Gaming machine with reels

• US 8,382,110 B2
• Filed: 03/29/2011
• Issued: 02/26/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/27/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aristocrat Technologies Australia PTY Limited (Aristocrat Leisure Limited)
• Original Assignee: Aristocrat Technologies Australia PTY Limited (Aristocrat Leisure Limited)
• Inventors: Smith, Robert John
• Primary Examiner(s): Layno, Benjamin
• Application Number:
  US13/074,712
• Publication Number:
  US 20110177860A1
• Time in Patent Office: 700 Days
• Field of Search: 273/143.R, 273/138.2, 273/138.1, 273/309, 273/292, 463/20, 463/46, 46/20, 46/46
• US Class Current: 273/143.R
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3213 Details of moving display elements, e.g. spinning reels, tumbling members
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/34 depending on the stopping of moving members in a mechanical slot machine, e.g. "fruit" machines

Abstract

Certain embodiments of the present invention relate to gaming machines having mechanical reels. The machine is adapted so that the reels to some extent protrude from the front face of the machine to enhance the user'"'"'s awareness that the reels are genuine and, optionally, the reels may have side walls having matching indicia to the symbols on the periphery of the reels. The reels may also be observed from front and rear sides of the machine or alternatively, rotated about an upright axis to enable a player to observe front and rear outcomes from one point.

Claims

1. A gaming machine comprising:

i) a plurality of rotating reels having an outer periphery on which images relating to a game being played on the machine are displayed; and

ii) a wall section located adjacent to the reels, wherein at least two of the plurality of reels are mounted so that their outer periphery protrudes beyond at least a portion of the wall section adjacent to the reels, wherein the reels are arranged on different axes.

2. The gaming machine according to claim 1, wherein the wall section is in the form of one or more members disposed about the reels.

3. The gaming machine according to claim 2, wherein the wall section is in the form of one or more flat or contoured panels about the panels.

4. The gaming machine according to claim 3, wherein the flat or contoured panels recede backwardly from the protruding periphery of the reels.

5. The gaming machine according to claim 3, wherein the contoured panels extend in part forwardly of the protruding outer periphery of the reels.

6. The gaming machine according to claim 1, wherein the wall section forms at least part of a front face of the gaming machine which obscures from view part of the reels behind the wall section.

7. The gaming machine according to claim 1, wherein the reels can be observed or are visible from opposite sides of the wall section.

8. The gaming machine according to claim 7, wherein the reels extend or protrude from opposite sides of the wall section.

9. The gaming machine according to claim 7, wherein the reels can be pivoted about an upright axis so that the front and rear view of the reels can be observed or is visible from one point.

10. The gaming machine according to claim 1, wherein the furthest point of the outer periphery of the reels protrudes past the wall section adjacent to the reels by at least 30 mm, and suitably in the range of 40 to 300 mm.

11. The gaming machine according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the reels has a side wall oriented transversely to its outer periphery and one of the reels having the side wall extends or protrudes beyond at least a portion of the wall section so that at least part of the side wall of the respective reel is visible.

12. The gaming machine according to claim 11, wherein at least two of the reels have at least one side wall of which at least part is visible.

13. The gaming machine according to claim 11, wherein each of the reels include at least one side wall of which at least part is visible.

14. The gaming machine according to claim 11, wherein the reels are arranged in a side-by-side arrangement and the reels located at opposite ends of the arrangement have at least one side wall of which at least part is visible at outer ends of the arrangement of reels.

15. The gaming machine according to claim 11, wherein two of the reels are separated by a space or gap, and at least one of the spaced reels has one of the side walls of which at least a part is visible.

16. The gaming machine according to claim 11, wherein the side walls extend from the edges of the outer periphery.

17. The gaming machine according to claim 11, wherein the side walls include lights, such as multi-coloured light sources or light emitting diodes (LEDs).

18. The gaming machine according to claim 11, wherein the side walls include indicia that corresponds, matches or compliments with symbols on the outer periphery of the reels.

19. The gaming machine according to claim 18, wherein the indicia includes the side walls of the reel being divided into one or more geometric sectors that are aligned with the images on the outer wall.

20. The gaming machine according to claim 11, wherein the reels are arranged in a linear relationship in which the reels are co-axially mounted relative to each other.

21. The gaming machine according to claim 1, wherein the reels are of uniform diameter.

22. The gaming machine according to claim 1, wherein the reels have at least two different diameters.

23. The gaming machine according to claim 1, comprising a transparent cover having a shape adapted to receive a portion of the reels extending or projecting from the gaming machine disposed over the reels.

24. A gaming machine comprising:

i) a mechanical reel assembly including a plurality of rotatably mounted reels each having an outer periphery from which images are displayed, the reels having a plurality of stop positions for displaying the images to determine outcomes; and

ii) a housing for containing the components of a gaming machine on the inside thereof, the housing including a display opening through which the reels protrude so that part of the outer peripheral wall is disposed on an outside of the display opening while rotating and/or when in a stop position, wherein the reels are arranged on different axes.

25. A gaming machine comprising:

i) a mechanical reel assembly including a plurality of rotatably mounted reels each having an outer periphery on which images are displayed, the reels having a plurality of stop positions for displaying the images to determine outcomes; and

ii) a structural assembly including two side supports in which one is disposed either end of the reel assembly, the reels protruding or extending past the side supports on opposite sides such that images on opposite sides of the reels can be observed, wherein the reels are arranged on different axes.