Gaming Button Deck Assembly With Spill-Resistant LCD Pushbuttons
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional button decks for electronic gaming machines (EGMs) are prone to liquid ingress, which can cause failures due to spills, especially in casual gaming environments, leading to costly repairs and revenue loss, and existing solutions do not provide dynamic graphical themes and color schemes effectively while maintaining cost and maintenance efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A waterproof button deck assembly that incorporates a liquid-crystal display (LCD) panel, optical blocks, a carrier tray, a printed circuit board assembly, and an elastomeric membrane, where the optical blocks transmit images through lens caps, and the elastomeric membrane channels fluid flow around sensitive electronics, preventing liquid damage and allowing for dynamic button configurations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional button decks are used in EGMs, then mechanical pushbuttons can be easily implemented, but they are prone to liquid ingress and fluid damage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs an elastomeric membrane as a flexible barrier that seals around the optical block and PCB assembly, preventing liquid ingress while allowing actuator force to be transmitted. This flexible film approach creates a waterproof seal without rigid structures that could fail or leak.
Solution Approach 2:
The optical block serves as an intermediary component that transmits actuator force through the elastomeric membrane to the PCB assembly without direct contact between the membrane and PCB. This mediator allows force transmission while maintaining the fluid barrier integrity.
2Adaptability or versatility
If dynamic graphical themes are implemented on button decks, then visual appeal and game variety are enhanced, but cost and maintenance complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces traditional mechanical button labels and physical graphics with an LCD display that provides dynamic graphical themes electronically. This substitution eliminates the need for multiple physical button sets while maintaining visual variety through software-controlled displays.
Solution Approach 2:
The button deck assembly is designed as a universal platform that can display multiple game themes and graphical configurations through the LCD display, allowing a single physical button structure to serve multiple game types and visual styles without requiring separate button sets for each game.
3Manufacturing precision
If optical blocks extend through multiple layers, then image transmission from LCD to lens cap is achieved, but manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the button deck assembly into distinct layers (LCD display layer, optical block layer, elastomeric membrane layer, PCB assembly layer) that can be manufactured and assembled separately. The optical block is positioned in a dedicated cavity with alignment features that simplify integration while maintaining precise optical alignment.
Solution Approach 2:
The optical block is pre-positioned within the button deck assembly housing with alignment features before final assembly. This preliminary positioning ensures correct alignment with the LCD display and lens cap without requiring complex real-time alignment procedures during manufacturing.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution provides a cost-effective, low-maintenance button deck assembly that is resistant to fluid spills, enabling dynamic graphical themes and reducing downtime, while maintaining the functionality and appearance of EGMs by protecting sensitive electronics and allowing for easy switching between different types of games.
Implementation Method 1
an optical block configured to transmit images from the display panel for display through the lens cap
Implementation Method 2
The elastomeric membrane is configured to channel fluid flow to outer edges of the elastomeric membrane and around the PCB assembly and the display panel
Data Source
AI summary
A button deck assembly includes a button deck having at least one mechanical pushbutton, the pushbutton includes a lens cap, a liquid-crystal display (LCD) panel, and an optical block configured to transmit images from the LCD panel for display through the lens cap, a bottom surface of the optical block is positioned on the LCD panel, an air gap is defined between a top surface of the optical block and the lens cap. The assembly also includes a printed circuit board (PCB) assembly defining a PCB aperture, the PCB aperture is sized to receive the optical block, and an elastomeric membrane defining a membrane aperture sized to receive the optical block, the optical block extends from the LCD panel through the PCB and membrane apertures, the membrane channels fluid flow to outer edges of the membrane and around the PCB assembly and the LCD panel.