Button panel mount for a gaming machine cabinet

• US 7,976,393 B2
• Filed: 11/16/2007
• Issued: 07/12/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/16/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Everi Games Inc. (Everi Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Multimedia Games Incorporated
• Inventors: Haga, Matthew H., DeSimone, Frank C., Gutknecht, Leroy H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Laneau; Ronald
• Application Number:
  US11/941,628
• Publication Number:
  US 20080132340A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,334 Days
• Field of Search: 463/46, 463/36, 463 20- 25, 463/47, 463/11, 273/143.R, 273/148.R, 273/138.1, 273/138.2, 345/156
• US Class Current: 463/46
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3209 Input means, e.g. buttons, touch screen
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3216 Construction aspects of a gaming system, e.g. housing, seats, ergonomic aspects

Abstract

A gaming machine cabinet has a cabinet door is pivotaliy connected thereto and movable between a closed and open positions. A cabinet door button panel includes a panel support surface opposite the door'"'"'s inner side, a capture structure at a first boundary of a button panel opening, and a blocking structure at a button panel second boundary opposite the first boundary. A button panel base has a first edge received in a button panel frame capture structure, and second edge received on the panel support surface. A locking flange with a locking projection extends from the button panel base lower side, the locking projection moveable between extended and retracted positions. With the button panel base in an operating position, a locking projection may he placed in the extended position to contact the blocking structure and thereby retain the button panel base in the operating position.

Claims

1. A gaming machine including:

(a) a cabinet that defines an interior volume and a front opening;

(b) a door pivotally connected to the cabinet so as to be pivotable between a closed position covering at least a portion of the front opening and an open position in which an inner side of the door is accessible from outside of the cabinet;

(c) a button panel frame defining a button panel opening on the door, the button panel frame including (i) a panel support surface facing oppositely to the inner side of the door, (ii) a capture structure at a first boundary of the button panel opening, and (iii) a blocking structure located at a second boundary of the button panel opening opposite to the first boundary;

(d) a button panel base having an upper side and a lower side, and also having a first edge and opposing second edge, the button panel base being sized so that when the first edge is received in the capture structure of the button panel frame the second edge is received on the panel support surface at the second boundary of the button panel opening; and

(e) a locking flange extending from the lower side of the button panel base and having at least one locking projection mounted thereon, each locking projection being moveable between an extended position and a retracted position, such that when the button panel base is in an operating position in which the first edge of the button panel base is received in the capture structure of the button panel frame and the second edge of the button panel base is received on the panel support surface at the second boundary of the button panel opening, the locking projections in the extended position contact the blocking structure to retain the button panel in the operating position.

2. The gaming machine of claim 1 wherein the panel support surface of the button panel frame is formed in a recess along the second boundary of the button panel opening and along two lateral sides of the button panel opening, and wherein the button panel base is sized to fit snugly in the recess when the first edge of the button panel base is received in the capture structure of the button panel frame.

3. The gaming machine of claim 1 wherein the locking flange includes two laterally spaced apart locking projections, each being connected to a respective positioning knob.

4. The gaming machine of claim 3 wherein each locking projection is biased to the extended position with a suitable biasing spring.

5. The gaming machine of claim 1 wherein the capture structure extends along substantially the entire length of the first boundary of the button panel opening.

6. A button panel structure for a gaming machine, the gaming machine having a cabinet that defines an interior volume and a front opening and also having a door pivotally connected to the cabinet so as to be pivotable between a closed position covering at least a portion of the front opening and an open position in which an inner side of the door is accessible from outside of the cabinet, the button panel structure including:

(a) a button panel frame defining a button panel opening on the door, the button panel frame including (i) a panel support surface facing oppositely to the inner side of the door, (ii) a capture structure at a first boundary of the button panel opening, and (iii) a blocking structure located at a second boundary of the button panel opening opposite to the first boundary;

(b) a button panel base having an upper side and a lower side, and also having a first edge and opposing second edge, the button panel base being sized so that when the first edge is received in the capture structure of the button panel frame the second edge is received on the panel support surface at the second boundary of the button panel opening; and

(c) a locking flange extending from the lower side of the button panel base and having at least one locking projection mounted thereon, each locking projection being moveable between an extended position and a retracted position, such that when the button panel base is in an operating position in which the first edge of the button panel base is received in the capture structure of the button panel frame and the second edge of the button panel base is received on the panel support surface at the second boundary of the button panel opening, the locking projections in the extended position contact the blocking structure to retain the button panel in the operating position.

7. The button panel structure of claim 6 wherein the panel support surface of the button panel frame is formed in a recess along the second boundary of the button panel opening and along two lateral sides of the button panel opening, and wherein the button panel base is sized to fit snugly in the recess when the first edge of the button panel base is received in the capture structure of the button panel frame.

8. The button panel structure of claim 6 wherein the locking flange includes two laterally spaced apart locking projections, each locking projection being connected to a respective positioning knob.

9. The button panel structure of claim 8 wherein each locking projection is biased to the extended position with a suitable biasing spring.

10. The button panel structure of claim 6 wherein the capture structure extends along substantially the entire length of the first boundary of the button panel opening.

11. A method of installing a button panel in a gaming machine, the gaming machine having a cabinet that defines an interior volume and a front opening and also having a door pivotally connected to the cabinet so as to be pivotable between a closed position covering at least a portion of the front opening and an open position in which an inner side of the door is accessible from outside of the cabinet, the method including:

(a) with the door of the gaming machine in the open position, positioning a button panel base above a button panel frame on the door, the button panel frame defining a frame opening having a first boundary and a second boundary opposite to the first boundary, the button panel frame also including a support surface formed around the frame opening;

(b) positioning a first edge of the button panel base in a capture structure on the first boundary of the frame opening;

(c) with the first edge of the button panel base positioned in the capture structure, rotating a second edge of the button panel base about the first edge of the button panel base until the second edge of the button panel base contacts the support surface; and

(d) extending a first locking projection located beneath the button panel base to an extended position to engage a blocking structure associated with the button panel frame, the engagement between the first locking projection and the blocking structure preventing the button panel base from being removed from the support surface of the button panel frame, thereby installing the button panel in the gaming machine.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein extending the first locking projection is performed with a spring biasing force.

13. The method of claim 11 further including extending a second locking projection located beneath the button panel base to an extended position to engage a second blocking structure associated with the button panel frame.