Gaming machine having enhanced emotive lighting feature

• US 8,777,757 B2
• Filed: 09/26/2012
• Issued: 07/15/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LNW Gaming Incorporated
• Original Assignee: WMS Gaming Incorporated (Scientific Games Corporation)
• Inventors: Chudek, Christopher W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Laneau, Ronald
• Application Number:
  US13/627,560
• Publication Number:
  US 20140087887A1
• Time in Patent Office: 657 Days
• Field of Search: 463 16- 25, 463/46
• US Class Current: 463/46
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3202 Hardware aspects of a gaming system, e.g. components, construction, architecture thereof

Abstract

A gaming machine includes a light source concealed within a cabinet frame, a light pipe, and a contoured reflective surface. The light pipe has a distal end adjacent to the light source and a proximal end along the cabinet frame and directly viewable from the player position. The light pipe directs the initial light from the distal end to the proximal end such that (a) some initial light exits the proximal end as direct light viewable from the player position and (b) some initial light exits a pipe section, extending between the distal end and the proximal end, as washed light. The contoured reflective surface is adjacent to the proximal end along the cabinet frame, and is configured to receive the washed light from the pipe section and to reflect at least some of the washed light as indirect light viewable from the player position.

Claims

1. A gaming machine comprising:

a cabinet including a cabinet frame facing a player position in front of the gaming machine;

one or more display devices within the cabinet frame and configured to display a wagering game;

at least one light source concealed within the cabinet such that the light source is not viewable from the player position, the light source emitting initial light;

at least one light pipe having a proximal end, a distal end, and a pipe section extending therebetween, the distal end being adjacent to the light source, the proximal end being positioned along the cabinet frame and directly viewable from the player position, the light pipe directing the initial light from the distal end to the proximal end such that (a) some of the initial light exits the proximal end as direct light viewable from the player position and (b) some of the initial light exits the pipe section as washed light; and

at least one contoured reflective surface adjacent to the proximal end along the cabinet frame, the reflective surface being configured to receive the washed light from the pipe section and reflect at least some of the washed light as indirect light viewable from the player position.

2. The gaming machine of claim 1, wherein the at least one light source includes one or more light-emitting diodes (LEDs).

3. The gaming machine of claim 2, wherein the LEDs are mounted on a printed circuit board (PCB), the PCB being inserted into receiving slots internally located within the cabinet frame.

4. The gaming machine of claim 1, wherein the direct light is brighter than the indirect light.

5. The gaming machine of claim 1, wherein the pipe section is slanted at an angle θ

relative to an axis Y that is perpendicular to the cabinet frame.

6. The gaming machine of claim 5, wherein the angle θ

is in the range of about 60 degrees to 70 degrees.

7. The gaming machine of claim 1, wherein the light pipe is composed of an acrylic material having diffusing particles.

8. The gaming machine of claim 1, wherein the reflective surface includes a textured chrome material.

9. The gaming machine of claim 1, wherein the reflective surface includes a concave curvature relative to the light pipe.

10. The gaming machine of claim 1, wherein the light pipe and the reflective surface extend along an exterior vertical edge of the cabinet, the light pipe forming a primary zone of light proximate the edge of the at least one of the one or more display devices, the reflective surface forming a secondary zone of light parallel to the primary zone.

11. The gaming machine of claim 1, wherein the reflective surface and the proximal end are parallel to each other when viewed from the player position.

12. A gaming machine comprising:

a cabinet frame having at least one exterior edge viewable from and facing a player position in front of the gaming machine;

one or more display devices within the cabinet and configured to display a wagering game;

at least one light source concealed within the cabinet frame such that the light source is not viewable from the player position, the light source emitting initial light;

at least one primary zone of light positioned proximate and parallel to the exterior edge, the primary zone of light being defined by at least one light pipe having a proximal end, a distal end, and a pipe section extending therebetween, the distal end being adjacent to the light source, the proximal end being positioned along the exterior edge and directly viewable from the player position, the light pipe directing the initial light from the distal end to the proximal end such that (a) some of the initial light exits the proximal end as direct light viewable from the player position and (b) some of the initial light exits the pipe section as washed light; and

at least one secondary zone of light positioned parallel to and between the primary zone of light and the exterior edge, the secondary zone of light being defined by a contoured reflective surface adjacent to the proximal end of the light pipe, the contoured reflective surface being configured to receive washed light from the pipe section and reflect at least some of the washed light as indirect light viewable from the player position.

13. The gaming machine of claim 12, wherein the direct light is brighter than the indirect light.

14. The gaming machine of claim 12, wherein the pipe section is slanted at an angle θ

relative to an axis Y that is perpendicular to the cabinet frame.

15. The gaming machine of claim 14, wherein the angle θ

is in the range of about 60 degrees to 70 degrees.

16. The gaming machine of claim 12, wherein the reflective surface includes a concave curvature relative to the light pipe.

17. The gaming machine of claim 12, wherein the at least one exterior edge includes a left exterior edge and a right exterior edge, wherein the at least one primary zone includes a first primary zone along the left exterior edge of the cabinet frame and a second primary zone along the right exterior edge of the cabinet frame, the at least one secondary zone including a first secondary zone associated with the first primary zone and a second secondary zone associated with the second primary zone.

18. A gaming machine comprising:

a cabinet including a band-shaped reflective surface viewable by a player in front of the cabinet; and

a light pipe including a proximal end, the proximal end being parallel and adjacent to the reflective surface and viewable by the player, the light pipe positioned to receive light from a light source within the cabinet and emit a first portion of the light through the proximal end and a second portion of the light onto the reflective surface, the proximal end of the light pipe being separated by a gap from the reflective surface such that the second portion of the light travels through an air medium between the light pipe and the reflective surface.

19. The gaming machine of claim 18, wherein the light pipe and the reflective surface extend along an exterior vertical edge of the cabinet, the light pipe forming a primary zone of light proximate an edge of a display device housed within the cabinet, the reflective surface forming a secondary zone of light parallel to the primary zone.

20. The gaming machine of claim 18, wherein the light pipe is composed of an acrylic material having diffusing particles.