Externally hinged cabinet door for a gaming machine housing

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10181236-B2
Application number	US-201715671548-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 8, 2017
Priority date	Aug 18, 2016
Publication date	Jan 15, 2019
Grant date	Jan 15, 2019

Abstract

Disclosed are a gaming terminal, a gaming cabinet and a gaming machine that include a housing having gaming components therein. The housing includes a door opening for accessing gaming components inside the housing and a door assembly having an open position that exposes the door opening, and a closed position that covers the door opening. At least one pair of externally mounted swing arms connect the door assembly to a biasing lift assembly within the housing. When the door assembly is in the closed position and a latching assembly is released, the biasing lift assembly urges the door assembly toward the open position.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A gaming terminal comprising:
a housing configured to house gaming components and provide a door opening permitting access to the gaming components;
a door assembly having an open position that exposes the door opening and a closed position that covers the door opening; and
a pair of external swing arms, each external swing arm having a first end and a second end, the first end being pivotally connected to the door assembly and the second end being pivotally connected to a biasing lift assembly within the housing; and
wherein, in the closed position, the biasing lift assembly comprises one or more torsion bars and imposes a bias on the door assembly to urge the door assembly toward the open position when the door assembly is unlatched, wherein moving the door assembly from the open position to the closed position imposes a twist on the one or more torsion bars to place a bias on a mount of the biasing lift assembly.

2. The gaming terminal of claim 1 , further comprising a second pair of external swing arms, each external swing arm of the second pair having a first end and a second end, the first end being pivotally connected to the door assembly and the second end being pivotally connected to the housing.

3. The gaming terminal of claim 1 , wherein the pair of external hinge arms are positioned symmetrically in respect to the housing.

4. The gaming terminal of claim 1 , further comprising a latching assembly configured to latch the door assembly to the housing when in the closed position, the latching assembly being releasable to allow the door assembly to be moved to the open position.

5. A gaming cabinet comprising:
a housing configured to enclose gaming components and provide a door opening permitting access to the gaming components;
a latchable door assembly having an open position that exposes the door opening and a closed position that covers the door opening; and
a pair of external swing arms, each external swing arm having a first end and a second end, the first end being pivotally connected to the door assembly and the second end being pivotally connected to a biasing lift assembly within the housing;
wherein, in the closed position, the biasing lift assembly assembly comprises one or more torsion bars and imposes a bias on the door assembly to urge the door assembly toward the open position when the door assembly is unlatched, wherein when the door assembly is moved from the open position to the closed position, a twist is imposed on the one or more torsion bars resulting in a bias being placed on a mount of the biasing lift assembly.

6. The gaming cabinet of claim 5 , further comprising a second pair of external swing arms, each external swing arm of the second pair having a first end and a second end, the first end being pivotally connected to the door assembly and the second end being pivotally connected to the housing.

7. The gaming cabinet of claim 5 , wherein the pair of external hinge arms are positioned symmetrically in respect to the housing.

8. The gaming cabinet of claim 5 , further comprising a latching assembly configured to latch the door assembly to the housing when in the closed position, the latching assembly being releasable to allow the door assembly to be moved to the open position.

9. A method for accessing gaming components inside a gaming cabinet, the gaming cabinet including a housing configured to enclose gaming components and provide a door opening permitting access to the gaming components, a latchable door assembly having an open position that exposes the door opening and a closed position that covers the door opening, and a pair of external swing arms, each external swing arm having a first end and a second end, the first end being pivotally connected to the door assembly and the second end being pivotally connected to a biasing lift assembly within the housing, the biasing lift assembly comprising one or more torsion bars, the method comprising:
closing the door assembly to the closed position;
via the biasing lift assembly, placing a bias on a mount connected to the external swing arms by imposing a twist on the one or more torsion bars;
latching the door assembly;
unlatching the door assembly; and
in response to unlatching the door assembly, urging the door assembly to move from the closed position to the open position in response to the bias.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the urging step includes causing each external swing arm to pivot about its first and second ends.

11. The method of claim 9 , further comprising a second pair of external swing arms, each external swing arm of the second pair having a first end and a second end, the first end being pivotally connected to the door assembly and the second end being pivotally connected to the housing, and wherein the urging step includes causing each external swing arm of the second pair to pivot about its first and second ends.

Assignees

• Bally Gaming Inc

Inventors

• Goldstein Brian
• Laroach Philip
• Peltz Martin Anthony

Classifications

• G07F17/3216 Primary

  Construction aspects of a gaming system, e.g. housing, seats, ergonomic aspects · CPC title

• G07F17/3213

  Details of moving display elements, e.g. spinning reels, tumbling members · CPC title