Handheld card dealer

Abstract

A card dealing structure that is preferably handheld and allows a user to manually advance a top card from a supply of cards provided in a recess of the structure. The user advances the top card to a card dispensing slot. A rotatable drive member in the card dispensing slot is activated to eject the card through the dispensing slot. Preferably the rotatable drive member is a foam wheel that allows some slippage of a card if the user exerts a drag force. Preferably, the user, by exerting a drag force, can control the speed of the ejected card. In addition, by being handheld, the angle of ejection can be used to aim the ejected card and indirectly control speed, as well as the orientation of the ejected card when it comes to rest.

1 . A card dealing structure comprising a card supply recess sized to receive a deck of cards therein, card guide surface for guiding an advanced card of the deck of cards to a card dispensing slot when the advanced card is manually advanced by a user, a rotatable drive member located in said card dispensing slot for engaging said advanced card and ejecting the advanced card out of said card slot; said card dispensing slot cooperating with said card guide surface to separate only the advanced card from the deck of cards as the advanced card is manually advanced to said card dispensing slot, and a motor for driving said rotatable drive member. 
   
   
       2 . A card dealing structure as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said structure is handheld to dispense cards individually with a single hand. 
   
   
       3 . A card dealing structure as claimed in  claim 2  wherein said rotatable drive member is a foam wheel. 
   
   
       4 . A card dealing structure as claimed in  claim 3  wherein said foam wheel is resiliently compressed as a card is dispensed through said slot. 
   
   
       5 . A card dealing structure as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said rotatable drive member allows slippage of a card being dispensed in accordance with a drag force exerted by a user on the card during the dispensing thereof to vary the dispensing speed of the card as it leaves the dispensing slot. 
   
   
       6 . A card dealing structure as claimed in  claim 5  wherein said card supply recess is primarily open on at a top surface thereof and is closed on two sides and one end, with an opposite end of said card supply recess being limited by said card guide surface. 
   
   
       7 . A card dealing structure as claimed in  claim 6  including a card restraint member position to extend across said top surface of said card supply recess. 
   
   
       8 . A card dealing structure as claimed in  claim 5  including a card bias arrangement that cooperates with said card supply recess to adjust the level of said deck of cards consistently within a height of said card supply recess. 
   
   
       9 . A card dealing structure as claimed in  claim 8  wherein said bias arrangement is a scissor structure. 
   
   
       10 . A card dealing structure as claimed in  claim 9  wherein said scissor structure extends in the length of said card supply recess and supports cards retained in said recess along the length of said cards. 
   
   
       11 . A card dealing arrangement as claimed in  claim 4  wherein said foam drive member has a periphery immediately adjacent an opposed fixed member with a dispensed card passing therebetween, said foam drive member compressing to accommodate and engage a card as it is passing between said fixed member and said foam drive member. 
   
   
       12 . A card dealing arrangement as claimed in  claim 11  wherein said fixed member is part of the housing of said card dealing arrangement. 
   
   
       13 . A card dealing arrangement as claimed in  claim 12  including a battery supply for said motor. 
   
   
       14 . A card dealing arrangement as claimed in  claim 13  including a card sensing arrangement positioned to sense a card being manually advanced by a user to said dispensing slot, said card sensing arrangement being connected to said motor for initiating said motor when a card is sensed. 
   
   
       15 . A card dealing arrangement as claimed in  claim 14  including a timing circuit for maintaining the operation of said motor for a predetermined time period after a card has been sensed. 
   
   
       16 . A card dealing arrangement as claimed in  claim 15  wherein said card sensing arrangement is a microswitch that is activated by a card being manually moved to said dispensing slot. 
   
   
       17 . A card dealing arrangement as claimed in  claim 1  including a battery supply providing power to said motor and said dealing arrangement is handheld in one hand for dealing cards. 
   
   
       18 . A card dealing arrangement as claimed in  claim 17  wherein the top card is manually advanced by a user's thumb of the hand supporting the card dealing arrangement. 
   
   
       19 . A card dealing device comprising a card receiving cavity for receiving a supply of cards; a card drive arrangement located at one of said card receiving cavity positioned to receive a card advanced thereto from said supply of cards; said card drive arrangement including a rotatable drive member associated with a card dispensing slot through which advanced cards are ejected; said drive arrangement including an electric drive for rotating said drive member; and wherein said card receiving cavity includes a card guide surface forming a transition between said card receiving cavity and said card drive arrangement; said card guide surface causing a card being advanced from said card supply cavity to separate from said card supply and enter said drive arrangement and be ejected through said card dispensing slot. 
   
   
       20 . A card dealing device as claimed in  claim 19  wherein said drive arrangement includes a microswitch for sensing a card entering said drive arrangement; said microswitch activating an electric motor that rotates said rotatable drive arrangement.