Patent Application
20080203863
Gaming apparatuses or machines such as slot machines, video slot machines, video gaming terminals and the like are common fixtures within gambling casinos. Each gaming machine represents both a significant capital investment and a long term source of revenue for the gambling casino. In order to maximize potential revenue, gaming machines are often arranged in tightly spaced banks or groups in an effort to efficiently utilize the gambling casinos floor space. The configuration or arrangement of the gaming machines is influenced by many factors such as, for example: fire and safety regulations that dictate the crowd and aisle limitations; traffic and access patterns between the different portions or elements within the gambling casino; and accessibility of power, communications and networking access points for connecting and operating the gaming machines.
Another factor that influences or limits the configuration or arrangement of the gaming machines is the physical size of the devices themselves. Ideally gaming machines are placed close enough together to maximize available floor space, but far enough apart to allow a player to comfortably interact with the gaming machine's buttons, controls, or interface. For example, gaming cabinets or bases are often utilized to position the gaming machines at a comfortable height to allow both seated and standing players to interact with the machine's controls. Gaming cabinets or bases may further be utilized to conceal, route and otherwise organize the various power and communications cables and accessories that connect the gaming machine to the casino's infrastructure.
These different, and often competing, factors can make it difficult for gambling casino operators to balance the player's comfort against the requisite safety regulations while maximizing the available floor space. It would be desirable to provide a gaming cabinet or base that could address or alleviate some of these issues.
The present disclosure generally provides for a gaming cabinet support stand or slot base cabinet configured to support, for example, a video display or mechanical reel gaming machine. The exemplary cabinet support stand or base cabinet is further configured to provide an ergonomic sitting position for a player interacting with the gaming machine. In particular, the cabinet support stand or base cabinet can be configured or formed to include a recessed area in a front portion, e.g., the portion facing or adjacent to the player, of the base. The recessed area may be sized to allow the player to place their legs and/or feet therein. For example, as a player interacts with a gaming machine supported by one of the exemplary bases or cabinets, the player may slide or position their legs substantially under the gaming machine. Generally, the extra space available to create or define the recessed area is derived from the elimination or removal of coin and currency handling equipment. For example, cashless or coin-less gaming machines may simply rely on debit cards, credit cards to track the payments and winnings of players. Because, in this configuration, the gaming machine is not required to immediately store or payout currency to the player, the coin and currency handling equipment which was typically stored in the cabinet base can be eliminated thereby creating more available space for the above-discussed ergonomic concerns.
The exemplary cabinet support stand or base cabinet may further include a mounting or interface plate. The mounting or interface plate can be configured to cooperate with a wide variety of manufacturer-specific gaming machines. Thus, by selecting an appropriate interface plate style or configuration, the cabinet support stand or base cabinet can be customized to support a wide variety of gaming machines and equipment.
The exemplary cabinet support stand or base cabinet may further include accent lighting disposed within and configured to illuminate or highlight the recessed area. Moreover, additional accent lighting can be provided within or around the base to coincide with a color or decorating scheme, to attract players or otherwise highlight the gaming machines.
Additional features and advantages of the present invention are described in, and will be apparent from, the following Detailed Description and the figures.
a illustrates an exploded perspective view of a support cabinet portion of the gaming cabinet support base shown in
b illustrates an assembled perspective view of the support cabinet portion of the gaming cabinet support base shown in
b illustrates an assembled perspective view of the support deck portion of the gaming cabinet support base shown in
The present disclosure generally provides for a gaming cabinet support stand or slot base cabinet configured to support a cashless, e.g., a ticket in, ticket out (TITO), gaming apparatus or machine. Cashless or TITO gaming machines are typically smaller than traditional coin-operated gaming devices because cash storage and handling equipment is no longer a necessary component of the device. The eliminated equipment can free space within the gaming cabinet support stand or slot base cabinet and/or the apparatus housing itself. The additional or free space may allow the gaming cabinet support to be configured to provide a more comfortable and/or ergonomic gaming experience for the player.
The support cabinet 102 includes a support frame 106. The support frame 106 provides the structural integrity and/or load bearing capability to the support cabinet 102. As shown in
The support frame 106 may further cooperate with a pair of inner decorative panels 126, 128. The inner panels 126, 128, may be attached to the side panels 108, 110, respectively. The inner panels 126,128, may further aid or augment the load bearing capabilities of the support cabinet 102. For example, the inner panels 126,128 may provide support to the bottom side of the support deck 104 while also increasing the rigidity of the overall cabinet 102. The inner panels 126, 128, in the illustrated embodiment of
Each of the inner panels 126, 128 may further include a curvilinear portion 130 (individually identified as portions 130, 130′). The curvilinear portions 130, 130′ of the inner panels 126, 128, respectively, provide a smooth, ergonomic transition to couple or join the inner panels 126, 128 to the outer decorative panels 122, 124. An interior panel 132 can cooperate with the inner panels 126, 128 to subdivide the interior 114 and form the player recess or cavity 120. The interior panel 132 may operate as a secure barrier to conceal and limit unauthorized access to the cables, etc. routed through the access ports 116 and the interior 114. The interior panel 132 may further include a lock-able access door 134 positioned to allow access to the interior 114, cables, etc.
A plurality of access ports or holes 116 can be provided within the back panel 112 and the side panels 108 and 110 to allow cable access and routing within the open area of the interior 114. For example, cables connected to a gambling casino's infrastructure can be routed through the access ports 116, the interior 114 and the interface plate 118 (see
The support base 100 may further include outer decorative panels 122, 124. The decorative panels 122, 124 can be affixed or hung from the side panels 108, 110, respectively. The decorative panels 122, 124 may be formed sheet metal or plastic panels decorated with figures, symbols, logos, graphics or other artwork. Alternatively, the decorative panels 122, 124 may be translucent panels that are back lit or illuminated by a light source disposed within the interior 114 or in the space between the side panel 108, 110 and the decorative panel 122, 124. The decorative panels also may be largely opaque and have a translucent artwork area that can be back lit. For example, a fluorescent light assembly (not shown) could be attached to the decorative panels122, 124 to light a portion of the panels where translucent artwork is located. Power cables for the lights can be routed through access ports 116 to the interior 114 of the cabinet 102. In an alternate embodiment, one or more of the decorative panels 122, 124 can be omitted. The exposed side panel(s) 108, 110, in turn, may be coupled to complimentary exposed side panels of adjacent support base(s) 100. These joined or coupled support base(s) 100, in turn, define a cabinet bank (not shown) that may be utilized within a gambling casino. The support base(s) 100 can also be fastened together about adjacent back walls creating a back-to-back configuration. In this configuration, an alternate embodiment (not shown) of the decorative panel can span the co-planar sides of the back-to-back cabinet with a single extended panel instead of two individual panels.
b illustrates an assembled view of the support cabinet 102. In particular, the exploded components shown in
The support deck 104 may further include a light source (not shown). The light source may be mounted within support deck 104 and positioned substantially above the cavity 120. In other words, the light source, in one exemplary embodiment, may be mounted under the support deck 104 and arranged to illuminate the cavity 120. In operation, the light source (not shown) may illuminate the cavity 120 thereby allowing a player seated before the support base 100, and a gaming machine (not shown) carried thereon, to clearly see where to position their legs for comfortable game player and interaction with the gaming machine. The light source (not shown) may be covered or protected by a translucent cover or grill 142. The light source can be a cold cathode fluorescent, a fluorescent lamp, or an AC or DC incandescent. The support deck 104 may further include a rounded or rail portion 144 that can be arranged to cooperate with the rounded portions 146, 148 of the side panels 122, 124. The smooth alignment and cooperation of these rounded portions 146, 148 and 144 can cooperate to afford the support base 100 with pleasing design or style.
b illustrates an assembled view of the support deck 104. In this arrangement, the interface plate 118 is carried within the recess 136. The support deck 104 may be aligned above the assembled support cabinet 102 and lowered in the direction indicated by the arrow A in order to assemble the support base 100. Upon assembly, the two components may be bolted, welded, riveted or otherwise joined together to form the single unit shown in
Areas of the cabinet that would be viewable to casino patrons can receive a decorative finish. This could be powder coat finish, wet paint, decorative laminate, or plating. The individual components that make up the overall stand 100 can receive this finish prior to being assembled. The trim or decorative pieces such as, for example, the rounded portions 122, 124 and/or 144 may be molded or otherwise formed to compliment the style and finish of the support base 100.
It should be understood that various changes and modifications to the presently preferred embodiments described herein will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Such changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention and without diminishing its intended advantages. It is therefore intended that such changes and modifications be covered by the appended claims.
