Gaming machine chair and wagering game systems and machines with a gaming chair

• US 8,663,019 B2
• Filed: 11/12/2010
• Issued: 03/04/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sg Gaming, Inc. (Light & Wonder Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: WMS Gaming Incorporated (Light & Wonder Incorporated)
• Inventors: Lesley, Paul M., Glenn, Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): Kim, Gene
• Assistant Examiner(s): NICONOVICH, ALEXANDER R
• Application Number:
  US12/944,862
• Publication Number:
  US 20110111839A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,208 Days
• Field of Search: 273/148.B, 463/13, 463/16, 463/46, 463/47, 297/68, 297/217.1
• US Class Current: 463/47
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 1/035 in combination with movably coupled seat and back-rest, i.e. the seat and back-rest being movably coupled in such a way that the extension mechanism of the foot-rest is actuated at least by the relative movements of seat and backrest
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1043 being characterized by constructional details
• 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

Gaming machine chairs and wagering game systems and machines with a gaming chair are presented herein. A gaming chair is disclosed that includes a base, a seat portion supported by the base, and at least one actuator attached to the seat portion to selectively move the seat portion. A movable shroud at least partially circumscribes the base and the actuator(s) to inhibit access thereto. The movable shroud is attached to the actuator(s) for concurrent movement therewith. Optionally, the base may be attached to both the seat portion and the actuator(s). In this instance, the actuator(s) may be pivotably mounted to a chair support structure, whereas the base may lack a direct connection to the chair'"'"'s support structure. An optional flexible boot at least partially circumscribes the base and the actuator(s). The moveable shroud and flexible boot cooperate to substantially conceal and inhibit access to the base and the actuator(s).

Claims

1. A gaming system for playing a wagering game, the gaming system comprising:

at least one display configured to display outcomes of the wagering game;

at least one wager input device configured to receive wagers from players; and

a gaming chair including;

a seat portion,

a shaft connected to and providing subjacent support for the seat portion,

a plurality of actuators operatively attached to the seat portion and actuable to move the seat portion, the actuators being spaced from one another around the shaft, and

a movable shroud operatively attached to the actuators for movement therewith, the movable shroud inhibiting access to a region at which the actuators are located.

2. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the actuators are positioned underneath the seat portion, and wherein the movable shroud extends downward from the seat portion inhibiting access to the region below the seat portion at which the actuators are located.

3. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the movable shroud is coupled directly to at least one of the actuators such that movement of the at least one actuator directly moves the movable shroud.

4. The gaming system of claim 1, further comprising:

a stationary boot, wherein the moveable shroud and the stationary boot cooperate to substantially inhibit access to the actuators.

5. The gaming system of claim 4, wherein the movable shroud is in continuous overlapping engagement with the stationary boot during actuation of the actuators.

6. The gaming system of claim 4, wherein one of the inner and outer surfaces of the movable shroud slidably presses against a corresponding surface of the stationary boot.

7. The gaming system of claim 4, wherein the stationary boot comprises a flexible and bendable material, the movable shroud being in flexural engagement with the stationary boot to bend the stationary boot during actuation of the actuators.

8. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the movable shroud is comprised of multiple shroud components.

9. The gaming system of claim 8, wherein the plurality of actuators comprises a first actuator distanced from a second actuator, and wherein the movable shroud includes a first flank mounted to the first actuator for concurrent movement therewith and a second flank mounted to the second actuator for concurrent movement therewith.

10. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the shaft is part of a base attached at a first end to the seat portion and at a second end to the actuators, the actuators being pivotably mounted to a support structure supporting the gaming chair, the base being characterized by an absence of a direct connection to the support structure.

11. The gaming system of claim 1, further comprising:

a controller in operative communication with the actuators for controlling the same, the controller being configured to actuate the actuators, individually and collectively, in correlation with events occurring in the wagering game.

12. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the gaming chair further comprises a footrest operatively attached to at least one of the actuators for concurrent movement therewith.

13. A gaming system for playing at least one wagering game, the gaming system comprising:

at least one display configured to display an outcome of the at least one wagering game, the outcome being randomly selected from a plurality of wagering game outcomes;

at least one player input device configured to receive play input from players;

at least one wager input device configured to receive a wager from a player for playing the at least one wagering game; and

a gaming chair including;

a base,

a seat portion mounted to the base,

at least one actuator attached to the base and selectively actuable to move the seat portion,

a multi-part shroud circumscribing the base and the at least one actuator, and

a bendable boot circumscribing the base and the at least one actuator, the bendable boot overlapping with the multi-part shroud to inhibit access to the at least one actuator, wherein the multi-part shroud presses against and bends the bendable boot during actuation of the at least one actuator.

14. The gaming system of claim 13, wherein the at least one actuator comprises a plurality of actuators, the base comprising a plurality of legs each being configured to attach to a respective one of the plurality of actuators.

15. The gaming system of claim 14, wherein each of the plurality of legs extends generally orthogonally from a first end of an elongated shaft of the base, a second end of the elongated shaft having a platform upon which the seat portion is mounted.

16. The gaming system of claim 13, wherein the at least one actuator is pivotably mounted via a ball joint to a support structure supporting the gaming chair.

17. The gaming system of claim 13, wherein the multi-part shroud is attached directly to the at least one actuator for concurrent movement therewith.

18. The gaming system of claim 17, wherein the at least one actuator comprises a plurality of actuators spaced around the base, and wherein the multi-part shroud and the bendable boot cooperate to substantially inhibit access to the base and the plurality of actuators.

19. The gaming system of claim 13, wherein one of the inner and outer surfaces of the multi-part shroud slidably presses against a corresponding surface of the bendable boot, the multi-part shroud being in continuous overlapping engagement with the bendable boot during actuation of the at least one actuator.

20. A gaming chair for a wagering game system or machine, the gaming chair comprising:

a base;

a seat portion supported by the base;

a plurality of actuators spaced around and attached to the base, the actuators being configured to selectively move the seat portion;

a flexible boot at least partially circumscribing the base and the actuators; and

a multi-part shroud at least partially circumscribing the base and the actuators, the multi-part shroud pressing against and bending the flexible boot during actuation of the actuators;

wherein the multi-part shroud and the flexible boot cooperate to substantially inhibit access to the base and the actuators.

21. The gaming chair of claim 20, further comprising at least one of a wiring harness and a wireless interface operatively coupling the gaming chair to the wagering game machine.

22. A gaming system for playing a wagering game, the gaming system comprising:

at least one display configured to display a randomly selected outcome of the wagering game;

at least one input device configured to receive wagers for playing the wagering game; and

a moveable gaming chair including a shaft, a seat portion mounted on the shaft, a plurality of actuators spaced around and mounted to the shaft and providing movement to the gaming chair, and a flexible shroud covering the shaft and actuators, the actuators being located below the seat portion, the shroud inhibiting access below the seat portion and being moveable in response to movement of the gaming chair.

23. The gaming system of claim 22, further comprising a boot portion below the shroud, a surface of the shroud engaging the boot portion in different locations during movement of the moveable gaming chair.

24. The gaming system of claim 22, wherein the shroud is coupled to the actuators such that movement of the actuators directly moves the shroud.