Access panel safety mechanism implemented in a gaming device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10943428-B2
Application number	US-201916413288-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 15, 2019
Priority date	Aug 23, 2017
Publication date	Mar 9, 2021
Grant date	Mar 9, 2021

Abstract

Various aspects described or referenced herein are directed to improved access panel assembly safety mechanisms which may be incorporated into various gaming machine designs in order to help mitigate or facilitate reductions in safety hazards associated with such gaming machines and/or components thereof.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A gaming machine comprising:
a cabinet including an entry that provides access to an interior of the cabinet;
a display support frame disposed at an exterior portion of the cabinet, the display support frame including a first mounting interface disposed at a first region of the display support frame and designed to enable a first display device to be mounted to the display support frame at the first region, the display support frame including a second mounting interface disposed at a second region of the display support frame and adapted to enable a second display device to be mounted to the display support frame at the second region;
an access panel assembly movably attached to the display support frame at a location between the first region and second region, the access panel assembly being movably attached to the display support frame via a first set of connectors and in a manner which enables the access panel assembly to move between a closed position and an open position;
the access panel assembly including a security plate component having a first edge disposed along a top portion of the security plate component;
the access panel assembly further including a movable safety bar component, the safety bar component being movably attached to the security plate component via a second set of connectors and in a manner which enables the safety bar component to be movable between an extended position and a retracted position;
the safety bar component including a lip portion disposed along a top edge of the safety bar component;
the access panel assembly being configured or designed such that, the lip portion of the safety bar component extends beyond the first edge of the security plate component when the safety bar component is configured in the extended position;
the access panel assembly being further configured or designed to enable the safety bar component to move in a downward direction when a downward force is exerted on the lip portion of the safety bar component; and
the access panel assembly being designed to automatically move to the open position when the safety bar component is moved to the retracted position.

2. The gaming machine of claim 1 :
wherein the security plate component includes a security plate body portion, the security plate body portion having a first end portion and a second end portion;
the security plate component further including a first security plate arm member connected to the first end portion, the first security plate arm member including a first connector of the second set of connectors;
the security plate component further including a second security plate arm member connected to the second end portion, the second security plate arm member including a second connector of the second set of connectors;
wherein the safety bar component includes a safety bar body portion, the safety bar body portion having a first safety bar end portion and a second safety bar end portion;
the safety bar component further including a first safety bar arm member connected to the first safety bar end portion, the first safety bar arm portion including a third connector of the second set of connectors;
the safety bar component further including a second safety bar arm member connected to the second safety bar end portion, the second safety bar arm portion including a fourth connector of the second set of connectors; and
wherein the first safety bar arm member is movably attached to the first security plate arm member via engagement of the first and third connectors; and
wherein the second safety bar arm member is movably attached to the second security plate arm member via engagement of the second and fourth connectors.

3. The gaming machine of claim 1 :
wherein the access panel assembly is designed such that, when the access panel assembly is configured in the closed position and the safety bar component is moved into the retracted position, the access panel assembly is caused to automatically unlatch from the display support frame and caused to move to the open position.

4. The gaming machine of claim 1 :
wherein the access panel assembly further includes a self-latching mechanism designed to cause the access panel assembly to automatically latch itself in the closed position to the display support frame.

5. The gaming machine of claim 1 :
wherein the safety bar component is designed to operate as a self-latching mechanism to cause the access panel assembly to automatically latch itself in the closed position to the display support frame.

6. The gaming machine of claim 1 :
wherein the access panel assembly includes a spring mechanism which is designed to engage with the safety bar component in a manner which causes the safety bar component to automatically move from the retracted position to the extended position.

7. The gaming machine of claim 1 :
wherein the safety bar component is designed to operate as a safety mechanism for causing the access panel assembly to automatically move to the open position when the safety bar component is moved.

8. The gaming machine of claim 1 :
wherein, the access panel assembly is devoid of exposed fasteners while the access panel assembly is configured in the closed position.

9. The gaming machine of claim 1 :
wherein the first display device is mounted to the display support frame above the access panel assembly; and
wherein the access panel assembly is designed and movably attached to the display support frame in a manner which enables the access panel assembly to be moved from the open position to the closed position while the first display device is mounted to the display support frame.

10. The gaming machine of claim 1 :
wherein the first display device is mounted to the display support frame above the access panel assembly;
wherein, when the access panel assembly is moved from the open position to the closed position, the safety bar component is caused to engage with a lower edge portion of the first display device; and
while the safety bar component engages with the lower edge portion of the first display device, the safety bar component is caused to move into at least a partially retracted position.

11. An access panel assembly for use in a gaming machine, the gaming machine comprising a cabinet including an entry that provides access to an interior of the cabinet, the gaming machine further including a display support frame disposed at an exterior portion of the cabinet, the display support frame including a first mounting interface disposed at a first region of the display support frame and designed to enable a first display device to be mounted to the display support frame at the first region, the display support frame including a second mounting interface disposed at a second region of the display support frame and adapted to enable a second display device to be mounted to the display support frame at the second region, the access panel assembly comprising:
a security plate component having a first edge disposed along a top portion of the security plate component, the security plate component comprising a security plate body and security plate arms attached to the security plate body, the security plate arms including a first set of connector components for movably attaching the security plate component to the display support frame in a manner which enables the access panel assembly to move between a closed position and an open position;
a movable safety bar component including a lip portion disposed along a top edge of the safety bar component, the safety bar component being movably attached to the security plate component via a second set of connector components and in

Assignees

• Ags Llc

Inventors

• Ambrecht Adam Daniel
• Hohman Kevin Lee

Classifications

• G07F17/3216 Primary

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