Floating pivot point hinge for a wagering game cabinet door
First Claim
1. A gaming terminal primarily dedicated to playing a casino wagering game, the gaming terminal comprising:
- a housing for enclosing gaming components;
a door opening in the housing for accessing the gaming components inside the game housing;
a door connected to the housing, the door having an open position that exposes the door opening, and a closed position that covers the door opening;
a pair of hinge arms, each hinge arm having a first end and a second end, the first end being fixed to the door and the second end being movably connected to the housing by a hinge pin engaging a hinge slot in the hinge arm enabling the hinge arm to both translate and rotate about the hinge pin, the hinge pin being connected to one of the second end of the hinge arm and the housing, the hinge slot being part of the other of the second end of the hinge arm and the housing;
a pair of closure components, each pivotally connected to one of the pair of hinge arms between the first end and the second end, each closure component applying an upwards force on the corresponding hinge arm as the door translates between the open and the closed position, the closure components supporting the hinge arms while the door in the open position is cantilevered from the opposite ends of the hinge arms by restraining the hinge pins against one end of the hinge slots; and
a pair of mating door guides and door stops, each door guide being fixed to one of the door and the housing, and each door stop being fixed to the other of the door and the housing, the pair of mating door guides and door stops restraining the door while the door in the closed position is supported by the closure components.
8 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A gaming system includes a housing having gaming components therein. The housing has a door opening and a door capable of rotating about a hinge axis defined by a set of hinge pins rigidly affixed to the housing. Attached to the door are a set of hinge arms having a set of specially shaped hinge slots positioned around the hinge pins. The hinge arms are additionally coupled to the housing by a set of spring components. When the housing door is not in a closed position, the spring components bias the door to an open position. When the housing door is in the closed position, the spring components bias the door in a direction defined by the hinge slots such that the door remains in a neutral position minimizing a spacing gap along one edge of the door. A set of roller guides align the door with a set of corresponding roller pins when the door approaches the closed position, and a locking mechanism is configured to latch the door to the housing in the closed position.
15 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A gaming terminal primarily dedicated to playing a casino wagering game, the gaming terminal comprising:
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a housing for enclosing gaming components; a door opening in the housing for accessing the gaming components inside the game housing; a door connected to the housing, the door having an open position that exposes the door opening, and a closed position that covers the door opening; a pair of hinge arms, each hinge arm having a first end and a second end, the first end being fixed to the door and the second end being movably connected to the housing by a hinge pin engaging a hinge slot in the hinge arm enabling the hinge arm to both translate and rotate about the hinge pin, the hinge pin being connected to one of the second end of the hinge arm and the housing, the hinge slot being part of the other of the second end of the hinge arm and the housing; a pair of closure components, each pivotally connected to one of the pair of hinge arms between the first end and the second end, each closure component applying an upwards force on the corresponding hinge arm as the door translates between the open and the closed position, the closure components supporting the hinge arms while the door in the open position is cantilevered from the opposite ends of the hinge arms by restraining the hinge pins against one end of the hinge slots; and a pair of mating door guides and door stops, each door guide being fixed to one of the door and the housing, and each door stop being fixed to the other of the door and the housing, the pair of mating door guides and door stops restraining the door while the door in the closed position is supported by the closure components. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A gaming cabinet comprising:
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a housing for enclosing gaming components, the housing including a door opening for accessing the gaming components; and a door assembly having an open position that exposes the door opening and a closed position that covers the door opening, the door assembly comprising; a door; a hinge arm having a first end and a second end, the first end being fixed to the door and the second end being movably connected to the housing by a hinge pin that engages a hinge slot, the hinge pin being connected to one of the second end and the housing, the hinge slot being part of the other of the second end and the housing; a closure component pivotally connected to the hinge arm between the first and second end, the closure component applying an upward force to the hinge arm toward the hinge pin while the door assembly moves between the open and closed positions; and mating door-positioning connectors including a door guide and a door stop fixing the door position in the closed position, the door guide being fixed to one of the door assembly and the housing, the door stop being fixed to the other one of the door assembly and the housing, the door-positioning connectors engaging when the door assembly is proximate the closed position and resisting the upward force when the door assembly is in the closed position; wherein the door assembly in the open position is supported by the upward force and restrained by the hinge pin being seated at one end of the hinge slot, and the door assembly in the closed position is supported by the upward force and restrained by the door guide engaging the door stop, the hinge pin being medial the one end and the opposite end of the hinge slot when the door assembly is in the closed position. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A gaming machine, comprising:
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a housing for enclosing gaming components, the housing including a door opening for accessing the gaming components; and a door assembly having an open position that exposes the door opening and a closed position that covers the door opening, the door assembly comprising; a door; a pair of hinge arms, each hinge arm having a first end and a second end, the first end being fixed to the door and the second end being movably connected to the housing by a hinge pin engaging a hinge slot enabling the hinge arm to both translate and rotate about the hinge pin, the hinge pin being connected to the housing, the hinge slot being part of the second end of the hinge arm; and a pair of closure components, each pivotally connected to one of the pair of hinge arms between the first end and the second end, each closure component applying a translational force on the corresponding hinge arm toward the corresponding hinge pin while the door moves between the open and the closed position; a pair of mating door-positioning connectors, each pair of mating door-positioning connectors including a door guide and a door stop fixing the door position in the closed position, the door guide being fixed to the door assembly, the door stop being fixed to the housing, the mating door-positioning connectors engaging when the door assembly is proximate the closed position and resisting the translational force when the door assembly is in the closed position; wherein the door assembly in the open position is held static by the translational force and restrained by the hinge pins being seated at one end of the hinge slots, and the door assembly in the closed position is held static by the translational force and restrained by the door guides engaging the door stops, the hinge pins being positioned medial the one end and an opposite end of the hinge slots when the door assembly is in the closed position. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification