Housing for vending machines or for gaming machines

Abstract

 Casing or housing made from metal sheets, having a door (3) for accessing inside the vending or gaming machine, and on the sheets there are two grooves cut, a first groove (4) for locating the mouth of the banknote recycler, and a second groove (5) for the distribution of prizes in the form of coins, also having some means of connection to the exterior for the passage of coins, power and command and control signals, consisting of at least one bore hole (9) or the like. It is also an object of the invention a gaming machine or the like having such a casing, obtaining a modular assembly comprising the above security casing (1) and a casing for housing the electrical/electronic means (2) for the vending or gaming. Thanks to the casing, vending machines which are modular and of increased security are obtained, allowing the replacement of one part by another. Means are provided for connecting two casings through a bore hole or groove made on each casing for allowing the passage of ducts of coins or cables.

Description

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

[0001] It is an object of the present invention, as stated by the title of the invention, a security casing for gaming machines or the like, i.e., a casing that used with the means of the gaming machine or the like, prevents the stealing of the takings and the money intended for prizes and collected inside. Also it is an object of the invention a gaming machine having the security casing object of the invention.

[0002] The present invention is characterised by the multiple functionality achieved by the security casing object of the invention, as in addition to preventing the stealing of the money housing inside, it allows serving as a support and base to the means of the gaming machines, the two parts being autonomously and independently interchangeable and by way of independent modules.

[0003] Therefore, the present invention is circumscribed, on the one hand, within the scope of safe deposit boxes and, on the other hand, within the scope of gaming machines and the like, also known as "vending machines", and associated security means.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0004] Selling machines or "vending machines", and in particular gaming machines are basically constructed from wooden panels that joined together by the corresponding means of attachment configure the cabinet or casing of the machine. This casing comprises a base, a roof, two lateral sides and a back, leaving the front open.

[0005] In this opening the front panel or user interaction display is installed. This front panel is practicable from the outside as a door, so it has at least one hinge and a closure. Thus, when the inside of the machine is to be accessed, this front panel gets open and the inside of the machine can be accessed. Inside, in addition to the collection and prize boxes, all the electrical/electronic operational devices of the machine can be found.

[0006] Gaming machines tend to suffer from acts of vandalism to gain access to their interior in order to steal the devices containing the money that is collected and which is intended for prizes. For that, just having access to the inside is needed, which can be achieved in two ways. The first is to leverage, either in the joints of the wooden panels for creating an opening that allows access to the inside, or in the joint among the casing and the door which is the front panel of the machine. The second is to break the front panel of the machine or any other part of it due to its weakness as a structure for the materials normally used.

[0007] Solutions are known to protect the casings of gaming machines and the like, such as those described in Spanish utility model ES1070960U, and EP22275182.

[0008] In the Spanish utility model protection of the gaming machines is achieved by a fixed body and a mobile body that moves in relation to the fixed body having some means of guidance and running, enclosing the gaming machine by its five sides. This system, although effective, is expensive as it forces the gaming machine to be equipped with a double set of protection formed by the moving body and the fixed body.

[0009] The European patent, describes a system of frontal protection consisting of a hinged front relative to the rest of the casing, the casing being equipped with a few upper arms emerging from the sides and a few lower arms, also emerging from the lateral sides in an intermediate region of the frame, having some means of retention at their free ends. This protection system may be capable of being opened by leverage in some of the joints of the wooden panels of the casing or frame of the gaming machine.

[0010] As all these components are accessories to the machines, they make the product more expensive and they make the final product less attractive.

[0011] In addition to the current security problem of gaming machines and selling machines, they have another associated problem derived from the high replacement cost of a machine for a more up-to-date version or another different model regardless of the manufacturer

[0012] It happens that there are versions that are outdated or out of fashion, and when willing to replace them with a new version it is necessary to completely destroy the entire machine. This action implies that all electrical and electronic components and collection boxes need to be destroyed, yet and still being useful to keep them using, which entails an added cost to the operator, as well as the resulting environmental impact for the amount of electrical and plastic material destroyed.

[0013] Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to solve the double technical problem of lack of security and high cost in the replacement of a machine for a more up-to-date version, seeking to solve the problem simultaneously with a safe deposit box like the one described next and collected in its essence in the first claim.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0014] The present invention consists of a security casing for selling machines which is designed with the constructive features necessary to prevent the stealing of the money housing inside, either from takings or intended for prizes, and which also allows serving as a base or support to the means of the selling machines, gaming machines or the like.

[0015] The security casing is made from one or several welded metal sheets, comprising a base, a roof, two lateral sides, a back and a front opening, inside which the devices having the money of the machine are housing, such as the paying devices and the banknote recycler, most valuable part and intended to protect with the object of the invention, as well as other reusable electronic components considered valuable.

[0016] The security casing has a front door for accessing to the inside which will be mounted with a security hinge and will feature a closure, also of security. At the front door at least two openings in connection with the interior will be provided, one for the location of the mouth of the banknote recycler inside which there is money to pay prizes and collect money in the form of legal notes, and another one for the distribution of prizes in the form of coins, which in addition will incorporate a tray for receiving the coins.

[0017] In addition, the casing has means of connection with the exterior for the passage of power and command and control signals, consisting of a few holes or the like made on the top or ceiling of the casing which serves as a supporting surface to the rest of the selling machine which is associated with.

[0018] The material used for the manufacture of the security casing shall be of a material such as steel or the like. In case of using a single sheet for the manufacture of the security casing, where possible adjacent sides are folded up and joints are welded that allow configuring the prismatic body frontally open.

[0019] Due to the materials used in the construction of the security casing housing the collection and prize distribution means and to the way of construction from welded sheets, an inviolable casing whose interior is not accessible is obtained, being the collection box, paying devices, banknote recycler and valuable electronic components all protected at all times, even in case of breaking and accessing to the inside of the upper casing where the electrical/electronic means are housing.

[0020] It is also an object of the invention a selling machine or the like comprising:

• A security casing as described above and provided at the bottom of the machine assembly serving as a base or support to the rest of the selling machine.
• A casing that houses the electrical/electronic components of the selling or gaming machine comprising a base, a roof, two lateral sides, and a front or user interaction display. This casing for housing the gaming means is provided on the previous casing both being joined together. This casing material can be the same as the one used at present, more vulnerable, as it does not support inside valuable elements for their extraction.
• The casing housing the electrical/electronic components of the selling or gaming machine will have a groove for the entrance of coins that activate the game and which will deposited, through ducts, at the security casing serving as a base or support for their subsequent collection or payment of prizes.

[0021] Both casings are joined together and connected by means of the command and control and power cables, the upper casing housing the electrical/electronic components having a hole at its base or lower part arranged accordingly with the hole in the security casing.

[0022] Once both casings are provided on top of one another and with the means of connection among the two arranged in a facing manner, they will be joined together by any known conventional means.

[0023] Thus, a modular selling machine comprising two independent casings joined together is obtained, the upper casing comprising all the electrical/electronic devices and the front panel or user interaction display and, on the other hand, the security casing object of invention which, in a possible embodiment, can be secured to the floor or to the wall inside, such that the securing means are not accessible from the outside. Making, on the one hand, the assembly to be equipped with security means not available so far and having, on the other hand, the possibility of replacing the upper part with new games from any manufacturer, without having to replace the collection and prize distribution means that are common to all machines, resulting in a clear cost reduction in the machines replacement, thanks to the modularity with which it is designed.

[0024] The new gaming machine resulting from the union of the two casings allows obtaining the following advantages:

• The security casing will be universal, so it will adapt to casings of any manufacturer.
• The exterior design will be adaptable to aesthetics that are strategically of interest to game manufacturers in accordance with their needs.
• As a result of its universality, when a change of the machine is required, only the upper casing will need to be replaced by another one from any gaming machine or vending manufacturer, such that the new one will attach to the security casing and their components will connect together for the correct operation of the machine.
• Long service life of the security casing for the materials used, with a minimum maintenance.
• This replacement will help optimising costs as it will be smaller in dimension relative to the current gaming machines, will be easier to transport for being of smaller dimension and lighter than the current gaming machines.
• It will have less environmental impact because currently, machines serving no longer are completely destroyed, so basically no components

[0025] are reused, creating a lot of plastic waste that could perfectly be reused for other machines but because of the high costs associated to its removal, it is cheaper not to reuse them.

DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0026] To complement the above description and in order to assist in a better understanding of the features of the invention, according to an exemplary preferred embodiment, as an integral part of the description, a set of drawings is attached where in an illustrative and non-limiting manner, what follows is represented.

Figure 1 is a representation exclusively of the security casing that would be part of a selling machine.

Figure 2, is a representation of the interior of the security casing.

Figure 3 is a perspective representation of the gaming machine object of the invention.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

[0027] In view of the figures, a preferred embodiment of the proposed invention is next described.

[0028] Figure 1 shows a security casing (1) according to the principles object of the invention, made from metal sheets, having a door (3) for accessing to the inside, and on which there are two grooves cut, a first groove (4) for locating the mouth of the banknote recycler, and a second groove (5) for the distribution of prizes in the form of coins being deposited in a reception tray to be secured near groove (5). It also has connection means to the exterior which consist of at least one bore hole (9) or the like made on the top or ceiling of the casing serving as a supporting surface to the rest of the selling machine which is associated with, for the passage of power, ducts for the circulation of coins from the upper casing toward the lower casing and command and control signals.

[0029] The power and control wiring passing through the hole (9) serves for powering the collection and prize distribution means housing inside.

[0030] Figure 2 shows the inside of the security casing (1) when the door is left open (3), noting that there are some banknote distribution and reception means (7) and some prize distribution means in the form of coins (8) housing inside the casing.

[0031] Figure 3 shows the setting up of a gaming machine from the security casing of figures 1 and 2, noting that it comprises:

• A security casing (1) provided as a base or support
• A casing of the selling or gaming components (2), inside which are housing electrical/electronic means, having on its front a user interaction front panel (6) and a button (10).

[0032] Both casings are joined together by conventional means, they are also connected through some holes (9) arranged on the top of the security casing (1) and can be covered by some decorative panels or the like.

[0033] Thus, in case someone broke the upper part of the machine, either the front panel or anywhere else, they would have access to the inside of the casing but at most what could be damaged would be the electrical/electronic components as the collection boxes will be into the lower security casing object of the invention. Also, in case of willing to replace the casing of the selling or gaming components (2), it can be replaced without having to replace the entire machine, all those components that are common to machines being reusable. Thanks to the configuration described a gaming machine with increased and strengthened security relative to other similar ones is obtained where, in addition, the machine is easy and economical to build, with no prejudice in their final aesthetic qualities.

Claims

1. Security casing for gaming machines or the like characterised in that it is made from metal sheets, having a door (3) for accessing to the inside, and on which there are two grooves cut, a first groove (4) for locating the mouth of the banknote recycler, and a second groove (5) for the distribution of prizes in the form of coins, also having some means of connection to the exterior for the passage of ducts for the coins, the power and command and control signals, consisting of at least one bore hole (9) or the like.

2. Security casing for gaming machines or the like according to claim 1, characterised in that the bore hole (9) for the passage of ducts for coins, power cables and command and control signals is made on the top or ceiling of the security casing (1).

3. Security casing for gaming machines or the like, according to claim 1, characterised in that there are some banknote distribution and reception means (7) and prize distribution means (8) housing inside the security casing (1).

4. Security casing for gaming machines or the like, according to claim 1, characterised in that the front door (3) for accessing to the inside is equipped with a hinge and a security closure.

5. Security casing for gaming machines or the like, according to claim 4, characterised in that near the groove (5) a tray for receiving coins is secured.

6. Selling machine or the like, characterised in that it comprises:

- A security casing (1) made from metal sheets, having a door (3) for accessing to the inside, and on which there are two grooves cut, a first groove (4) serving as an access for banknotes, and a second groove (5) for the distribution of prizes or change.

- A casing of gaming or selling components (2), inside which are housing electrical/electronic means, having at the front panel a user interaction front panel (6), this casing being provided on the security casing.

- Some means of connection among the two casings.

7. Machine, according to claim 6, characterised in that the means of connection among the two casings consist of at least one bore hole (9) made on each casing and arranged in an facing manner such that they allow the passage of ducts for coins, power and control cables toward the change or prize distribution and collection means housing inside the security casing.

8. Machine, according to claim 6, characterised in that the two casings (1) and (2) are covered and joined together.

Drawing