Gaming machine door with adjustable cross member

• US 7,846,026 B2
• Filed: 03/26/2004
• Issued: 12/07/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: COLE Kepro International LLC
• Original Assignee: SPEC International Incorporated
• Inventors: Terpstra, Lee M., Looks, Dave J., Mc Comb, Kim D., Stephenson, Orlando W. III
• Primary Examiner(s): Lewis; David L
• Assistant Examiner(s): DUFFY, DAVID W
• Application Number:
  US10/810,911
• Publication Number:
  US 20050130746A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,447 Days
• Field of Search: 463/31, 463/46, 312/114, 312/138.1, 312/223.1, D21/325, D21/369
• 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

Abstract

A gaming machine includes a cabinet defining an internal space and a front side. The cabinet has an opening in the front side for providing access to the internal space. A door is movably mounted to the cabinet for movement between an open position providing access to the internal space, and a closed position wherein the door substantially closes off the opening in the cabinet. The door has an enlarged opening defining generally vertical spaced apart side edges. At least one screen is mounted to the door, and extends across at least a substantial portion of the opening in the door, the screen having an outside surface. A generally horizontal cross member extends across the enlarged opening, and has opposite ends positioned adjacent the vertical side edges. The cross member is adjustably secured to the door such that the vertical position of the cross member can be adjusted to vary the size of an upper portion of the enlarged opening above the cross member, and a lower portion of the enlarged opening below the cross member.

Claims

1. A gaming machine, comprising:

a cabinet defining an internal space and a front side, the cabinet having an opening in the front side for providing access to the internal space;

a door movably mounted to the cabinet for movement between an open position providing access to the internal space, and a closed position wherein the door substantially closes off the opening in the cabinet, the door having an enlarged opening defining generally vertical spaced apart side edges;

at least one sheet mounted to the door and extending across at least a substantial portion of the opening in the door, the sheet having an outside surface, at least a portion of the sheet being see-through; and

a generally horizontal cross member extending across the enlarged opening and having opposite ends positioned adjacent the vertical side edges when in any one of a plurality of vertically-adjusted positions, the cross member including fasteners removably securing the cross member to the door in a selected one of the vertically-adjusted positions, such that the vertical position of the cross member can be adjusted during installation to vary the size of an upper portion of the enlarged opening above the cross member, and a lower portion of the enlarged opening below the cross member, the cross member being visible from a front of the cabinet when the door is in the closed position.

2. The gaming machine of claim 1, wherein:

the cross member is disposed along the outside surface of the sheet.

3. The gaming machine of claim 2, wherein:

at least a first portion of the sheet is substantially transparent.

4. The gaming machine of claim 3, wherein:

at least a second portion of the sheet has a coating reducing the transmissibility of light through the sheet.

5. The gaming machine of claim 4, wherein:

a flat screen video display is mounted to the door above the cross member; and

a reel device is mounted in the cabinet below the cross member.

6. The gaming machine of claim 4, including:

a first flat screen video display mounted to the door above the cross member; and

a second flat screen video display mounted to the door below the cross member.

7. The gaming machine of claim 4, including:

a first display configured to display progressive game information mounted to the door above the cross member; and

a second flat screen video display mounted to the door below the cross member.

8. The gaming machine of claim 1, wherein:

the door defines an inner side facing the internal space; and

including;

a mount having at least one enlarged opening therethrough, and including mounting structure securing the mount to the inner side of the door; and

wherein the cross member is secured to the mount.

9. The gaming machine of claim 8, wherein:

the door includes beveled outer surfaces adjacent the vertical side edges, the beveled outer surfaces extending inwardly towards the vertical side edges; and

the cross member has beveled opposite end portions that fit closely against but that are not attached to the beveled outer surfaces of the door.

10. The gaming machine of claim 1, including a mount removably secured to an inside of the door, the cross member being secured to the mount.

11. The gaming machine of claim 10, wherein the mount comprises a flat sheet.

12. The gaming machine of claim 10, wherein the fasteners include first fasteners attaching the mount to the door, and second fasteners attaching the cross member to the mount, the first and second fasteners extending into the internal space of the machine.

13. The gaming machine of claim 1, wherein the cross member includes an outer surface forming a visible exterior part of the cabinet when the door is in the closed position.

14. A gaming machine, comprising:

a cabinet having an enlarged opening on a front side of the cabinet;

a door pivotably mounted to the cabinet, the door having an enlarged opening therethrough in registry with the enlarged opening in the cabinet when the door is in a closed position;

a mount secured to the door and having an enlarged opening therethrough; and

a cross member fastened to the mount and extending across the enlarged opening in the door, the cross member adjustably engaging the door to selectively divide the opening but being secured by the mount in a selected vertical position, wherein the cross member includes an outer surface forming a visible exterior part of the cabinet when the door is in the closed position.

15. The gaming machine of claim 14, including:

a screen secured to the door and extending across at least a substantial portion of the enlarged opening in the door.

16. The gaming machine of claim 15, wherein:

the screen defines an outside surface; and

the cross member is disposed adjacent the outside surface of the screen.

17. The gaming machine of claim 16, wherein:

at least a first portion of the screen is substantially transparent.

18. The gaming machine of claim 17, wherein:

at least a second portion of the screen has a coating reducing the transmissibility of light through the screen.

19. The gaming machine of claim 14, wherein:

a flat screen video display is mounted to the door above the cross member; and

a reel device is mounted in the cabinet below the cross member.

20. The gaming machine of claim 14, including:

a first flat screen video display mounted to the door above the cross member; and

a second flat screen video display mounted to the door below the cross member.

21. The gaming machine of claim 14, including:

a first display configured to display progressive game information mounted to the door above the cross member; and

a second flat screen video display mounted to the door below the cross member.

22. The gaming machine of claim 14, wherein:

a video display screen is mounted to the mount.

23. The gaming machine of claim 14, including first fasteners attaching the mount to the door, and second fasteners attaching the cross member to the mount.

24. The gaming machine of claim 14, wherein the mount comprises a flat sheet.

25. The gaming machine of claim 14, wherein the cross member includes ends abutting the door but that are not attached directly to the door, and further the cross member includes fasteners extending through the mount for attaching the cross member to the mount.

26. A gaming machine, comprising:

a cabinet defining an internal space and a front side, the cabinet having an opening in the front side for providing access to the internal space;

a door movably mounted to the cabinet for movement between an open position providing access to the internal space, and a closed position wherein the door substantially closes off the opening in the cabinet, the door having an enlarged opening defining vertical side edges;

at least one sheet mounted to the door and extending across at least a substantial portion of the opening in the door, the sheet having an outside surface, at least a portion of the sheet being see-through; and

a generally horizontal cross member extending across the enlarged opening and having opposite ends positioned adjacent the vertical side edges when in any one of a plurality of vertically-adjusted positions, the door including attachment structure in the internal space for attaching the cross member in any one of the vertically-adjusted positions, the cross member being a separate component but clamped against an outside of the door and secured to the door with the attachment structure in a selected one of the positions, such that the vertical position of the cross member can be adjusted during installation to vary the size of upper and lower portions of the enlarged opening above and below the cross member, wherein the cross member includes an outer surface forming a visible exterior part of the cabinet when the door is in the closed position.