U.S. patent application number 11/327470 was filed with the patent office on 2006-07-13 for automatic card shuffling and dealing device.
This patent application is currently assigned to Cathay Plastic Factory Limited. Invention is credited to Ping Ngai.
Application Number | 20060151946 11/327470 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 36087877 |
Filed Date | 2006-07-13 |
United States Patent
Application |
20060151946 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Ngai; Ping |
July 13, 2006 |
Automatic card shuffling and dealing device
Abstract
A card shuffling and dealing device has a housing which has a
card exit at its front end and two feeder trays at its rear portion
for holding respective stacks of cards. The feeder trays have card
entrances facing generally in the same direction into the housing.
A card shuffler in the housing adjacent the feeder trays includes
at least one card sliding roller associated with each feeder tray
for sliding cards held in the respective feeder tray through the
corresponding card entrance into the housing. The rollers mix the
cards from the feeder trays into the housing, thereby shuffling the
cards. A card dealers also in the housing, presents the shuffled
cards for dealing. A card holding space in the housing, between the
card shuffler and the card dealer, receives and holds the shuffled
cards from the card shuffler as a stack in the card dealer.
Inventors: |
Ngai; Ping; (To Kwa Wan,
HK) |
Correspondence
Address: |
LEYDIG VOIT & MAYER, LTD
700 THIRTEENTH ST. NW
SUITE 300
WASHINGTON
DC
20005-3960
US
|
Assignee: |
Cathay Plastic Factory
Limited
To Kwa Wan
HK
|
Family ID: |
36087877 |
Appl. No.: |
11/327470 |
Filed: |
January 9, 2006 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
273/149R |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63F 1/12 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
273/149.00R |
International
Class: |
A63F 1/12 20060101
A63F001/12 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jan 10, 2005 |
HK |
05100181.4 |
Claims
1. A card shuffling and dealing device comprising: a housing having
a front end and a rear portion; a card exit at the front end; at
least two feeder trays at the rear portion for holding respective
stacks of cards, the feeder trays having respective card entrances
facing generally in the same direction into the housing; a card
shuffler located in the housing adjacent the feeder trays,
comprising a driving device, gears driven by the driving device,
and at least one card sliding roller associated with each feeder
tray and driven by the gears for sliding cards held in the same
feeder tray through the corresponding card entrance into the
housing, the card sliding rollers mixing the cards of the stacks
from the feeder trays fed into the housing, thereby providing
shuffled cards; a card dealer located in the housing for presenting
the shuffled cards for dealing; and a card holding space located in
the housing between the card shuffler and the card dealer for
receiving and holding the shuffled cards from the card shuffler as
a stack in the card dealer.
2. The card shuffling and dealing device as claimed in claim 1,
wherein the driving device is electrically operated, and the
shuffler includes an electrical switch electrically connected with
the driving device for switching the driving device on and off.
3. The card shuffling and dealing device as claimed in claim 1,
wherein the driving device is electrically operated, and the
housing includes a battery compartment for holding one or more
battery cells for powering the driving device.
4. The card shuffling and dealing device as claimed in claim 1,
wherein the driving device comprises an electric motor.
5. The card shuffling and dealing device as claimed in claim 1,
wherein the at least two feeder trays are located at upper and
lower positions at the rear portion for holding respective stacks
of cards for feeding into the housing at different levels.
6. The card shuffling and dealing device as claimed in claim 5,
wherein the lower feeder tray is positioned farther away from the
card holding space than is the upper feeder tray.
7. The card shuffling and dealing device as claimed in claim 6,
wherein the at least one card sliding roller associated with the
lower feeder tray is driven at a higher speed than the card sliding
roller associated with the upper feeder tray in order to slide the
cards from the lower feeder tray relatively faster such that the
cards from both feeder trays reach the card holding space at
substantially the same time.
8. The card shuffling and dealing device as claimed in claim 7,
wherein the lower feeder tray has first and second card sliding
rollers associated therewith, with the first roller protruding
slightly from below the lower feeder tray, like the card sliding
roller associated with and protruding slightly from below the upper
feeder tray, and the second roller is located within the housing
nearer the card holding space and driven at the higher speed.
9. The card shuffling and dealing device as claimed in claim 1,
wherein the card dealer comprises first and second members which
are pivotably inter-connected at bottom parts thereof and are
inclined relative to each other to define the card holding space
therebetween.
10. The card shuffling and dealing device as claimed in claim 9,
wherein the first member is situated rearward, relatively closer to
the card shuffler, and the second member is situated forwards
relatively closer to the card exit, and the card dealer is
pivotable between a card holding position with the card holding
space facing the card shuffler for receiving cards therefrom and a
card dealing position with the card holding space facing the card
exit for card dealing.
11. The card shuffling and dealing device as claimed in claim 10,
wherein the first and second members are individually hinged about
a common axis for independent pivotal movement, about which axis
the card dealer is pivotable between the card holding position and
the card dealing position.
12. The card shuffling and dealing device as claimed in claim 11,
wherein the first and second members are inclined relative to each
other at an angle of substantially 90.degree. in the card holding
position and are pivotable away from one another to subtend an
angle therebetween greater than 90.degree. upon the card dealer
pivoting towards the card dealing position and staying at the card
dealing position.
13. The card shuffling and dealing device as claimed in claim 12,
including a spring resiliently biasing the card dealer rearwardly
towards the card holding position and forwardly towards the card
dealing position.
14. The card shuffling and dealing device as claimed in claim 13,
wherein the spring is connected to and acts upon the first member
of the card dealer.
15. The card shuffling and dealing device as claimed in claim 14,
wherein the second member includes a handle fixed thereto and
accessible on one lateral side of the housing for pivoting the card
dealer between the card holding position and the card dealing
position.
16. The card shuffling and dealing device as claimed in claim 14,
wherein the first member of the card dealer includes a card presser
in the card holding space, the card presser being movable forwardly
with the first member when the card dealer is in the card dealing
position and urging cards in the card holding space towards the
card exit to facilitate card dealing.
17. The card shuffling and dealing device as claimed in claim 16,
wherein the presser comprises at least two hinged parts pivotably
connected, at first outer end of the hinged parts, with the first
member of the card dealer, and, at a second outer end thereof, with
the housing to form a foldable parallelogram structure, which is
expandable into the card holding space, as the first member pivots
forwardly, and which is collapsible as the first member pivots
rearwardly.
18. The card shuffling and dealing device as claimed in claim 9,
wherein the first and second members of the card dealer are both
planar.
Description
[0001] The present invention relates to an integrated card
shuffling and dealing apparatus or device.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Poker, as a game, is becoming increasingly popular, but card
shuffling and dealing remain tedious and time consuming. Card
shuffling devices are available on the market, which typically
shuffle cards into one stack from two from opposite directions, and
the shuffled cards must be taken out and dealt manually, or a
separate card dealing device is then used.
[0003] The invention seeks to obviate or at least alleviate such a
problem or shortcoming by providing a new or otherwise improved
card shuffling and dealing device.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0004] According to the invention, there is provided a card
shuffling and dealing device which comprises a housing having a
front end and a rear portion, a card exit at the front housing end,
and at least two feeder trays at the rear housing portion for
holding respective stacks of cards. The feeder trays have
respective card entrances facing generally in the same direction
into the housing. A card shuffler is provided in the housing
adjacent the feeder trays, which comprises a driving device, gears
driven by the driving device, and at least one card sliding roller
associated with each feeder tray and driven by the gears for
sliding cards held in the same feeder tray through the
corresponding card entrance into the housing. The card sliding
rollers are operable to mix the cards of said stacks from the
feeder trays into the housing, thereby shuffling said cards. A card
dealer is also provided in the housing for presenting said shuffled
cards for dealing. A card holding space is provided in the housing
between the card shuffler and the card dealer for receiving and
holding said shuffled cards from the card shuffler as a stack in
the card dealer.
[0005] Preferably, the driving device is electrically operated, and
the shuffler includes an electrical switch electrically connected
with the driving device for switching the driving device on and
off.
[0006] Preferably, the driving device is electrically operated, and
the housing includes a battery compartment for holding one or more
battery cells for powering the driving device.
[0007] Preferably, the driving device comprises an electric
motor.
[0008] In a preferred embodiment, said at least two feeder trays
are provided at upper and lower positions at the rear housing
portion for holding respective stacks of cards to enter the housing
at different levels.
[0009] More preferably, the lower feeder tray is positioned
relatively farther away from the card holding space than the upper
feeder tray.
[0010] Further more preferably, said at least one card sliding
roller associated with the lower feeder tray is driven at a
relatively higher speed than that associated with the upper feeder
tray in order to slide said cards from the lower feeder tray
relatively faster such that said cards from both feeder trays reach
the card holding space generally at the same time.
[0011] Yet further more preferably, the lower feeder tray has two
first and second said card sliding rollers associated therewith,
with the first roller protruding slightly from below the lower
feeder tray as the equivalent card sliding roller associated with
and protruding slightly from below the upper feeder tray, and the
second roller is provided within the housing nearer to the card
holding space and driven at said relatively higher speed.
[0012] In a preferred embodiment, the card dealer comprises first
and second members which are pivotably inter-connected at bottom
parts thereof and are inclined relative to each other to define the
card holding space therebetween.
[0013] More preferably, the first member is situated rearward
relatively closer to the card shuffler and the second member is
situated forward relatively closer to the card exit, and the card
dealer is pivotable between a card holding position with the card
holding space facing the card shuffler for receiving cards
therefrom and a card dealing position with the card holding space
facing the card exit for card dealing.
[0014] Further more preferably, the first and second members are
individually hinged about a common axis for independent pivotal
movement, about which axis the card dealer is pivotable between the
card holding position and the card dealing position.
[0015] Yet further more preferably, the first and second members
are inclined relative to each other at an angle of substantially
90.degree. in the card holding position and are pivotable away from
one another to subtend an angle therebetween greater than
90.degree. upon the card dealer pivoting towards the card dealing
position and staying at the card dealing position.
[0016] Still yet further more preferably, the card dealer is
resiliently biased by a spring rearwardly towards the card holding
position and forwardly towards the card dealing position.
[0017] Still yet further more preferably, the spring is connected
to and acts upon the first member of the card dealer.
[0018] Still yet further more preferably, the second member
includes a handle fixed thereto and accessible on one lateral side
of the housing for pivoting the card dealer between the card
holding position and the card dealing position.
[0019] It is preferred that the first member of the card dealer
includes a card presser in the card holding space, which is movable
forwardly with the first member when the card dealer is in the card
dealing position to press upon cards in the card holding space
towards the card exit to facilitate card dealing.
[0020] It is further preferred that the presser comprises at least
two hinged parts pivotably connected at one outer end thereof with
the first member of the card dealer and at an opposite outer end
thereof with the housing to form a foldable parallelogram structure
which is expandable into the card holding space as the first member
pivots forwardly and is collapsible as the first member pivots
rearwardly.
[0021] In a preferred construction, the first and second members of
the card dealer are both planar.
BRIEF DECRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0022] The invention will now be more particularly described, by
way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings,
in which:
[0023] FIG. 1 is an internal left side view of an embodiment of a
card shuffling and dealing device in accordance with the
invention;
[0024] FIG. 2 is an internal right side view of the card shuffling
and dealing device of FIG. 1, loaded with shuffled cards;
[0025] FIGS. 2A and 2B are right side views of certain components
of the card shuffling and dealing device of FIG. 2;
[0026] FIG. 3 is an internal right side view of the card shuffling
and dealing device of FIG. 2, with the cards being turned;
[0027] FIG. 3A is a right side view of a card dealer of the card
shuffling and dealing device of FIG. 3;
[0028] FIG. 4 is an internal right side view of the card shuffling
and dealing device of FIG. 3, with the cards ready for dealing;
[0029] FIG. 4A is a right side view of the card dealer of the card
shuffling and dealing device of FIG. 4;
[0030] FIG. 5 is an internal right side view of the card shuffling
and dealing device of FIG. 4, with only a small number of cards
left; and
[0031] FIG. 5A is a right side view of the card dealer of the card
shuffling and dealing device of FIG. 5.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0032] Referring to the drawings, there is shown a card shuffling
and dealing device 100 embodying the invention, which includes a
housing 1 having a tapered front end 1A and a rear portion 1B, a
horizontal slot-like card exit 11 at the front housing end 1A, and
two feeder trays 30 and 31 provided at the rear housing portion 1B
for holding respective stacks of playing cards (obtained by for
example separating a deck of cards into two roughly even stacks).
The two feeder trays 30 and 31 are located at respective upper and
lower positions and serve to feed cards from the corresponding
stacks into the housing 1 at different levels. The trays 30 and 31
have respective slot-like card entrance 30A and 31A facing
generally in the same direction into the housing 1.
[0033] The card shuffling and dealing device 100 includes a card
shuffler 300 provided in the housing 1 adjacent the feeder trays 30
and 31 for shuffling the cards from the feeder trays 30 and 31 into
one stack, a card dealer 200 also provided in the housing 1 for
presenting the shuffled cards for dealing, and a card holding space
2 in the housing 1 between the card shuffler 300 and the card
dealer 200 for receiving and holding the shuffled cards from the
card shuffler 300 as a single stack 5 in the card dealer 200.
[0034] The card shuffler 300 is mechanically driven by a driving
device which is preferably electrically operated and is in this
particular embodiment implemented by an electric motor 310. The
shuffler 300 includes trains of drive transmission gears 320 driven
by the motor 310, and a card sliding roller 330/331 associated with
each feeder tray 30/31 and driven by the gears 320 for sliding
cards held in the same feeder tray 30/31 through the corresponding
card entrance 30A/31A into the housing 1.
[0035] Each card sliding roller 330/331 is fitted with a co-axial
gear 321 in mesh with a transmission gear 322 of the gears 320 for
being driven and is surrounded by a rubber tyre which protrudes
slightly from below the respective feeder tray 30/31 for gripping
the lowermost card by its bottom surface to slip the same. A pair
of rollers 34/35 may be used immediately behind each card entrance
30A/31A, simultaneously driven by certain other gears of the gears
320 as shown to provide additional drive upon the card in
transit.
[0036] The lower feeder tray 31 is positioned relatively farther
away from the card holding space 2 than the upper feeder tray 30
i.e. rearwardly of the upper feeder tray 30 such that the lower
feeder tray 31 is exposed to facilitate loading of cards. Such a
fore-and-aft arrangement of the feeder trays 30 and 31 also assists
in reducing the size of the overall card shuffling and dealing
device 100.
[0037] To cater for the farer farther position of the lower feeder
tray 31 from the card holding space 2, the shuffler 300
incorporates a second card sliding roller 323 for the lower feeder
tray 31 for card acceleration. This extra roller 323 is provided
within the housing 1 at a position nearer to the card holding space
2 and is driven at a relatively higher speed than the first roller
331 and more importantly than the other roller 330 associated with
the upper feeder tray 30 in order to slide the cards from the lower
feeder tray 31 relatively faster such that the cards from both
feeder trays 31 and 30 reach the card holding space 2 generally at
the same time, thereby ensuring or at least promoting neat piling
of cards 5 in the card holding space 2.
[0038] The precise construction and arrangement of the trains of
transmission gears 320 will not described in further detail herein
for clarity, as they are generally known in the art.
[0039] In general, the card sliding rollers 330 and 331/323 are
arranged and operated to feed and mix the cards of the two stacks
from the corresponding feeder trays 30 and 31 at different levels
into the housing 1, thereby shuffling the cards 5 and pile them up
in the card holding space 2.
[0040] The shuffler 300 includes an electrical pushbutton operating
switch 33 at an uppermost central position on the housing 1, which
is electrically connected in series with the motor 310 and one or
more (e.g. four) battery cells held in a battery compartment 6 at
the bottom of the housing 1 for switching on and off the motor 310
powered by the battery cells. As the construction of the battery
compartment 6 and the connection of its terminals to the motor 310
and the switch 33 are generally known in the art, they will not be
further described herein for clarity.
[0041] Referring to the card dealer 200, it comprises a card
holding plate 20 and a card blocking plate 21 which are pivotably
inter-connected at their bottom edges and are inclined relative to
each other to define the card holding space 2 therebetween. The
card holding plate 20 is situated rearward relatively closer to the
card shuffler 300, and the card blocking plate 21 is situated
forward relatively closer to the card exit 11. The card holding and
blocking plates 20 and 21 are individually hinged at their bottom
edges about a common horizontal axis X at the bottom of the housing
1 for independent pivotal movement. At their upper edge portions,
the card holding and blocking plates 20 and 21 are guided by
respective side pins extending through corresponding arcuate slots
9 and 10 formed in opposite right and left side walls of the
housing 1 (FIG. 1).
[0042] In general, the card dealer 200 is pivotable about the axis
X between a card holding position (FIG. 2) with the card holding
space 2 facing the card shuffler 300 (and the card blocking plate
21 standing upright) for receiving cards therefrom and a card
dealing position (FIG. 4) with the card holding space 2 facing the
card exit 11 (and the card blocking plate 21 lying flat down) for
card dealing.
[0043] The card holding and blocking plates 20 and 21 are inclined
relative to each other at an angle of substantially 90.degree. in
the card holding position to present a right-angled internal corner
for receiving and piling cards 5 from the card shuffler 300. The
two plates 20 and 21 are pivotable away from one another to subtend
an angle therebetween greater than 90.degree., up to a maximum
angle of about 120.degree., upon the card dealer 200 pivoting
towards the card dealing position (FIG. 3) and staying at the card
dealing position (FIG. 4).
[0044] The card dealer 200 is resiliently biased by an extension
coil spring 24 rearwardly towards the card holding position and
forwardly towards the card dealing position. The spring 24 is
connected to and acts upon the card holding plate 20, in that it is
stretched across the aforesaid side pin of the card holding plate
20 and a location within the relevant right side wall of the
housing 1 at a small distance behind the axis X.
[0045] The card blocking plate 21 has a co-planar side handle bar
23 fixed thereto, which extends radially from the aforesaid side
pin of the plate 21 and lies within the relevant left side wall of
the housing 1. The free end of the handle bar 23 protrudes out of
that housing side wall for access by a user to pivot the card
dealer 200 between the card holding position and the card dealing
position.
[0046] Connected transversely to the handle bar 23 is another
radially extending bar 25 which is arranged to engage and close a
normally-open electrical switch 36 in the same housing side wall,
upon the card dealer 200 reaching or staying at the card holding
position. This switch 36 serves to detect the card holding position
of the card dealer 200 and is connected in series with the
operating switch 33, etc. to permit energization of the motor 310
i.e. the card shuffler 300 only when the card dealer 200 is ready
for loading of cards. The two bars 23 and 25 are slightly pivotable
relative to each other, with a coil spring 26 stretched across
them.
[0047] The card holding and blocking plates 20 and 21 become
angularly inter-engaged by their bottom edges only when they are
inclined farthest apart i.e. at the maximum angle of about
120.degree.. Thus, as the card blocking plate 21 is pivoted
forwards by its handle bar 23 from the card holding position of the
card dealer 200, the card holding plate 20 will not start pivoting
immediately until the said maximum angle is reached, and shortly
afterwards the card holding plate 20 will be jerked forwards by the
spring 24.
[0048] On the other hand, while the card blocking plate 21 lies
flat down in the card dealing position of the card dealer 200, the
card holding plate 20 may be pivoted backwards to a certain extent
until the said maximum angle is reached. Such an extent of backward
pivoting of the card holding plate 20 allows room for the splayed
stack of cards in the card dealer 200 ready for dealing (see FIG. 4
vis-a-vis FIG. 5).
[0049] The card holding plate 20 includes a card presser 220 in the
card holding space 2, which is movable forwardly with the plate 20
when the card dealer 200 is in the card dealing position to press
upon cards in the card holding space 2 towards the card exit 11 to
facilitate card dealing. The presser 220 is formed by at least two
hinged parts, i.e. a pusher part 221 and a support part 222, which
are pivotably connected at an outer end of the pusher part 221 with
the card holding plate 20 and at an opposite outer end of the
support part 222 with a hinge Y at the bottom of the housing 1 to
form a foldable flat quadrilateral structure (akin to a
parallelogram).
[0050] The card presser 220 will expand from the card holding plate
20 into the card holding space 2 when the plate 20 pivots forwardly
and will collapse upon the plate 20 pivoting rearwardly. The
presser 220 is under the resilient action of the spring 24 that
acts upon the card holding plate 20.
[0051] As the cards in the card dealer 200 are slid out through the
exit 11 for dealing, the remaining cards become gradually thinner,
and the presser 220 simultaneously expands (under the action of the
spring 24) to take up the room left behind the cards and more
importantly to maintain the cards against the exit 11 by pushing
the cards with its pusher part 221. When the card dealer 200
becomes (almost) empty, the card holding plate 20 is inclined
slightly forwardly at an angle of about 70.degree. with the flat
card blocking plate 21. Collapsing of the presser 220 will give
room to the card holding space 2 to pile up cards from the card
shuffler 300.
[0052] The operation of the subject card shuffling and dealing
device 100 is now described. Playing cards are first laid into the
upper and lower feeder trays 30 and 31, and the operating switch 33
is then pressed, when the card dealer 200 is ready (i.e. in the
card holding position) to accept/hold the cards, to start the motor
310 which in turn drives the gears 320 and hence the card rollers
330 and 331 to slip and shuffle the cards from the two feeder trays
30 and 31 alternatively into the card dealer 200, where the cards 5
hit the card blocking plate 21 and are stopped thereby to fall and
pile up orderly on the card holding plate 20 (FIG. 2).
[0053] The handle bar 23 is pivoted down forwardly to pivot the
card blocking plate 21 down bring with it the card holding plate
20. This turns the card dealer 200, with the cards 5, through about
90.degree. into the card dealing position (from FIGS. 3 to 4), in
which the cards 5 are splayed and pressed by the spring-loaded
presser 220 against the card exit 11, ready for dealing.
[0054] The automatic, electrically operated card shuffling and
dealing device 100 described above has a compact construction with
a reduced size by integrating the card shuffler 300 and the card
dealer 200 in a single housing 1. Cards are fed and shuffled into
the housing 1 and piled up neatly therein by employing the
single-direction card shuffling design with the use of the card
blocking plate 21. By combining the card shuffling process with the
card dealing process, operation is simple and time is saved, with
added fun.
[0055] It is envisaged that more than two feeder trays 30/31 may be
included as desired. The card shuffler 300 may be driven by any
other driving device such as a spring motor and may even be
operated manually.
[0056] The invention has been given by way of example only, and
various other modifications of and/or alterations to the described
embodiment may be made by persons skilled in the art without
departing from the scope of the invention as specified in the
appended claims.
* * * * *