Gaming machine with a light guiding plate subjected to a light scattering process and having a light deflection pattern

• US 20110124411A1
• Filed: 01/31/2011
• Published: 05/26/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/14/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sg Gaming, Inc. (Light & Wonder Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Universal Entertainment Corporation
• Inventors: Sekiguchi, Hirofumi, Tanimura, Tatsuhiko
• Granted Patent: US 8,241,121 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/31
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3211 Display means

Abstract

A gaming machine includes a liquid crystal display 27 having a liquid crystal panel 173 and a light guiding plate 174 placed at the rear of the liquid crystal panel 173 for guiding light emitted from illumination light means 176a, 176b for the liquid crystal panel 173 into the liquid crystal panel 173, and a variable display device placed at the rear of the liquid crystal display 27 and having a plurality of reels 3L, 3C, and 3R provided in a row each on which a plurality of symbols are arranged. Parts of the light guiding plate 174 to which the reels 3L, 3C, and 3R are opposed are cut out or are formed with recesses on the reel side and light scattering process is applied on end faces 174a, 174b, and 174c of the cutouts or the recesses.

Claims

1-3. -3. (canceled)

4. A gaming machine comprising:

a variable display device including a plurality of symbol-bearing reels for displaying symbols associated with a game outcome of a wagering game;

a front display device disposed in front of the variable display device, the front display device including a liquid crystal panel and a light guiding layer, the light guiding layer being generally parallel to the liquid crystal panel and disposed between the liquid crystal panel and the variable display device, the light guiding layer including windows aligned with respective ones of the reels, the windows having respective inner end surfaces; and

a light source positioned to emit light into the light guiding layer, the inner end surfaces being subjected to a light scattering treatment to scatter the incoming light onto at least one of the liquid crystal panel and the plurality of reels of the variable display device.

5. The gaming machine of claim 4, wherein the inner end surfaces are rough.

6. The gaming machine of claim 4, wherein the light guiding layer is formed of a translucent plate.

7. The gaming machine of claim 4, wherein the liquid crystal panel includes light transmission areas aligned with the windows in the light guiding layer, the inner end surfaces of the windows at least partially scattering the incoming light onto the transmission areas of the light guiding layer.

8. The gaming machine of claim 4, wherein the windows are generally rectangular in shape.

9. The gaming machine of claim 4, wherein the inner end surfaces of the windows at least partially scatter the incoming light onto the reels.

10. The gaming machine of claim 4, wherein the liquid crystal panel displays game effects of the wagering game.

11. The gaming machine of claim 4, wherein the light guiding layer includes a pair of opposing parallel faces, the inner end surfaces extending between the opposing faces.

12. The gaming machine of claim 4, wherein the scattering treatment is selected from a group consisting of blasting, sanding, and molding.

13. A gaming machine comprising:

a variable display device including a symbol-bearing reel for displaying symbols associated with a game outcome of a wagering game; and

a front display device disposed in front of the variable display device, the front display device including a liquid crystal panel and a light guiding layer, the light guiding layer being generally parallel to the liquid crystal panel and disposed between the liquid crystal panel and the variable display device, the light guiding layer including an window aligned with the reel, the window having an inner end surface subjected to a light scattering treatment to scatter incoming light guided by the light guiding layer onto at least one of the reel and the liquid crystal panel.

14. The gaming machine of claim 13, wherein the inner end surface is rough.

15. The gaming machine of claim 13, wherein the light guiding layer is formed of a translucent plate.

16. The gaming machine of claim 13, wherein the liquid crystal panel includes a light transmission area aligned with the window in the light guiding layer, the inner end surface of the window at least partially scattering the light guided by the light guiding layer onto the transmission area of the light guiding layer.

17. The gaming machine of claim 13, wherein the window is generally rectangular in shape.

18. The gaming machine of claim 13, wherein the inner end surface of the window at least partially scatters the light guided by the light guiding layer onto the reel.

19. The gaming machine of claim 13, further including a light source positioned to emit the light into the light guiding layer.

20. The gaming machine of claim 13, wherein the liquid crystal panel displays game effects of the wagering game.

21. The gaming machine of claim 13, wherein the light guiding layer includes a pair of opposing parallel faces, the inner end surface extending between the opposing faces.

22. The gaming machine of claim 13, wherein the scattering treatment is selected from a group consisting of blasting, sanding, and molding.

23. A gaming machine comprising:

a variable display device for displaying symbols associated with a game outcome of a wagering game; and

a front display device disposed in front of the variable display device, the front display device including a liquid crystal panel and a light guiding layer arranged in a facially opposed manner with the light guiding layer disposed between the liquid crystal panel and the variable display device, the light guiding layer including windows for viewing the symbols of the variable display device, the windows having respective inner end surfaces subjected to a light scattering treatment to scatter incoming light guided by the light guiding layer onto at least one of the variable display device and the liquid crystal panel.

24. The gaming machine of claim 23, wherein the inner end surfaces are rough.

25. The gaming machine of claim 23, wherein the light guiding layer is formed of a translucent plate.

26. The gaming machine of claim 23, wherein the liquid crystal panel includes light transmission areas aligned with the windows in the light guiding layer, the inner end surfaces of the windows at least partially scattering the light guided by the light guiding layer onto the transmission areas of the light guiding layer.

27. The gaming machine of claim 23,, wherein the windows are generally rectangular in shape.

28. The gaming machine of claim 23, wherein the variable display device includes a plurality of symbol bearing reels, the windows in the light guiding layer being aligned with respective ones of the reels, the inner end surfaces of the windows at least partially scattering the light guided by the light guiding layer onto the reels.

29. The gaming machine of claim 23, further including a light source positioned to emit the light into the light guiding layer.

30. The gaming machine of claim 23, wherein the liquid crystal panel displays game effects of the wagering game.

31. The gaming machine of claim 23, wherein the light guiding layer includes a pair of opposing parallel faces, the inner end surfaces extending between the opposing faces.

32. The gaming machine of claim 23, wherein the scattering treatment is selected from a group consisting of blasting, sanding, and molding.