Slant-type gaming machine

• US 7,267,613 B2
• Filed: 09/12/2003
• Issued: 09/11/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/17/2003
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: COLE Kepro International LLC
• Original Assignee: COLE Industries LLC
• Inventors: Cole, Joseph W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Laneau; Ronald
• Assistant Examiner(s): Deodhar; Omkar A.
• Application Number:
  US10/661,853
• Publication Number:
  US 20050026702A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,460 Days
• Field of Search: 463/36, 463/46, 463/11, 463/20, 463/47, 273/143.R, 273/148.R, 273/138.1, 273/138.2, 345/156, 400/691, D21/37, D21/369, D21/370, D21/327, D21/38, 194/350, 248674-676, 248/27.1, 248/27.3, 248/124.1, 248917- 24, 248/346.6, 248/317, 248/118, 108/32, 108/52.1, 108/145, 348/794, 348/836, 361682-684, 361724-727, 361/823, 312/7.2, 312/223, 312/257, 312/246
• US Class Current: 463/20
• 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

Abstract

The invention comprises various gaming machine features and a slant-top type gaming machine. In one embodiment, a cabinet has a play area between an upwardly extending console and a supporting base portion. The console has an opening. A display and bezel are movable mounted to the console, blocking the opening in one position and allowing access to the opening in another. A game controller in the cabinet is accessible through the opening. The controller is mounted on a movable platform, allowing the controller to be moved into alignment with the opening. A ticket printer is located in the cabinet and expels tickets into a coin tray. Access doors provide access to a storage area defined by the supporting base portion.

Claims

1. A gaming machine comprising:

a cabinet defining an interior space, said cabinet having a base portion, a play area and a console portion, said play area located between said base portion and said console portion, said play area extending forwardly beyond said base portion, said console portion extending upwardly from said play area, said console area having a stationary front face having an access opening therein;

a display mounted to said cabinet for movement between a first position in which said display is located at said access opening and closes said access opening and access to said interior space of said cabinet is prevented through said access opening, and a second position in which at least a portion of said display is positioned outwardly of said access opening whereby an interior area of said cabinet is accessible through said access opening; and

a bezel defining a display opening, said bezel having a top portion and a bottom portion, said bottom portion mounted to said console portion of said cabinet for rotational movement about a horizontal axis relative to said front face of said console portion between a closed position in which, when said display is in said first position, said bezel is positioned over said display with said display viewable through said display opening and in which said bezel prevents movement of said display to said second position, and an open position in which said top portion of said bezel is rotated forwardly away from said front face of said console portion about said horizontal axis, wherein access to said interior portion of said cabinet through said access opening is prevented by said display, but said bezel in said open position permitting said display to be rotated to said second position, providing access to said interior of said cabinet.

2. The gaming machine in accordance with claim 1 wherein said cabinet has a generally vertically extending rear surface and said front face slopes rearwardly towards said rear surface, and including a controller platform mounted to said rear surface of said cabinet at least partially behind said access opening in said front face, said controller platform rotatable from a first position in which a base portion of said controller platform is generally horizontal to a second position in which said base portion of said controller platform tilts forwardly away from said rear surface towards said rearwardly sloping front face.

3. The gaming machine in accordance with claim 1 wherein said display has a top edge, a bottom edge and a pair of opposing edges which are positioned adjacent portions of said front face of said console portion of said cabinet when said display is in said first position.

4. The gaming machine in accordance with claim 1 wherein a plurality of player input buttons are mounted to said play area in front of said bezel and display, said player input buttons positioned so that when said bezel is rotated to said open position, said bezel extends over said player input buttons with said display opening in said bezel aligned over said player input button, permitting actuation of said player input buttons through said display opening.

5. A gaming machine comprising:

a cabinet defining an interior space, said cabinet having a base portion, a play area and a console portion, said play area located between said base portion and said console portion, said play area extending forwardly beyond said base portion, said console portion extending upwardly from said play area, said console area having a front face having an access opening therein;

a display having a pair of opposing sides, a first pair of pins extending outwardly from said opposing sides and a second pair of pins extending outwardly from said opposing sides, said first pair of pins positioned above said second pair of pins, said first pair of pins each selectively engaging slots in a first pair of mounts positioned at opposing sides of said opening in said console portion and said second pair of pins each selectively engaging slots in a second pair of mounts positioned at opposing sides of said opening in said console, said first and second pairs of pins when engaging said slots in said first and second pairs of mounts positioning said display at said access opening in said console portion generally closing said access opening, said first and second pairs of pins when disengaged from said slots in said first and second pairs of mounts disengaging said display from said cabinet, and said first pair of pins when disengaged from said first pair of mounts while said second pair of pins remains engaged with said second pair of mounts permitting said display to be rotated about said second pair of pins about a horizontal axis to a position in which at least a portion of said display is positioned outwardly of said access opening; and

a bezel defining a display opening, said bezel mounted to said cabinet for movement between a closed position in which, when said display is in said first position, said bezel is positioned over said display with said display viewable through said display opening and in which said bezel prevents movement of said display to said second position, and an open position in which said bezel is rotated away from said front face of said console portion and said display blocks said access opening unless said display is rotated to said second position, providing access to said interior of said cabinet.

6. The gaming machine in accordance with claim 5 including a controller platform located in said interior space, said gaming controller mounted to said controller platform, said controller platform mounted for movement.

7. The gaming machine in accordance with claim 6 wherein said controller platform is mounted for movement between a first position in which a base portion of said controller platform supporting said gaming controller is generally horizontal and a second position in which said base portion of said controller platform is tilted forwardly towards said access opening in said console portion.

8. The gaming machine in accordance with claim 5 including a stop limiting forward rotation of said display to its second position.

9. The gaming machine in accordance with claim 5 wherein a plurality of player input buttons are mounted to said play area in front of said bezel and display, said player input buttons positioned so that when said bezel is rotated to said open position, said bezel extends over said player input buttons with said display opening in said bezel aligned over said player input button, permitting actuation of said player input buttons through said display opening.

10. The gaming machine in accordance with claim 5 wherein each of said pins engages a slot having an open end which permits said pin to be removably inserted into and out of said slot.