Patent Description:
Card playing games are well known nowadays. Often the game is based upon the unpredictability of the order of cards being dealt or drawn from a randomly ordered deck or set of playing cards, wherein a set of playing cards comprises more than one deck of playing cards being randomly ordered at set level.

As an example, baccarat is played with a randomly ordered set of <NUM> decks of playing cards, in total <NUM> randomly ordered cards. For some games, once cards are drawn from the set, the drawn cards cannot be used anymore as such, since the order of drawing and setting aside the drawn cards can be monitored. Players can turn the cards themselves after the bet resulting in compromised, damaged, or destroyed cards. Reusing the used cards may be open for prediction of order, hence of cheating.

Seen the high stakes involved, in fact any source of fraudulent playing or behaviour must be avoided. The handling time between production of a set of playing cards and using it at the playing table needs to be as little as possible to avoid to large extent the possibility for fraudulent actions. Manipulation of playing cards themselves is to be restricted as much as possible, as each manipulation of one or more playing cards can be a source for fraudulent activities, like taking away playing cards or replacing the playing card or cards with another card or cards of which the rank and suit is known. <CIT> discloses a playing card manipulation device according to the preamble of the claim.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a device and a method which is able to provide safe manipulation, storage and transportation of playing cards without the need to touch the playing cards themselves. It is a further object of the invention to provide a device that will facilitate a safe and ergonomic loading of played cards from a receptacle or a dedicated location at the game table back into any kind of card holder which is adapted to carry and allow transportation of cards, e.g. a cartridge.

"Safe" means that cards are not touched by any person after a card game was played using said cards. It inhibits access from players to the cards after the game has played.

According to the first aspect of the present invention, a playing cards manipulation device for holding and/or manipulating a set of playing cards is provided. The playing card manipulation device comprises an open box comprising at least two mutually opposite lateral walls, a bottom wall between the lateral walls and a backwall between the lateral walls, the bottom wall and the backwall being connected along a coupling rib. In longitudinal direction and a sense from the backwall towards the inner side of the box, the outmost point of the side of the lateral walls opposite to the bottom wall extends beyond the outmost point of the side of the lateral walls contacting the bottom wall. According to some embodiments, the box may have a volume of a trapezoidal prism.

The open box comprises a face side, which is a completely open surface, and may further comprise a top side, which may be a partially or completely open surface. Hence the face side, i.e. the side opposite the backwall, is completely open. The top side, i.e. the side opposite the bottom wall, may be partially or completely open.

So in longitudinal direction and a sense from the backwall towards the inner side of the box, the outmost point, i.e. the point most remote from the backwall, of the side of the lateral walls opposite to the bottom wall extends beyond the outmost point, i.e. the point most remote from the backwall, of the side of the lateral walls contacting the bottom wall. For the two lateral walls, the two points most remote from the backwall of the side of the lateral walls opposite to the bottom wall may extend over the same length from the backwall. Alternatively, For the two lateral walls, the two points most remote from the backwall of the side of the lateral walls opposite to the bottom wall, the point most remote from the backwall of the side opposite to the bottom wall of one of the lateral walls may extend further from the backwall as compared to the point most remote from the backwall of the side opposite to the bottom wall of the other of the two lateral walls.

Or in other words, in lateral direction, the lateral walls are delimited by the backwall and an edge defined by the intersection of the lateral walls with a plane perpendicular to said lateral walls such that for both lateral walls, for the point of the side of the lateral wall opposite to the bottom wall, which point is most remote from the bottom wall, the perpendicular projection point to the bottom wall of this point extends further from the coupling rib than the intersection point with said plane of the side of the lateral wall contacting the bottom wall.

The playing card manipulation device is adapted to store a plurality of playing cards which may enter the box via the face side, i.e. a side opposite to the bottom wall, this side being typically open. The box can be handled and manipulated with no risk for the playing cards falling from the open box when the box is held in its upright position.

As playing cards being directly manipulated is an origin of possible misconduct or fraudulent activity, it is of importance that playing cards are touched and manipulated as little as possible. Playing cards having been drawn from e.g. a dealer shoe during playing of a card game, are to be safely stored as soon as the playing cards are to be removed from the table. The played playing cards can be stored and held in the playing cards manipulation device immediately after the playing cards being set aside in the game. Once the game has ended, the played playing cards need to be returned to the backyard or back office of e.g. the casino, optionally being combined with the undealt playing cards, in order to send the complete set of playing cards back to the back office for verification of the completeness of the set of playing cards. The undealt playing cards can be inserted in the playing cards manipulation device, which device can be used to transport the used set of playing cards back to the back office.

Alternatively, the playing cards are drawn via a dealer shoe from a set of playing cards stored in a closed cartridge. The played playing cards can be stored and held in the playing cards manipulation device immediately after the playing cards have been set aside in the game. Once the game has ended, the cartridge may be opened, i.e. a place in the cartridge for storing the dealt playing cards is opened. The playing cards manipulation device can be used as a tool to transfer the played playing cards into the void space of the cartridge, fit for receiving the played playing cards. The complete set of cards can be sent back to the back office using the cartridge itself.

The lateral walls have at the side facing away from the backwall an inclined edge, which may be brought in contact with an opened top surface of a cartridge installed in a dealing shoe. The playing cards in the playing cards manipulation device may easily be transferred to the inner void of such cartridge.

According to some embodiments, the backwall may have a perimeter substantially identical to the perimeter of the playing cards to be held and manipulated by the playing cards manipulation means, such as a rectangular perimeter.

According to some embodiments, the top side of the open box may be an open surface. The top side of the box is the side opposite to the bottom wall.

According to some embodiments, the box may have a volume of a trapezoidal prism. According to some embodiments, the box may have a volume of a parallelepiped. Possibly the volume of the parallelepiped is a rectangular parallelepiped volume. According to some embodiments, the box may have a volume of a cuboid.

According to some embodiments, the bottom wall may extend beyond the point most remote from the backwall, of the sides of the lateral walls contacting the bottom wall.

According to some embodiments, the bottom wall may have a grip along the rim of the bottom wall being remote from the backwall.

The grip may be a small lip or protrusion which can be gripped by two or more fingers. This grip may be used to manipulate the box and to carry it from one place to the other. It may be used to lift the box from a void space in e.g. a card playing table, when the box is housed in such void space in the table.

The upper rim of the bottom wall, this is the rim which is opposite to the coupling rib or rim of the bottom wall and the backwall, may extend further from the coupling rib, as compared to the intersection point of the side of the lateral wall contacting the bottom wall. Possibly, the upper rim of the bottom wall, this is the rim which is opposite to the coupling rib of the bottom wall and the backwall, coincides with the perpendicular projection point to the bottom wall of the intersection point of the sides of the lateral wall opposite to the bottom wall.

According to some embodiments, at the plane opposite the bottom wall, two wall sections may be provided, each wall section being connected to the side of the lateral wall along the length of the side of the lateral wall and facing towards the opposite lateral wall.

The two wall sections may provide an open strip or zone in the lateral direction of the volume along the top side of the truncated parallelepiped volume. These two sections provide a hindrance and avoiding cards to slip out of the volume of the playing cards manipulation device in a direction perpendicularly away from the bottom wall. The playing cards may not fall out of the playing cards manipulation device in a direction perpendicular to the bottom wall.

According to some embodiments, the backwall may have a cut out along a part of the side remote from the bottom wall.

This cut out allows the card in the volume being closest to the bottom wall to be pushed in lateral direction towards the front open side of the volume. This cut out also allows to manipulate and carry the playing card manipulation device to be handled with the thumb of the person handling the device being located in the cut out. Hence the cut out facilitates the holding of the device by providing a place for the thumb of the person holding the device.

According to some embodiments, the walls may be provided from transparent polymer. The playing cards are visible from all sides at any time, which gives more clarity to the persons involved in the manipulation of the playing card manipulation device, regarding the content and movements of the playing cards during manipulation of the playing card manipulation device.

According to some embodiments, the walls may be provided from opaque or even non-transparent polymer.

According to some embodiments, the playing cards manipulation device may have a holding means to hold a seal. The playing cards to be held within the device may form part of a previously sealed set of playing cards, provided in a sealed playing card cartridge or a vault. The playing cards are deposited in a dealing shoe to be able to draw playing cards from the set of playing cards one by one. When the set of playing cards is to be inserted in the dealer shoe, the cartridge or vault is unsealed. The playing cards manipulation device may have a special, dedicated place to store the broken seal from the cartridge of vault. As such the broken seal is prevented from getting lost during playing of the card game.

According to some embodiments, the playing cards manipulation device may have a holding means to hold the cap of a cartridge, which cartridge may e.g. comprises playing cards. Cartridges are foreseen to hold sets of playing cards during a game being played. Such cartridges may be inserted, e.g. clicked, in a dealer shoe by means of which the cards are drawn out of the cartridge. Before the game starts, and after the game has ended, a cap is provided to the cartridge to avoid cards being drawn from the cartridge. During the game, this cap is removed from the cartridge, e.g. prior to inserting the cartridge in the dealer shoe. To properly store this cap, the playing cards manipulation device may comprise a holding means to hold this cap being removed from the cartridge.

According to a first particular facet of the first aspect of the invention, the playing cards manipulation device further may comprise a container for holding the open box, said open box fits completely into the container.

Such container can be used as a receptacle for the box. The container can be used to store the box temporarily while loading or unloading the box with playing cards. The container can temporarily be stored in a void space in e.g. a card playing table. The boxes may be taken in and out of the container when needed. If present, the grip may be used to insert or pull out the box from the container.

According to some embodiments, the container may have lid covering an insert opening of the container delimited by container walls.

This opening can be used to insert playing cards via this opening in the box.

According to some embodiments, between the lid and at least one of the container walls, a slit may be provided.

The slit is large enough to slip in a playing card into the container. As such, playing cards can be slid into the container, hence into the box without opening the lid.

According to some embodiments, the face wall of the open box may be an open surface, the face wall of the open box faces the lid when the open box is inserted in the container.

According to some embodiments, the inner surface of the container may fit the outer surface of the open box. When playing cards are slid into the container, the playing cards will fall into the open box via the open face wall.

In case the bottom wall of the open box has a grip along the rim of the bottom wall being remote from the backwall, this grip can be used to pull the open box out of the container when the lid is opened.

According to some embodiments, the container may have a holding means to hold a seal. According to some embodiments, the container may have a lid being rotatably fixed to the container at a first side of the container, the holding means for holding the seal is part of the lid, e.g. being present at the upper side of the lid, and the cap is held at the side of the lid away from said first side.

According to some embodiments, the container may have a holding means to hold the cap of a cartridge.

According to some embodiments, the container may have a lid being rotatably fixed to the container at a first side of the container, the holding means for holding the cap is part of the lid, e.g. being present at the upper side of the lid, and the cap is held at the side of the lid away from said first side.

As such, a location to store the cap during the playing of a card game is provided.

According to a second particular facet of the first aspect of the invention, the playing cards manipulation device further may comprise a cover to cover at least one of the face side being opposite to the backwall and the top side being the opposite to the bottom wall. The face side and/or the top side of the open box may be open, i.e. uncovered. The cover may be used to temporarily close these open sides or faces of the open box during transportation of the playing cards manipulation device, and avoids card being held by the open box to fall out of the open box. According to some embodiments, the cover may cover the face side being opposite to the backwall and the top side being the opposite to the bottom wall.

According to some embodiments, the cover may have a hooked shape, also referred to as an L shape, e.g. an L-shaped plate, such as an L-shaped polymeric plate. According to some embodiments, the short side of the L-shape may cover the face side of the open box. According to some embodiments, the long side of the L-shape may cover the top side of the open box.

According to some embodiments, in the plane opposite the bottom wall, two wall sections may be provided. For each lateral wall, one wall section is connected to the side of the lateral wall along the length of the side of the lateral wall, the edge of the wall section being oriented away from the opposite lateral wall. The cover may comprise one or more sliding means for receiving one of these wall sections during mounting the cover to the open box. The cover may slide from the face side of the open box downwards to the back wall, while the sliding means fit over the wall sections. Possibly the sliding means may exercise a force to the wall sections, e.g. a clamping force, necessitating a minimum force to be applied to open or remove the cover from the open box by sliding the cover in opposite direction.

According to some embodiments, the playing cards manipulation device may comprise a coupling means to releasably couple the open box to the cover. Such coupling means may be a hook-and-loop coupling means, one or more sets of magnets, or a physical coupling means of male and female parts, where a male part connects with a female part, e.g. by pushing the male to the female part and e.g. clicking one into the other. This coupling means causes the two parts, i.e. the cover and the open box, to form temporarily a partially or completely closed volume from which cards being present in the open box, can leave only on purpose, or even cannot leave while keeping the coupling closed.

According to some embodiments, at the face side of the open box opposite to the backwall, an opening or slit may be provided between the open box and the cover when the open box and the cover are coupled. The playing cards manipulation device in coupled state may be inserted in an appropriate opening in a playing table, the face side facing upwards and extending above the playing table surface. Cards to be removed from the table may be provided into the playing cards manipulation device through this slit or opening. The cards fall into the open box downwards to the backwall. The slit, which preferably has at least the width of the short or long side of the playing card, may be provided by dimensioning one of one of the lateral sides such that it does not touch the side of the cover closing the face side of the open box, e.g. the short side of the L-shaped cover. As an example, for the two points most remote from the backwall of the side of the two lateral walls opposite to the bottom wall, the point most remote from the backwall of the side opposite to the bottom wall of one of the lateral walls may extend less far from the backwall as compared to the point most remote from the backwall of the side opposite to the bottom wall of the other of the two lateral walls. As such, between the lateral wall with the point most remote from the backwall of the side opposite to the bottom wall of one of the lateral walls, which point is less far remote, a slit may be provided between this lateral wall and the short side of the L-shaped cover. Alternatively, slits may be provided along both lateral walls. Also as an alternative, the bottom wall of the open box is so dimensioned that it does not tough the cover when the open box and the cover are coupled to each other. as such a slit may be provided between the cover and the bottom wall of the open box.

The playing cards manipulation device, with connected open box and cover, may be positioned into an opening in the playing table, such that the slit is flush with the surface of the playing table. Played cards can easily be slipped into the slit, after which this card is and remains stored in the void of the open box.

According to some embodiments, the playing cards manipulation device may comprise a cover, the playing cards manipulation device comprising a holding means to hold a seal, the holding means to hold a seal being part of the cover.

According to some embodiments, the playing cards manipulation device may comprise a cover, the playing cards manipulation device comprising a holding means to hold the cap of a cartridge, the holding means to hold the cap of a cartridge being part of the cover.

According to some embodiments, the playing cards manipulation device may comprise a cover having an L-shape, the playing cards manipulation device comprises a holding means to hold a seal and/or a holding means to hold the cover of a dealer shoe, holding means to hold a seal and/or a holding means to hold the cover of a dealer shoe being part of the short side of the L-shape.

Hence according to some embodiments, the cover may have a holding means to hold the cover of a dealer shoe. As such, a location to store the cover of the dealer shoe during the playing of a card game is provided.

According to some embodiments, the cover may have a holding means to hold a seal. As such, a location to store the seal during the playing of a card game is provided.

According to some embodiments, the cover and the open box may be provided from non-transparent polymer.

The playing cards manipulation device according to the first aspect of the invention can be used to store the played playing cards during a card game. Once the card game is finished, the playing cards manipulation device contains the played cards. It can be used to return the played playing cards back to the back office of the casino, or it can be used to insert the played playing cards back into a void place in the cartridge from which the playing cards are drawn, typically using a dealer shoe.

Hence it avoids that playing cards, even played playing cards, are touched by persons, except for the dealer during playing of the card game. Hence it avoids manipulations to the playing cards themselves, which manipulations can be a source of fraudulent activity, like taking away of playing cards to be able to cheat in another card game with this stolen playing card.

According to a second aspect, a playing cards manipulation device according to the first aspect of the invention is used to store playing cards, e.g. dealt playing cards from a set of playing cards, and this e.g. during the period a card play is played. Hence the use of a playing cards manipulation device according to the first aspect of the invention to store playing cards in a casino, preferably at a casino table is provided. The playing cards manipulation device according to the first aspect of the invention is used to transport playing cards, e.g. dealt playing cards from a set of playing cards, e.g. from a playing table in a casino to the back office of the casino.

In the figures, the same references refer to the same or a similar element of the device or apparatus.

A playing cards manipulation device <NUM> for holding and/or manipulating a set of playing cards is shown in <FIG>. The playing card manipulation device comprises a container <NUM> for holding an open box <NUM>. The container <NUM> and the open box <NUM> are both provided from transparent polymer material. The open box <NUM> fits completely into the container as shown in <FIG>. The container <NUM> has lid <NUM> covering an insert opening <NUM> of the container delimited by container walls <NUM>. Between the lid <NUM> and at least one of the container walls <NUM>, a slit <NUM> is provided. The container may be inserted in an opening in a casino table, which openings perimeter nicely fits with the rim of the container walls <NUM>. As such, the slit <NUM> may be located right above the casino table surface. When the playing cards manipulation device <NUM> is located in the casino table, cards which need to be placed in the playing cards manipulation device <NUM>, can be inserted in the slit <NUM>, thereby falling into the open box <NUM> of the playing cards manipulation device <NUM>.

The face side <NUM> of the open box <NUM> is an open surface, the face wall of the open box <NUM> faces the lid <NUM> when the open box <NUM> is inserted in the container <NUM>. The face side of the open box <NUM> is the side opposite to the backwall <NUM>.

The inner surface <NUM> of the container <NUM> fits the outer surface <NUM> of the open box <NUM>.

The container <NUM> has a holding means <NUM> to hold a seal and a holding means to hold the cap <NUM> of a cartridge. More particular, the lid <NUM> is rotatably fixed to the container <NUM> at a first side <NUM> of the container <NUM>, the holding means for holding the cap <NUM> is present at the upper side <NUM> of the lid <NUM>, at the side <NUM> of the lid <NUM> away from this first side <NUM>. The lid can be detachably connected to the side of the container by a detachable coupling means comprising a male <NUM> and a female <NUM> part.

The open box <NUM> comprising at least two mutually opposite lateral walls <NUM> and <NUM>, a bottom wall <NUM> between the lateral walls and a backwall <NUM> between the lateral walls. The bottom wall <NUM> and the backwall <NUM> are connected along a coupling rib <NUM>. The open box <NUM> has a volume of a trapezoidal prism, more precisely a cuboid.

In longitudinal direction <NUM> and a sense from the backwall <NUM> towards the inner side of the open box <NUM>, the outmost point <NUM> of the side of the lateral walls <NUM> and <NUM> opposite to the bottom wall <NUM> extends beyond the outmost point <NUM> of the side of the lateral walls contacting the bottom wall <NUM>. One of the lateral walls <NUM> has a length in lateral direction <NUM> which is shorter as compared to the length of the other lateral walls <NUM>. The sides of the container <NUM> matching the shortest lateral wall <NUM> and the top side of the open box <NUM> are shorter as compared to the other walls in lateral direction. When the lid <NUM> is in closed position, a slit is provided between the lid <NUM> and these two shorter walls of the container. This combined with the shorter lateral wall <NUM> provides the slit <NUM> allowing cards to be slipped through the slit along the lateral wall <NUM> and the top side of the open box, into the void of the open box.

Along the rim of the bottom wall <NUM> being remote from the backwall <NUM> the bottom wall <NUM> has a grip <NUM>, e.g. a lip. When the open box <NUM> is to be taken out of the container <NUM>, this grip <NUM> can be used to provide grip to the open box <NUM>. The person taking out the open box <NUM> can pull the open box from the container <NUM>.

At the plane opposite the bottom wall <NUM>, two wall sections <NUM> and <NUM> are provided, each wall section <NUM> and <NUM> being connected to the side of the lateral wall <NUM> and <NUM> along the length of the side of the lateral wall <NUM> and <NUM> and facing towards the opposite lateral wall110 and <NUM>. Playing cards dropped in the open box <NUM> are prevented to fall out of the open box in a direction away from the bottom wall <NUM> during manipulation of the open box <NUM>.

The backwall <NUM> has a cut out <NUM> along a part of the side remote from the bottom wall <NUM>. This cut out may serve to allow a thumb of a person carrying the open box, to be positioned in, thereby facilitating the carrying of the open box <NUM>.

This open box, positioned in a container, on its turn positioned in an opening in the playing table, can be used to collect dealt cards from the game during the game. When the game is ended, the dealt cards preferably are reunited with the undealt cards from the set of playing cards, which are held by a cartridge. As shown in detail in <FIG>, the open box <NUM>, when taken out of the container <NUM> by e.g. opening the containers lid <NUM> and pulling out the open box <NUM> by means of the lip <NUM>, can be united with the open or at least partially opened upper surface <NUM> of the cartridge <NUM>.

Due to its shape, the open box has two sloping sides <NUM> and <NUM>, one on each side surface <NUM> and <NUM>. By introducing part of the bottom side <NUM> inside the volume of the cartridge <NUM>, until the sloping sides <NUM> and <NUM> meet the upstanding sides <NUM> and <NUM> of the cartridge <NUM>, the playing cards held in the open box can easily slide into the opened volume of the cartridge <NUM>, and this without the playing cards being present in the open box, to be taken out or significantly being manipulated. The cards just need to be pushed inwards the open volume of the cartridge, if they don't slide by themselves. To precisely orient the open box <NUM> and the cartridge <NUM>, the cartridge may have in its lower or bottom surface <NUM> a cut out <NUM>, in which the grip <NUM>, being a lip, snuggly fits in.

An alternative playing cards manipulation device <NUM> for holding and/or manipulating a set of playing cards is shown in <FIG>. <FIG> shows schematically the open box <NUM> and the cover <NUM> in disassociated position, while <FIG> shows the open box <NUM> and the cover <NUM> when being closed. <FIG> shows the open box <NUM> and the cover <NUM> in closed state.

The playing card manipulation device comprises an open box <NUM>. The open box <NUM> may be provided from transparent polymer material or from untransparent, e.g. opaque or black polymer.

The face side <NUM> of the open box <NUM> is an open surface. The face side of the open box <NUM> is the wall opposite to the backwall <NUM>.

In longitudinal direction <NUM> and a sense from the backwall <NUM> towards the inner side of the open box <NUM>, the outmost point <NUM> of the side of the lateral walls <NUM> and <NUM> opposite to the bottom wall <NUM> extends beyond the outmost point <NUM> of the side of the lateral walls contacting the bottom wall <NUM>.

At the plane opposite the bottom wall <NUM>, two wall sections <NUM> and <NUM> are provided, each wall section <NUM> and <NUM> being connected to the side of the lateral wall <NUM> and <NUM> along the length of the side of the lateral wall <NUM> and <NUM> and facing away from the opposite lateral wall <NUM> and <NUM>.

The playing cards manipulation device <NUM> further comprises a cover <NUM>, being an L-shaped polymer plate, having a long side <NUM> and a short side <NUM>. The cover <NUM> may be provided from transparent polymer material or from untransparent, e.g. opaque or black polymer.

Along the two long sides <NUM> of the cover <NUM>, a series of sliding means <NUM> are provided, which are adapted to slide over the wall sections <NUM> and <NUM> of the open box <NUM>, when the cover1200 is mount to the open box <NUM> by sliding the cover over the face side of the open box <NUM> in longitudinal direction <NUM>. The sliding means <NUM> may slightly clamp to the wall sections <NUM> and <NUM> such that a minimum force is needed to move the cover versus the open box, e.g. for opening or closing the open box with the cover.

The cover <NUM> has a holding means <NUM> to hold a seal <NUM> and a holding means <NUM> to hold the cap <NUM> of a cartridge. More particular, the holding means <NUM> for holding the cap <NUM> and the holding means <NUM> to hold a seal <NUM> are present at the outer surface <NUM> of the cover, which surface is delimited by the short sides <NUM> of the cover <NUM>.

As best visible in <FIG>, one of the lateral walls <NUM> has a length in lateral direction <NUM> which is shorter as compared to the length of the other lateral walls <NUM>. When the cover and the open box are associated, a slit <NUM> is provided between the cover <NUM> and the edge of the shortest lateral wall <NUM>, while the top edges of the other lateral wall <NUM> and the bottom wall <NUM> touch the covers <NUM> inner side. The combination of the open box <NUM> and cover <NUM>, in closed state, may be inserted in an opening in a casino table, which openings perimeter nicely fits with the circumference of combination of the open box <NUM> and cover <NUM>. The depth of the opening in the casino table is preferably chosen such that at least part of the slit <NUM> extends above the casino tables surface. Cards which need to be placed in the playing cards manipulation device <NUM>, can be inserted in the slit <NUM>, thereby falling into the open box <NUM> of the playing cards manipulation device <NUM>.

This playing cards manipulation device <NUM> thus can be used to collect dealt cards from the game during the game. When the game is ended, the dealt cards preferably are reunited with the undealt cards from the set of playing cards, which are held by a cartridge. As shown in detail in <FIG>, the open box <NUM>, with a removed cover <NUM>, can be united with the open or at least partially opened upper surface <NUM> of the cartridge <NUM>. Due to its shape, the open box <NUM> has two sloping sides <NUM> and <NUM>, one on each lateral walls <NUM> and <NUM>. By introducing part of the bottom side <NUM> inside the volume of the cartridge <NUM>, until the sloping sides <NUM> and <NUM> meet the upstanding sides <NUM> and <NUM> of the cartridge <NUM>, the playing cards held in the open box can easily slide into the opened volume of the cartridge <NUM>, and this without the playing cards being present in the open box, to be taken out or significantly being manipulated. The cards just need to be pushed inwards the open volume of the cartridge, if they don't slide by themselves.

Claim 1:
A playing cards manipulation device (<NUM>) for holding and/or manipulating a set of playing cards,
wherein the playing cards manipulation device comprises an open box (<NUM>) comprising at least two mutually opposite lateral walls (<NUM>, <NUM>), a bottom wall (<NUM>) between the lateral walls, a backwall (<NUM>) between the lateral walls, the bottom wall and the backwall being connected along a coupling rib (<NUM>), a top side being the side opposite the bottom wall, and a face side being opposite the backwall,
and wherein, in longitudinal direction and a sense from the backwall towards the inner side of the box, the side of the lateral walls opposite to the bottom wall extends to an outmost remote point (<NUM>) from the backwall beyond the outmost remote point (<NUM>) from the backwall of the side of the lateral walls contacting the bottom wall, thereby providing inclined edges to said lateral walls, characterised in that the face side of the open box being the side opposite the backwall, is completely open, such that, in use, when said inclined edges are brought in contact with an opened top surface of a cartridge, the playing cards in the playing cards manipulation device can be transferred to the inner void of this cartridge (<NUM>).