CASHBOX SECURITY MECHANISM AND GAMING MACHINES WITH A CASHBOX SECURITY MECHANISM

• US 20110111866A1
• Filed: 11/09/2009
• Published: 05/12/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/09/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sg Gaming, Inc. (Scientific Games Corporation)
• Original Assignee: WMS Gaming Incorporated (Scientific Games Corporation)
• Inventors: ANTHONY, PHILIP, Lipsey, James, Zeeb, Scott, Greenberg, Jacob, Venth, William, Somen, Daniel
• Granted Patent: US 8,419,550 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/46
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3216 Construction aspects of a gaming system, e.g. housing, seats, ergonomic aspects
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/009 User recognition or proximity detection
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/06 Coin boxes

Abstract

Cashbox security mechanisms, gaming machines with a cashbox security mechanism, and methods for securing and removing a portable cashbox from a gaming machine are presented herein. The cashbox security mechanism stores and secures a cashbox, which stows currency received, for example, from a currency processing device. The cashbox security mechanism includes an outer housing, such as a gaming machine cabinet or a substructure mounted inside a cabinet. An inner chassis mates with and retains the cashbox. The inner chassis and a security door are pivotably mounted with respect to the outer housing. The security door and inner chassis are positionable to cooperatively secure the cashbox within the cashbox security mechanism. Likewise, the security door and inner chassis are respositionable to cooperatively define an access chute through which the cashbox is removable from the cashbox security mechanism.

Claims

1. A gaming machine for playing a wagering game, the gaming machine being configured to receive a portable cashbox for retaining currency deposited into the gaming machine, the gaming machine comprising:

a cabinet having at least one input configured to receive currency from a player;

a display positioned relative to the cabinet and configured to display an outcome of the wagering game;

a currency processing device positioned relative to the cabinet and configured to process currency received via the at least one input;

an inner chassis configured to hold the cashbox, the inner chassis being movably mounted inside the cabinet to selectively transition between first and second chassis positions; and

a security door movably mounted inside the cabinet to selectively transition between first and second security door positions;

wherein the security door, when in the first security door position, cooperates with the inner chassis, when in the first chassis position, to secure the cashbox within the cabinet.

2. The gaming machine of claim 1, wherein the security door, when in the second security door position, cooperates with the inner chassis, when in the second chassis position, to define an access chute through which the cashbox is removable from the inner chassis.

3. The gaming machine of claim 1, further including an outer housing disposed inside the cabinet, the outer housing includes walls defining a cavity with an opening, and wherein the inner chassis is located at least partially inside of the cavity, wherein the inner chassis and the security door are movably mounted to the outer housing, the security door at least partially obstructs the opening of the cavity when in the first security door position.

4. The gaming machine of claim 1, further comprising:

a biasing member operatively engaged with the inner chassis to bias the inner chassis toward the first chassis position.

5. The gaming machine of claim 1, further comprising:

a motion damper operatively engaged with the inner chassis to dampen movement of the inner chassis when transitioning between the first chassis position and the second chassis position.

6. The gaming machine of claim 1, wherein the movement of the inner chassis is rotational.

7. The gaming machine of claim 1, wherein transitioning the inner chassis from the first chassis position to the second chassis position urges the security door from the first to the second security door position via a mechanical coupling.

8. The gaming machine of claim 7, wherein transitioning the inner chassis from the first chassis position to the second chassis position occurs under the force of gravity on the inner chassis.

9. The gaming machine of claim 8, wherein the mechanical coupling comprises a guide pin protruding from one of the inner chassis and the security door, the guide pin being slidably received in a guide channel defined by the other of the inner chassis and the security door.

10. The gaming machine of claim 1, further comprising:

a chassis latch selectively coupling with the inner chassis, the chassis latch retaining the inner chassis in the first chassis position when coupled thereto; and

a lock box in operative communication with the chassis latch, the lock box controlling the selective coupling of the chassis latch with the inner chassis.

11. The gaming machine of claim 1, further comprising:

an access door pivotably mounted to the cabinet to transition between a first access door position at which the access door obstructs access to the inner chassis and the security door and a second access door position at which the access door provides access to the inner chassis and the security door.

12. A cashbox security mechanism for securing a cashbox configured to stow currency received from a currency processing device of a gaming establishment, the security mechanism comprising:

an outer housing in operative communication with the currency processing device to receive currency therefrom;

an inner chassis configured to retain the cashbox, the inner chassis being mounted to the outer housing to selectively transition between first and second chassis positions; and

a security door mounted to the outer housing to selectively transition between first and second security door positions;

wherein the security door, when in the first security door position, cooperates with the inner chassis, when in the first chassis position, to secure the cashbox within the outer housing; and

wherein the security door, when in the second security door position, cooperates with the inner chassis, when in the second chassis position, to define an access chute through which the cashbox is removable from the cashbox security mechanism.

13. The security mechanism of claim 12, wherein the security door is attached to the inner chassis via a mechanical coupling such that moving the inner chassis to or from the first chassis position urges the security door to or from the first security door position, respectively, whereby the mechanical coupling synchronizes transitioning of the security door and inner chassis between respective first and second positions.

14. A gaming machine for playing a wagering game, comprising:

a cabinet having at least one display for displaying a randomly selected outcome of the wagering game;

a currency processing device within the cabinet for receiving currency from the player for playing the wagering game;

a removable cashbox located inside the cabinet and stowing the currency received by the currency processing device;

a moveable chassis holding the portable cashbox, the chassis being moveable between a first chassis position and a second chassis position, the portable cashbox being secured within the cabinet when the moveable chassis is in the first chassis position and being removable from the cabinet when the moveable chassis is in the second chassis position;

an access door fixed to the cabinet that, when opened, permits removal of the portable cashbox when the moveable chassis is in the second chassis position; and

a lock assembly that, when actuated, automatically causes the moveable chassis to transition from the first chassis position to the second chassis position.

15. The gaming machine of claim 14, wherein the lock assembly, when actuated, automatically causes the moveable chassis to transition from the first chassis position to the second chassis position due to the force of gravity on the moveable chassis.

16. The gaming machine of claim 14, wherein the lock assembly, when actuated, unlocks the access door.

17. The gaming machine of claim 16, wherein the lock assembly, when actuated, automatically causes the access door to move toward an open position to permit removal of the portable cashbox.

18. The gaming machine of claim 17, wherein the moveable chassis and the access door are coupled through a mechanical coupling, the transition of the moveable chassis from the first chassis position to the second chassis position automatically causing the access door to move to the open position.

19. The gaming machine of claim 18, wherein the mechanical coupling comprises a cable.

20. The gaming machine of claim 17, wherein the lock mechanism, when actuated, automatically causes the moveable chassis to transition from the first chassis position to the second chassis position and the access door to open due to the force of gravity on the moveable chassis.

21. The gaming machine of claim 14, further including a moveable security door that cooperates with the moveable chassis to secure the portable cashbox and to define an access chute through which the portable cashbox is removable from the cabinet.

22. The gaming machine of claim 21, wherein the moveable security door is moveable between a first security door position at which the portable cashbox is secured and a second security door position at which the access chute is defined, the moveable security door is coupled to the chassis through a mechanical coupling, the security door being automatically moveable between the first security door position and the second security door position due to the force of gravity on the moveable chassis.

23. The gaming machine of claim 14, wherein the moveable chassis is moveable between the first chassis position and the second chassis position through rotational movement.

24. A method for securing a cashbox inside a wagering game machine, comprising:

passing the cashbox through an access opening defined in a cabinet of the wagering game machine;

placing the cashbox inside a chassis movably mounted inside the cabinet of the wagering game machine, the chassis defining an opening through which the cashbox is received; and

moving the chassis from an unsecured orientation at which the chassis opening is aligned with the cabinet access opening such that the cashbox is receivable by the chassis to a securing orientation at which the chassis opening is misaligned with the cabinet access opening such that the cashbox is secured inside the chassis.

25. The method of claim 24, further comprising:

moving a security door from an unblocking orientation, at which the security door and chassis collectively define an access chute through which the cashbox is removable from the chassis, to a blocking orientation, at which the security door obstructs the chassis opening thereby securing the cashbox inside the chassis.

26. A method for removing a portable cashbox from a cabinet of a wagering game machine, the method comprising:

activating a lock mechanism to thereby unlatch a movable chassis, the cashbox being stowed inside the movable chassis, wherein activating the lock mechanism automatically;

pivots the movable chassis, under the force of gravity, from a secured orientation at which the cashbox is locked inside the cabinet to an unsecured orientation at which the cashbox is removable from the cabinet;

triggers an access door latch mechanism to thereby unlatch an access door movably mounted to cabinet; and

opens the access door so that cash box is accessible;

removing the portable cashbox from the movable chassis and wagering game machine cabinet.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein activating the lock mechanism also automatically:

pivots a security door, under the force of the moving chassis, from a blocking orientation to an unblocking orientation at which the security door and the chassis collectively define an access chute through which the cashbox is removable from the chassis.