Card Shuffler Dual-Controller Automation and Segmentation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing card shuffling devices face drawbacks such as inefficiency in forming sets or hands of shuffled cards, lack of advanced control mechanisms, and limited ability to handle card alignment and distribution effectively.
Innovation Solution
A card shuffler device with a housing containing a card receiving area, infeed mechanism, movable card receiver, and ejector, controlled by a dual-controller system that utilizes rollers, movable walls, and card readers to efficiently shuffle and distribute cards into aligned pockets, allowing for customizable card sets and hands.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Extent of automation
If a mechanical card shuffling device is used, then card shuffling can be automated, but the device becomes complex and difficult to operate manually
Solution Approach 1:
The card shuffling device is divided into separate functional modules: a card receiving area, a card receiver with multiple pockets, an infeed mechanism, and an ejector. Each module performs a specific function, allowing the system to achieve automated shuffling through coordinated simple actions rather than a single complex mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The card receiver is designed to be movable between a raised position and a lowered position. This dynamic positioning allows the card receiver to be raised to receive cards from the infeed mechanism and lowered to align with the ejector for card discharge, enabling automated operation through simple vertical motion.
2Productivity
If cards are shuffled manually, then the device remains simple, but efficiency in forming sets or hands of shuffled cards is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The card receiver comprises a plurality of card receiving pockets defined by dividers, with pockets stacked in a vertical arrangement. This segmentation allows cards to be automatically sorted into different pockets based on their position, enabling efficient formation of card sets and hands without manual intervention.
Solution Approach 2:
The card receiver is positioned in a lowered position to receive cards from the infeed mechanism and is then moved to a raised position to receive additional cards. This preliminary positioning and sequential card reception automates the process of forming complete card sets before ejection.
3Manufacturing precision
If the card receiver is made movable vertically, then card alignment and distribution precision is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The card receiver is designed to be movable between a raised position and a lowered position through a simple vertical translation mechanism. This dynamic positioning enables precise card alignment with the infeed mechanism during card reception and precise alignment with the ejector during card discharge, achieving high alignment precision through straightforward vertical motion rather than complex positioning systems.
Data Source
AI summary
A card handling device is configured to arrange one or more cards into sets or hands. The card handling device may have a card receiving area, a card infeed mechanism for delivering cards from the receiving area to a receiver for forming the card sets or hands, and an ejector for ejecting cards to a card dispensing area. The card handling device may utilize a first controller to generate a virtual card structure and correlate read card information therewith for generating hand information, and may utilize a secondary controller to generate card location information for each card for placement of each card in the generated location of the card receiver.