Slidable gaming chair including return-to-home feature

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12223797-B2
Application number	US-202217709146-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 30, 2022
Priority date	May 14, 2021
Publication date	Feb 11, 2025
Grant date	Feb 11, 2025

Abstract

An electronic gaming system is described. The electronic gaming system includes an upper assembly including a chair and at least one sensor. The electronic gaming system also includes a lower assembly coupled to the upper assembly by a support structure wherein the lower assembly includes a centering system and wherein the centering system is configured to return the chair to a predefined home position in response to the at least one sensor of the upper assembly detecting a weight below a predefined threshold.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electronic gaming system including:
an upper assembly including a chair and at least one sensor; and
a lower assembly coupled to the upper assembly by a support structure, wherein the lower assembly includes a centering system and a movable plate that is coupled to the centering system and slidably coupled to a floorplate, and wherein the centering system is configured to return the chair to a predefined home position in response to the at least one sensor of the upper assembly detecting a weight below a predefined threshold.

2. The electronic gaming system of claim 1 , wherein the centering system is configured to control movement of the chair by controlling movement of the movable plate along the floorplate.

3. The electronic gaming system of claim 1 , wherein the chair includes a controllable electronic component comprising at least one of: a speaker, a subwoofer, a shaker, or a back-side screen.

4. The electronic gaming system of claim 1 , further comprising an electronic gaming device, wherein the electronic gaming device is communicatively coupled to the chair.

5. The electronic gaming system of claim 1 , wherein the chair includes a seat cover configured for quick removal by being coupled to the chair with two screws.

6. The electronic gaming system of claim 1 , wherein the lower assembly comprises another at least one sensor configured to detect when the chair has returned to the predefined home position.

7. The electronic gaming system of claim 1 , wherein the lower assembly comprises a linear actuator configured to return the chair to the predefined home position.

8. The electronic gaming system of claim 7 , wherein the linear actuator includes a back drive force configured to prevent back drive of a screw included in the linear actuator.

9. The electronic gaming system of claim 8 , wherein the back drive force is at least 500 newtons (500N).

10. A chair comprising:
an upper assembly including a seat and at least one sensor; and
a lower assembly coupled to the upper assembly by a support structure, wherein the lower assembly includes a centering system and a movable plate that is coupled to the centering system and slidably coupled to a floorplate, and wherein the centering system is configured to return the seat to a predefined home position in response to the at least one sensor of the upper assembly sensing that the chair is unoccupied.

11. The chair of claim 10 , wherein the centering system is configured to control movement of the chair by controlling movement of the movable plate along the floorplate.

12. The chair of claim 10 , wherein the chair includes a controllable electronic component comprising at least one of: a speaker, a subwoofer, a shaker, or a back-side screen.

13. The chair of claim 10 , further comprising an electronic gaming device, wherein the electronic gaming device is communicatively coupled to the chair.

14. The chair of claim 10 , wherein the chair includes a seat cover configured for quick removal by being coupled to the chair with two screws.

15. The chair of claim 10 , wherein the lower assembly comprises another at least one sensor configured to detect when the chair has returned to the predefined home position.

16. The chair of claim 10 , wherein the lower assembly comprises a linear actuator configured to return the chair to the predefined home position, and wherein the linear actuator includes a back drive force configured to prevent back drive of a screw included in the linear actuator.

17. The chair of claim 16 , wherein the back drive force is at least 500 newtons (500N).

18. A method of returning a chair to a predefined home position, the method comprising:
determining, by a processor, based upon a signal transmitted from at least one sensor of an upper assembly of the chair, that a weight in the chair is below a predefined threshold; and
in response to determining that the weight in the chair is below the predefined threshold, controlling, by the processor, a lower assembly coupled to the upper assembly to return the chair to the predefined home position, wherein the lower assembly comprises a centering system and a movable plate that is coupled to the centering system and slidably coupled to a floorplate.

Assignees

• Aristocrat Technologies Inc

Inventors

• Schoonmaker Rena
• Wion Mathew
• Waller Daniel
• Davis Jr Wendell
• Abadie Edmond
• Nettenstrom Dylan

Classifications

• A47C1/03294

  slidingly movable in the base frame, e.g. by rollers · CPC title

• A47C15/004

  Seating furniture for specified purposes not covered by main groups A47C1/00 or A47C9/00 · CPC title

• A47C1/0242

  by electric motors · CPC title

• A47C1/023

  the parts being horizontally-adjustable seats · CPC title

• G07F17/3223

  Architectural aspects of a gaming system, e.g. internal configuration, leader-follower, wireless communication · CPC title