Gaming Machine Reels Protruding Wall Section

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Solution Overview

Problem

Gaming machines with rotating reels lack an appealing mechanical and tangible experience, despite advancements in electronic simulations, as players still prefer the mechanical aspect.

Innovation Solution

Designing a gaming machine with rotating reels that protrude beyond a wall section, featuring visible side walls with graphical features and light sources, allowing for enhanced visual appeal and gameplay experience by displaying images on both sides of the reels.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If reels are mounted flush with the wall section, then the machine structure is compact and simple, but the mechanical and tangible nature of the reels is not evident enough to enhance player appeal

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvereel mounting simplicityVSAvoidplayer appeal

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The reels are mounted to protrude beyond the front face of the wall section, transitioning from a flush two-dimensional arrangement to a three-dimensional configuration. This dimensional change allows the reels to extend outward, creating a more tangible mechanical appearance that enhances player appeal while maintaining structural simplicity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Adaptability or versatility

If reels are made to protrude beyond the wall section, then the mechanical and tangible nature of the reels is enhanced, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveplayer appealVSAvoidreel mounting structure

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The reel assembly is segmented into distinct components: the reel body, the side walls, and the mounting structure. This segmentation allows each component to be independently designed and assembled, reducing overall device complexity while enabling the reels to protrude effectively beyond the wall section

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

3Adaptability or versatility

If side walls are added to the reels, then visual appeal is enhanced through visible side walls and light sources, but manufacturing complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvevisual appealVSAvoidreel construction

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The side walls are merged with the reel body as integrated components rather than separate attachments. This merging simplifies manufacturing by reducing the number of parts and assembly steps, while still providing the desired visual appeal through visible side walls that can incorporate light sources

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentUS9027927B2Gaming machine with reels

Publication Date: 2015.05.12 ARISTOCRAT TECH AUSTRALIA PTY LTD

AI summary

Certain embodiments of the present invention relate to gaming machines having mechanical reels. The machine is adapted so that the reels to some extent protrude from the front face of the machine to enhance the user's awareness that the reels are genuine and, optionally, the reels may have side walls having matching indicia to the symbols on the periphery of the reels. The reels may also be observed from front and rear sides of the machine or alternatively, rotated about an upright axis to enable a player to observe front and rear outcomes from one point.