Coin-operated entertainment machine

• US 5,513,846 A
• Filed: 11/03/1994
• Issued: 05/07/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 11/05/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: NSM AG
• Original Assignee: NSM AG
• Inventors: Rieck, Konrad, Niederlein, Horst, Heinen, Horst
• Primary Examiner(s): LAYNO, BENJAMIN
• Application Number:
  US08/334,392
• Time in Patent Office: 551 Days
• Field of Search: 273/143 R, 273/138 A
• US Class Current: 273/143.00R
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3213 Details of moving display elements, e.g. spinning reels, tumbling members

Abstract

A coin operated entertainment machine includes a housing, viewing windows disposed on the housing, and rotating bodies disposed within the housing behind the viewing windows. The rotating bodies have symbols thereon which can be displayed behind the viewing windows. A computer control unit determines a win or loss of a game played on the entertainment machine based on combinations, showing through the viewing windows, of the symbols on the rotating bodies. At least one enticement device is disposed within the housing and includes an enticement element visible from a region outside the housing. The enticement element further comprises individual mirror segments thereon.

Claims

1. A coin operated entertainment machine including:

a housing;

viewing windows disposed on the housing;

rotating bodies disposed within the housing behind the viewing windows, the rotating bodies having symbols thereon adapted to be displayed behind the viewing windows;

a computer control unit connected to the rotating bodies for determining a win or loss of a game played on the entertainment machine based on combinations, showing through the viewing windows, of the symbols on the rotating bodies; and

at least one enticement device disposed within the housing and including an enticement element visible from a region outside the housing, the enticement element further comprising individual mirror segments.

2. The coin-operated entertainment machine according to claim 1, wherein the enticement device is at least one of acoustic and visual.

3. The coin-operated entertainment machine according to claim 1, wherein the enticement device further includes at least one lamp for illuminating the enticement element.

4. The coin-operated entertainment machine according to claim 3, wherein the enticement device further includes a tube shaped reflector for increasing a radiation of light from the enticement element, and wherein the at least one lamp includes a plurality of lamps disposed in walls of the reflector such that light generated by the lamps is directed toward the enticement element.

5. The coin-operated entertainment machine according to claim 4, wherein the enticement device further includes a luminosity adjuster for adjusting a luminosity of the lamps.

6. The coin-operated entertainment machine according to claim 4, wherein the enticement device further includes means for setting the entertainment element into rotation, and for turning the lamps on, during times when the machine is not being used.

7. The coin-operated entertainment machine according to claim 4, wherein the enticement device further includes means for setting the entertainment element into rotation, and for turning the lamps on, when a particular game event occurs.

8. The coin-operated entertainment machine according to claim 4, wherein the enticement device further includes a speaker for producing a musical background track to accompany a rotation of the enticement element.

9. The coin-operated entertainment machine according to claim 1, wherein the enticement device further includes:

a support for rotatably supporting the enticement element; and

a drive motor for setting the enticement element into rotation.

10. The coin-operating entertainment machine according to claim 1, wherein the enticement device further includes a window pane in front of the enticement element for allowing the enticement element to be visible from a region outside the housing.

11. The coin-operated entertainment machine according to claim 1, wherein the mirror segments are of various sizes.

12. The coin-operated entertainment machine according to claim 1, wherein the mirror segments are of various colors.

13. The coin-operated entertainment machine according to claim 1, wherein the enticement element is a ball.

14. The coin-operated entertainment machine according to claim 1, wherein the enticement element is a cube.

15. The coin-operated entertainment machine according to claim 1, wherein the enticement device further includes a reflector for increasing a radiation of light from the enticement element.

16. The coin-operated entertainment machine according to claim 15, wherein the reflector includes at least one reflector mirror.

17. The coin-operated entertainment machine according to claim 15, wherein the enticement element and the reflector are disposed at an upper middle region of the entertainment machine.