Ventilation – Electronic cabinet
Reexamination Certificate
2000-02-22
2001-08-28
Lu, Jiping (Department: 3749)
Ventilation
Electronic cabinet
C361S695000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06280318
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
This present invention relates, generally, to cooling systems for gaming devices and, more particularly, relates to cooling systems which provide fresh air for cooling internal components of a gaming machine.
BACKGROUND ART
As technology in the gaming industry progresses, the once traditional mechanically-driven reel slot machines have been replaced with electronic counterparts having CRT video displays or the like. These video/electronic gaming advancements enable the operation of more complex gambling games which would not otherwise be possible on mechanical-driven gambling machines. For example, in addition to reel slot machines, it is now common to observe stand alone or multiple platform video electronic games including Keno, Blackjack, Poker, Pai Gow, and all the variations thereof, in even the smallest gaming establishments. These electronic game devices may comprise numerous internal electrical components including, for example, a power supply, a lighted display and a CPU. During extensive use, and due to the fact that these game devices are always “on” even when not in use, many of the internal electrical components thereof require cooling.
FIG. 1
illustrates a conventional gaming machine which, currently, are typically cooled using at least one box fan
3
. The box fan
3
is located within the gaming machine
2
and strategically placed on or near internal components requiring cooling, depending on space provisions. The box fan
3
distributes air from within the machine onto or around these internal components for convection cooling thereof. Typically, a housing
6
of the gamine machine
2
includes an air intake vent
4
to introduce fresh air to the internal components in the gaming machine. Typically, top boxes and base cabinets of a gaming machine are cooled separately. Therefore, it is common to have intake and exhaust ports for the top box and base cabinet, respectively. The housing
6
further includes an air exhaust vent
5
to exhaust air from the gaming machine. Generally, the air intake vent
4
and air exhaust vent
5
are spaced-apart along the side face of the housing to enable air circulation across the internal components. Vent location, however, is often dictated by space limitations.
Accordingly, during operation of the fan
3
, the air is drawn into the housing
6
through intake part
4
. After flowing past the internal components, the air exits the housing through exhaust port
5
. As a consequence of this arrangement, the air driven by the box fan
3
is limited to the air that has circulated through the internal components, both electrical and mechanical, in the gaming machine interior. Correspondingly, the air may be heated by internal components before the air reaches other heat critical components. By way of example, the air may be heated by a monitor or coin hopper closer to the air inlet
4
before the air reaches a CPU proximate to the box fan
3
. As some internal components may be more heat sensitive, this pre-heating of cooling air used by the box fan
3
may diminish heat removal for the heat sensitive components.
Another problem associated with this design is that internal particulates and contaminates can often be passed from one internal component to another internal component due to the common circulation of the air. For example, within the gaming machine housing
6
, there is often an accumulation of coin dust and other particulates generated from the action of coins with the coin hopper. This dust often consists of metallic particles such as nickel and copper from the coins, and stainless steel from the hopper. As a result, this conductive dust complicates the cooling of internal components. More specifically, the box fan
3
circulates the coin dust from within the gaming machine and then distributes and deposits it onto the components being cooled, as well as other internal components which do not require cooling. Such deposition of these conductive particulates may compromise the operation of sensitive components within the gaming machine, and may even cause shorting of circuitry.
In an attempt to remove the coin dust, filters have been strategically positioned in the housing
6
. Unfortunately, heavily trafficked machines continuously generate substantial amounts of coin dust which necessitates constant servicing of the filters. Not only does this increase maintenance costs, but machine down time as well.
In addition to the above problems, it is sometimes necessary in gaming machine design to position critical components in isolated or confined locations. When these critical components are heat sensitive, this restricted placement may diminish the cooling efficiency of the box fan
3
.
Accordingly, in view of the foregoing, it would be desirable to provide an alternative technique to cool the internal components of a gaming machine while isolating these components from the dust generated during use.
DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION
To achieve the foregoing, the present invention provides a cooling system for use with a gaming machine. The cooling system channels air from outside the gaming machine to internal components therein. The cooling system includes an air flow assembly which draws fresh air from outside the gaming machine. The air flow assembly provides the fresh air to a set of ducts. The set of ducts channel the fresh air to one or more internal components of the gaming machine. The cooling system may also include an inlet duct to channel air from outside the machine to the air flow assembly.
Advantageously, the present invention provides fresh air to internal components of a gaming machine. The fresh air has substantially less exposure to the coin dust of the gaming machine. Correspondingly, the risk of component failure from coin dust contamination is reduced. In addition, the fresh air is provided at a lower temperature than the ambient air within the gaming machine, thus improving cooling of the internal components.
The cooling system may also include a filtering system having one or more filters. The filters may be flexibly located to perform different filtering functions or extracting different particles from the air. In one embodiment, a filter is placed near the coolant air inlet from outside the gaming machine. This inlet filter may be directed to removing particles found outside the gaming machine. In another embodiment, a filter is implemented with a duct servicing an internal component and directed to filter particulates for the internal component.
The duct system of the present invention also allows improved control of the volume of air delivered to the internal components. In addition, the flexibility of the duct system allows improved ability to cool components that are located in spaces too confined to contain a fan. The duct system also allows for easy access to filters, thus allowing easier maintenance. The reduction of coin dust in the filter by using coolant air from outside the gaming machine may also increase the time interval between filter maintenance.
In one aspect, the present invention relates to a cooling system for use with a gaming machine, the gaming machine having a housing to enclose internal components therein. The cooling system including an air flow assembly adapted to drive air through a manifold thereof. The cooling system also including a duct system defining an air flow passage in flow communication with the manifold. The passage has an intake port positioned to draw ambient air from outside the gaming machine housing and an exhaust port terminating at least one internal component of the gaming machine for direct cooling thereof by the outside ambient air.
In another aspect, the present invention relates to a gaming machine. The gaming machine has a housing to enclose internal components therein. The gaming machine also including a display capable of presenting the outcome of a game play on the gaming machine. The gaming machine further includes a cooling system. The cooling system including an air flow assembly adapted to drive air through a manifold thereof, and
Beadel John Leagh
Criss-Puszkiewicz Cynthia Rae
Haefeli Paul Scott
Parrott Gregory Hopkins
Tedsen Kirk Arnim
Beyer Weaver & Thomas LLP
International Game Technology
Lu Jiping
LandOfFree
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