Card Viewing Device

Abstract

This invention is directed toward devices which all a person to view playing cards without having to actually pick up the cards themselves. There are two basic versions of the invention: a portable version which can be carried by the user, and an installed version which sits in a cavity cut out from a card playing table. Both versions have sides to prevent others from seeing the cards, a mirror to reflect the cards up onto the eyes of the user while the cards remain face down on the table, and a ramp, or means by which a user can pull cards from a table over the mirror. A number of accessory items can be added to the installed version, such as advertising gaskets between the rim of the device and the table, various LCD screens and control buttons displayed around the edges of the devices, and other such add-ons.

1 . A device for playing a game of cards: comprising a mirror, where the mirror has three or more sides and a reflective surface on at least one side, means to manually move one or more cards, where the one or more cards are in a face down position, over the mirror, such that a user of the invention can see a reflection of the one or more cards in the mirror, means to prevent others from viewing the reflection of the one or more cards in the mirror, and means to hold the mirror in a stationary position. 
   
   
       2 . The device of  claim 1 , where the device is intended to be embedded into a card playing table, and where the means to manually move one or more cards is a flat, clear, piece of non-flexible material and the device additionally comprises one or more embeddable sides which are of a size, a shape, and a configuration to fit into a cavity, with one or more sides, which has been created in a table, and where the means to prevent others from viewing the reflection of the one or more cards in the mirror, is the one or more side of the cavity, which prevent the other players from seeing the reflection in the mirror, and means to hold the mirror in a stationary position is the one or more sides which are of a size, a shape, and a configuration to fit into a cavity. 
   
   
       3 . The device of  claim 2 , where the one or more embeddable sides are in the shape of a circle, and the cavity is in the shape of a circle. 
   
   
       4 . The device of  claim 2 , where the flat, clear, piece of non-flexible material additionally comprises a lip, which is an extension of the flat, clear, piece of non-flexible material which extends over the cavity, such that the device can rest on the lip. 
   
   
       5 . The device of  claim 4 , where the lip additionally comprises one or more holes through which screws or other means of attachment can be placed to secure the device to the table. 
   
   
       6 . The device of  claim 4 , where the device additionally comprises an advertising gasket, which is of a size and shape such that it fits under the lip and above the table, such that a user of the invention can view advertising material contained in the gasket. 
   
   
       7 . The device of  claim 4 , where the device additionally comprises an LCD screen, upon which advertising material can be viewed. 
   
   
       8 . The device of  claim 4 , where the device additionally comprises one or more buttons located on the lip, where the one or more buttons are electronically connected to one or more services provided by the owner of the card tables, said one or more services comprising food and beverages where the user of the invention can order food and beverages, and reserve a table for future food and beverages by activating the one or more buttons. 
   
   
       9 . The device of  claim 4 , where the device additionally comprises one or more buttons located on the lip, where the one or more buttons are electronically connected to one or more services provided by the owner of the card tables, said one or more services comprising entertainment. 
   
   
       10 . The device of  claim 2 , where the mirror is convex. 
   
   
       11 . The device of  claim 2 , where the mirror is concave. 
   
   
       12 . A device for viewing playing cards comprising
 a plug, where the plug fits into a hole cut into a table, where the plug comprises a cavity portion and an above table portion, where at least part of the cavity portion is enclosed by the table,   where the above table portion comprises a lip and a clear ramp, where the lip prevents the plug from falling through the hole cut into the table,   where the cavity portion comprises a side and a mirror, where the mirror is at an end of the plug opposite from that of the clear ramp.   
   
   
       13 . The device of  claim 12 , where the side comprises a tab, where the tab comprises a screw hole, where the tab and corresponding screw hole can be used to secure the plug to the table. 
   
   
       14 . The device of  claim 12 , where the side comprises a non-reflective material. 
   
   
       15 . The device of  claim 12 , where the lip comprises a hole, where the hole is used to secure the plug to the table. 
   
   
       16 . The device of  claim 12 , where the lip is an extended lip. 
   
   
       17 . The device of  claim 16 , where the extended lip comprises a button. 
   
   
       18 . The device of  claim 16 , where the extended lip comprises an LCD screen. 
   
   
       19 . The device of  claim 12 , where the clear ramp is level with the table. 
   
   
       20 . A device for viewing playing cards comprising
 a plug, where the plug fits into a hole cut into a table, where the plug comprises a cavity portion and an above table portion, where at least part of the cavity portion is enclosed by the table,   where the above table portion comprises a lip and a clear ramp, where the lip prevents the plug from falling through the hole cut in the table, where the lip comprises a hole, where the hole is used to secure the plug to the table,   where the cavity portion comprises a side and a mirror, where the mirror is at an end of the plug opposite from that of the clear ramp, where the side comprises a tab, where the tab comprises a screw hole, where the tab and corresponding screw hole can be used to secure the plug to the table, where the clear ramp is level with the table.