HAND-FORMING CARD SHUFFLING APPARATUSES INCLUDING MULTI-CARD STORAGE COMPARTMENTS, AND RELATED METHODS

摘要

Card shufflers usable in forming and dispensing randomized playing card hands for use in playing card games include a card input mechanism for inputting cards into the card shuffler, a card storage device for receiving cards from the card input mechanism and temporarily storing cards within the card shuffler, and a card output mechanism for outputting shuffled cards from the card shuffler. The card storage device may include a wheel configured to rotate within the card shuffler. The rotatable wheel may have a plurality of card storage compartments therein, each of which may be sized and configured to hold two or more cards therein. Related methods involve the use of such card shufflers in playing card games.

主权项

1. A card shuffler, comprising:
a card input mechanism for inputting cards into the card shuffler; a card storage device for receiving cards from the card input mechanism and temporarily storing cards within the card shuffler, the card storage device comprising a movable wheel configured to rotate within the card shuffler, the movable wheel comprising a plurality of card storage compartments, at least a majority of the card storage compartments sized and configured to hold two or more cards therein; and a card output mechanism for outputting cards from the card shuffler; wherein the card output mechanism is configured to eject cards out from the card storage compartments and into a card output compartment such that the cards are oriented at a downward angle of between about 2° and about 15° relative to a horizontal plane at all times as the cards move from each card storage compartment and into the card output compartment.