Slant-type gaming machine

• US 6,997,810 B2
• Filed: 09/15/2004
• Issued: 02/14/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/17/2003
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: COLE Kepro International LLC
• Original Assignee: COLE Industries LLC
• Inventors: Cole, Joseph W.
• Primary Examiner(s): HOTALING, JOHN M
• Application Number:
  US10/941,386
• Publication Number:
  US 20050032578A1
• Time in Patent Office: 517 Days
• Field of Search: 463/46, 463/36, 463/11, 463 20- 25, 463/47, 273/143.R, 273/148.R, 273/138.1, 273/138.2, 345/156, 400/691, D21/37, D21/369, D21/370, D21/327, D21/38, 248/118, 194/350
• US Class Current: 463/46
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3202 Hardware aspects of a gaming system, e.g. components, construction, architecture thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3216 Construction aspects of a gaming system, e.g. housing, seats, ergonomic aspects

Abstract

The invention comprises various gaming machine features and a slant-top type gaming machine. In one embodiment, a cabinet has a play area between an upwardly extending console and a supporting base portion. Input or selection buttons are mounted to a button panel which serves as a door providing access to machine components. A media writer is located below the button panel and dispenses media to a front of the gaming machine. In one embodiment, machine elements such as a keypad, buttons, ticket printer slot and/or bill validator slot are located in a recessed portion of the play area and, more particularly, in a recessed area of a bumper of an armrest portion of the gaming machine.

Claims

1. A gaming machine comprising:

a cabinet having an interior and comprising an upwardly extending base portion, a console portion extending above said base portion, and play area extending outwardly between said base and console portions;

at least one display supported by said cabinet and located at said console portion, said display configured to display information regarding a game presented at said gaming machine;

at least one player input button, said at least one button mounted to a support, said support rotatably connected to said cabinet at said play area, said support in a first, generally horizontal position obscuring an opening into said interior of said cabinet and said support in a second, raised position exposing said opening, said cabinet has a pair of opposing sides, and said support is rotatably mounted at a side thereof and configured to rotate upward in the direction of one of said sides of said cabinet; and

at least one component of said gaming machine positioned in said interior of said cabinet and accessible through said opening when said support is in said second position.

2. The gaming machine in accordance with claim 1 wherein a plurality of player input buttons are mounted to said support.

3. The gaming machine in accordance with claim 1 wherein a tray is located in said play area adjacent to said support and wherein said at least one component of said gaming machine positioned in said interior and accessible through said opening comprises a ticket printer, said ticket printer oriented to dispense tickets into said tray.

4. The gaming machine in accordance with claim 1 wherein said gaming machine includes a coin dispenser configured to dispense coins to said tray.

5. The gaming machine in accordance with claim 1 wherein said support includes a raised top surface at which said at least one player input button is located, said raised top surface sloping towards a front of said cabinet.