Card Dealing Shoe Geometry for Stable Scanning and Card Packing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional dealing shoes are not suitable for online gaming, leading to errors and delays due to incorrect interaction with equipment and cards, necessitating a design that ensures secure and uninterrupted card dealing.
Innovation Solution
A dealing shoe with a unique angle configuration between the front panel and base plate, a heavier pusher wheel, integrated scanner, and magnetic docking system to ensure secure and efficient card handling and scanning.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If conventional dealing shoes with parallel front panel and pusher face are used, then the structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but cards become less packed after dealing requiring manual re-packing and causing game interruptions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the geometric parameters of the dealing shoe by setting the front panel at a specific angle (34-38 degrees) relative to the base plate, and the pusher face at a different angle (39-41 degrees) relative to the base plate. This angular parameter differentiation creates a converging effect that maintains card packing automatically, eliminating the need for manual re-packing during gameplay.
2Ease of operation
If a standard weight pusher wheel is used, then the device is easier to manufacture, but cards require manual packing to maintain proper position
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physical parameter of the pusher wheel by increasing its weight to approximately 600-800 grams (compared to the standard 400 grams). This increased weight provides sufficient force to maintain continuous pressure on the cards, ensuring they remain properly packed and positioned without requiring manual intervention.
3Measurement precision
If the scanner is positioned in front of the shoe lip, then the structure is simpler, but card scanning accuracy and security are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent repositions the scanner from the traditional front position to an integrated position directly underneath the lip. This spatial repositioning in the vertical dimension allows the scanner to read barcodes as cards pass through the lip hole, improving scanning accuracy and security by ensuring the full barcode value is visible and captured.
4Reliability
If the dealing shoe is not fixed to the table, then the device is more portable, but side movements occur causing game errors and card faults
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the fixing system into separate components: a shoe base with magnets attached to the dealing shoe, and corresponding magnets on a docking station fixed to the table. This segmented magnetic docking system allows the shoe to be securely fixed during gameplay to prevent side movements, while still maintaining portability when removed from the docking station.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Reduces errors and delays by allowing secure card extraction and scanning, eliminating the need for manual re-packing and minimizing side movements during gameplay.
Implementation Method 1
a pusher arranged within the shoe body... a pusher wheel rotatably connected to the pusher
Implementation Method 2
The shoe base comprises a set of magnets. The dealing shoe is further attachable to a docking station configured to be separately and stationary fixed to the table. The docking station comprises a set of magnets and the docking station is configured to be interconnected with the shoe base by means of magnets.
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a device to hold playing cards in position to allow them to be dealt out one at a time. A dealing shoe comprises a shoe body configured to receive plurality of playing cards, a front panel, through which the playing cards received in the shoe body are dealt out, and a lip extending outside the shoe body in the front of the front panel of the shoe body. The dealing shoe further comprises a pusher arranged within the shoe body. The dealing shoe is characterized in that the lip comprises a scanner hole facilitating the scan of dealt cards, and a docking station allowing removable and secure attachment of the dealing shoe to the dealing table.