A card shuffling device and a poker machine

Abstract

This utility model discloses a playing card sorting device and a playing card machine. The playing card sorting device includes a card compartment with an inlet and an outlet. The card compartment includes a bottom surface, a first side wall, and a second side wall. The width of the bottom surface is smaller than the width of the playing cards. The first and second side walls are located on opposite sides of the bottom surface in the width direction, forming a vertical or inclined conveying channel. A first conveying mechanism is provided along the length direction of the bottom surface to convey the playing cards in a sideways position along the conveying channel towards the outlet. An adjusting component is also provided inside the card compartment, opposite to the first conveying mechanism. The distance between the adjusting component and the first conveying mechanism is greater than the width of the playing cards but less than the length of the playing cards, so that the wide side of the playing cards faces the outlet. The playing card machine adopts the playing card sorting device described in any of the above embodiments. The advantages of this utility model are: it enables multiple cards to be conveyed simultaneously, significantly reducing the waiting time for a single card and increasing the number of cards sorted per unit time.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of entertainment equipment technology, specifically to a playing card sorting device and a playing card machine. Background Technology

[0002] In poker games or related entertainment activities, it is often necessary to organize scattered playing cards so that they are arranged in a uniform direction for later dealing or use. Various playing card organizing devices already exist in the prior art, such as the one disclosed in patent document CN10842516A, which achieves the organizing function through a combination of a card feeding belt, a card organizing belt, a card-pushing wheel, and a side baffle.

[0003] However, existing card sorting devices have significant drawbacks: the scattered playing cards are laid flat on the conveyor belt, and only the bottom cards can contact the belt and be transported and sorted. Even if the cards above are sorted, they cannot be transported in time, resulting in low sorting efficiency. In addition, because the cards are stacked, problems such as cards getting stuck or floating can easily occur, further affecting the stability and efficiency of card sorting.

[0004] To address the aforementioned problems, this utility model proposes a novel playing card sorting device. Through optimized structural design, it enables multiple cards to simultaneously contact the conveying component and be output on demand, significantly improving sorting efficiency and stability. Utility Model Content

[0005] The purpose of this invention is to overcome the shortcomings of low efficiency in the existing technology of playing card sorting, and to provide a device that can make multiple playing cards contact the conveying component at the same time and sort the cards efficiently.

[0006] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, this utility model is achieved through the following technical solution:

[0007] A playing card sorting device includes a card storage compartment with an inlet and an outlet. The card storage compartment includes a bottom surface, a first side wall, and a second side wall. The width of the bottom surface is smaller than the width of the playing cards. The first side wall and the second side wall are located on both sides of the bottom surface in the width direction, forming a vertical or inclined conveying channel. A first conveying mechanism is provided on the bottom surface along the length direction to convey the playing cards in a side-standing state along the conveying channel towards the outlet direction.

[0008] The card compartment is also equipped with an adjustment component that is positioned opposite to the first conveying mechanism. The distance between the adjustment component and the first conveying mechanism is greater than the width of the playing card and less than the length of the playing card, so that the width side of the playing card faces the exit.

[0009] In the aforementioned playing card sorting device, both the first sidewall and the second sidewall form acute angles with the horizontal plane, so that the conveying channel is inclined.

[0010] In the aforementioned playing card sorting device, the first sidewall extends below the entrance, and a second conveying mechanism is provided on the first sidewall to drive the playing cards that enter the card storage from the entrance to slide to the bottom.

[0011] In the aforementioned playing card sorting device, the adjusting component is a card-flipping wheel, and the rotation direction of the card-flipping wheel is configured such that when the card-flipping wheel contacts the playing cards, a force opposite to the conveying direction is applied to the upper part of the playing cards to cause the width direction of the playing cards to face the outlet.

[0012] In the aforementioned card sorting device, the card-flipping wheel includes multiple spaced blades, which are radially distributed outward from the center of the card-flipping wheel.

[0013] In the aforementioned playing card sorting device, the cross-section of the blade is arc-shaped, and its convex surface is used to contact the playing cards.

[0014] In the aforementioned playing card sorting device, a third conveying mechanism is provided on the first side wall and / or the second side wall. The third conveying mechanism contacts the front or back of the upright playing cards and is used to assist the upright playing cards in moving towards the outlet of the card storage.

[0015] In the aforementioned playing card sorting device, the outlet of the card compartment is connected to a card receiving channel, the length of which is greater than the length of the playing cards, wherein:

[0016] The end of the card receiving channel that connects to the exit is inclined relative to the horizontal plane.

[0017] The end of the card receiving channel furthest from the exit is horizontally positioned.

[0018] The card receiving channel is constructed with a continuous transition from inclined to horizontal, so that the playing cards gradually change from a side-standing posture to a flat posture during the transportation process.

[0019] In the aforementioned playing card sorting device, a horizontally arranged card delivery track is connected downstream of the card receiving channel, so that the playing cards that have completed their posture transformation can move on the card delivery track in a lying position.

[0020] A poker machine was also disclosed, employing the poker card arrangement device described in any of the above schemes.

[0021] Compared with the prior art, the advantages of this utility model are:

[0022] The bottom width of the card holder is smaller than the width of the playing cards. Combined with the first and second side walls on both sides, this forces all playing cards entering the holder to be in a sideways position (the sides of the cards contact the bottom of the holder, and the front / back faces the side walls). This design allows the sideways playing cards to be arranged side-by-side along the width of the bottom surface, and each card's side can directly contact the first conveying mechanism located along the length of the bottom surface. This overcomes the limitation of traditional flat-lay card arrangement where only the bottom layer of cards can be driven, enabling multiple cards to be conveyed simultaneously, significantly reducing the waiting time for a single card and increasing the number of cards arranged per unit time.

[0023] The first and second sidewalls of the card compartment form lateral constraints, ensuring the stability of the upright playing cards during transport and preventing jamming due to tipping. Simultaneously, the contact pressure between the upright playing cards and the sidewalls or adjacent cards is low, resulting in less friction. When the first conveying mechanism drives the cards towards the exit, the adjustment mechanism can more easily rotate the cards, requiring only minimal friction to turn cards not in the target orientation towards the exit, reducing adjustment time and increasing the speed of sorting individual cards.

[0024] Because the playing cards are placed upright in the card holder, the space in the vertical direction is fully utilized, which helps to reduce the space occupied in the width direction of the card holder. More upright playing cards can be accommodated in a limited space, and these cards can be in a "ready to be transported" state at the same time.

[0025] Furthermore, both the first and second sidewalls form acute angles with the horizontal plane, thus making the conveying channel inclined. When the conveying channel is inclined, under the influence of gravity, all the playing cards entering the card holder will naturally move towards the bottom and press against the lower side of the channel, forming a uniform inclined side-standing posture. This gravity-guided effect ensures that the scattered playing cards are quickly returned to their positions.

[0026] Furthermore, the first sidewall extends below the entrance, and a second conveying mechanism is provided on the first sidewall to drive the playing cards entering the card holder from the entrance to slide to the bottom surface. The inclined first sidewall guides the playing cards falling from the entrance to the bottom surface of the card holder, allowing the playing cards to naturally form an upright posture on the bottom surface under their own gravity. The addition of the second conveying mechanism to the first sidewall assists in the falling of the playing cards and prevents them from remaining on the first sidewall.

[0027] Furthermore, the adjusting component is a card-flipping wheel, configured to apply a force opposite to the conveying direction to the upper part of the playing card when it contacts the card, thus causing the card's width direction to face the exit. The precise configuration of the card-flipping wheel's rotation direction to apply a force opposite to the conveying direction to the upper part of the card creates a directional force that directly generates a flipping torque around the bottom contact point of the card (the point of contact with the conveying device), efficiently rotating the non-lateral playing card to face the exit in the width direction. The card-flipping wheel only applies a reverse force for flipping to the upper part of the card, while the bottom of the card is still driven by the forward force of the conveying device. This synergy, rather than antagonism, ensures the card continues to be conveyed forward while the upper part is pushed in the opposite direction to rotate, maintaining the card's tendency to move towards the exit during the flipping process and preventing stagnation caused by the cancellation of the flipping and conveying forces. This "moving and flipping simultaneously" design ensures uninterrupted card sorting and improves overall processing efficiency.

[0028] Furthermore, the card-flipping wheel includes multiple spaced-apart blades, which are radially distributed outward from the center of the wheel. The use of multiple spaced-apart radial blades allows the wheel to alternately contact the playing cards during rotation, increasing the contact frequency per unit time. Compared to a single-piece wheel, this structure can more flexibly adapt to playing cards in different positions, and the radial distribution of the blades ensures that at least one blade is in effective contact with the card, avoiding flipping failure due to blind spots and significantly improving the success rate of adjusting playing cards in non-target orientations.

[0029] Furthermore, the blade has an arc-shaped cross-section, with its convex surface designed to contact the playing card. When this arc-shaped convex surface contacts the playing card, it creates a curved contact rather than a rigid, angular one, dispersing contact pressure and preventing physical damage such as indentations or wrinkles on the card's edges or surface. Especially for paper playing cards, this flexible contact design significantly reduces wear and tear during card handling, extending the card's lifespan. The convex arc surface also has a natural guiding function: when the blade contacts the playing card, the arc surface guides the card to slide along the curved surface, gradually transitioning the force from an "instantaneous impact" to a "continuous thrust," preventing the card from bouncing or shifting due to rigid contact.

[0030] Furthermore, a third conveying mechanism is provided on the first sidewall and / or the second sidewall. The third conveying mechanism contacts the front or back of the upright playing cards to assist the upright playing cards in moving towards the outlet of the card storage. The contact between the third conveying mechanism and the front or back of the upright playing cards can add an auxiliary driving force to the first conveying mechanism, forming a dual-drive mode.

[0031] Furthermore, the outlet of the card storage unit is connected to a card receiving channel, the length of which is greater than the length of the playing cards. Specifically: one end of the receiving channel connecting to the outlet is inclined relative to the horizontal plane; the other end of the receiving channel away from the outlet is horizontal; the receiving channel has a continuous transition from inclined to horizontal, allowing the playing cards to gradually change from a side-standing to a lying position during transport. This continuous transition from inclined to horizontal allows the playing cards to gradually change from a side-standing to a lying position, with even force distribution and smooth movement throughout the process. Compared to the abrupt change from side-standing to lying, this gradual transition significantly reduces the impact force during posture change, preventing problems such as wrinkles and edge wear on the playing cards, thus protecting the integrity of the card surface.

[0032] Furthermore, a horizontally positioned card-feeding track connects downstream of the card-receiving channel, allowing the playing cards, after their posture transformation, to move in a flat position along the track. The horizontally positioned track receives the transformed playing cards, maintaining their stable, flat movement and preventing posture deviations caused by track tilting. This design provides a uniform and stable input state for downstream mechanisms such as card distribution and dealing that require flat posture processing, reducing connection interruptions caused by inconsistent postures and ensuring the continuity of the entire poker machine process. Attached Figure Description

[0033] Figure 1 This utility model is a three-dimensional poker card sorting device. Figure 1 ;

[0034] Figure 2 A perspective view of the playing card sorting device of this utility model after removing the second side wall;

[0035] Figure 3 This is a side-view sectional view of the playing card sorting device of this utility model;

[0036] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the card sorting device of this utility model, showing the card sorting process.

[0037] The attached figures are labeled as follows:

[0038] Card storage 100, entrance 110, exit 120, bottom surface 130, first side wall 140, second side wall 150, first conveying mechanism 200, second conveying mechanism 300, card flipping wheel 400, blade 410, third conveying mechanism 500, card receiving channel 600, card delivery track 700. Detailed Implementation

[0039] A playing card sorting device includes a card storage 100 with an inlet 110 and an outlet 120. The card storage 100 includes a bottom surface 130, a first side wall 140 and a second side wall 150. The width of the bottom surface 130 is smaller than the width of the playing cards. The first side wall 140 and the second side wall 150 are located on both sides of the bottom surface 130 in the width direction, forming a vertical or inclined conveying channel. A first conveying mechanism 200 is provided on the bottom surface 130 along the length direction to convey the playing cards in a sideways state along the conveying channel towards the outlet 120.

[0040] The card storage 100 is also provided with an adjustment component that is disposed opposite to the first conveying mechanism 200. The distance between the adjustment component and the first conveying mechanism 200 is greater than the width of the playing card and less than the length of the playing card, so that the width edge of the playing card faces the outlet 120.

[0041] The bottom surface 130 of the card storage 100 is narrower than the width of the playing cards. Combined with the first sidewall 140 and the second sidewall 150 on both sides, this forces all playing cards entering the card storage 100 to be in a sideways position (the sides of the playing cards contact the bottom surface 130 of the card storage 100, with the front / back of the playing cards facing the sidewalls). This design allows the sideways playing cards to be arranged side-by-side along the width of the bottom surface 130, and the side of each card can directly contact the first conveying mechanism 200 located along the length of the bottom surface 130. This overcomes the limitation of traditional flat-lay card arrangement where only the bottom layer of cards can be driven, enabling multiple cards to be conveyed simultaneously, significantly reducing the waiting time for a single card and increasing the number of cards arranged per unit time.

[0042] The first sidewall 140 and the second sidewall 150 of the card holder 100 form a lateral constraint, ensuring that the side-standing playing cards maintain a stable posture during transport and preventing jamming caused by tipping. Simultaneously, the contact pressure between the playing cards and the sidewalls or adjacent playing cards in the side-standing state is low, resulting in less friction. When the first conveying mechanism 200 drives the playing cards towards the outlet 120, the adjustment mechanism can more easily rotate the playing cards. Only a small amount of friction needs to be overcome to rotate playing cards not in the target orientation to face the outlet 120, reducing adjustment time and increasing the speed of sorting individual cards.

[0043] Because the playing cards are placed upright in the card holder 100, the space in the height direction is fully utilized, which helps to reduce the width direction space occupied by the card holder 100. More upright playing cards can be accommodated in a limited space, and these cards can be in a "ready to be transported" state at the same time.

[0044] The embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below, examples of which are shown in the accompanying drawings. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and intended to explain the present invention, and should not be construed as limiting the present invention.

[0045] In the description of this utility model, it should be understood that the terms "center", "longitudinal", "lateral", "length", "width", "thickness", "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", and "outer" indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing this utility model and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this utility model.

[0046] Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of indicated technical features. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of that feature. In the description of this utility model, "a plurality of" means at least two, such as two, three, etc., unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0047] In this utility model, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," "joining," and "fixing," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; they can refer to a mechanical connection, an electrical connection, or a connection that allows communication between them; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components, unless otherwise explicitly limited. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this utility model according to the specific circumstances.

[0048] See Figures 1 to 4 This is an embodiment of a playing card sorting device according to the present invention. The playing card sorting device is mainly used in automatic playing card machines. It is a device used to collect playing cards after the game ends and arrange the playing cards into a uniform orientation to facilitate subsequent steps such as dealing and shuffling cards.

[0049] The playing card sorting device includes a card holder 100 with an inlet 110 and an outlet 120. The inlet 110 is generally connected to a tabletop, and an openable and closable panel is provided on the tabletop to control the opening and closing of the inlet 110. The card holder 100 includes a bottom surface 130, a first side wall 140, and a second side wall 150. The width of the bottom surface 130 is smaller than the width of the playing cards. The first side wall 140 and the second side wall 150 are located on both sides of the width of the bottom surface 130, thus forming a vertical or inclined conveying channel. Because the width of the bottom surface 130 of the card holder 100 is smaller than the width of the playing cards, the playing cards cannot lie flat on the bottom surface 130. The playing cards can only be positioned sideways in the conveying channel, that is, the sides of the playing cards are in contact with the bottom surface 130, while the front or back of the playing cards face the first side wall 140 and the second side wall 150. A first conveying mechanism 200 is provided on the ground of the card storage 100, extending along the length of the bottom surface 130. The conveying channel leads to the outlet 120 of the card storage 100. The first conveying mechanism 200 is used to convey the playing cards in a sideways position along the conveying channel towards the outlet 120. The first conveying mechanism 200 can use roller sets or belt drives to convey the playing cards.

[0050] Since the playing cards are all in a side-standing position, the side of each card can contact the first conveying mechanism 200, allowing multiple cards to be conveyed simultaneously. Compared to the traditional structure where only the bottom cards in a flat-lying deck are driven and conveyed, the structure of this invention significantly reduces card arrangement time and increases the number of cards arranged per unit time. Furthermore, because the space required in the width direction of the card storage 100 is reduced, the position of other horizontally adjacent devices can be arranged more flexibly, making full use of vertical space and improving the flexibility of equipment design.

[0051] An adjusting component is also provided within the card storage compartment 100, positioned opposite the first conveying mechanism 200. The distance between the adjusting component and the first conveying mechanism 200 is greater than the width of the playing cards but less than their length, ensuring that the width edge of the playing cards faces the exit 120, thus achieving the purpose of card arrangement. The distance between the adjusting component and the first conveying mechanism 200 is strictly limited to "greater than the width of the playing cards but less than their length," forming a mechanically forced guiding structure: only playing cards with their width edge facing the exit 120 can pass smoothly, while playing cards not in the target direction will be corrected by the adjusting component. This eliminates the need for complex sensors or electronic control systems; the structural dimensions alone ensure a uniform output direction for the playing cards, reducing the risk of card arrangement errors due to electronic component failures and improving operational reliability.

[0052] Furthermore, such as Figure 3As shown, both the first sidewall 140 and the second sidewall 150 form an acute angle with the horizontal plane, so that the conveying channel is inclined. In this way, after the playing cards fall into the conveying channel, they are in an inclined side-standing posture. Under the action of the component of gravity, all the entering playing cards will naturally move towards the bottom surface 130 and stick to the lower side of the conveying channel, forming a stable side-standing posture with a uniform orientation. This gravity guiding effect can ensure that even if the playing cards are scattered, they can be quickly put back in place.

[0053] Furthermore, the first sidewall 140 extends below the entrance 110, and a second conveying mechanism 300 is provided on the first sidewall 140. Playing cards entering the card storage 100 from the entrance 110 will fall onto the first sidewall 140. Due to the inclined arrangement of the first sidewall 140, the playing cards will slide down the first sidewall 140 onto the bottom surface 130. The second conveying mechanism 300 assists in the sliding of the playing cards towards the bottom surface 130, preventing the playing cards from remaining on the first sidewall 140. The second conveying mechanism 300 can be a roller or roller assembly, or a conveyor belt or other rolling transport mechanism, to reduce wear on the playing cards.

[0054] Based on the above embodiments, the adjusting component in this embodiment can be a baffle or a flipping wheel 400. When a baffle is used, an incorrectly positioned playing card will flip over due to the resistance of the baffle after touching it. Once it reaches the correct position (with its width facing the outlet 120), it can be output through the baffle towards the outlet 120. Of course, it is preferable to use a flipping wheel 400. The flipping wheel 400 can be connected to a motor or other power device to rotate actively, allowing for faster flipping of incorrectly positioned playing cards to the correct position. The length of the flipping wheel 400 is equal to the width of the bottom surface 130, allowing the flipping wheel 400 to act on multiple playing cards simultaneously, adjusting the positions of multiple playing cards at the same time.

[0055] The rotation direction of the card-flipping wheel 400 is configured such that when the card-flipping wheel 400 contacts the playing cards, a force opposite to the conveying direction is applied to the upper part of the playing cards, causing the width direction of the playing cards to face towards the outlet 120. For example... Figure 4As shown, the playing cards move from left to right, while the flipping wheel 400 rotates clockwise. When an incorrectly positioned playing card touches the flipping wheel 400, the wheel applies a counter-clockwise rotational force, pushing the upper part of the card to the left, while the bottom of the card is pulled to the right by the first conveying mechanism 200. This helps the card rotate counter-clockwise until its width faces the exit 120. The bottom continues to be conveyed forward, while the upper part is pushed in the opposite direction to achieve rotation, ensuring the card maintains its movement towards the exit 120 during the flipping process, preventing stagnation caused by the counteracting force and conveying force. This "moving and flipping simultaneously" design ensures an uninterrupted card arrangement process and improves overall processing efficiency. When the card rotates to face the exit 120 in the width direction, its upper part naturally detaches from the flipping wheel 400 (no longer subject to the reverse force) and continues to move solely by the bottom conveying force, avoiding over-flipping due to continuous force. This self-limiting adjustment mechanism, which stops as soon as it is in place, ensures that the playing cards are output in the correct posture without the need for additional sensor control, thus improving the stability and reliability of card arrangement.

[0056] Furthermore, the flipping wheel 400 can be a cylindrical wheel that interacts with incorrectly positioned playing cards via its circumferential surface. In a more advanced design, the flipping wheel 400 includes multiple spaced blades 410, radially distributed from the center outwards. As the flipping wheel 400 rotates, the movement trajectory of the blades 410 covers a wider area, quickly capturing and contacting sideways playing cards in different positions (especially the upper edge). Compared to a single wheel or partial contact structure, this design reduces blind spots, ensuring that playing cards not in the target direction are engaged by the blades 410, avoiding orientation adjustment failures due to incomplete contact. The radially distributed blades 410, with their outer tangential direction of movement forming the optimal flipping torque with the contact point on the upper part of the playing card, precisely apply a force opposite to the conveying direction to the upper part of the playing card when the blades 410 contact it, causing the playing card to rotate efficiently around the bottom contact point.

[0057] Furthermore, the blade 410 has an arc-shaped cross-section, with its convex surface designed to contact the playing card. When this arc-shaped surface contacts the card, it creates a curved contact rather than a rigid, angular one, dispersing contact pressure and preventing physical damage such as indentations or wrinkles on the card's edges or surface. This flexible contact design is particularly effective for paper playing cards, significantly reducing wear and tear and extending their lifespan. Additionally, the convex arc surface provides a natural guiding function: when the blade 410 contacts the card, the arc guides the card along the curved surface, gradually transitioning the force from an instantaneous impact to a continuous thrust. This prevents the card from bouncing or shifting due to rigid contact. This smooth force transmission allows the card to rotate more stably around its base, reducing jerking during flipping and improving the consistency and efficiency of directional adjustments.

[0058] like Figure 2 As shown, based on the above embodiment, in this embodiment, a third conveying mechanism 500 is provided on the first sidewall 140 and / or the second sidewall 150. The third conveying mechanism 500 is located between the playing cards falling from the inlet 110 onto the bottom surface 130 and the outlet 120. That is, after the playing cards first fall onto the bottom surface 130, the third conveying mechanism 500 is provided on the first sidewall 140 and / or the second sidewall 150 along the path to the outlet 120. The third conveying mechanism 500 contacts the front or back of the upright playing cards to assist the upright playing cards in moving towards the outlet 120 of the card storage 100. The third conveying mechanism can be a roller or roller group, or a transmission belt. The third conveying mechanism 500 can add an auxiliary driving force to the first conveying mechanism 200 (bottom drive of playing cards) to form a dual drive mode of "bottom + front / back".

[0059] At the outlet 120 of the card storage 100 in the aforementioned structure, a card receiving channel 600 is connected. The length of the card receiving channel 600 is greater than the length of the playing cards. Specifically, the end of the card receiving channel 600 connecting to the outlet 120 is inclined relative to the horizontal plane; the end of the card receiving channel 600 away from the outlet 120 is horizontal. The card receiving channel 600 has a continuous transition from inclined to horizontal, allowing the playing cards to gradually change from a side-standing posture to a flat posture during transport. Since the purpose of this invention is to facilitate faster card arrangement, after arrangement, the playing cards need to be adjusted from a side-standing state to a flat posture to accommodate subsequent processes. Therefore, the card receiving channel 600 is connected after the outlet 120 of the card storage 100, adjusting the side-standing playing cards to a flat posture. The continuous transition of the card receiving channel 600 from inclined to horizontal allows the playing cards to gradually change from a side-standing posture to a flat posture, with uniform force and smooth movement throughout the process. Compared to the abrupt transition from a side-standing to a flat position, this gradual transition significantly reduces the impact during posture change, preventing issues such as wrinkles and edge wear on the playing cards and protecting their integrity. The 600mm long card receiving channel, exceeding the length of the playing card, ensures a smooth transition from a side-standing to a flat position.

[0060] Furthermore, roller sets or belt conveyors can be arranged within the card receiving channel 600 to allow the playing cards to enter the subsequent processes as quickly as possible.

[0061] Downstream of the card receiving channel 600, a horizontally positioned card delivery track 700 is connected, allowing the playing cards, after their posture transformation, to move in a lying position on the track 700. The horizontal track 700, with its flat contact surface and stable driving force (such as belt conveyor or roller drive), enables the playing cards to move at a controllable speed and position, facilitating high-precision operation by downstream mechanisms. In their lying position, the playing cards make surface contact with the track 700, resulting in a large contact area and uniform force distribution, reducing wear or wrinkling caused by localized pressure. Simultaneously, horizontal movement avoids the increased sliding friction that can occur on inclined tracks, further protecting the physical condition of the playing cards and extending their service life.

[0062] After a game of cards is finished, the player pushes the playing cards into the card holder 100 through the entrance 110 on the table. The entrance 110 of the card holder 100 can be made into a funnel shape. After the playing cards fall to the bottom of the card holder 100 by gravity, since the width of the bottom of the card holder 100 is less than the width of the playing cards, the playing cards will be in a sideways position on the bottom surface 130 of the card holder 100. At the same time, the first side wall 140 and the second side wall 150 are used to maintain the sideways position of the playing cards. The playing cards, which are standing upright on the bottom surface 130, are driven by the first conveying mechanism 200 on the bottom surface 130 and move towards the outlet 120 of the card storage 100. The playing cards with their width side facing the outlet 120 will pass directly through the outlet 120 of the card storage 100, while the playing cards with their width side not facing the outlet 120 will hit the flipping wheel 400. Under the backward push of the flipping wheel 400 and the forward conveying action of the first conveying mechanism 200, the playing cards will be flipped in the side surface. When the playing cards are flipped so that their width side faces the outlet 120, they can be removed from the card storage 100 through the outlet 120, thus completing the card arrangement process. Downstream of the card storage 100 is a card receiving channel 600. Since the playing cards exiting from the card storage 100 at outlet 120 are initially upright, while subsequent card sorting processes are designed for flat-lying cards, the card receiving channel 600 is added. Along this channel, the cards gradually transition from an upright to a flat position before being transported to the next stage by the downstream delivery track 700. This upright conveying mode overcomes the limitations of traditional flat-lying card sorting, allowing multiple cards to move synchronously in parallel with the conveyor. Combined with the tilted card storage 100, the gravity of the cards and the coordinated drive of multiple conveying mechanisms (first, second, and third conveying devices) significantly increase the number of cards sorted per unit time, reducing player waiting time. Simultaneously, the directional force design of the flipping wheel 400 accelerates the adjustment of individual card orientation, ensuring efficient connection throughout the entire process from card entry to output.

[0063] This embodiment also discloses a poker machine, including a poker card sorting device according to any of the above-described solutions. The poker machine can significantly improve card sorting speed through functions such as side-standing card sorting, simultaneous processing of multiple cards, and directional adjustment. Compared to the inefficient mode of traditional poker machines that rely on flat-laying card sorting, this device can quickly organize scattered poker cards into a unified direction and output them, reducing the time players spend waiting for card sorting and improving the gaming experience.

[0064] The above description is only a specific embodiment of the present utility model, but the technical features of the present utility model are not limited thereto. Any changes or modifications made by those skilled in the art within the scope of the present utility model are covered by the patent scope of the present utility model.

Claims

1. A card shuffler for playing cards, comprising a card magazine having an inlet and an outlet, characterized in that, The card storage includes a bottom surface, a first side wall, and a second side wall. The width of the bottom surface is smaller than the width of the playing cards. The first side wall and the second side wall are located on both sides of the width direction of the bottom surface, forming a vertical or inclined conveying channel. A first conveying mechanism is provided on the bottom surface along the length direction so that the playing cards are conveyed in a side-standing state along the conveying channel towards the outlet direction. The card compartment is also equipped with an adjustment component that is positioned opposite to the first conveying mechanism. The distance between the adjustment component and the first conveying mechanism is greater than the width of the playing card and less than the length of the playing card, so that the width side of the playing card faces the exit.

2. The card shuffler of claim 1, wherein: Both the first and second sidewalls form acute angles with the horizontal plane to make the conveying channel inclined.

3. The card shuffler of claim 2, wherein: The first sidewall extends below the entrance, and a second conveying mechanism is provided on the first sidewall to drive the playing cards that enter the card compartment from the entrance to slide to the bottom.

4. The card shuffler of claim 1, wherein: The adjusting component is a card-flipping wheel, and the rotation direction of the card-flipping wheel is configured such that when the card-flipping wheel contacts the playing card, a force opposite to the conveying direction is applied to the upper part of the playing card to cause the width direction of the playing card to face the outlet.

5. A card shuffler as in claim 4, wherein: The card-flipping wheel includes multiple spaced blades, which are radially distributed outward from the center of the wheel.

6. A card shuffler as in claim 5, wherein: The blade has an arc-shaped cross-section, and its convex surface is used to contact the playing card.

7. The card shuffler of claim 1, wherein: A third conveying mechanism is provided on the first sidewall and / or the second sidewall. The third conveying mechanism contacts the front or back of the upright playing cards and is used to assist the upright playing cards in moving towards the outlet of the card storage.

8. The card shuffler of claim 1, wherein: The outlet of the card storage is connected to a card receiving channel, the length of which is greater than the length of the playing cards, wherein: The end of the card receiving channel that connects to the exit is inclined relative to the horizontal plane. The end of the card receiving channel furthest from the exit is horizontally positioned. The card receiving channel is designed with a continuous transition from inclined to horizontal, allowing the playing cards to gradually change from a side-standing position to a flat position during transport.

9. A card shuffler as in claim 8, wherein: Downstream of the receiving channel is a horizontally set card delivery track, so that the playing cards, after completing their posture transformation, move on the card delivery track in a flat position.

10. A poker machine, characterized in that, The playing card sorting device according to any one of claims 1 to 9.

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