Electricity: electrical systems and devices – Housing or mounting assemblies with diverse electrical... – For electronic systems and devices
Reexamination Certificate
1998-07-02
2001-03-13
Gandhi, Jayprakash N. (Department: 2841)
Electricity: electrical systems and devices
Housing or mounting assemblies with diverse electrical...
For electronic systems and devices
C361S801000, C220S004020, C070S057100, C312S223200
Reexamination Certificate
active
06201703
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a security cage provided in a housing of a game machine, such as a slot machine, for accommodating various types of electric components such as a control board and so forth, and to a game machine using the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
In game machines, such as slot machines, in order to prevent an electric component related to control of the progress of the game, such as a ROM storing a probability of and a score for success, from being unfairly changed, a container with a lock, called a security cage, is installed inside a housing, and substrates are accommodated in the security cage so as to be prevented from being attached and detached.
The security cage has been conventionally constructed to accommodate only predetermined electric components to be prevented from being attached and detached, and other electric components which are to be less strongly prevented from being attached and detached, such as components for converting the power-supply voltage, are accommodated in a box separately provided in the housing from the security cage.
According to the conventional structure as described above, it is necessary to prepare separate containers for the electric components to be prevented from being attached and detached and for other components, so that the limited space within the housing is not sufficiently used. Moreover, since both containers need to be connected by wiring, a number of wires are routed in confusion within the housing, and these wires obstruct maintenance and control of the inside of the housing, thus reducing operability.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a security cage capable of organizing the arrangement of electric components within a housing, and a game machine using the same.
According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a security cage for a game machine installed in a housing of the game machine so as to accommodate various types of electric components. The security cage includes: a cage main body having an opening provided at the front thereof; a partition wall for dividing the inside of the cage main body into an inaccessible region and an accessible region each communicating with the opening; a front wall which is provided so as to close the inaccessible region and which has an openable-and-closable lid provided at least at a part thereof; connecting means which is hidden within the inaccessible region when the lid is closed and which connects the front wall and the cage main body at positions where the connecting means can be operated from the outside of the cage main body when the lid is opened; and lock means for restricting the opening and closing of the lid.
By the above arrangement, the inaccessible region and the accessible region are formed in the security cage, so that even the components other than those to be prevented from being attached and detached can be accommodated in the single cage main body. Only the inaccessible region is restricted in opening by means of the lock, and the components to be accommodated in the accessible region are not excessively prevented from being attached and detached. Therefore, the electric components in the housing can be arranged collectively in one space, and the number of cables to be routed within the housing can be reduced to organize the inside of the housing, thereby increasing operability and appearance.
In the security cage, the front wall may be integrally formed with the partition wall so as to be attachable and detachable to and from the cage main body.
By the above arrangement, the inaccessible region and the accessible region become a continuous region when the front wall is removed, so that the accessible region can be used as a space for attaching and detaching components in the inaccessible region.
The security cage may further include partition means for partitioning the inaccessible region into a first region adjacent to the accessible region via the partition wall and a second region separated from the accessible region by the first region. In the security cage, the front wall may include a fixed wall portion integrally formed with the partition wall and fixed to the cage main body through the connecting means so as to close the first region, and the lid may be connected to the fixed wall portion so as to open and close the second region.
By the above arrangements, the second region is opened when the lock means is unlocked to open the lid, and the first region is opened when the fixed wall portion and the cage main body are disconnected. Therefore, the first region and the second region can be used properly in accordance with frequency of attaching and detaching the components, and maintenance and checking, and the inside of the security cage can be organized.
The security cage may further include a case capable of being inserted in and extracted from the cage main body. By this arrangement, the components can be easily attached and detached to and from the accessible region by insertion and extraction of the case.
In the security cage, mounting portions for a control board across the inaccessible region and the accessible region may be provided at the back of the cage main body. By this arrangement, the components of the inaccessible region and the accessible region can be mounted on a common control board, so that the number of steps of the wiring operation between the components can be reduced.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a game machine including the security cage which includes: the cage main body having the opening provided at the front thereof; the partition wall for dividing the inside of the cage main body into the inaccessible region and the accessible region each communicating with the opening; the front wall which is provided so as to close the inaccessible region and which has the openable-and-closable lid provided at least at a part thereof; connecting means which is hidden within the inaccessible region when the lid is closed and which connects the front wall and the cage main body at positions where the connecting means can be operated from the outside of the cage main body when the lid is opened; and the lock means for restricting the opening and closing of the lid, wherein the mounting portions for a control board are provided at the back of the cage main body across the inaccessible region and the accessible region, wherein a control board extending across the inaccessible region and the accessible region is mounted at the back of the cage main body, wherein connecting means for first electric components to be prevented from being attached and detached are provided at a portion of the control board opposing the inaccessible region, and wherein connecting means for second electric components to be less strongly prevented from being attached and detached than the first electric components is provided at a portion of the control board opposing the accessible region.
By the above arrangements, the components to be differently prevented from being attached and detached are accommodated in the common security cage so as to be connected to the common control board, so that the components to be accommodated in the housing can be arranged collectively in one space, and the number of cables to be routed within the housing can be reduced to organize the inside of the housing, thereby increasing operability and appearance.
The components to be accommodated in each of the regions may be suitably selected as required. For example, in the game machine, the inaccessible region may be divided into the first region adjacent to the accessible region via the partition wall and a second region separated from the accessible region by the first region, and an electric substrate having mounted thereon a control board may be accommodated in the second region, and a flexible cable may be accommodated in the first region so as to be connected to the control board. In additi
Kusuda Kazuhiro
Majima Shiro
Shirai Naoto
Yamada Norifumi
Gandhi Jayprakash N.
Jordan and Hamburg LLP
Konami Co. Ltd.
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