cards inserted into the
card shuffler 100.
Examples of suitable card reading systems include complementary metal-oxide-
semiconductor
(CMOS) 2D imaging systems and contact image sensor (CIS) and CMOS line
scanners. The
card shuffler 100 further includes a control system for controlling the
various active components
of the card shuffler 100, for receiving input from a user of the card shuffler
100, and for
outputting information to a user of the card shuffler 100.
[0043] Referring briefly to FIG. 4, the card shuffler 100 includes an internal
structural
frame 102, to which the various components of the card shuffler 100 may be
directly or
indirectly coupled. The frame 102 may comprise a plurality of members that may
be coupled
together to form the frame 102. Referring again to FIG. 1, an outer cover 104
may be coupled to
the internal structural frame 102 around the internal components of the card
shuffler 100. The
outer cover 104 covers and protects the internal components of the card
shuffler 100. The card
shuffler 100 includes a card input area 106 and a separate card output area
108, as shown in FIG.
2. Cards to be shuffled may be assembled into a first stack, which may be
placed into the card
input area 106. After shuffling or sorting the cards, the card shuffler 100
may deliver a second
stack to the card output area 108. As mentioned above, the second stack may be
formed by
randomly reordering the cards in the first stack placed in the card input area
106.
[0044] The card shuffler 100 may be configured to be mounted such that an
upper
surface 110 of the card shuffler 100 is at least substantially level (i.e.,
flush) with a surface of a
9
playing card table, such as a poker table for example. A lid 112 may be used
to cover the card
input area 106 and the card output area 108 at times other than when cards are
being loaded into
the card input area 106 or being removed from the card output area 108. The
lid 112 may be
attached to the to the frame 102 and/or the top surface 110 of the outer cover
104 (FIG. 4) and
may be configured to open and close automatically during operation of the card
shuffler 100.
FIG. 1 illustrates the card shuffler 100 with the lid 112 in the closed
position, and FIG. 2
illustrates the card shuffler 100 while the lid 112 is in the open position
for loading and/or
unloading cards.
[0045] FIGS. 3 through 6 illustrate the card shuffler 100 with the outer cover
104 and
other components, such as frame members, removed from the view to reveal
internal
components and mechanisms of the card shuffler 100. As shown in FIG. 3, the
card shuffler 100
includes a card input mechanism 120, a card storage device 170 for temporarily
storing cards
within the card shuffler 100, and a card output mechanism 220. The card input
mechanism 120
is configured to move cards from the card input area 106 (FIG. 2) into the
card storage device
170, and the card output mechanism 220 is configured to move cards from the
card storage
device 170 to the card output area 108 (FIG. 2).
[0046] The card input mechanism 120 includes an input elevator 122 including a
card
support 124 (FIG. 2) that is configured to translate vertically along a linear
path between an
upper loading position and a lower unloading position, and a motor 126
configured to drive
movement of the card support 124 between the loading and unloading positions.
As shown in
FIG. 2, the card support 124 has an upper support surface 125 for supporting a
stack of cards
thereon. In the loading position, the card support 124 is located proximate
the upper surface 110
of the card shuffler 100 to allow a user to place a stack of cards to be
shuffled on the support
surface 125 of the card support 124 in the card input area 106. This position
may be above,
below or at the gaming surface elevation. In the unloading position, the card
support 124 is
located at another position within the card shuffler 100 from which cards are
moved out from
the stack and toward the card storage device 170.
[0047] Referring again to FIGS. 3 through 6, the card input mechanism 120
includes
one or more pick-off rollers 128A-128C. The pick-off rollers 128A-128C are
used to
sequentially move a bottom card in a stack of cards on the support surface 125
out from the
stack of cards in a lateral, horizontal direction toward the card storage
device 170. Two or more
of the pick-off rollers 128A-128C may be driven in unison by a motor 129 using
a belt 130
engaged with complementary pulleys mounted on axles carrying the pick-off
rollers
128A-128C. One or more of the pick-off rollers 128A-128C, such as the pick-off
roller 128A,
optionally may comprise an idler roller that is not driven by the motor 129,
but rather idly rolls
along the surface of a card moving past the idler roller responsive to
rotation of other driven
pick-off rollers, such as 128B and 128C, driven by the motor 129.
100481 As discussed in further detail below with reference to FIGS. 11 and 12,
the
card input mechanism 120 may further include an adjustable brake roller
assembly 156 that
includes a brake roller 160 disposed proximate the pick-off roller 128C so as
to dispose a card
gap between the brake roller 160 and the pick-off roller 128C through which
cards pass as they
move through the card input mechanism 120 toward the card storage device 170.
100491 With continued reference to FIGS. 3 through 6, the card input mechanism
120
further includes one or more speed-up rollers 134A-134D, and a motor 136
configured to drive
rotation of one or more of the speed-up rollers 134A-134D. The speed-up
rollers 134A-134D
are used to accept a card from the pick-off rollers 128A-128C, and to insert
the card into the card
storage device 170. The speed-up rollers 134A-134D may be located and
configured to contact
and grab a leading edge of a card just prior to the point at which a trailing
edge of the card
passes beyond and is released from the pick-off rollers 128A-128C. Thus, as
the leading edge of
the card contacts the speed-up rollers 134A-134D, as controlled and determined
by selective
rotation of the pick-off rollers 128A-128C, the card will be gabbed and pulled
out from the
pick-off rollers 128A-128C and inserted into the card storage device 170 by
the speed-up
rollers 134A-134D.
100501 As with the pick-off rollers 128A-128C, two or more of the speed-up
rollers 134A-134D may be driven in unison by the motor 136 using a belt 138
engaged with
complementary pulleys mounted on axles carrying the speed-up rollers 134A-
134D. One or
more of the speed-up rollers 134A-134D, such as the speed-up roller 134B and
the speed-up
roller 134D, optionally may comprise idler rollers that are not driven by the
motor 136, but
rather idly roll along the surface of a card moving past the idler roller
responsive to rotation of
other driven speed-up rollers, such as 134A and 134C, driven by the motor 136.
100511 During a shuffling operation of the card shuffler 100, the speed-up
rollers 134A-134D may be continuously rotated at a substantially constant
rotational speed.
Rotation of the pick-off rollers 128A-128C, however, may be selectively
started and stopped by
a control system 280 (FIG. 13) of the card shuffler 100. When rotation of the
pick-off
rollers 128A-128C is commenced, the pick-off rollers 128A-128C may rotate at a
rotational
speed that is less than the rotational speed of the speed-up rollers 134A-
134D.
11
[0052] The card input mechanism 120 further includes a packing device 142 that
is
used to ensure that cards inserted into the card storage device 170 are fully
inserted into the card
storage device 170. The packing device 142 includes a card packer 144, and a
motor 146
configured to drive movement of the card packer 144 between a first extended
position (see FIG.
14D) and a second retracted position (see FIG. 14C). Referring briefly to FIG.
14C, the card
packer 144 may be mounted on an axle 148, about which rotation of the card
packer 144 may be
driven by the motor 146. Referring again to FIGS. 3 through 6, the card packer
144 may be
moved to the retracted position to allow a card to pass by the card packer 144
and into the card
storage device 170. After the trailing edge of the moving card has passed over
the card packer
144, the card packer 144 may be moved into the extended position, which may
"pack" the card
into the card storage device 170 in such a manner as to ensure that the card
is pushed fully into
the card storage device 170 and does not bounce back out from the card storage
device 170.
Thus, the card packer 144 of the packing device 142 may rock back and forth
with each
successive passing card, ensuring that each card is fully seated within the
card storage device
170.
[0053] The card input mechanism 120 may further include a card weight device
(not
visible) for applying a downward force on any stack of cards resting on the
card support 124.
The force applied on the stack of cards may ensure that sufficient frictional
force is provided
between the bottommost card in the stack of cards on the card support 124 and
the pick-off
rollers 128A-128C to ensure that the pick-off rollers 128A-128C can reliably
remove the
bottommost cards sequentially one at a time from the stack until each card in
the stack has been
removed. The card weight device may comprise a lever that may be moved into an
activated
position in which the card weight device is in direct physical contact with
the upper surface of
the topmost card in the stack of cards on the card support 124, and applies a
downward force to
the cards, after the input elevator 122 has been lowered into the card
shuffler 100 below the card
input area 106. The lever also may be moved into a deactivated position in
which the lever does
not engage the stack of cards on the card support 124. A card weight motor 152
(see FIG. 13)
may be used to drive movement of the card weight device between the activated
position and the
deactivated position. After all cards in the stack of cards on the card
support 124 have been
moved into the card storage device 170 by the card input mechanism 120, the
card weight motor
152 may be actuated to retract the card weight device into the deactivated
position so as to allow
additional cards to be placed onto the card support 124.
12
[0054] The card storage device 170 includes a rack 171 that includes a
plurality of
card storage compartments 172 therein (see FIGS. 8A and 8B). Each of the card
storage
compartments 172 may be sized and configured to contain one or more cards
therein. In some
embodiments, each of the card storage compartments 172 may be sized and
configured to
contain two or more cards therein. In some embodiments, each card storage
compartment 172
may be sized and configured to hold only two cards therein. For example, each
card storage
compartment 172 may have a thickness of between about 0.0107 inch and about
0.0129 inch. In
such embodiments, the number of card storage compartments 172 may be equal to
one half of a
number of cards that are expected to be shuffled using the card shuffler 100.
For example, if the
card shuffler 100 is configured to shuffle a single fifty-two (52) card deck
of standard playing
cards, which optionally may include two additional cards (e.g., Jokers), the
rack 171 may
include between twenty-six (26) and twenty-nine (29) card storage compartments
172. It may
be desirable to provide one or two extra shelves so that the machine can
deliver a card when a
prior delivery attempt to a different compartment failed. For example, if a
card is bent and
cannot be inserted into a selected compartment, the card shuffler 100 may move
the card into an
extra compartment (which, in some embodiments, may be larger in size than
other
compartments to accommodate such a bent card). In embodiments for processing
two decks of
52 to 54 cards each, the rack can contain between fifty four (54) and fifty
eight (58)
compartments.
100551 The card rack 171 is configured to translate in the vertical direction
along a
linear path. The card storage device 170 includes a motor 174 configured to
drive movement of
the rack 171 up and down in the vertical direction. The motor 174 includes an
encoder, which
may be used to identify relative positions of the rack 171 from a known home
position. The
home position may correspond to the location at which a bottom surface 176 of
the rack 171
(FIG. 8A) is aligned with a card disposed between the speed-up rollers 134A-
134D.
100561 To identify and calibrate the home position in a set-up or a
calibration
operational mode of the card shuffler 100, the rack 171 may be moved to the
lowermost position
within the card shuffler 100, and the encoder associated with the motor 174
may be reset, or the
value of the encoder at the lowermost position may be recorded. The rack 171
may be moved
upward within the card shuffler 100 to a location at which the bottom surface
176 of the rack
171 will certainly be located in a plane located vertically above any card
gripped between the
speed-up rollers 134A-134D. The card shuffler 100 then may cause the speed-up
rollers
134A-134D to move a card into the space below the rack 171 without losing the
grip on the card
13
and completely inserting the card into the space below the rack 171. The card
then may be
drawn back away from the space below the rack 171 by the speed-up rollers 134A-
134D, and
the rack 171 may be lowered by a small incremental distance. The card shuffler
100 then may
again cause the speed-up rollers 134A-134D to attempt to move the card into
the space below
the rack 171 without losing the grip on the card by the speed-up rollers 134A-
134D. This
process of attempting to insert the card into the space below the bottom
surface 176 of the rack
171 and then incrementally lowering the rack 171 may be repeated until the
card abuts against
the side of the rack 171, such that the speed-up rollers 134A-134D are
prevented from inserting
the card into the space an expected distance, which may be detected by, for
example, using a
sensor (as discussed below) or monitoring an electrical current of the motor
136 driving the
speed-up rollers 134A-134D. The location of the rack 171 at this point, as
determined by the
value of the encoder associated with the motor 174, may be set as the home
position in the
control system 280 (FIG. 13) of the card shuffler 100. In additional
embodiments, the rack 171
may be moved to the lowermost position within the card shuffler 100, and the
encoder
associated with the motor 174 may be reset, or the value of the encoder at the
lowermost
position may be recorded. The rack 171 may be moved upward within the card
shuffler 100 to a
location at which the bottom surface 176 of the rack 171 will certainly be
located in a plane
located vertically below any card gripped between the speed-up rollers 134A-
134D, but wherein
all card storage compartments are located vertically above any card gripped
between the
speed-up rollers 134A-134D. The card shuffler 100 then may cause the speed-up
rollers
134A-134D to attempt to move a card into the rack 171. If the card is not able
to be inserted
into the rack 171, the card then may be drawn back away from the rack 171 by
the speed-up
rollers 134A-134D, and the rack 171 may be raised by a small incremental
distance. The card
shuffler 100 then may again cause the speed-up rollers 134A-134D to attempt to
move the card
into the rack 171 or into a space below the rack 171 without losing the grip
on the card by the
speed-up rollers 134A-134D. This process of attempting to move the card into a
space occupied
by the rack 171 and then incrementally raising the rack 171 may be repeated
until the card is
able to move into the space below the rack 171 without losing the grip on the
card by the
speed-up rollers 134A-134D, which may be detected by, for example, using a
sensor (as
discussed below) or monitoring an electrical current of the motor 136 driving
the speed-up
rollers 134A-134D. The location of the rack 171 at this point, as determined
by the value of the
encoder associated with the motor 174, may be set as the home position in the
control system
280 (FIG. 13) of the card shuffler 100.
14
[0057] FIGS. 7 through 10 illustrate the card storage device 170 separate from
other
components of the card shuffler 100. As shown therein, the rack 171 optionally
may include a
first side bracket assembly 178A and a second side bracket assembly 178B. Each
of the side
bracket assemblies 178A, 178B include multiple slots 179 formed therein so as
to define ribs
180 between the slots 179. The side bracket assemblies 178A, 178B may be
aligned with one
another and coupled together using one or more cross members 188, such that a
central void 189
is defined between the side bracket assemblies 178A, 178B, and such that slots
179 in the first
side bracket assembly 178A align with corresponding complementary slots 179 in
the second
side bracket assembly 178B. Each card storage compartment 172 is defined by a
slot 179 in the
first side bracket assembly 178A and a corresponding and complementary slot
179 in the second
side bracket assembly 178B.
[0058] The central void 189 between the side bracket assemblies 178A, 178B may
be
sized and configured to allow an ejector 228 (FIGS. 3 and 4) to be positioned
within or adjacent
the rack 171 alongside cards positioned within the card storage compartments
172, and to
translate horizontally in a lateral direction to eject cards out from the rack
171, as discussed in
further detail below. As shown in FIG. 8A and 8B, ends 182 of the ribs 180
proximate the
speed-up rollers 134A-134D may include tapered upper surfaces 184A and tapered
lower
surfaces 184B. Cards contacting the tapered surfaces are deflected and driven
into the
compartment 172 adjacent to a card already present in the compartment. By
aligning the card
being fed with an upper tapered surface, the card may be driven into the
compartment 172 above
a card already present. By aligning the card being fed with a lower tapered
surface, the card
may be driven into the compartment 172 below a card already present. When the
device is used
to place cards in a pre-selected order, such as original deck order, the
tapered surfaces are
essential to achieve a desired order. When a random order is desired, the
tapered surfaces may
also be used to achieve a desired random distribution. For example, the
processor may select a
location for each card to be fed at the beginning of a shuffling cycle. Each
compartment has two
locations, an upper and lower. If a card was assigned to location 1, another
card would be
driven in below the first card in location 2.
[0059] As discussed in further detail below, the card shuffler 100 may be
configured
to selectively position the rack 171 any one of three different positions for
each of the card
storage compartments 172 in the rack 171. In particular, the card shuffler 100
may be
configured to selectively position the rack 171 such that a card being
inserted into a selected
card storage compartment 172 by the speed-up rollers 134A-134D is aligned with
a space 186
between the upper rib 180 defining that card storage compartment 172 and the
lower rib 180
defining that card storage compartment 172, such that the card is aligned with
the tapered lower
surface 1848 of the upper rib 180 defining that card storage compartment 172,
or such that the
card is aligned with the tapered upper surface 184A of the lower rib 180
defining that card
storage compartment 172, depending on whether or not a card is already present
within the card
storage compartment 172 and whether the card is to be positioned in an upper
position or a
lower position within that card storage compartment 172.
100601 Referring again to FIGS. 3 through 6, the card shuffler 100 includes a
card
output mechanism 220 (FIG. 3) for moving cards within the rack 171 of the card
storage device
170 out from the rack 171 and to the card output area 108 (FIG. 2). As shown
in FIG. 3, the
card output mechanism 220 includes an output elevator 222 including a card
support 224 (see
also FIG. 2) that is configured to translate vertically along a linear path
between a lower loading
position and an upper unloading position, and a motor 226 (FIG. 4) configured
to drive
movement of the card support 224 between the loading and unloading positions.
The card
support 224 has an upper support surface 225 (FIG. 2) for supporting a stack
of cards thereon.
In the loading position, the card support 224 is located at a position within
the card shuffler 100
at which all cards in the rack 171 may be moved out from the rack 171 and onto
the support
surface 225 of the card support 224. In the unloading position, the card
support 224 is located
proximate the upper surface 110 of the card shuffler 100 in the card output
area 108 to allow a
user to remove a stack of shuffled cards from the support surface 225 of the
card support 224, as
shown in FIG. 2. The card support surface 224 may be located above, below or
at the top
surface 110. As also shown in FIG. 2, a lever member 227 may be attached to
the card support
224. The lever member 227 may be located and configured to impinge against and
lift the lid
112 automatically as the card support 224 moves to the upper unloading
position. As the card
support 224 is lowered to the lower loading position, the lid 112 may
automatically close due to
the force of gravity, the force of member 227, one or more springs or other
biasing members,
etc.
[0061] As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the card output mechanism 220 includes an
ejector 228 that is used to eject all cards within the card storage
compartments 172 in the rack
171 out from the rack 171, simultaneously and together in batch form as a
group, and onto the
card support surface 225 of the card support 224 in the form of a stack of
shuffled cards. The
ejector 228 may comprise an elongated and vertically oriented bar or rod
having a length at least
as long as the height of the rack 171. The ejector 228 may be mounted to the
frame 102 at a
16
location in a plane vertically above the rack 171. The ejector 228 may be
configured to translate
horizontally along a linear path between a first position on a first lateral
side of the rack 171
proximate the card support 224 and the speed-up rollers 134A-134D, and a
second position on
an opposite second lateral side of the rack 171 from the card support 224 and
the speed-up
rollers 134A-134D. The card output mechanism 220 further includes an ejector
motor 230 (FIG.
3) configured to selectively drive movement of the ejector 228 between the
first position and the
second position.
[0062] As previously mentioned, the rack 171 includes a central void 189
defined
between the side brackets 178A, 178B. The central void 189 and the ejector 228
may be sized
and configured to allow the ejector 228 to move through the central void 189
from the second
position of the ejector 228 (on the side of the rack 171 opposite the card
support 224) to the first
position of the ejector 228 (on the same side of the rack 171 as the card
support 224) when the
rack 171 is in the upper position, which will cause the ejector 228 to eject
any and all cards in
the card storage compartments 172 of the rack 171 to be simultaneously ejected
out from the
rack 171 and onto the card support surface 225 of the card support 224.
[0063] In additional embodiments, however, the rack 171 may not be positioned
in the
uppermost position when the ejector 228 is used to eject cards in the card
storage compartments
172 out from the rack 171, and may be positioned at a selected location, such
that cards are
ejected from a selected number of card storage compartments 172 that is less
than the total
number of card storage compartments 172. In other words, the rack 171 may be
positioned such
that any card storage compartments 172 vertically above a horizontal plane in
which the
lowermost end of the ejector 228 is located will be ejected out from the rack
171 upon actuation
of the ejector 228. In such a configuration, the ejector 228 of the card
output mechanism 220 is
configured to simultaneously eject cards out from two or more card storage
compartments 172
of the movable rack 171, and is capable of simultaneously ejecting cards out
from less than all
card storage compartments 172 of the movable rack 171.
[0064] The card shuffler 100 optionally may include a card reading and/or
imaging
system 250 configured to capture data representing at least rank and suit
information included in
one or more images of each card passing through the card shuffler 100, so as
to allow the card
shuffler 100 to identify one or more characteristics of the cards, such as the
rank and/or suit of
standard playing cards. In some embodiments, however, data pertaining to cards
read using the
card reading system 250 may not be used in the shuffling operations performed
by the card
shuffler 100 for the purpose of determining the random card order, although
the data may be
17
used in the shuffling operations for the purpose of card verification. The
data pertaining to card
data read using the card reading system 250 may be used to verify the
completeness of a set of
cards by ensuring that no card expected to be in the set of cards is missing
from the set of cards
(e.g., a missing card in a single deck of standard playing cards), and/or that
cards not expected to
be present in the set of cards are not present in the set of cards (e.g., a
duplicate or extra card in a
single deck of standard playing cards).
[0065] As shown in FIG. 3, the card imaging system 250 may include an image
sensor 252 for capturing images of cards. The term "image" as used herein
means at least one of
suit and rank indicia on a card and does not necessarily mean a full image of
any card. The
image sensor 252 may be located and configured, for example, to capture images
of cards as the
cards pass through the card input mechanism 120 between the pick-off rollers
128A-128C and
the speed-up rollers 134A-134D. In other embodiments, the card image sensor is
located in the
card input area 106 beneath the card support 124 when the card support 124 is
in a lowest
position. In some embodiments, the card imaging system 250 may comprise a
camera device
that includes a complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) image sensor or
a charge
coupled device (CCD) image sensor. For example, the card sensing system may
include a video
camera imaging system as described in U.S. Patent No. 7,677,565, which issued
March 16,2010
to Grauzer et al.
[0066] In some embodiments, the rack 171 of the card storage device 170 may be
adaptable for use with cards having different sizes. Referring to FIGS. 9 and
10, in some
embodiments, the rack 171 of the card storage device 170 may include a card
size adjustment
member 190 capable of being attached to, or otherwise positioned relative to
the rack 171 in a
first orientation for use with cards of a first size (e.g., a first height
and/or width) or in a different
second orientation for use with cards of a second size (e.g., a second height
and/or width). For
example, a notch 192 may be provided in a back side 183 of one or both of the
side brackets
178A, 178B, The card size adjustment member 190 then may be configured as an
elongated bar
or rod (extending into the plane of FIGS. 9 and 10) that may be attached to
one or both of the
side brackets 178A, 178B within the notch 192 using one or more fasteners 194
(e.g., screws).
The card size adjustment member 190 may include a projection 196 against which
edges of
cards 114 may abut when the cards 114 are inserted into the card storage
compartments 172 in
the rack 171.
[0067] As shown in FIG, 9, the card size adjustment member 190 may be attached
to
the second side bracket 178B within the notch 192 such that the projection 196
is located farther
18
from the ends 182 of the ribs 180 having the tapered surfaces 184A, 184B, such
that a card 114
having a first width W1 (e.g., a standard poker card having a width of about
2.5 inches) may be
received completely within any of the card storage compartments 172 in the
rack 171. Referring
to FIG. 10, the card storage device 170 may be adapted for use with cards 114
having a smaller
second width W2 (e.g., a standard bridge card having a width of about 2.25
inches) by moving
the card size adjustment member 190 relative to the second side bracket 178B
of the rack 171 to
a different second orientation, wherein the projection 196 is located closer
to the ends 182 of the
ribs 180 having the tapered surfaces 184A, 184B. Thus, the width of the card
storage
compartments 172 may be between about 0.20 inches and about 0.30 inches (e.g.,
about 0.25
inches) less, due to the position of the projection 196, when the card size
adjustment member
190 is attached to the second side bracket 178B in the second orientation
compared to when the
card size adjustment member 190 is attached to the second side bracket 178B in
the first
orientation. Thus, the card size adjustment member 190 is capable of being
positioned relative
to the rack 171 in a first orientation (FIG. 9) and a different second
orientation (FIG. 10), and
each of the plurality of card storage compartments 172 in the rack 171 has a
first size when the
card size adjustment member 190 is positioned relative to the rack 171 in the
first orientation
and a different second size when the card size adjustment member 190 is
positioned relative to
the rack 171 in the second orientation.
[0068] In some embodiments, the card shuffler 100 may include a sensor 334
configured to detect when the card size adjustment member 190 is in the first
orientation (shown
in FIG. 9) or the second orientation (FIG. 10) relative to the rack 171. For
example, a magnet
191 may be provided on or in the card size adjustment member 190 at a selected
location, and a
Hall effect sensor 334 may be located and configured to sense or otherwise
detect the proximity
of the magnet 191 to the Hall effect sensor 334 when the card size adjustment
member 190 is in
the first orientation (shown in FIG. 9) or in the second orientation (FIG.
10), but not both. For
example, the magnet 191 may be located proximate the sensor 334 when the card
size
adjustment member 190 is in the first orientation (FIG. 9), but not when the
card size adjustment
member 190 is in the second orientation (FIG. 10). The sensor 334 may be
coupled to the
control system 280 (FIG. 13) of the card shuffler 100, such that the control
system 280 may
determine whether the rack 171 is configured for use with cards 114 having the
first larger width
Wi (FIG. 9) or with cards 114 having the second smaller width W2 (FIG. 10).
[0069] In some embodiments, the card shuffler 100 may also be adaptable for
use with
cards having different thicknesses. For example, the card shuffler 100 may
include an adjustable
19
brake roller assembly 156 shown in FIGS. 11 and 12. The brake roller assembly
156 may
include a bracket 158 and a brake roller 160. The brake roller assembly 156
may be mounted
within the card shuffler 100 such that the brake roller 160 is disposed
proximate the pick-off
roller 128C (as shown in FIG. 3) so as to dispose a card gap between the brake
roller 160 and the
pick-off roller 128C through which cards pass as they move through the card
input mechanism
120 toward the card storage device 170. The brake roller 160 may be configured
to move
relative to the bracket 158 to selectively adjust the thickness of the card
gap between the brake
roller 160 and the pick-off roller 128C. The bracket 158 may be fixedly
mounted to the frame.
For example, as shown in FIGS. 11 and 12, the brake roller assembly 156 may
include a
rotatable dial 162. Rotation of the dial 162 may cause the brake roller 160 to
move toward or
away from the bracket 158, which may be mounted at a fixed location within the
card shuffler
100, so as to adjust the card gap between the brake roller 160 and the pick-
off roller 128C. The
rotatable dial 162 may be biased to discrete rotational positions, such that
rotation of the dial 162
between rotationally adjacent rotational positions causes the card gap to
increase or decrease by
predefined distances. In some embodiments, most, if not all, of the predefined
distances may be
at least substantially uniform (e.g., about 0.003 inches).
100701 As shown in FIG. 12, in one particular non-limiting embodiment, the
brake
roller 160 may be mounted on an axle 163. The axle 163 may be attached to a U-
shaped
bracket 164, which may be attached to a first end of a rod 166 extending
through the bracket 158
of the brake roller assembly 156. An opposite second end of the rod 166 may be
engaged to the
dial 162 by a threaded coupling. The dial 162 may be fixed in position
relative to the bracket
158 such that, as the dial 162 is rotated relative to the bracket 158, the
threaded coupling
between the dial 162 and the rod 166 causes the rod 166 to move up or down
within the bracket
158 depending on the direction of rotation of the dial 162. A spring 168 may
be used to bias the
rod 166 (and, hence, the brake roller 160) in the upward direction away from
the pick-off roller
128C (FIG. 3).
100711 Using the adjustable brake roller assembly 156 shown in FIGS. 11 and
12, the
card shuffler 100 may be adapted for use with cards of different thicknesses.
Cards may be
driven through the card gap between the pick-off roller 128C and the brake
roller 160 of the
brake roller assembly 156, and the brake roller 160 may be moved relative to
the bracket 158 of
the brake roller assembly 156 to selectively adjust the card gap between the
brake roller 160 and
the pick-off roller 128C by selectively rotating the dial 162. The dial 162
may be selectively
rotated until the card gap is sized to allow a single card to pass through the
card gap, but to
prevent two or more cards from passing together through the card gap at the
same time. In this
matter, the brake roller 160 sequentially breaks single cards away from the
stack of cards on the
card support 124 of the card input mechanism 120 one card at a time.
100721 Referring to FIG. 13, the card shuffler 100 may comprise a control
system 280
for controlling operation of the various active components of the card
shuffler 100, for receiving
data input from a user of the card shuffler 100, and for outputting data
and/or information to a
user of the card shuffler 100. FIG. 13 illustrates a non-limiting example
embodiment of a
control system 280 that may be used for controlling the card shuffler 100. The
control system
280 may include one or more control modules for performing different functions
of the control
system 280, which control modules may be operatively coupled together. For
example, the
control system 280 may include a main control module 282, a motor/sensor
control module 284,
and an imaging control module 286. As shown in FIG. 13, the main control
module 282 may be
configured to communicate electrically with (i.e., send electronic signals to,
and/or receive
electronic signals from) each of the motor/sensor control module 284 and the
imaging control
module 286. The communication between modules 282, 284, and 286 may be either
direct or
indirect. For example, one or more wires or other electrical communication
pathways may
extend between the main control module 282 and each of the motor/sensor
control module 284
and the imaging control module 286. In some embodiments, the imaging control
module 286
may be configured to communicate electrically with the motor/sensor control
module 284, either
indirectly through the main control module 282 or directly by way of one or
more wires or other
electrical communication pathways that extend directly between the imaging
control module
286 and the motor/sensor control module 284.
[0073] Each of the main control module 282, the motor/sensor control module
284,
and the imaging control module 286 may include one or more electronic signal
processors 288
for processing electronic signals, and one or more memory devices 290 (e.g.,
random access
memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), Flash memory, etc.) for storing
electronic data
therein. Each of the main control module 282, the motor/sensor control module
284, and the
imaging control module 286 may comprise a printed circuit board 292, to which
the electronic
signal processors 288 and memory devices 290 may be respectively coupled.
100741 The main control module 282, the motor/sensor control module 284, and
the
imaging control module 286 may be mounted within the card shuffler 100. In
some
embodiments, the main control module 282, the motor/sensor control module 284,
and the
imaging control module 286 may be mounted at different locations within the
card shuffler 100.
21
For example, as shown in FIG. 6, the main control module 282 may be mounted to
a side
member 102A of the frame 102. The motor/sensor control module 284 may be
mounted to a
lower base member 204B (FIG. 4) of the frame 102 (although the motor/sensor
control module
284 is not visible in FIG. 4), and the imaging control module 286 may be
mounted to another
side member 204C (FIG. 5) of the frame 102 (although the imaging control
module 286 is not
visible in FIG. 5). In some embodiments, the image sensor 252 of the card
imaging system 250
may be mounted directly to the printed circuit board 292 of the imaging
control module 286, and
the imaging control module 286 may be mounted within the card shuffler 100 at
a location at
which the image sensor 252, while mounted to the printed circuit board 292,
may capture
images of cards as the cards pass through the card input mechanism 120 between
the pick-off
rollers 128A-128C and the speed-up rollers 134A-134D, as previously described.
[0075] With continued reference to FIG. 13, the main control module 282 may
include
a data input device 294 configured to allow a user to input data into the
control system 280, and
a data output device 296 configured to display information to a user. In some
embodiments, the
data input device 294 and the data output device 296 may comprise a single,
unitary device,
such as a touch-screen display that can be used both to display information to
a user, and to
receive input from a user. In some embodiments, the control system 280 may
include a first
control panel 298 located within the automatic card shuffler 100 such that the
first control panel
298 is inaccessible to a user of the automatic card shuffler 100 from outside
the automatic card
shuffler 100, and a second control panel 298' located at least partially
outside the automatic card
shuffler 100 such that the second control panel 298' is accessible to a user
of the automatic card
shuffler 100 from outside the automatic card shuffler 100. The first and
second control panels
298, 298' each may comprise touch-screen displays, which may be operatively
coupled with the
main control module 282. In some embodiments, the first and second control
panels 298, 298'
may be mirrored with one another, such that what is displayed on one is
exactly the same as
what is displayed on the other, and such that the card shuffler 100 may be
controlled by
inputting data into either of the control panels 298, 298'. In other
embodiments, the control
panel 298 may comprise a primary host control panel, and the control panel
298' may comprise
a secondary control panel. In such embodiments, depending on a selectable
operational mode of
the card shuffler 100, either the primary host control panel 298 or the
secondary control panel
298' may be used. When the secondary control panel 298' is being used, the
user interface to be
displayed on the secondary control panel 298' may be forwarded to the
secondary control panel
298' from the host primary control panel 298. When the secondary control panel
298' is being
22
used, the first control panel 298 may display a message indicating that the
secondary control
panel 298' is being used. Input received from the secondary control panel 298'
may be
forwarded to the host primary control panel 298.
[0076] The first control panel 298 may not be visible or otherwise accessible
to a user
of the card shuffle!. 100 during normal operation, and the second control
panel 298' may be
located outside the card shuffler 100 such that the second control panel 298'
is visible and
accessible to a user of the card shuffler 100 during normal operation of the
card shuffler 100.
[0077] In some embodiments, the second control panel 298' may comprise a
modular
display unit that may be mounted to a surface of a gaming table at a location
separate from the
main console of the card shuffler 100 (shown in FIGS. 1 through 6), which
comprises the card
input mechanism 120, the card storage device 170, and the card output
mechanism 220, and may
be operatively coupled with the main control module 282 of the control system
280 using a
wired or wireless connection. As previously mentioned, the main console of the
card shuffler
100 may be configured to be mounted to a playing card table such that the
upper surface 110 of
the card shuffler 100 is flush with the surface of the playing card table. The
second control
panel 298' also may be configured to be flush-mounted to the surface of the
playing card table at
a location separated by a distance from the location at which the main console
of the card
shuffler 100 is to be mounted. In other embodiments, the second control panel
298' may be
mounted above the surface of the playing card table.
[0078] The first control panel 298 may be mounted directly to the printed
circuit
board 292 of the main control module 282 in some embodiments. The first
control panel 298
may be adapted and used for installation, initial set-up, and maintenance of
the card shuffler 100,
while the second control panel 298' may be adapted and used for controlling
operation of the
card shuffler 100 during normal use of the card shuffler 100 for shuffling,
sorting, and
verification of cards. The internal control panel 294 may be used for
maintenance, upgrades and
repairs when the external panel 294 is located in a position spaced apart from
the shuffler 100.
[0079] In other embodiments, however, the card shuffler 100 may include a
single
data input device 294 and a single data output device 296, such as a single
control panel 298
comprising a touch-screen display, which may be located anywhere on the card
shuffler 100
(e.g., on the inside or the outside of the card shuffler 100) or remote from
the card shuffler 100.
[0080] The main control module 282 may include one or more computer programs
stored electronically in the memory device or devices 290 thereof, which
computer programs
23
may be configured to control operation of the various active components of the
card shuffler
100.
[00811 The motor/sensor control module 284 may be configured to control
operation
of the various motors within the card shuffler 100, and to receive signals
from various sensors
within the card shuffler 100. The various sensors of the card shuffler 100 may
be used by the
control system 280 to identify current operational states of the various
active components of the
card shuffler 100, such as locations of the movable components of the card
shuffler 100.
[00821 For example, each of the motor 126 for the input elevator 122, the
motor 129
for the pick-off rollers 128A-128C, the motor 136 for the speed-up rollers
134A-134D, the
motor 146 for the card packer 144, the card weight motor 152 for the card
weight device (not
visible), the motor 174 for the rack 171, the motor 226 for the output
elevator 222, and the motor
230 for the ejector 228 may be electrically coupled with the motor/sensor
control module 284 to
allow the motor/sensor control module 284 to independently, selectively
activate and deactivate
the motors as needed to control operation of the card shuffler 100.
[00831 The card shuffler 100 may include a number of sensors, which also may
be
operatively coupled with the motor/sensor control module 284. By way of
example and not
limitation, the card shuffler 100 may include a card sensor 310 configured to
detect the presence
of one or more cards on the card support 124 of the card input mechanism 120,
a first input
elevator sensor 312 located and configured to detect when the input elevator
122 is in the
uppermost position, and a second input elevator sensor 314 located and
configured to detect
when the input elevator 122 is in the lowermost position. A card weight sensor
315 may be
located and configured to detect whether the card weight device is in the
activated and/or
deactivated position. A card sensor 316 may be located and configured to
detect the presence of
a card as the card moves off the card support 124 responsive to actuation of
the pick-off rollers
128A-128C. The card sensor 316 may be activated by the leading edge of the
cant substantially
immediately as the card begins to move off from the card support 124.
[0084] A sensor 318 may be located and configured to detect when a card moving
responsive to actuation of the pick-off rollers 128A-128C approaches the speed-
up
rollers 134A-134D. The sensor 318 may be located and configured such that the
sensor 318
may be triggered by a moving card prior to the leading edge of the moving card
engaging the
speed-up rollers 134A-134D. In some embodiments, the sensor 318 may be used to
trigger
activation of the image sensor 252 of the card imaging system 250 to acquire
one or more
images of the card. Optionally, the sensor 318 may be used by the motor/sensor
control module
24
284 to momentarily deactivate movement of the pick-off rollers 128A-128C while
the image
sensor 252 of the card imaging system 250 acquires one or more images of the
card, after which
the motor/sensor control module 284 may reactivate movement of the pick-off
rollers
128A-128C to cause the card to be engaged by the speed-up rollers 134A-134D
and inserted
into the card storage device 170. The sensor 318 may comprise a photoactive
sensor that
includes an emitter for emitting radiation toward any card present proximate
the sensor 318, and
one or more receivers for receiving radiation emitted by the emitter and
reflected from a surface
of a card. In some embodiments, the photoactive sensor may include two
radiation receivers
oriented at different locations along the direction of movement of the cards,
such that the
photoactive sensor may determine a direction of movement of any card moving
proximate the
sensor 318 by detecting which of the two radiation receivers receives
reflected radiation first as a
card moves past the sensor 318.
10085] A sensor 320 may be located and configured to detect when a card moving
responsive to activation of the speed-up rollers 134A-134D passes by the speed-
up
rollers 134A-134D and begins to enter the card storage device 170. In some
embodiments, the
sensor 320 may comprise a photoactive sensor that includes one or more
emitters for emitting
radiation toward any card present proximate the sensor 320, and two or more
receivers for
receiving radiation emitted by the emitter and reflected from a surface of a
card. The two or
more radiation receivers may be oriented at different locations along the
direction of movement
of the cards, such that the photoactive sensor may determine a direction of
movement of any
card moving proximate the sensor 320 by detecting which of the two radiation
receivers receives
reflected radiation first as a card moves past the sensor 320. Thus, the
sensor 320 may be
capable of detecting the presence of a card proximate the sensor 320, and
capable of detecting
whether the card is moving into the card storage device 170 or out from the
card storage device
170. The speed-up rollers 134A-134D may be capable of pushing a card toward
and into the
card storage device 170, and capable of pulling a card back away from the card
storage device
170. For example, in the case of a card jam wherein a card being inserted into
the card storage
device 170 is not actually inserted into the card storage device 170 as
intended, the direction of
rotation of the speed-up rollers 134A-134D may be reversed to withdraw the
card from the card
storage device 170, after which the position of the card storage device 170
may be adjusted and
the speed-up rollers 134A-134D activated to again attempt to insert the card
into the card storage
device 170. If the card cannot be inserted into the card storage device 170
upon a predetermined
number of attempts, operation of the card shuffler 100 may be interrupted and
an error message
provided to a user via the data output device 296 of the control system 280.
[0086] The card shuffler 100 may further include one or more packer sensors
322
located and configured to sense a position of the card packer 144. For
example, a packer sensor
322 may be located and configured to sense when the card packer 144 is in the
retracted
position. One or more rack sensors 324 may be located and configured to sense
a position of the
rack 171. For example, a rack sensor 324 may be located and configured to
sense when the rack
171 is in the lowermost position. The card shuffler 100 may further include
one or more ejector
sensors 326. For example, the card shuffler 100 may include an ejector out
sensor 326 located
and configured to sense when the ejector 228 is disposed in the first position
on the lateral side
of the rack 171 proximate the card support 224, and an ejector in sensor 326
located and
configured to sense when the ejector 228 is disposed in the second position on
an opposing
lateral side of the rack 171 remote from the card support 224.
[0087] The card shuffler 100 may include a card sensor 328 located and
configured to
detect the presence of one or more cards on the card support 224 of the card
output mechanism
220, a first output elevator sensor 330A located and configured to detect when
the output
elevator 222 is in the lowermost position, and a second output elevator sensor
330B located and
configured to detect when the output elevator 222 is in the uppermost
position. The card
shuffler 100 may include a lid sensor 332 located and configured to detect
when the lid 112 is in
the closed position, as shown in FIG. 1. As previously discussed with
reference to FIGS. 9 and
10, the card shuffler 100 may include a card size sensor 334 located and
configured to detect
when the card size adjustment member 190 is in the first orientation (shown in
FIG. 9) or the
second orientation (FIG. 10) relative to the rack 171.
[0088] The card shuffler 100 may be used to shuffle cards, to sort cards,
and/or to
verify cards or sets of cards.
[0089] For example, the card shuffler 100 may be used to perform a shuffling
operation on a stack of cards, as described below with reference to FIGS. 14A
through 14H and
FIG. 15. The card shuffler 100 may be placed in a shuffling mode using the
data input device
294 of the control system 280. If the input elevator 122 and the output
elevator 222 are not in
the raised uppermost positions and the lid 112 open (as shown in FIG. 2), a
start button 299
(FIGS. 1 and 2) on the upper surface 110 of the card shuffler 100 may be
pressed to cause the
input elevator 122 and the output elevator 222 to raise to uppermost positions
and raise the lid
112.
26
100901 Referring to FIG. 14A, a stack of cards 114 may be placed by a user on
the
card support 124 of the input elevator 122, as represented in action 400 in
FIG. 15. The control
system 280 may be configured such that, upon detecting the presence of cards
114 on the card
support 124 of the input elevator 122 using the card sensor 310 and the
absence of cards on the
card support 224 of the output elevator 222 using the card sensor 328 for a
predetermined
amount of time (e.g., five seconds), the control system 280 may automatically
commence a
shuffling operation by lowering the input elevator 122 and the output elevator
222 to the
lowermost positions and closing the lid 112, as shown in FIG. 14B and
represented as action 402
in FIG. 15.
100911 As previously mentioned, the card shuffler 100 may be configured for
use in
shuffling single fifty-two (52) card decks of standard playing cards, which
may optionally
include two additional cards, such as Jokers, for a total of fifty-four (54)
cards to be shuffled. In
such a configuration, the rack 171 may include exactly twenty-seven (27) card
storage
compartments 172 (FIGS. 7 through 10), each of which may be sized and
configured to hold
two or less (but no more than two in some embodiments) cards therein at any
given time. Thus,
the rack 171 may include fifty-four (54) card storage positions, wherein an
upper position and a
lower position are designated within each card storage compartment 172. In
some
embodiments, one or two additional shelves are provided to create a location
to load cards that
cannot be loaded into a designated compartment. Because each card storage
compartment 172
may include zero, one, or two cards therein at any given time, the upper and
lower positions
within each card storage compartment 172 are virtual positions until all cards
have been inserted
into the card storage compartments 172 by the card input mechanism 120, at
which time a card
is positioned in a lower position in each card storage compartment 172 and
another card is
positioned in an upper position in each card storage compartment 172.
100921 To shuffle cards or "randomize" the deck, as indicated at action 404 in
FIG.
15, the control system 280 of the card shuffler 100 creates a table that
randomly assigns and
correlates the cards in the stack to one of the fifty four (54) card storage
positions in the rack
171. The control system 280 sequentially numbers the cards from the bottom
card in the stack
of cards 114 toward the top of the stack of cards 114 by sequentially
assigning an integer to each
card. The control system 280 also sequentially numbers the card storage
positions in the rack
171. For example, the top card storage position in the rack 171 may be
designated as card
storage position "1," and the bottom card storage position in the rack 171 by
be designated as
card storage position "54," and the card storage positions therebetween may be
sequentially
27
numbered. A portion of the positions may be assigned to an upper portion of a
compartment and
another portion may be assigned to a lower portion. In one embodiment, between
27 and 29,
compartments are needed to put a deck of 54 cards in a desired order (random
or
pre-determined). Two extra compartments are provided to accept cards that
cannot be delivered
to the assigned compartment due to card jams, warped cards, damaged cards,
etc.
100931 Thus, the control system 280 may randomly assign and correlate cards in
the
stack of cards 114 resting on the card support 124 of the card input elevator
122 to card storage
positions in the rack 171. For example, the control system 280 may include a
random number
generator, which may be used to randomly assign and correlate cards in the
stack of cards 114
resting to the card storage positions in the rack 171. The control system 280
may generate a
Card Position Table, such as Table 1 below, which includes randomly assigned
card storage
positions for each sequential card in the stack of cards 114 on the card
support 124 of the card
input elevator 122. The Position Table may be stored in a memory device 290 of
the control
system 280 (FIG. 13).
Card Position Table
Card Position
0 44
1 21
2 37
3 2
4 19
45
6 52
7 36
8 28
9 6
48 53
49 20
50 39
51 35
52 27
53 48
TABLE 1
[0094] After randomizing the deck by randomly assigning the fifty four (54)
card
storage positions to the cards in the stack of cards 114 on the card support
124 of the card input
28
elevator 122, the card shuffler 100 may move the card weight (not shown) down
onto the stack
of cards 114 to apply a downward force on the stack of cards 114, as indicated
at action 406 in
FIG. 15. The card shuffler 100 then may actuate rotation of the speed-up
rollers 134A-134D, as
indicated at action 408 in FIG. 15. The card shuffler 100 then may employ the
card input
mechanism 120 to sequentially move the cards in the stack of cards 114 resting
on the card
support 124 into randomly selected card storage positions within the rack 171
of the card storage
device 170.
100951 The control system 280 may selectively control movement of the various
components of the card input mechanism 120 and the card storage device 170 to
cause the cards
in the stack of cards 114 to be inserted into the rack 171 and positioned in
their randomly
assigned card storage positions. To accomplish insertion of the cards into the
rack 171, the rack
171 is moved up and down in the vertical direction to a proper position
relative to the speed-up
rollers 134A-134D (which are disposed at a fixed, static location within the
card shuffler 100)
for insertion of each card into the appropriate card storage compartment 172
and into its
assigned card storage position.
[0096] When any card is inserted into a card storage compartment 172 in the
rack 171,
there are two states that may exist. The first possible state is the state
wherein no other card is
present in the respective card storage compartment 172, and the second
possible state is the state
wherein one card is already present in the respective card storage compartment
172. The control
system 280 may include to a First Rack Position Table and a Second Rack
Position Table, each
of which may be stored in the memory device 290 of the control system 280. The
First Rack
Position Table may include the positions at which the rack 171 is to be
located for insertion of a
card into a card storage compartment 172 when there is no card already present
in the respective
card storage compartment 172. The Second Rack Position Table may include the
positions at
which the rack 171 is to be located for insertion of a card into a card
storage compartment 172
where there is already a card present in the respective card storage
compartment 172. Thus, the
First Rack Position Table correlates appropriate rack locations to each of the
twenty-seven (27)
card storage compartments 172, and the Second Rack Position Table correlates
appropriate rack
locations to each of the fifty four (54) card storage positions in the rack
171. An example First
Rack Position Table is shown in Table 2 below, and an example Second Rack
Position Table is
shown in Table 3 below.
29
2nd Rack Position
1st Rack Position Table .. Table
Rack Rack
Compartment Location Position Location
0
0 0.125 0.085
1 0.165
2
1 0.250 0.210
3 0.290
4
2 0.375 0.335
0.415
6
3 0.500 0.460
7 0.540
8
4 0.625 0.585
9 0.665
=
4
24 3.125 8 3.085
49 3.165
5
25 3.250 0 3.210
51 3.290
26 3.375 52 3.335
53 3.415
TABLE 2 TABLE 3
[0097] In Tables 2 and 3 above, the locations are given in distance
dimensions,
wherein the distance is a relative distance from a lower, bottom surface 176
of the rack 171, the
location of which may be periodically identified by the control system 280 in
a calibration
process, as described in further detail subsequently herein. Each position in
Table 2 corresponds
to a position of a horizontal plane vertically centered within the card
storage compartment 172
between the ribs 180 that defme the respective card storage compartment 172
therebetween.
Each position in Table 3 corresponds to the position of a horizontal plane
vertically centered
along the respective tapered upper surfaces 184A (for upper positions within
card storage
compartments 172) or tapered lower surfaces 184B (for lower positions within
card storage
compartments 172) at the ends 182 of the ribs 180.
10098] Using the Card Position Table and the First and Second Rack Position
Tables,
the control system 280 controls operation of the card input mechanism 120 and
the card storage
device 170 to sequentially position each card into the appropriate card
storage compartment 172
(and appropriate upper or lower card storage position therein) so as to
randomize the order of the
cards in the rack 171. As a particular card is inserted into the rack 171, the
control system 280
references the Card Position Table to determine in which of the fifty four
(54) card storage
positions the card is to be positioned. The control system 280 determines
whether there is
already a card located in the respective card storage compartment 172 in which
the card storage
position is located. If there is not a card already present in the card
storage compartment 172,
the control system 280 references Table 2 to determine where to position the
rack 171 such that,
when the card is inserted into the rack 171 by the speed-up rollers 134A-134D,
the card will be
inserted into the center of the card storage compartment 172. If there is a
card already present
in the card storage compartment 172, the control system 280 references Table 3
to determine
where to position the rack 171 such that, when the card is inserted into the
rack 171 by the
speed-up rollers 134A-134D, the card will be inserted either above or below
the card already
present in the card storage compartment 172. Thus, after selectively inserting
the second card
into any given card storage compartment 172 above or below the first card
inserted into the card
storage compartment 172, the two cards in the card storage compartment 172
will be
appropriately positioned in the upper card storage position and the lower card
storage position,
respectively, in that card storage compartment 172.
[00991 FIG. 14C illustrates a first card 114 being driven from the bottommost
position
in the stack of cards 114 on the card support 124 by the pick-off rollers 128A-
128C. As
indicated in action 410 of FIG. 15, the control system 280 causes the moving
card 114 to be
moved to the position at which the card image sensor (an example is a camera)
252 may acquire
one or more images of the card 114. As each card 114 moves from the pick-off
rollers
128A-128C toward the speed-up rollers 134A-134D, movement of the leading edge
of each card
114 over the sensor 318 (FIG. 13) will be detected by the sensor 318. The
control system 280,
upon detection of the signal generated by the sensor 318, may cause the card
imaging system
250 to acquire one or more images of the of the card 114 using the card image
sensor 252. The
card imaging system 250 may use the acquired images to identify the card 114
(e.g., the rank
and suit of a standard playing card). Upon moving all cards 114 into the card
storage device 170
as described below, the control system 280 may compare the actual identity of
each card in the
set of cards in the rack 171 (determined using the card imaging system 250) to
identities of an
expected set of cards, so as to verify that cards that should not be present
in the set are not
included (e.g., duplicate cards of any particular rank and suit), and that
cards that should be
present are not absent. Thus, the accuracy and completeness of a set of cards
being shuffled by
the card shuffler 100 (e.g., a single deck of standard playing cards) may be
automatically
verified by the control system 280 of the card shuffler 100 with each
shuffling operation
31
performed by the card shuffler 100. The card shuffler 100 may be configured to
dispense the
shuffled cards from the rack 171 only if the verification process determines
the accuracy and
completeness of the set of cards. In the event the verification process
determines that the set of
cards is incomplete or otherwise inaccurate, the card shuffler 100 may be
configured not to
dispense the shuffled cards and to display an error message or other signal to
a user using the
data output device 296 of the control system 280.
[00100] After acquiring one or more images of the card 114, the card 114 may
be
moved into the rack 171 using the speed-up rollers 134A-134D and the card
packer arm 144 of
the card packing device 142. As indicated at action 412 in FIG. 15, the
control system 280 may
move the rack 171 to the appropriate vertical position for insertion of the
card 114 into the rack
171, as described above. The control system 280 then may retract the card
packer arm 144 of
the packing device 142 (as needed) as indicated at action 414 of FIG. 15. The
control
system 280 then may actuate rotation of the pick-off rollers 128A-128C to
cause the card 114 to
be gripped by the rotating speed-up rollers 134A-134D, which will move the
card 114 toward
the card in/card out sensor 320 and into the rack 171, as indicated at actions
416 and 418,
respectively, in FIG. 15.
[00101] As shown in FIG. 14D, the control system 280 then may actuate the card
packer arm 144 of the card packing device 142 using the packer motor 146, as
indicated at
action 420 in FIG. 15, which ensures that the card 114 is fully inserted
within the corresponding
card storage compartment 172 in the rack 171, as previously discussed. The
control system 280
then determines whether or not the number of cards that have been inserted
into the rack 171
corresponds to the initial total number of cards in the stack of cards 114 on
the card support 124.
If not, the control system 280 repeats actions 410 through 420, as indicated
at action 422 in FIG.
15, until all cards 114 have been inserted into the rack 171, as shown in FIG.
14E. If the number
of cards 114 that have been inserted into the rack 171 corresponds to the
initial total number of
cards in the stack of cards 114 on the card support 124, the control system
280 then determines
whether any cards 114 unexpectedly remain present on the card support 124
using the card
sensor 310 as indicated at action 424. If so, the card shuffler 100 ceases
operation and an error
message may be displayed on the data output device 296 (FIG. 13), as indicated
in action 426 in
FIG. 15. If not, the control system 280 unloads the cards 114 from the rack
171 as indicated at
action 428 in FIG. 15 and described below.
[00102] As previously mentioned, the ejector 228 may be positioned by the
control
system 280 on the side of the rack 171 adjacent the card support 224 of the
output elevator 222
32
and the speed-up rollers 134A-134D (as shown in FIGS. 14A-14D) during the
shuffling
operation while the rack 171 moves vertically up and down and cards 114 are
inserted into the
rack 171 by the card input mechanism 120. Once all cards 114 have been
inserted into the rack
171 and the set of cards has been verified for accuracy and completion by the
control system 280
using the card imaging system 250, the cards 114 may be ejected out from the
rack 171 using the
ejector 228. The control system 280 may cause the rack 171 to move vertically
downward to the
lowermost position to provide clearance to horizontally move the ejector 228
over the rack 171
to a position on a side of the rack 171 opposite the card support 224 of the
output elevator 222,
as shown in FIG. 14E.
[00103] Referring to FIG. 14F, the control system 280 then may cause the rack
171 to
move in the vertically upward direction to the uppermost position of the rack
171 while the
ejector 228 remains positioned on the side of the rack 171 opposite the card
support 224 of the
output elevator 222. Upon moving the rack 171 to the uppermost position, the
ejector 228 may
be disposed laterally adjacent the rack 171 on the side thereof opposite the
card support 224.
The control system 280 then may cause the ejector 228 to move in the
horizontal direction
laterally toward the card support 224. As the ejector 228 moves in the
horizontal direction
toward the card support 224, the ejector 228 abuts against the edges of the
cards 114 opposite
the card support 224, passes through a central void 189 between the side
brackets 178A, 178B
(FIG. 7) and pushes the cards 114 out from the card storage compartments 172
and onto the card
support 224 of the card output elevator 222 in the form of a stack of shuffled
cards 114 (FIG.
14G). The cards may be simultaneously ejected out from the rack 171 together
as a batch and
onto the card support 224. FIG. 14F illustrates the ejector 228 at a midpoint
in the ejection
process at which the ejector 228 is disposed within the rack 171 and the cards
114 are partially
ejected out from their respective card storage compartments 172 in the rack
171 by the ejector
228.
[00104] FIG. 140 illustrates the cards 114 completely ejected out from the
rack 171
and dropped onto the card support 224 by the ejector 228. As shown in FIG.
140, the cards 114
have dropped onto the card support 224 in the form of a stack of shuffled
cards 114. After the
cards 114 are ejected onto the card support 224, the control system 280 may
cause the output
elevator 222 and the input elevator 122 to move vertically upward to the
uppermost positions, as
shown in FIG. 14H, and to raise the lid 112, as shown in FIG. 2. The control
system 280 may
detect when a user removes the stack of shuffled cards 114 from the card
support 224 of the
output elevator 222 using the card sensor 328. Once the stack of shuffled
cards 114 is removed
33
from the card support 224, the control system 280 may wait a predetermined
amount of time
(e.g., five seconds) for a user to place another stack of cards 114 onto the
card support 124 of the
card input elevator 122. In other embodiments, another stack of cards may be
inserted while the
shuffler is shuffling so that as soon as a shuffled group of cards is
elevated, the next set of cards
can be processed. If cards are removed from the card support 224 and cards are
placed on the
card support 124 within the predetermined amount of time, the control system
280 may cause
the card input elevator 122 and the card output elevator 222 to move
vertically downward to the
lowermost positions and close the lid 112, and to then wait for a user to
again press the start
button 299 (FIGS. 1 and 2) to use the card shuffler 100 in shuffling cards, as
indicated at action
430 in FIG. 15. After the start button 299 is pushed by a user, the control
system 280 may again
cause the output elevator 222 and the input elevator 122 to move vertically
upward to the
uppermost positions and to raise the lid 112, as indicated at action 434 in
FIG. 15.
[00105] Upon first raising the input elevator 122 and the output elevator 222
to the
uppermost positions immediately after cards are unloaded from the rack 171
onto the card
support 224, if cards are removed from the card support 224 and additional
cards are placed on
the card support 124 within the predetermined amount of time, the card
shuffler 100 may
automatically commence another shuffling operation and return to action 402 in
FIG. 15 to
shuffle the additional stack of cards 114 placed on the card support 124
without requiring the
user to press the start button 299 (FIGS. 1 and 2) for each shuffling
operation. Thus, the card
shuffler 100 may be used repeatedly to shuffle stacks of cards 114
automatically and
continuously simply by placing stacks of cards 114 to be shuffled on the card
support 124 of the
input elevator 122 and removing stacks of shuffled cards 114 from the card
support 224 of the
output elevator 222 between shuffling operations.
1001061 As previously mentioned, the card shuffler 100 also may be used to
sort cards
in a stack of cards placed on the card support 124 of the card input elevator
122 into a predefined
order, such as a sequential "new deck" order for a standard deck of playing
cards. The card
shuffler 100 may be placed in a sort mode of operation (and/or a shuffle mode
of operation)
using the data input device 294 of the control system 280. When the card
shuffler 100 is in the
sort mode, the start button 299 (FIGS. 1 and 2) may be pressed to cause the
input elevator 122
and the output elevator 222 to rise to the uppermost positions and open the
lid 112. The stack of
cards to be sorted may be placed on the card support 124 of the card input
elevator 122. After
the card sensor 310 detects the presence of the stack of cards on the card
support 124 for a
predetermined amount of time (e.g., five seconds), the control system 280 may
automatically
34
commence a sorting operation by lowering the input elevator 122 and the output
elevator 222 to
the lowermost positions and closing the lid 112.
[00107] Once the input elevator 122 and the output elevator 222 have moved to
the
lowermost positions with the stack of cards resting on the card support 124 of
the input
elevator 122, the card input mechanism 120 and the card imaging system 250 may
be used to
sequentially identify the rank and suit of the cards in the stack (using the
card imaging system
250), and to respectively move the cards into predetermined positions within
the rack 171 of the
card storage device 170, such that the cards are ordered within the rack 171
in a predetermined,
selected order in a direction extending from the top of the rack 171 to the
bottom of the rack
171, or from the bottom of the rack 171 to the top of the rack 171.
[00108] To sort cards, the control system 280 of the card shuffier 100 may
reference a
Sort Table, which may be stored in a memory device 290 of the control system
280. The Sort
Table correlates the identity of specific cards in a predefined set of cards
(e.g., a deck of standard
playing cards) to one of the fifty four (54) card storage positions in the
rack 171 in the
predefined order (e.g., new deck order).
[00109] The control system 280 may selectively control movement of the various
components of the card input mechanism 120 and the card storage device 170 to
cause the cards
in the stack of cards to be inserted into the rack 171 and positioned in their
assigned card storage
positions corresponding to the selected, predefined order. As previously
described, the rack 171
is moved up and down in the vertical direction to a proper position relative
to the speed-up
rollers 134A-134D (which are disposed at a fixed, static location within the
card shuffier 100)
for insertion of each card into the appropriate card storage compartment 172
and into its
assigned card storage position.
[00110] The Sort Table and the First and Second Rack Position Tables may be
referenced and used by the control system 280 in controlling operation of the
card input
mechanism 120, the card imaging system 250, and the card storage device 170 to
sequentially
position each card into the appropriate card storage compartment 172 (and
appropriate upper or
lower card storage position therein) so as to position the cards in the rack
171 in the predefined,
selected order. As a particular card is inserted into the rack 171, the
control system 280
references the Sort Table to determine in which of the fifty four (54) card
storage positions the
specific identified card is to be positioned. As previously discussed, the
control system 280
determines whether there is already a card located in the respective card
storage compartment
172 in which the card storage position is located. If there is not a card
already present in the
card storage compartment 172, the control system 280 references Table 2 to
determine where to
position the rack 171 such that, when the card is inserted into the rack 171
by the speed-up
rollers 134A-134D, the card will be inserted into the center of the card
storage compartment
172. If there is a card already present in the card storage compartment 172,
the control system
280 references Table 3 to determine where to position the rack 171 such that,
when the card is
inserted into the rack 171 by the speed-up rollers 134A-134D, the card will be
inserted either
above or below the card already present in the card storage compartment 172.
Thus, after
selectively inserting the second card into any given card storage compartment
172 above or
below the first card inserted into the card storage compartment 172, the two
cards in the card
storage compartment 172 will be appropriately positioned in the upper card
storage position and
the lower card storage position, respectively, in that card storage
compartment 172.
1001111 After placing the cards in the rack 171 such that the cards are in the
predetermined, selected order within the rack 171, the cards may be ejected
out from the rack
171, as previously discussed, to place the stack of sorted cards onto the card
support 224 of the
card output elevator 222. The control system 280 then may cause the output
elevator 222 and
the input elevator 122 to move vertically upward to the uppermost positions
and to raise the lid
112, thereby allowing a user to remove the stack of sorted cards from the card
support 224 of the
card output elevator 222.
[00112] The example embodiments of the disclosure described above do not limit
the
scope of the invention, since these embodiments are merely examples of
embodiments of the
invention, which is defined by the scope of the appended claims and their
legal equivalents.
Any equivalent embodiments are intended to be within the scope of this
invention. Indeed,
various modifications of the disclosure, in addition to those shown and
described herein, such as
alternate useful combinations of the elements described, will become apparent
to those skilled in
the art from the description. Such modifications and embodiments are also
intended to fall
within the scope of the appended claims, including legal equivalents.
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