Playing card cartridge

Abstract

A playing card cartridge includes a container adapted to couple to a card dispensing shoe, the container defining a volume. The container has a set of playing cards in the volume, and the volume of the container is sealed by one or more seals. The container has a top wall, a front wall and side walls, the top wall being slidingly connected to the side walls and being adapted to slide towards the front wall. The top wall is prevented from sliding by at least a first seal.

1 . A playing card cartridge comprising a container adapted to couple to a card dispensing shoe, the container defining a volume, said container comprising a set of playing cards in said volume, said volume of said container is sealed by one or more seals, wherein said container comprises a top wall, a front wall and side walls, the top wall being slidingly connected to the side walls and being adapted to slide towards the front wall, the top wall is prevented from sliding by at least a first seal, each of the cards have a card identity code. 
     
     
         2 . The playing card cartridge according to  claim 1 , wherein the cartridge comprises a data storage means. 
     
     
         3 . The playing card cartridge according to  claim 2 , wherein said data storage means stores information on a sequence of the cards in the set of playing cards held by the cartridge. 
     
     
         4 . The playing card cartridge according to  claim 2 , wherein the data storage means is integrated in the cartridge. 
     
     
         5 . The playing card cartridge according to  claim 2 , wherein the data storage means is a SIM card or a micro-SIM card. 
     
     
         6 . The playing card cartridge according to  claim 2 , wherein the data storage means is part of the at least a first seal. 
     
     
         7 . The playing card cartridge according to  claim 1 , wherein a lower rim of the top wall is oriented towards the front wall, an upper rim of the front wall is oriented towards the top wall, the lower rim of the top wall extends over the upper rim of the front wall. 
     
     
         8 . The playing card cartridge according to  claim 7 , wherein a pushing means to push the playing cards towards a front end of the container is provided in the volume of the container. 
     
     
         9 . The playing card cartridge according to  claim 8 , wherein the upper rim of the top wall is oriented away from the front wall, the cartridge comprises a stopping means to prevent the upper rim of the top wall to slide beyond the pushing means. 
     
     
         10 . The playing card cartridge according to  claim 9 , wherein the stopping means comprises a protrusion on the pushing means at a pushing means side oriented towards the top wall, the stopping means further comprises a recess present in the top wall, the recess in the top wall being provided along a length of the top wall and ending before the upper rim of the top wall, said protrusion on the pushing means sliding in said recess present in the top wall. 
     
     
         11 . The playing card cartridge according to  claim 9 , wherein the stopping means comprises a protrusion at an inner side of the top wall, said protrusion protruding inwards the cartridge such that the protrusion extends beyond an upper side of the pushing means. 
     
     
         12 . The playing card cartridge according to  claim 1 , wherein said container comprises a front wall, the front wall having a card exit means allowing cards to be taken out of the volume of the container, the cartridge comprising a closing lid closing said card exit means, said closing lid being sealed to the container by at least one seal. 
     
     
         13 . The playing card cartridge according to  claim 1 , wherein said cartridge comprises a track and trace means, being an RFID label. 
     
     
         14 . The playing card cartridge according to  claim 12 , wherein said at least one seal has a T-shaped cross section in axial direction, along a body of the T-shaped cross section of the seal, at least one barb is provided having its opening oriented towards a head of the T-shaped cross section. 
     
     
         15 . A card dealing device comprising:
 at least one playing card cartridge, and   a card dealing shoe adapted to receive said playing card cartridge,   wherein the at least one playing card cartridge comprises a container adapted to couple to a card dispensing shoe, the container defining a volume, said container comprising a set of playing cards in said volume, said volume of said container is sealed by one or more seals, wherein said container comprises a top wall, a front wall and side walls, the top wall being slidingly connected to the side walls and being adapted to slide towards the front wall, the top wall is prevented from sliding by at least a first seal, each of the cards have a card identity code,   wherein the cartridge comprises a data storage means, and   wherein the card dealing device comprises a data reading means adapted to read the data stored on the data storage means.   
     
     
         16 . The card dealing device according to  claim 15 , said card dealing device comprises a reading means adapted to read the card identity code from a playing card dealt. 
     
     
         17 . A method to provide a card dealing device, comprising
 providing the card dealing device comprising a card dealing shoe, said card dealing device being adapted to receive a playing card cartridge, said card dealing device comprising a data reading means;   providing the playing card cartridge comprising a container adapted to couple to a card dispensing shoe, the container defining a volume, said container comprising a set of playing cards in said volume, said volume of said container being sealed by one or more seals, wherein said container comprises a top wall, a front wall and side walls, the top wall being slidingly connected to the side walls and being adapted to slide towards the front wall, the top wall being prevented from sliding by at least a first seal, each of the cards have a card identity code;   coupling the playing card cartridge to the shoe; and   unsealing the cartridge by removing at least one of the one or more seals;   wherein the cartridge comprises a data storage means.   
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 17 , wherein the method further comprises obtaining the data stored in the data storage means;
 reading the card identity code from a playing card dealt;   comparing the read card identity code with the obtained data being stored in the data storage means.   
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 17 , wherein the data storage means comprises information on a sequence of the cards in the cartridge, the method further comprising: comparing the card identity code with the sequence of card identity codes in the data storage means. 
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 17 , wherein an upper rim of the top wall is oriented away from the front wall, the playing card cartridge including a stopping means to prevent the upper rim of the top wall to slide beyond a pushing means configured to push the playing cards towards a front end of the container,
 the method further comprising:   collecting dealt cards during a game played;   at an end of the game played, opening a part of the container beyond the pushing means by sliding the top wall towards the front wall;   placing the dealt cards in the open part of the container after the pushing means.