Poker Machine Card Collating and Dealing Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing poker machines face issues such as card jamming, low efficiency in collating and dealing cards, and high manufacturing costs due to complex structures and instability, leading to increased labor intensity and long waiting times for players.
Innovation Solution
A poker machine with a card collating device featuring a center rotating disc and arc-shaped card collating channel with conveying rollers, a dealer for separating and flipping cards, and a card receiving device with rotating boxes for efficient card distribution and flipping, ensuring cards are dealt automatically with high efficiency and in a compact, cost-effective manner.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Extent of automation
If conventional card dealing mechanisms with multiple belts and flipping plates are used, then card dealing automation is achieved, but card jamming occurs frequently and reliability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the complex card flipping plate and multiple card flipping belts from the conventional structure. Instead, it uses a simplified card dealing mechanism where the card dealing belt directly deals cards to players after cards are oriented by the card collating belts, eliminating the sources of jamming while maintaining automation
Solution Approach 2:
Rather than using multiple belts to flip cards horizontally and then deal them, the patent inverts the approach by using the card collating belts to orient cards in the conveying direction first, then using a single card dealing belt to deal oriented cards directly, reversing the sequence of operations to improve reliability
2Productivity
If card collating belts are arranged at both sides to move and rotate cards horizontally, then card collation is achieved, but cards float easily and get stuck between belts causing jamming
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the card collation approach from horizontal plane rotation to vertical orientation adjustment. The card collating belts are arranged to orient cards along the conveying direction by adjusting card orientation in the vertical plane, preventing cards from floating and getting stuck between belts while maintaining collation efficiency
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies different functions to different parts of the card handling system: the card collating belts specifically orient cards along the conveying direction, while the card dealing belt handles the dealing action. This functional differentiation prevents interference and jamming between components
3Extent of automation
If multiple card-dealing ports are arranged in straight line with card-dealing belt, then card dealing automation is achieved, but card dealing action becomes unstable and efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the card dealing function into two distinct stages: card orientation by card collating belts and card dealing by card dealing belt. This segmentation allows each component to specialize in its function, improving overall dealing efficiency and stability while maintaining automation
4Extent of automation
If complex card flipping and dealing equipment with multiple components is used, then full automatic card handling is achieved, but manufacturing cost increases and structure becomes complicated
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the card collating function and card dealing function into a streamlined sequence where card collating belts orient cards and the card dealing belt deals them directly. This merging eliminates redundant components like separate flipping mechanisms while maintaining full automatic card handling capability, reducing structural complexity and manufacturing cost
Data Source
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AI summary
A poker machine and a poker card collating method therefor. The poker machine includes: a card feeding device, a control disk (303) being provided at the center of a panel (3), the control disk (303) being driven up and down by means of a center lifting mechanism, and when the control disk (303) is lifted, a card feeding port for placing cards being formed below the control disk (303); a card collating device (6), the center of a card collating base (602) being provided with a center rotating disc (606) driven to rotate by means of a rotating disc electric motor (609), an arc-shaped card collating channel for collating the cards being formed between the center rotating disc (606) and a card collating channel outer side wall (603), and a plurality of conveying rollers (605) being provided at the bottom of the arc-shaped card collating channel; a dealer (40) including a card storage box (41) and a card dealing device (42), the card dealing device (42) including a card distributing mechanism, a delivery mechanism and a card flipping mechanism; and a card receiving device (20) including a plurality of card receiving boxes (210) provided around the dealer (40), and these card receiving boxes (210) being driven to rotate with respect to the dealer (40) by means of a rotation drive mechanism.