What is claimed is
1. A method for sequencing a deck of playing cards comprising the steps of:
feeding playing cards of a deck of playing cards one at a time to an imaging device;
comparing the image of each playing card from the imaging device with a plurality of stored images corresponding to each playing card contained in a standard deck of playing cards to identify the position each playing card of the deck of playing cards occupies in a properly sequenced deck of cards; placing each playing card of the deck of playing cards in a temporary storage device;
following the placement of all of the playing cards of the deck of playing cards in the temporary storage device, removing the playing cards, one at a time, from the storage device to form a properly sequenced deck of cards; and
delivering the properly sequenced deck of cards to a predetermined location.
2. The method according claim 1 wherein the step of placing each card in the temporary storage device comprises placing each card in the storage device in a position identified with the rank and suit of each such card in a properly sequenced deck of cards.
3. The method according to claim 2 further including the step of determining whether a playing card is a duplicate of one previously placed in the temporary storage device, and if the playing card is a duplicate, ejecting the duplicate playing card.
4. The method according to claim 3 further including the step of determining whenever two or more cards are fed simultaneously from the deck of playing cards to an imaging device and ejecting the two or more cards without placing the two or more cards in the temporary storage device.
5. The method according to claim 1 further including the step of determining whether a playing card is a duplicate of one previously placed in the temporary storage device, and if the playing card is a duplicate, ejecting the duplicate playing card.
6. The method according to claim 5 further including the step of determining whenever two or more cards are fed simultaneously from the deck of playing cards to an imaging device and ejecting the two or more cards without placing the two or more cards in the temporary storage device.
7. The method according to claim 1 further including the step of determining whenever two or more cards are fed simultaneously from the deck of playing cards to an imaging device and ejecting the two or more cards without placing the two or more cards in the temporary storage device.
8. Apparatus for sequencing a deck of playing cards including in combination:
a hopper for holding a deck of playing cards and designed to permit removal of playing cards therefrom, one at a time;
a device for removing playing cards from the hopper one at a time;
an imaging device for imaging at least one side of a playing card and providing an output signal corresponding to the image of the playing card;
a channel for guiding a playing card removed from the hopper to the imaging device;
a temporary storage device for storing cards supplied thereto;
a control processor responsive to an output signal from the imaging device for determining the position of each card in a properly sequenced deck of cards;
apparatus for depositing cards passing from the imaging device into the temporary storage device;
mechanism operated by the control processor for removing cards from the temporary storage device, one at a time, in the order of a properly sequenced deck of cards; and
apparatus for delivering cards removed from the temporary storage device to a predetermined location.
9. The sequencing apparatus of claim 8 wherein guide channels are provided between the hopper, the imaging device, the temporary storage device, the removal mechanism and the predetermined location to permit gravity movement of cards throughout the apparatus.
10. The card sequencing apparatus according to claim 9 wherein the temporary storage device comprises a tray member having a plurality of storage compartments therein at least equal in number to the number of cards in a deck of playing cards and further wherein the mechanism for removing cards from the temporary storage device removes cards from the compartments of the tray member one compartment at a time.
11. The apparatus according to claim 10 further including a reverse card flipping mechanism located between the imaging device and the predetermined location for flipping a card from one face to the other in response to identification of reverse face of a card from the imaging device.
12. The sequencing apparatus according to claim 11 further including a device for ejecting cards whenever predetermined conditions are detected by the imaging device.
13. The sequencing apparatus according to claim 12 further including a device for ejecting all of the cards stored in the temporary storage device following removal of all of the cards from the hopper whenever the number of cards deposited in the temporary storage device is less than the number corresponding to a complete deck of playing cards.
14. The apparatus according to claim 8 further including a reverse card flipping mechanism located between the imaging device and the predetermined location for flipping a card from one face to the other in response to identification of reverse face of a card from the imaging device.
15. The sequencing apparatus according to claim 8 further including a device for ejecting cards whenever predetermined conditions are detected by the imaging device.
16. The sequencing apparatus according to claim 8 further including a device for ejecting all of the cards stored in the temporary storage device following removal of all of the cards from the hopper whenever the cards deposited in the temporary storage device do not make a complete deck of playing cards.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. An electro-catalyst composition for use in a fuel cell, said composition comprising:
(a) a catalyst un-supported or supported on an electronically conducting solid carrier; and
(b) an ion-conductive and electron-conductive coating material in physical contact with said catalyst, coated on said catalyst, andor coated on a surface of said carrier, wherein said coating material has an electronic conductivity no less than 10\u22124 Scm and ion conductivity no less than 10\u22125 Scm.
2. The electro-catalyst as defined in claim 1, wherein said electronic conductivity is no less than 10\u22122 Scm and said ion conductivity is no less than 10\u22123 Scm.
3. The electro-catalyst as defined in claim 1, wherein said coating material comprises a proton-conducting polymer.
4. The electro-catalyst as defined in claim 3, wherein said proton-conducting polymer is selected from the group consisting of poly(perfluoro sulfonic acid), sulfonated polytetrafluoroethylene, sulfonated perfluoroalkoxy derivatives of polytetrafluoroethylene, sulfonated polysulfone, sulfonated poly(ether ketone), sulfonated poly (ether ether ketone), sulfonated polystyrene, sulfonated polyimide, sulfonated styrene-butadiene copolymers, sulfonated poly chloro-trifluoroethylene, sulfonated perfluoroethylene-propylene copolymer, sulfonated ethylene-chlorotrifluoroethylene copolymer, sulfonated polyvinylidenefluoride, sulfonated copolymers of polyvinylidenefluoride with hexafluoropropene and tetrafluoroethylene, sulfonated copolymers of ethylene and tetrafluoroethylene (ETFE), polybenzimidazole (PBI), their chemical derivatives, copolymers, blends and combinations thereof.
5. The electro-catalyst as defined in claim 4, further comprising an electronically conducting polymer which forms a polymer blend with said ion-conducting polymer.
6. The electro-catalyst as defined in claim 1, wherein said coating material comprises an electrically conducting polymer.
7. The electro-catalyst as defined in claim 1, wherein said coating material comprises an electrically conducting polymer selected from the group consisting of sulfonated polyaniline, sulfonated polypyrrole, sulfonated poly thiophene, sulfonated bi-cyclic polymers, their derivatives, and combinations thereof.
8. The electro-catalyst as defined in claim 1, wherein said coating material comprises a mixture of an ion-conducting polymer and an electron-conducting polymer.
9. The electro-catalyst as defined in claim 1, wherein said coating material comprises an ion-conducting polymer which is also electronically conducting.
10. The electro-catalyst as defined in claim 1, wherein said coating material comprises an ion-conducting andor electron-conducting polymer and said catalyst or both said catalyst and its supporting solid carrier is embedded in said polymer.
11. A precursor electro-catalyst composition comprising:
(a) a catalyst dissolved or dispersed in a liquid medium; and
(b) an ion-conducting and electron-conducting polymer dissolved or dispersed in said liquid medium, wherein an electronic conductivity of said polymer, when measured in a solid state, is no less than 10\u22124 Scm and ion conductivity of said polymer, when measured in a solid state, is no less than 10\u22125 Scm.
12. The precursor electro-catalyst composition as defined in claim 11 further comprising a carrier carbon material for supporting said catalyst, wherein said catalyst comprises a transition metal element.
13. The precursor electro-catalyst composition as defined in claim 11 wherein said said polymer comprises a proton-conducting polymer selected from the group consisting of poly(perfluoro sulfonic acid), sulfonated polytetrafluoroethylene, sulfonated perfluoroalkoxy derivatives of polytetrafluoroethylene, sulfonated polysulfone, sulfonated poly(ether ketone), sulfonated poly (ether ether ketone), sulfonated polyimide, sulfonated styrene-butadiene copolymers, sulfonated polychlorotrifluoroethylene, sulfonated perfluoroethylene-propylene copolymer, sulfonated ethylene-chlorotrifluoroethylene copolymer, sulfonated polystyrene, sulfonated polyvinylidenefluoride, sulfonated copolymers of polyvinylidenefluoride with hexafluoropropene and tetrafluoroethylene, sulfonated copolymers of ethylene and tetrafluoroethylene, polybenzimidazole, their chemical derivatives, copolymers, blends, and combinations thereof.
14. The precursor electro-catalyst composition as defined in claim 11, wherein said polymer comprises an electronically conducting polymer.
15. The precursor electro-catalyst composition as defined in claim 11, wherein said polymer comprises an electrically conducting polymer selected from the group consisting of sulfonated polyaniline, sulfonated polypyrrole, sulfonated poly thiophene, sulfonated bi-cyclic polymers, their derivatives, and combinations thereof.
16. A fuel cell electrode comprising an electro-catalyst composition defined in claim 1.
17. A fuel cell membrane-electrode assembly comprising an electro-catalyst composition defined in claim 1.
18. A fuel cell comprising an electro-catalyst composition defined in claim 1.
19. The fuel cell membrane electrode assembly as defined in claim 17, further comprising a porous catalyst backing layer with a primary surface coated with an ion-conductive and electron-conductive material which is in electronic contact with said electro-catalyst composition.
20. The fuel cell membrane electrode assembly as defined in claim 19 wherein said porous catalyst backing layer comprises a carbon paper or carbon cloth.