U.S. patent application number 12/453285 was filed with the patent office on 2010-11-11 for card-delivering device for a shuffling machine.
This patent application is currently assigned to TAIWAN FULGENT ENTERPRISE CO., LTD.. Invention is credited to Cai-Shiang Ho.
Application Number | 20100283202 12/453285 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 43061884 |
Filed Date | 2010-11-11 |
United States Patent
Application |
20100283202 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Ho; Cai-Shiang |
November 11, 2010 |
CARD-DELIVERING DEVICE FOR A SHUFFLING MACHINE
Abstract
A card-delivering device for a shuffling machine has a frame, at
least one drawing roller group, a drawing transmission, an
actuating roller group and an actuating transmission. The frame has
a pivoting panel with a magnet. The drawing roller group is mounted
in the frame near the output end. The drawing transmission drives
the drawing roller group. The actuating roller group has a magnetic
roller corresponding to the magnet. The actuating transmission
drives the actuating roller group. When the magnetic roller is
rotated, the magnetic roller alternatively attracts or repulses the
magnet to cause the pivoting panel to pivot. Therefore, cards pass
between the magnetic roller and the pivoting panel in order when a
gap between the magnetic roller and the pivoting panel is
formed.
Inventors: |
Ho; Cai-Shiang; (Taipei,
TW) |
Correspondence
Address: |
BACON & THOMAS, PLLC
625 SLATERS LANE, FOURTH FLOOR
ALEXANDRIA
VA
22314-1176
US
|
Assignee: |
TAIWAN FULGENT ENTERPRISE CO.,
LTD.
Taipei
TW
|
Family ID: |
43061884 |
Appl. No.: |
12/453285 |
Filed: |
May 6, 2009 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
273/149R |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63F 1/14 20130101; A63F
1/12 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
273/149.R |
International
Class: |
A63F 1/14 20060101
A63F001/14 |
Claims
1. A card-delivering device for a shuffling machine comprising: a
frame having an input end; an output end; two side panels; a
receiving panel being mounted securely between the side panels near
the input end of the frame; a pivoting panel being mounted
pivotally between the side panels near the input end of the frame,
being mounted above and selectively abutting the receiving panel
and having an abutting end; and at least one magnet being mounted
in the pivoting panel near the abutting end; at least one drawing
roller group being mounted in the frame; a drawing transmission
being connected to and driving the at least one drawing roller
group; an actuating roller group being mounted in the frame and
having a central rod being mounted rotatably between the side
panels near the input end of the frame; and a magnetic roller being
mounted securely around the central rod and corresponding to and
alternatively attracting or repulsing the magnet; and an actuating
transmission being connected to and driving the actuating roller
group.
2. The card-delivering device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the
actuating transmission has a motor being mounted in the frame and
having a driving shaft; a drive gear being connected to and being
driven by the driving shaft of the actuating transmission; and a
driven gear engaging the drive gear of the actuating transmission
and being connected to and driving the central rod of the actuating
roller group.
3. The card-delivering device as claimed in claim 1, wherein each
one of the at least one drawing roller group has a top roller
assembly being mounted rotatably between the side panels near the
output end of the frame; a bottom roller assembly being mounted
rotatably between the side panels near the output end of the frame
and being mounted adjacent to the top roller assembly; and a gap
being formed between the top and the bottom roller assemblies and
aligning with the receiving panel.
4. The card-delivering device as claimed in claim 2, wherein each
one of the at least one drawing roller group has a top roller
assembly being mounted rotatably between the side panels near the
output end of the frame; a bottom roller assembly being mounted
rotatably between the side panels near the output end of the frame
and being mounted adjacent to the top roller assembly; and a gap
being formed between the top and the bottom roller assemblies and
aligning with the receiving panel.
5. The card-delivering device as claimed in claim 4, wherein the
drawing transmission has a motor being mounted in the frame and
having a driving shaft; a drive gear being connected to and being
driven by the driving shaft of the drawing transmission; and a
driven gear set being driven by the drive gear of the drawing
transmission, being connected to and driving the at least one
drawing roller group and having at least one driven gear being
driven by the drive gear of the drawing transmission and being
connected to and driving a corresponding drawing roller group.
6. The card-delivering device as claimed in claim 5, wherein each
one of the at least one driven gear of the drawing transmission
engages the drive gear of the drawing transmission.
7. The card-delivering device as claimed in claim 6, wherein each
one of the at least one driven gear of the drawing transmission is
connected to and drives the bottom roller assembly of the
corresponding drawing roller group.
8. The card-delivering device as claimed in claim 5, wherein a
transmission gear engages and is connected between the at least one
driven gear and the drive gear.
9. The card-delivering device as claimed in claim 8, wherein the at
least one driven gear is connected to and drives the top roller
assembly of the corresponding drawing roller group.
10. The card-delivering device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the
actuating roller group has multiple auxiliary rollers being mounted
securely around the central rod.
11. The card-delivering device as claimed in claim 7, wherein the
actuating roller group has multiple auxiliary rollers being mounted
securely around the central rod.
12. The card-delivering device as claimed in claim 9, wherein the
actuating roller group has multiple auxiliary rollers being mounted
securely around the central rod.
13. The card-delivering device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the
motor of the actuating transmission is attached securely to one
side panel.
14. The card-delivering device as claimed in claim 11, wherein the
motor of the drawing transmission is attached securely to one side
panel; and the motor of the actuating transmission is attached
securely to one side panel.
15. The card-delivering device as claimed in claim 12, wherein the
motor of the drawing transmission is attached securely to one side
panel; and the motor of the actuating transmission is attached
securely to one side panel.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates a card-delivering device,
especially to a card-delivering device for a shuffling machine to
deliver cards smoothly.
[0003] 2. Description of the Prior Arts
[0004] Shuffling machines are widely used in casinos. With
reference to FIG. 8, a shuffling machine comprises a shuffler (70),
a card input (80) and a card output (90). The shuffler (70) is
connected between the card input (80) and the card output (90).
Cards are put into the card input (80). The card input (80)
delivers the card to the shuffler (70). The shuffler (70) has a
controller to drive the shuffler (70) to rotate in a random
direction so that the cards are mixed. Then the cards are output
from the card output (90).
[0005] With further reference to FIG. 9, the card input (80)
comprises a frame (81), multiple roller groups (82), a gear group
(83) and a slide (84). The frame (81) is connected with the
shuffler (70) and has a channel (811). The roller groups (82) are
mounted in the frame (81). The gear group (83) is connected to and
drives the roller groups (82). The slide (84) slides along the
channel (84) and selectively pushes cards to pass through the
roller group (82) into the shuffler (70).
[0006] However, the slide (84) cannot sift cards one by one and
pushes multiple cards in the frame (81) to move toward the roller
groups (82). Then more than one card may pass through the roller
groups (82) to be delivered into one card slot of the shuffler
(70). Therefore, the cards may not be output one by one. Such
disordered card output may nullify a card game and cause casinos to
lose reputation and customers.
[0007] To overcome the shortcomings, the present invention provides
a card-delivering device for a shuffling machine to mitigate or
obviate the aforementioned problems.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] The main objective of the present invention is to provide a
card-delivering device for a shuffling machine that precisely
delivers cards passing through in order. The card-delivering device
has a frame, at least one drawing roller group, a drawing
transmission, an actuating roller group and an actuating
transmission. The frame has a pivoting panel with a magnet. The
drawing roller group is mounted in the frame near the output end.
The drawing transmission drives the drawing roller group. The
actuating roller group has a magnetic roller corresponding to the
magnet. The actuating transmission drives the actuating roller
group. When the magnetic roller is rotated, the magnetic roller
alternatively attracts or repulses the magnet to cause the pivoting
panel to pivot. Therefore, cards pass between the magnetic roller
and the pivoting panel in order when a gap between the magnetic
roller and the pivoting panel is formed.
[0009] Other objectives, advantages and novel features of the
invention will become more apparent from the following detailed
description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying
drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0010] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a card-delivering device for
a shuffling machine in accordance with the present invention;
[0011] FIG. 2 is another perspective view of the card-delivering
device in FIG. 1;
[0012] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of another embodiment of a
card-delivering device for a shuffling machine in accordance with
the present invention;
[0013] FIG. 4 is another perspective view of the card-delivering
device in FIG. 3;
[0014] FIG. 5 is a side view in partial section of a shuffling
machine showing the embodiments of the card-delivering device in
FIGS. 1 and 3;
[0015] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the shuffling machine in
FIG. 5;
[0016] FIG. 7 is an operational side view in partial section of the
shuffling machine in FIG. 5;
[0017] FIG. 8 is a side view in partial section of a shuffling
machine with a conventional card input in accordance with the prior
art; and
[0018] FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the conventional card input
in FIG. 8.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0019] With reference to FIGS. 1 to 4, a card-delivering device for
a shuffling machine in accordance with the present invention
comprises a frame (10, 10A), at least one drawing roller group (20,
20A), a drawing transmission (30, 30A), an actuating roller group
(40, 40A) and an actuating transmission (50, 50A).
[0020] With further reference to FIG. 5, the frame (10, 10A) has an
input end (11, 11A), an output end (12, 12A), two side panels (13,
13A), a receiving panel (14, 14A), a pivoting panel (15, 15A) and
at least one magnet (16, 16A). The receiving panel (14, 14A) is
mounted securely between the side panels (13, 13A) near the input
end (11, 11A). The pivoting panel (15, 15A) is mounted pivotally
between the side panels (13, 13A) near the input end (11, 11A), is
mounted above and selectively abuts the receiving panel (14, 14A)
and has an abutting end (151, 151A). The magnet (16, 16A) is
mounted in the pivoting panel (15, 15A) near the abutting end (151,
151A).
[0021] The at least one drawing roller group (20, 20A) is mounted
in the frame (10, 10A). Each drawing roller group (20, 20A) has a
top roller assembly (21, 21A), a bottom roller assembly (22, 22A)
and a gap (23, 23A). The top roller assembly (21, 21A) is mounted
rotatably between the side panels (13, 13A) near the output end
(12, 12A). The bottom roller assembly (22, 22A) is mounted
rotatably between the side panels (13, 13A) near the output end
(12, 12A) and is mounted adjacent to the top roller assembly (21,
21A). The gap (23, 23A) is formed between the top and the bottom
roller assemblies (21, 21A, 22, 22A), aligns with the receiving
panel (14, 14A) and allows one card to pass through.
[0022] The drawing transmission (30, 30A) is connected to and
drives the at least one drawing roller group (20, 20A) and has a
motor (31, 31A), a drive gear (32, 32A) and a driven gear set (33,
33A). The motor (31, 31A) is mounted in the frame (10, 10A), may be
attached securely to one side panel (13, 13A) and has a driving
shaft (311, 311A). The drive gear (32, 32A) is connected to and is
driven by the driving shaft (311, 311A). The driven gear set (33,
33A) is driven by the drive gear (32, 32A), is connected to and
drives the at least one drawing roller group (20, 20A) and has at
least one driven gear (331, 331A). Each driven gear (331, 331A) is
driven by the drive gear (32, 32A) and is connected to and drives a
corresponding drawing roller group (20, 20A).
[0023] In one preferred embodiment, each driven gear (331) engages
the drive gear (32). The driven gear (331) is connected to and
drives the bottom roller assembly (22) of the corresponding drawing
roller group (20)
[0024] In another preferred embodiment, a transmitting gear (332A)
engages and is connected between the driven gear (331A) and the
drive gear (32A) so that the drive gear (32A) drives the driven
gear (331A) through the transmitting gear (332A). The driven gear
(331A) is connected to and drives the top roller assembly (21A) of
the corresponding drawing roller group (20A).
[0025] The actuating roller group (40, 40A) is mounted in the frame
(10, 10A) and has a central rod (41, 41A), a magnetic roller (42,
42A) and multiple auxiliary rollers (43, 43A). The central rod (41,
41A) is mounted rotatably between the side panels (13, 13A) near
the input end (11, 11A). The magnetic roller (42, 42A) is mounted
securely around the central rod (41, 41A) and corresponds to and
alternatively attracts or repulses the magnet (16, 16A). The
auxiliary rollers (43, 43A) are mounted securely around the central
rod (41, 41A).
[0026] The actuating transmission (50, 50A) is connected to and
drives the actuating roller group (40, 40A) and has a motor (51,
51A), a drive gear (52, 52A) and a driven gear (53, 53A). The motor
(51, 51A) is mounted in the frame (10, 10A), may be attached
securely to one side panel (13, 13A) and has a driving shaft (511,
511A). The drive gear (52, 52A) is connected to and is driven by
the driving shaft (511, 511A). The driven gear (53, 53A) engages
the drive gear (52, 52A) and is connected to and drives the central
rod (41, 41A) of the actuating roller group (40, 40A). When the
actuating transmission (50, 50A) drives the central rod (41, 41A)
of the actuating roller group (40, 40A) to rotate, the magnetic
roller (42, 42A) is rotated to selectively attract or repulse the
magnet (16, 16A) and the pivoting panel (15, 15A) is pivoted by the
attraction or the repulsion.
[0027] With further reference to FIG. 6, the card-delivering device
for a shuffling machine as described may be implemented as a card
input (100) or a card output (100A) and is connected to a shuffler
(60).
[0028] With reference to FIG. 5, the magnetic roller (42, 42A)
attracts the magnet (16, 16A) so that no gap is formed between the
magnetic roller (42, 42A) and the pivoting panel (15, 15A).
Therefore, cards being placed on the pivoting panel (15, 15A) are
stopped before the magnetic roller (42, 42A).
[0029] With further reference to FIG. 7, the magnetic roller (42,
42A) repulses the magnet (16, 16A) so that a gap is formed between
the magnetic roller (42, 42A) and the pivoting panel (15, 15A) to
allow one card to pass through. Therefore, one card being stopped
before the magnetic roller (42, 42A) drops on the receiving panel
(14, 14A) and is delivered by the drawing roller group (20,
20A).
[0030] With the cooperation between the magnetic roller (42, 42A)
and the magnet (16, 16A), the cards placed on the pivoting panel
(15, 15A) are delivered one by one toward the drawing roller group
(20, 20A). Therefore, the cards are delivered into the shuffler
(60) one by one and are delivered out of the card output one by
one.
[0031] Even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the
present invention have been set forth in the foregoing description,
together with details of the structure and features of the
invention, the disclosure is illustrative only. Changes may be made
in the details, especially in matters of shape, size, and
arrangement of parts within the principles of the invention to the
full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in
which the appended claims are expressed.
* * * * *