AU2004100171A4 - Display Support System - Google Patents

Description

2004 23:21 Wallington Dummer No.7281 P. 3 P/00/009 Regulation 3.2

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 19 INNOVATION

SPECIFICATION

Invention Title: Display Support System The invention is described in the following statement: Our Ref: 046002 COMS ID No: SMBI-00652032 Received by IP Australia: Time 23:28 Date 2004-03-05 b.Mar. 2004 23:21 Wallington Dummor No-7281 P. 4 -2- Display Support System The present invention relates to gaming machine installations and, more particularly to apparatus and methods for the mounting of ancillary display screens.

BACGROUNDl Gaming machines of the type commonly referred to as poker machines are frequently installed in clusters or banks. To acdd interest and novelty to the playing of such machines an ancillary screen or screens may be associated with a cluster of machines for the purpose of information and imagery associated for example with the playing of bonus games, the winning of jackpot prizes and the like.

It may also be found desirable to mount a pair of screens side by side to operate individually or in conjunction so as to accommodate an extended image for example.

Such screens may sometimes be suspended from the ceiling of the venue in which the machines are installed but this entails an awkward arrangement of cabling for the displays, especially where the display operates in conjunction with a state of play on any one or on a combination of the machines in-a cluster.

Screens generally require preferably local installations of logic circuitry and control modules and COMS ID No: SMBI-00652032 Received by IP Australia: Time 23:28 Date 2004-03-05 2004 23:22 Wallington Dummer No.7281 P. 3the accommodation of this equipment and the cabling between it and the screen adds further problems to the installation, Alternatively, the screen or screens may be mounted s from the gaming machines themselves but this leads to complications when machines of different sizes are clustered together or when machines in the cluster need to be removed for servicing or replacement.

It is an object of the present invention to address or at least ameliorate some of the above disadvantages.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION Accordingly there is provided in a first broad from of the invention, a system for the support of at least one pair of ancillary display modules in association with a cluster of gaming machines; said system including a mounting providing for adjustability of position of said at least one pair of ancillary display modules relative one to the other and relative to said cluster.

Preferably said cluster of gaming machines comprises at least two gaming machines arranged in a row side by side.

Preferably said cluster of gaming machines comprises a first said row side by side and a second said row side by side: said first and second row arranged back to back.

COMS ID No: SMBI-00652032 Received by IP Australia: Time 23:28 Date 2004-03-05 2004 23:22 Wall in ton Dummer No.7281 P. 6 4 Preferably each said ancillary display module is comprised of a flat panel display screen and an associated equipment housing.

Preferably said flat panel display screen includes a liquid crystal display screen.

Preferably said flat panel display screen includes a plasma screen.

Preferably said equipment housing comprises a box-like structure provided with at least an outer side panel and an inner side panel, a top panel, a rear panel, a bottom panel and an open front side.

Preferably ancillary display modules of said at least one pair of ancillary display modules are mounted side by side with said display screens coplanar and upper and lower edges coljnear; said mounting adapted to allow adjustment of separation between said ancillary display modules.

Preferably two pairs of ancillary display modules are mounted back to back; said mounting adapted to allow adjustment of separation between said two pairs of ancillary display units.

Preferably each said associated equipment housing is provided with a downwardly projecting tubular member rigidly affixed to said bottom panel of said housing.

COMS ID No: SMBI-00652032 Received by IP Australia: Time 23:28 Date 2004-03-05 2004 23:22 Wallinston Dummer No.7281 P 7 5 Preferably said downwardly projecting tubular member is adapted to engage telescopically with a vertical tubular support member.

Preferably said downwardly projecting tubular member and said vertical tubular support member are provided with a plurality of cooperating holes adapted to receive locking means passing through selected ones of said holes so as to lock said downwardly projecting tubular member and said vertical tubular member into a preferred tolescopic position.

Preferably said vertical tubular support member is provided at its lower end with a horizontally disposed base plate.

Preferably each said pair of ancillary display modules includes a left hand configured equipment housing and a right hand configured equipment housing.

Preferably said left hand configured equipment housing is provided with at least one inwardly projecting tubular member affixed to the inside surface of said inner side panel of said housing; said tubular member communicating with the outside surface of said inner side panel.

Preferably said right hand configured equipment housing is provided with at least one inwardly projecting COMS ID No: SMBI-00652032 Received by IP Australia: Time 23:28 Date 2004-03-05 2004 23:22 Wallington Dummer No.7281 P. 8 6 tubular member affixed to the inside surface of said inner side panel of said housing; said at least one inwardly projecting tubular member communicating with the outside surface of said inner side panel.

Preferably said at least one inwardly projecting tubular member of each of said right hand configured equipment housing and said left hand configured equipment housing is adapted to engage telescopically with at least one side linking tubular member.

Preferably each of said left hand configured equipment housing and said right hand configured equipment housing is provided with an aperture in said rear panel; said aperture positioned on the vertical centerline of said rear panel.

Preferably opposing ones of said apertures of said left hand configured equipment housing and said right hand configured equipment housing arranged back to back are adapted to accept a rear linking tubular member.

Preferably said rear linking tubular member is provided with a flange at one end; said flange adapted to the fixing of said rear linking tubular member to an inside surface of a said rear panel of a first one of said associated equipment housings arranged back to back.

COMS ID No: SMBI-00652032 Received by IP Australia: Time 23:28 Date 2004-03-05 2004 23:22 Wallinston Dummer No.7281 P. 9 7 Preferably an inside surface of a second one of said associated equipment housings arranged back to back is provided at said aperture in said rear panel with an inwardly projecting tubular member; said inwardly projecting tubular member provided with a locking means; said inwardly projecting tubular member further adapted to accept telescopic insertion of said rear linking member.

Preferably said open front of said equipment housing is provided with a pair of spaced-apart vertical rails; each rail of said pair of spaced-apart rails providing support for an attachment nest and an attachment slot.

Preferably said flat panel screen is retained against said open front side of said equipment housing by engagement means adapted to engage with each said attachment nest and each said attachment slot.

Preferably said cluster of gaming machines is arranged on plinths; one plinth for each one of said gaming machines in said cluster.

Preferably said cluster of gaming machines is arranged on a common plinth.

The system of any one of claims 1 to 25 wherein said mounting is mechanically independent of said gaming machines.

i COMS ID No: SMBI-00652032 Received by IP Australia: Time 23:28 Date 2004-03-05 2004 23:23 Wallington Dummer No.7281 P. 8 BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAfIGS Embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein: Figure 1 is an elevation view of a pair of ancillary display modules mounted over a cluster of gaming machines arranged in a single row.

Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view of the pair of ancillary display modules of figure 1.

Figure 3 is an exploded perspective view of two pairs of ancillary display modules adapted for mounting over a cluster of two back to back rows of gaming machines.

Figure 4 is a partial exploded view of the two pairs of ancillary display modules of figure 3 with screens removed for c3arity showing a preferred method of rearward linking.

Figure 5 is a perspective view of an associated equipment housing showing side linkage means, display screen attachment means and primary power cabling routes.

Figure 6 is a perspective view of the rear of a pair of display screens showing details of engagement components to the attachment means of figure DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS In a first preferred embodiment of the invention, with reference to figures 1 and 2 in which like features are COMS ID No: SMBI-00652032 Received by IP Australia: Time 23:28 Date 2004-03-05 2004 23:23 Wallinston Dummer No.7281 P. 11 -9numbered alike, a system 10 for the mounting of a pair of ancillary display modules 11 includes adjustable tubular vertical support members 12 provided at their lower ends with base plates 13. As shown in figure 1, base plates 13 may be affixed by suitable means such as bolts to a horizontal surface such as the top of a plinth 14 supporting a row of gaming machines 15. Alternatively, where machines are directly positioned on a floor the base plates 13 may also be affixed to that floor.

Each ancillary display module 11 is comprised of a flat panel display screen 17 and an associated equipment housing 18. Flat panel display screen 17 may be a liquid crystal display screen or a plasma display screen for example, adapted to digital video display. Each ancillary display module 11 may further include an audio speaker 19.

Preferably associated equipment housings 18 are configured as one left hand housing and one right hand housing for each pair of display modules as may best be seen in figure 2. Each ancillary equipment housing 18 is preferably comprised of a top panel 20, outer side panel 21, inner side panel 22, rear panel 23 and bottom panel 24.

Each associated equipment housing is further provided with internal supports for power supply units, logic circuits and other required digital display and audio control devices 16 as will be well understood by those skilled in the art.

j COMS ID No: SMBI-00652032 Received by IP Australia: Time 23:28 Date 2004-03-05 2004 23:23 Wallinston Dummer No.7281 P. 12 Depending on preferred applications, each ancillary display module 11 may be operated as a stand-alone unit or the two adjoining screens may be operated to show a single display spread over both screens. In this mode for example the screens acting together could display a horse or some other form of race flowing from one screen to the other.

As may be seen in figure 1, each associated equipment housing 18 is provided with a downwardly projecting tubular member 25 rigidly affixed to bottom panel 24 of the housing 18. Each downwardly projecting tubular member 25 is adapted to engage telescopically with a tubular vertical support member 12. Tubular vertical support member 12 may be provided with a plurality of adjustment holes 26 with a corresponding hole (not visible) provided in downwardly projecting tubular member 25. By this means the tubular members 12 and 25 may be locked together in a preferred relative position by the passing of a bolt 27 through the appropriately aligned holes. Thus the height of associated equipment housings 18 above base plates 13 may be adjusted to suit the height of the gaming machines Although the array of plinths 14 shown in figure 1 are all of the same height it will be apparent that the individual adjustment of the height of associated equipment housings 18 above the respective base plates 13 allows the mounting of the ancillary display units on plinths of COMS ID No: SMBI-00652032 Received by IP Australia: Time 23:28 Date 2004-03-05 2004 23:23 Wallington Dummer No.7281 P. 13 11 different heights, or indeed on a plinth for one vertical support member and the floor for the other.

Again with reference to figures 1, 2 and 5, the associated equipment housings 18 are interlinked by side linking tubular members 28. As may best be seen in figure where like features are numbered alike, the inside surface 29 of the inner side panels 22 of housings 18 are provided with inwardly projecting tubular members 30 in communication with the outside surface of inner side panels 22.

Side linking tubular members 28 are telescopically engaged with inwardly projecting tubular members 30 so that the separation between left hand and right hand ancillary equipment housings 18 is adjustable between a minimum, where flat panel display screens 17 are abutting, to a maximum limited only by the length of .side linking tubular members 26.

Inwardly projecting tubular members 30 are provided with locking means 31 adapted to lock linking tubular members 28 into a preferred position. Locking means 31 may be comprised for example of tapped plate 32 and bolt 33 arranged so as to allow the bolt 32 to be driven into sufficient frictional contact with linking tubular member 28.

Flat panel display screens 17 may be attached to associated equipment housings 18 by means of a combination COMS ID No: SMBI-00652032 Received by IP Australia: Time 23:28 Date 2004-03-05

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2004 23:24 Wallington Dummer No-7281 P. 14 -12 of retaining nest 3-7 and slot 38 provided on a pair of vertical structural members 39 as may be seen in fijgures 4 and S. (Note that tn figure 5 the right hand structural member has been omitted for clarity of other features) Each flat panel display screen 17 is provided with a pair of suitable attachment means 40 adapted to mate with nest 37 and a pair of tapped holes 41 to accept a bolt passing through slots 38.

Thus for a pair of identical flat panel display screens 17 the system 10 provides that their screens are coplanar and their upper and lower edges collinear.

In a second preferred embodiment of the invention as shown in figures 3 and 4 from which the flat panel screens have been omitted for clarity, two pairs of ancillary display modules 11A and 11B may be arrange so as to provide ancillary displays over two back to back rows of5 gaming machines (not shown). In this embodiment the two pairs of ancillary display modules l11A and 11B may be interlinked by rear linking Lubular memnbers 34.- In at least one preferredF form rear linking tubular members, 34 are provided with a flange 35 at one end.

Rear panels 23 of ancillary equipment housings 18 are provided with apertures 35 positioned on the vertical centreline of the rear panels 23 so that when a left, hand configured 18 is arranged back to back with a right hand configured 18 apertures 35 of both are in alignment. Thus COMS ID No: SMBI-00652032 Received by IP Australia: Time 23:28 Date 2004-03-05 b.Mar. 2004 23:24 WalhI ngton Dummer No.7281 P. 1 3 34 may be passed through apertures 35 of the first pair of ancillary display modules 11A and their flanges 35 fixed to the inside surface of the rear panels 23. The second pair of ancillary display modules 312B is provided with rear inwardly projecting members 36 provided with flanges 37 and fixed to the inside surface of the rear panels 23 in alignment with apertures 35 (apertures in this second pair of ancillary display modules are hidden from view in figures 3 and Rear inwardly projecting tubular members 36 are adapted for telescopic engagement with rear linking tubular members 3d- By providing rear inwardly projecting tubular members 36 with suitable locking means, the separation between the two back to back ancillary display units may be adjusted between a minimum, where the rear panels 23 are abutting, to a maximum limited only by the length of rear linking tubular members 34.

As may best be seen in f igure 5, the use of hollow tubular members for the vertical support members 12, the side and rear linking members 28 and 34 respectively and the telescopic members with which they engage allows for the passage of all required cabling. Thus power may conveniently be supplied through any one of the tubular vertical support members 12 to enter one of the associated equipment housings 18 to provide power to a power board 42 COMS ID No: SMBI-00652032 Received by IP Australia: Time (ltm) 23:28 Date 2004-03-05 2004 23:24 Wallinston Dummer No.7281 P. 16 14 from which any of the control devices 16 in any of the linked associated equipment housings may be powered.

Similarly control, cabling (not shown) may be conducted through any one of the vertical support members 12 and subsequently ducted to any of the linked associated equipment housing via the tubular linking members 28 and 34.

The above describes only some embodiments of the present invention and modifications, obvious to those skilled in the art, can be made thereto without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention.

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COMS ID No: SMBI-00652032 Received by IP Australia: Time 23:28 Date 2004-03-05

Claims (5)

1. A system for the support of at least one pair of ancillary display modules in association with a cluster of gaming machines; said system including a mounting providing for adjustability of position of said at least one pair of ancillary display modules relative one to the other and relative to said cluster; said adjustability provided by interlinking tubular members between adjoining ones of said ancillary display modules and a supporting horizontal surface; said interlinking tubular members adapted for telescopic engagement.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein said adjustability of position includes adjustments of height relative to said cluster of gaming machines; adjustment of separation .of any one ancillary display module relative to adjoining ones of said ancillary display modules.

3. The system of claim 1 or 2 wherein said cluster of gaming machines comprises at least two gaming machines arranged in a row side by side.

4. The system of any one of claims 1 to 3 wherein said cluster of gaming machines comprises a first said row COMS ID No: SMBI-00652032 Received by IP Australia: Time 23:28 Date 2004-03-05 2004 23:24 Wallington Dummer No.7281 P. 18 16 side by side and a second said row side by side; said first and second row arranged back to back. The system of claim 1 wherein each said ancillary display module is comprised of a flat panel display screen and an associated equipment housing. DATED:

5 March 2004 Konami Australia Pty Ltd by their Patent Attorneys: WALLINGTON-DUTMER COMS ID No: SMBI-00652032 Received by IP Australia: Time 23:28 Date 2004-03-05