Method for manufacturing an enhanced reel strip and gaming machine

1. A method for manufacturing an enhanced reel strip, the method comprising the steps of:

producing a base reel strip by selecting a flexible substantially translucent or transparent base material and applying symbols to the base material;

producing an overlay strip by selecting an opaque overlay material and removing designated portions of the overlay material to form cut-outs;

aligning the base reel strip and the overlay strip;

preparing the overlay strip and the base reel strip for affixation to one another;

and affixing the overlay strip and the base reel strip together.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the base material is selected from the group consisting of plastics, mylars, and polyesters.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the selected overlay material is a flexible material capable of affixation to the base reel strip, and wherein the overlay material has sufficient manipulability to facilitate the removal of the designated portions of the overlay material, thereby forming cut-outs.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the overlay material is colored, patterned or textured.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the overlay material includes metalized foil, holographic material, prismatic material, phosphorescent material, fluorescent material, mirrored material, glitter or combinations thereof.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising: selecting sizes, shapes, and positions of the cut-outs in the overlay material.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the cut-outs are sized, shaped, and positioned to create open border areas that are visible around the symbols when the overlay strip and the base reel strip are affixed together and subjected to an illuminating source.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein designated portions of the overlay material are removed by die cutting, pin routing, or laser cutting to form the cut-outs.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the base reel strip and the overlay strip are aligned enabling the symbols on the base reel strip to be visible through the cut-outs of the overlay strip.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the base reel strip and the overlay strip are aligned with a registration system comprising alignment pins, in which the base reel strip is placed into the registration system with the symbols facing outward and the overlay strip is then aligned with and placed over the base reel strip using the pins, enabling the symbols to be visible through the cut-outs.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein preparing the overlay strip and the base reel strip for affixation comprises treating a back surface of the overlay strip with a flexible, fastening substance.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the overlay strip comprises a protective backing, and wherein the protective backing is removed to expose the flexible fastening substance for affixation to the base reel strip.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein preparing the overlay strip and the base reel strip for affixation comprises treating a top surface of the base reel strip with a flexible, fastening substance.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein preparing the overlay strip and the base reel strip for affixation comprises treating a top surface of the base reel strip with a flexible, fastening substance and treating the back surface of the overlay strip with a flexible, fastening substance.

15. The method of claim 1 , wherein the base reel strip and the overlay strip are affixed by initially contacting the strips together, asserting modest pressure to adhere the strips until proper alignment is ensured, and firmly adhering the strips together.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the modest pressure used to adhere the strips together until proper alignment is ensured comprises hand pressure or gentle mechanical pressure.

17. The method of claim 15 , wherein the strips are firmly adhered together using a press or pinch roller system.

18. An enhanced reel strip produced by the method of claim 1 .