Chair Interconnection for a Gaming Machine

• US 20080039215A1
• Filed: 05/26/2005
• Published: 02/14/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/28/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sg Gaming, Inc. (Light & Wonder Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: WMS Gaming Incorporated (Light & Wonder Incorporated)
• Inventors: Hahn, Brian
• Granted Patent: US 8,029,369 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/47
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 7/72 Adaptations for incorporating lamps, radio sets, bars, telephones, ventilation, heating or cooling arrangements or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 9/022 movably mounted on a working-table or the like for hairdressers A47C1/08
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49723 including reconditioning of part

Abstract

A gaming system a chair having a base and a mechanical connector mounted to the base, and a gaming machine having a rotary locking mechanism to mate with the mechanical connector of the chair to latch the base to the gaming machine. The gaming machine and base can include an electrical connection.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a chair having a base and a mechanical connector mounted to the base; and

a gaming machine having a rotary locking mechanism to mate with the mechanical connector of the chair to latch the base to the gaming machine.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the rotary locking mechanism includes a tubular member and the mechanical connector of the base includes a cross-pin, with the tubular member adapted to receive the cross-pin of the chair base.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the gaming machine includes one or more receivers to guide one or more guide pins of the base.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the one or more receivers are float-mounted to the gaming machine.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the receivers are mounted to a spring-mounted plate.

6. The system of claim 1, further including an electrical connector on the gaming machine to mate with an electrical connector on the base.

7. A system comprising:

a chair having an electrical connector mounted to a base of the chair and a mechanical connector mounted to the base; and

a gaming machine having an electrical connector to mate with the electrical connector of the chair and a mechanical connector to mate with the mechanical connector of the chair, wherein the mechanical connector includes a rotary locking mechanism.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the electrical connector on the gaming machine is float-mounted to the gaming machine and one or more guide pins on the base mate with float-mounted receivers on the gaming machine.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the electrical connector on the gaming machine is mounted to a plate which is spring mounted to the gaming machine.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein the receivers are mounted to a spring-mounted plate.

11. The system of claim 7, wherein the electrical connector on the base is rigidly connected to the base.

12. The system of claim 7, wherein the electrical and mechanical connectors are situated such that the connections happen substantially simultaneously.

13. The system of claim 7, wherein the chair includes electronics and an electrical connection runs from the electronics through the base and towards a front of the base.

14. An apparatus comprising:

a connection assembly mountable to a gaming machine, the connection assembly including an electrical connector float-mounted to the gaming machine and a mechanical coupling member, wherein the mechanical coupling member includes a tubular member adapted to receive a mating cross-pin of a chair base to latch the base to the gaming machine.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the electrical connector on the gaming machine is mounted to a plate which is spring-mounted to the gaming machine.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the plate further includes receivers to mate with pins on the chair base.

17. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the connection assembly includes one or more receiver holes to guide a guide pin of the base of the chair when the base is mounted to the assembly.

18. A method comprising:

sliding a chair base toward a gaming machine;

electrically coupling the chair base to the gaming machine via a floating connector on the gaming machine; and

mechanically coupling the chair base to the gaming machine by receiving a pin member on the base into a tubular member on the gaming machine.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein electrically coupling includes electrically coupling a speaker attached to the chair to the gaming machine.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein electrically coupling includes coupling a receptacle connector on the base to a plug connector on the gaming machine.

21. A system comprising:

a gaming machine having an electrical connector and a mechanical connector;

a chair having a base, the base having a mechanical connector to mate with the mechanical connector of the gaming machine and an electrical connector to mate with the electrical connector of the gaming machine, wherein the base electrical connector is exposed on a front end of the base and is located below a top surface of the base.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the mechanical connector on the base is higher than the top surface of the base.

23. The system of claim 21, wherein one or more guide pins on the base mate with float-mounted receivers on the gaming machine.

24. The system of claim 21, wherein the electrical connector on the gaming machine is float-mounted to the gaming machine.