BACKGROUND

Gaming machines often include lighted displays that incorporate colors and themes consistent with the games offered on the gaming machine. Operators of gaming businesses strive to provide the most entertaining, engaging, and exciting machines to attract customers to use the machines while also providing a machine that allows the player to enjoy their gambling experience. Accordingly, there is a continuing need for gaming machine manufacturers to develop new games and gaming machines that are in particular comparatively simple and/or efficiently producible in order to maintain or increase player enjoyment.

SUMMARY

Aspects of the present disclosure relate to a lighting display assembly for a gaming machine.

Certain aspects of the present disclosure relate to a lighting display assembly comprising a light guide frame and a light source. The light guide frame is composed of at least two light guide frame parts made of material that is transparent to light.

According to an embodiment, each of the two light guide frame parts is U-shaped and both frame parts may be arranged together to define a substantially rectangular opening that is extending between its front and rear surfaces and defining an inner sidewall of the light guide frame. The light source is configured to emit light and is positioned facing the inner sidewall so that light emitted therefrom passes through the inner sidewall and into the light guide frame. A surface structure is formed in and/or on the light guide frame parts and positioned to be illuminated by the light emitted from the light source, which light is then scattered and/or refracted light visible from in front of the device (user operating position). A lighting controller may be provided to controllably activate and deactivate the light source. The U-shaped frame parts may be arranged to form a respective joint at a top center position and bottom center position of the lighting display assembly.

According to a preferred embodiment, the light guide frame is composed of four light guide frame parts, each of which is made of material that is transparent to light. Each of the light guide frame parts is L-shaped, i.e. having legs substantially perpendicular to each other and the four frame parts may be arranged to define a substantially rectangular opening that is extending between its front and rear surfaces and defining an inner sidewall of the light guide frame. It may be appreciated that the respective legs of the L-shaped light guide frame parts may be of equal or unequal length and may be fitted depending on design and other considerations, for instance an optimal degree of utilization when cutting out the shapes/legs of the light guide frame parts from a plate-shaped raw material.

The L-shaped frame parts may be arranged to form a respective joint at a top center position and bottom center position and a left center position and a right center position of the lighting display assembly.

In some embodiments, the surface structure redirects at least a portion of the light emitted from the light source and entering the sidewall wall of the light guide frame towards the front surface of the light guide frame. In certain embodiments, the surface structure may reflect and/or refract at least a portion the visible light emitted from the light source and entering the sidewall of the light guide frame towards the front surface of the light guide frame light.

Embodiments of the lighting display assembly may include a rear panel configured to support the light source relative to the light guide frame. In certain embodiments, the light source may include a lighting bracket that carries a plurality of light emitting diodes. The lighting bracket may be mounted to the rear panel such that the plurality of light emitting diodes align with the sidewall of the light guide frame so that light emitted therefrom passes through the inner sidewall and into the light guide frame. Some embodiments include a plurality of the lighting brackets, where each lighting bracket includes a plurality of light emitting diodes.

In some embodiments, the rear panel may include a rear panel opening that aligns with the center opening defined by the light guide frame.

Some embodiments may comprise a milky white translucent or opaque cover overlying the light guide frame. The translucent cover may include a center opening that aligns with the center opening of the light guide frame.

In some embodiments, the surface structure is formed in the rear surface of the light guide frame. In certain embodiments, the surface structure may be laser etched into the rear surface of the light guide frame. In some embodiments, the surface structure may be screen printed onto the rear surface of the light guide frame.

In some embodiments, the lighting display assembly may be angled. In particular, the lower half of the lighting display assembly is angled in view of the upper half of the lighting display assembly. In other words, frame parts may form an obtuse angle with respect to each other, preferably around the horizontal central axis of the lighting display assembly.

In some embodiments, the obtuse angle may be in the range between 150° and 180°, preferably 165°.

In some embodiments, the translucent cover parts are dimensioned so that a bend or curvature is possible at the transition point (horizontal central axis) during assembly of the cover parts, i.e. a radius is formed at this transition area.

Some embodiments of the disclosure relate to a gaming machine that includes a cabinet, a display monitor, and a lighting display assembly. The display (monitor) may be supported by the cabinet with the lighting display assembly being positioned behind the display (monitor). The lighting display assembly may include a light guide frame and a light source.

According to a further embodiment, the light guide frame may be formed from a single piece of material that is transparent to visible light. The light guide frame may include a center opening extending between its front and rear surfaces and defining an inner sidewall of the light guide frame. The light source is configured to emit visible light and is positioned facing the inner sidewall so that light emitted therefrom passes through the inner sidewall and into the light guide frame. A surface structure is formed in the light guide frame and is positioned to be illuminated by the visible light emitted from the light source and entering the sidewall of the light guide frame so that the light is scattered and/or refracted and is visible from the front surface of the light guide frame. The gaming machine may also include a controller configured to controllably activate and deactivate the light source.

In some embodiments, the light guide frame is sized to extend laterally beyond at least one outer peripheral edge, preferably all outer peripheral edges, of the display monitor or an arrangement of two or more displays such that the illuminated surface structure is visible from in front of the display monitor(s). In certain embodiments, the center opening of the light guide frame may be positioned inward of the outer peripheral edge of the display monitor.

In some embodiments, the lighting display assembly may include mounting features configured to secure the lighting display assembly to at least one of the cabinet and/or the display monitor.

In some embodiments, the gaming machine includes a display mounting retainer or bracket mechanism for mounting the display monitor to the gaming machine. In certain embodiments, the display mounting retainer mechanism may extend through the center opening of the light guide frame.

