Abstract:
A card shoe for holding and distributing playing cards during a playing card game, where the card shoe can hold multiple decks of playing cards. The card shoe includes a wedge assembly that biases playing cards toward a playing card extraction opening. Gravity and/or other forces, for example a spring force, may bias the wedge assembly. The wedge assembly includes a wedge block and a roller subassembly. The roller subassembly includes a shaft, a clutch assembly, and a roller. In one embodiment, the clutch assembly and roller are mounted on an offset portion of the shaft so that the roller can be adjusted relative to a bottom of the wedge block. The clutch assembly permits the roller to roll in only one direction. The clutch assembly locks onto the shaft if a force is exerted which would tend to push the wedge block away from the playing card extraction opening.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. § 119(e) of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/752,126 filed Dec. 19, 2005. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0003]    This description generally relates to the field of table gaming, and more particularly to card holding devices, for example card shoes that hold a number of cards during a playing card game and allow cards to be extracted from the card shoe one at a time. 
         [0004]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0005]    Conventional card shoes  10  are typically sized to receive two to eight standard decks of playing cards, with fifty-two (52) playing cards per standard playing card deck. 
         [0006]      FIG. 1  shows a conventional, non-automated card shoe  10  that includes a housing  12 , a playing card support surface  14 , and a playing card wedge  16 . The housing includes an opening  18  where playing cards are extracted one at a time during a playing card game. The housing  12  includes a playing card support surface  14  sloping at a downward angle  20  going from the rear of the housing  12  to the front. The playing card support surface  14  supports the playing cards and the playing card wedge  16 . The playing card wedge  16  includes a slanted surface  22  that skews or offsets the playing cards in the housing  12  relative to one another. An optional roller  24  may be rotationally coupled to the playing card wedge  16  to allow the playing card wedge  16  to easily move down the playing card support surface  14 . The playing cards are compressed between the slanted surface  22  of the playing card wedge  16  and a complementary, slanted front cover  26  of the housing  12 . The downward angle  20  of the playing card support surface  14  takes advantage of gravity to bias the playing cards toward the front of the housing  12  under their own weight as well as under the weight of the playing card wedge  16 . 
         [0007]    Another type of card shoe, which is not illustrated, is similar to the above-described card shoe except that a spring couples the playing card wedge to the housing. The spring operates alone or to augment the force of gravity by applying a force to bias the playing card wedge toward the opening in the housing. As the playing card wedge moves closer to the opening, the spring contributes less and less to the overall force biasing the playing card wedge toward the opening. At some point, before all the playing cards are removed from the card shoe, the force of the spring biasing the playing card wedge toward the opening becomes nearly negligible. This situation typically occurs when there are less than two decks (i.e., 104 playing cards) remaining in the card shoe. 
         [0008]    For either of the above-described conventional card shoes, the amount of force biasing the playing cards toward the opening in the card shoe decreases as fewer cards remain in the card shoe. In the first described card shoe, the weight of the playing cards contributes significantly to the force biasing the playing cards toward the front of the card shoe. Consequently, removing the playing cards from the card shoe results in less resistance as the dealer applies finger pressure to remove a playing card from the card shoe. Likewise, the reduction in the biasing force applied by the spring in the second type of card shoe, also results in less resistance as the dealer applies finger pressure to remove a playing card from the card shoe. 
         [0009]    The practical consequence of these conventional card shoes is that it becomes more difficult for the dealer to extract the remaining playing cards from the card shoe when there is little to no resistance or biasing force (e.g., (wedge mass+card mass) or (wedge mass+spring force+card mass)) against the finger pressure applied on the playing card by the dealer. Thus, the dealer is often unable to firmly contact the playing card present in the opening of the housing, thus making it difficult for the dealer&#39;s finger to frictionally grip and withdraw the next playing card to be dealt. As the dealer pushes harder against the playing card, the wedge reacts by moving rearward in the housing, further exacerbating the situation and causing the dealer to fish for the playing card in the card shoe. Accordingly, it would be desirable to have a card shoe that addresses the aforementioned problems and permits easier and smoother removal of the playing cards from the card shoe, without regard to the number of playing cards remaining in the card shoe. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0010]    This description generally relates to a card shoes for holding and distributing playing cards during a playing card game. The card shoe typically holds between two (2) to eight (8) decks of playing cards. The card shoe includes a wedge that biases the playing cards toward a playing card extraction opening in the card shoe. The wedge can be acted on by gravity, another mechanical mechanism, for example a spring, and/or both. The wedge may include a shaft, a clutch assembly, and a roller, where the clutch assembly permits the roller to rotate in only one direction. When the clutch assembly locks onto the shaft, the wedge resists backward movement within the card shoe, which in turn allows a dealer to put pressure on the playing cards being extracted without pushing the wedge away from the playing card extraction opening. 
         [0011]    In one aspect, a wedge assembly to bias playing cards toward a playing card extraction opening of a card shoe includes a wedge block having a bottom surface and a card engagement surface positioned at an angle relative to the bottom surface, the wedge block receivable in the card shoe; and a roller subassembly having a roller rotationally coupled to the wedge block to be rotatable in a first rotational direction and lockable to substantially resist rotation in a direction opposite the first rotational direction. 
         [0012]    In another aspect, a wedge assembly to bias playing cards toward a playing card extraction opening of a card shoe includes a wedge block having a bottom surface and a card engagement surface positioned at an angle relative to the bottom surface, the wedge block receivable in the card shoe; and a roller subassembly having a shaft and a roller, the shaft coupled to the wedge block and having a first portion concentrically disposed about a first shaft axis and a second portion eccentrically disposed about a second shaft axis, the roller coupled to the second portion of the shaft and rotatable about the second shaft axis. 
         [0013]    In yet another aspect, a card shoe includes a housing having a playing card support surface and an opening, the playing card support surface arranged to receive and support a plurality of playing cards, the opening sized to permit extraction of at least some of the plurality of playing cards from the housing; and a wedge assembly having a wedge block and a roller subassembly, the wedge block includes a bottom surface and a card engagement surface positioned at an angle relative to the bottom surface, the wedge block is receivable in the housing of card shoe, the roller subassembly includes a roller rotationally coupled to the wedge block and rotatable in a first rotational direction and lockable to substantially resist rotation in a direction opposite the first rotational direction. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0014]    In the drawings, identical reference numbers identify similar elements or acts. The sizes and relative positions of elements in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale. For example, the shapes of various elements and angles are not necessarily drawn to scale, and some of these elements are arbitrarily enlarged and positioned to improve drawing legibility. Further, the particular shapes of the elements as drawn, are not intended to convey any information regarding the actual shape of the particular elements, and have been solely selected for ease of recognition in the drawings. 
           [0015]      FIG. 1  is an isometric, partially exploded view of a conventional card shoe having a card wedge, according to one illustrated embodiment. 
           [0016]      FIG. 2  is an isometric view of a card shoe having a wedge assembly and an opening for extracting playing cards from the card shoe, according to one illustrated embodiment. 
           [0017]      FIG. 3  is a top, front, left side isometric view of the wedge assembly of  FIG. 2  mounted to a roller subassembly. 
           [0018]      FIG. 4  is a bottom, front, left side isometric view of the wedge assembly of  FIG. 2 . 
           [0019]      FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional view of the roller subassembly of the wedge assembly, according to one illustrated embodiment where the roller subassembly includes a shaft, a clutch assembly, and roller mounted on the shaft. 
           [0020]      FIG. 6  is a cross-sectional view of the shaft of  FIG. 5  illustrating an offset portion of the shaft in further detail. 
           [0021]      FIG. 7  is a right side plan view of the shaft of  FIG. 6 . 
           [0022]      FIG. 8  is a cross-sectional view of the card shoe taken along line  8 - 8  of  FIG. 2 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0023]    In the following description, certain specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of various embodiments of the invention. However, one skilled in the art will understand that the invention may be practiced without these details. In other instances, well-known structures associated with card shoes have not been shown or described in detail to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the description. 
         [0024]    Unless the context requires otherwise, throughout the specification and claims which follow, the word “comprise” and variations thereof, such as, “comprises” and “comprising” are to be construed in an open, inclusive sense, that is as “including, but not limited to.” 
         [0025]    Reference throughout this specification to “one embodiment” or “an embodiment” means that a particular feature, structure or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment. Thus, the appearances of the phrases “in one embodiment” or “in an embodiment” in various places throughout this specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment. Furthermore, the particular features, structures, or characteristics may be combinable in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments. 
         [0026]    The headings provided herein are for convenience only and do not interpret the scope or meaning of the claimed invention. 
         [0027]    This description generally relates to card shoes for holding and distributing playing cards during a playing card game. Card shoes are generally used in casinos and often hold between two (2) to eight (8) decks of playing cards. However, it is understood that some card shoes may hold a fewer or a greater number of playing cards. Further, some card shoes may be automated, employing electromechanical and/or electro-optical components to read machine-readable and/or human readable indicia carried by the playing cards. 
         [0028]      FIG. 2  shows a card shoe  100  having a housing  102  and a wedge assembly  104 , according to the illustrated embodiment. The housing  102  includes a playing card support surface  106 , sidewalls  108 , and a front cover  110 . The playing card support surface  106 , the sidewalls  108 , and the front cover  110  form a receptacle  111  configured to receive and support a number of playing cards (not shown). The playing card support surface  106  may or may not slope downward from the rear of the housing  102 . As noted above, a sloped surface may take advantage of gravity as the sole or partial biasing force that urges the playing cards toward the opening  112  of the housing  102 . 
         [0029]    The front cover  110  includes an opening  112  from which a dealer can extract the playing cards from the card shoe  100 . The opening  112  is sized to allow the dealer to place a finger or two onto the next playing card that is to be removed from the card shoe  100 . The playing card support surface  106  can cooperate with the front cover  110  to skew or otherwise offset the playing cards relative to one another, which tends to increase the likelihood that playing cards are extracted one at a time from the card shoe  100 . It is understood that sometimes, however, more than one playing card is extracted from the card shoe  100 , whether done intentionally or because two playing cards become stuck together. 
         [0030]    The housing  102  further includes a slot or track  114 . The track  114  can be sloped or otherwise configured to cause the wedge assembly  104  to move forward, toward the opening  112 . One embodiment of the sloped track  114  is best illustrated in  FIG. 7 . A spring  116  may be coupled to guides  117 ,  119  received in the track  114 . The guides  117  may be fixed to the housing, whereas the guides  119  couple the wedge assembly  104  to the spring  116  and are operable to move along the track  114 . In one embodiment, the spring  116  is an extension spring anchored proximate the front of the housing  102  that biases or urges the wedge assembly  104  toward the opening  112 . In another embodiment, the spring is a compression spring anchored proximate the rear of the housing  102  that biases or urges the wedge assembly  104  toward the opening  112 . 
         [0031]      FIGS. 3 and 4  show the wedge assembly  104  having a wedge block  105  configured with a sloped engagement surface  118  disposed between first and second side surfaces  120 . The wedge assembly  104  further includes guides  119 ,  122  extending from each of the first and second surfaces  120 . The guides  119  are coupled to the spring  116  ( FIG. 2 ) and may also be supported in the track  114  of the housing  102  as mentioned above. The guides  122  may also be supported in the track  114  of the housing  102  counteracting any overturning moment that may cause the wedge assembly  104  to rotate about the guides  119 .  FIG. 4  shows a roller  124  of a roller subassembly  125 , which is part of the wedge assembly  104 , extending at least slightly below a bottom surface  126  of the wedge block  105 . 
         [0032]      FIG. 5  shows the roller subassembly  125  in detail. The roller subassembly  125  includes the roller  124 , which is rotatably fixed to an anti-reversing clutch assembly  126 , which in turn is rotatably coupled to a shaft  128 . In one embodiment, the roller  124  is made from a urethane material and press fit onto the clutch assembly  126 . The clutch assembly  126  may be an overrunning clutch or drawn cup roller clutch, such as or similar to those described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,994,377; 3,993,177; 3,993,176; 3,990,555; 3,972,573; 3,942,616; 3,937,312; and 3,937,311. This type of clutch assembly  126  permits the roller  124  to freely rotate in a first direction, yet positively locks onto the shaft  128  to substantially prevent reverse rotation (i.e., rotation that is counter or opposite to the first rotational direction) of the roller  124 . 
         [0033]    The shaft  128  includes a tool engagement portion  130  and a shaft centerline or axis  132 . It is understood and appreciated that the shaft centerline  132  is to be distinguished from a roller rotational centerline or axis  133 , as illustrated and described in more detail below. During operation, the roller  124  and portions of the clutch assembly  126  rotate in unison on the shaft  128  and about the roller rotational axis  133 . In the illustrated embodiment, the shaft  128  does not rotate relative to the wedge assembly  104 . 
         [0034]      FIGS. 6 and 7  show the shaft  128  having a first section  134 , a second section  136 , and a third section  138 , where the second section  136  is disposed between the first and third sections  134 ,  138 . In the illustrated embodiment, the second section  136  is offset relative to the shaft axis  132  and concentrically formed about the roller rotational axis  133 . The first and third sections  134 ,  138  are not offset, which means these sections are concentrically formed about the shaft axis  132 . The eccentricity of the second section  136  is indicated by identifying that a first radial depth  140  of the second section  136  extends less than a second radial depth  142  on an opposite side (i.e., 180 degrees) of the second section  136 . Since both radial depths  140 ,  142  are measured from the shaft axis  132 , it is understood that the second section  136  must be eccentrically formed about and/or offset relative to the shaft axis  132 . The radial depths  140 ,  142  vary in height about the circumference of the second section  136  of the shaft  128 . 
         [0035]    The first section  134  and the third section  138 , on the other hand, are concentrically formed about and/or not offset relative to the shaft axis  132 . The radial depths  144 ,  146 , which are measured from the shaft axis  132  are equivalent, thus it is understood that the first section  134  and the third section  138  are concentric with respect to the shaft axis  132  and with respect to one another. 
         [0036]    One purpose for eccentrically offsetting the second section  136  is to allow for the adjustment of the roller  124  beyond the bottom surface  126  of the wedge block  105  ( FIG. 4 ). Adjusting the roller  124  to protrude by a lesser or greater amount beyond the bottom surface  126  is accomplished by engaging the tool engagement portion  130  of the shaft  128  with an appropriate tool, for example a screwdriver. Because the shaft  128  is fixed to the wedge assembly  104 , the roller  124  and portions of the clutch assembly  126  rotate about the second section  136  of the shaft  128 . 
         [0037]      FIG. 8  shows the card shoe  100  as the wedge assembly  104  is moved along the track  114 . As the dealer removes each playing card, the biasing force of the spring  116 , the weight of the wedge assembly  104 , and/or the weight of the playing cards urges the wedge assembly  104  toward the front cover  110 . The roller  124  is free to rotate in a direction indicated by the arrow  148 . As the dealer applies pressure to the next card to be removed, the anti-reversing clutch assembly  126  positively locks onto the shaft  128  to substantially prevent reverse rotation of the roller  124  and thus prevents the wedge assembly  104  from moving away from the front cover  110  and the opening  112  of the housing  102 . The second section  136  of the shaft  128  and the frictional engaging portion of the clutch assembly  126  may be relatively dimensioned to achieve a desired amount of frictional locking of the clutch assembly  126  onto the second section  136  of the shaft  128 . 
         [0038]    Once all or a desired number of cards are removed from the card shoe  100 , the wedge assembly  104  can be reset in the card shoe  100 . In one embodiment, the wedge assembly  104  includes a handle  150  that can be used to separate the roller  124  from the playing card support surface  106  of the card shoe  100 . By lifting up on the handle  150 , the roller  124  will no longer be in contact with the playing card support surface  106  and the wedge assembly  104  can be easily moved away from the front cover  110  and the opening  112  to allow more playing cards to be loaded in the receptacle  111  of the card shoe  100 . 
         [0039]    The various embodiments described above can be combined to provide further embodiments. All of the above U.S. patents, patent applications, provisional patent applications and publications referred to in this specification, to include, but not limited to U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,994,377; 3,993,177; 3,993,176; 3,990,555; 3,972,573; 3,942,616; 3,937,312; and 3,937,311; and U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/752,126, filed Dec. 19, 2005 are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. Aspects of the invention can be modified, if necessary, to employ various systems, devices and concepts of the various patents, applications and publications to provide yet further embodiments of the invention. 
         [0040]    These and other changes can be made to the invention in light of the above-detailed description. In general, in the following claims, the terms used should not be construed to limit the invention to the specific embodiments disclosed in the specification and the claims, but should be construed to include all card shoes usable in the aspect of gaming and methods that operate in accordance with the claims. Accordingly, the invention is not limited by the disclosure, but instead its scope is to be determined entirely by the following claims.