Adjustable gaming reel
View Patent ↗A reel assembly for a gaming machine is disclosed. In accordance with an important aspect of the invention, alignment of the center lines of the symbols can be accomplished without the need to remove the reel assemblies from the gaming machine. The reel assembly includes a two piece motor mount assembly that carries a stepper motor and a lamp assembly. The two piece motor mount assembly includes a fixed mounting ring that is rigidly secured to a fixed reel assembly support and a rotatable mounting ring that is rotatable with respect to the fixed mounting ring. The rotatable mounting ring is interlocked with fixed mounting ring to enable rotation of the rotatable mounting ring, for example, by way of a tongue and groove arrangement with respect to the fixed mounting ring. The lamp assembly is also mounted to the rotatable mounting ring. An adjustment screw for locking the angular position of the fixed mounting ring with respect to the rotatable locking ring is accessible along a direction generally accessible while the reel assemblies are installed in the gaming machines. As such, alignment of the symbol center lines can be accomplished without removing the reel assemblies from the gaming machine.
1. A reel assembly for a gaming machine comprising:
a motor mount comprising a fixed mounting ring and a rotatable mounting ring formed to be connected together in an interlocking arrangement, said rotatable mounting ring being rotatable with respect to said fixed mounting ring to enable the angular position of said rotatable mounting ring to be rotated with respect to said fixed mounting ring;
a stepper motor having a shaft, said stepper motor rigidly secured to the rotatable mounting ring, said shaft defining an axis of rotation;
a lamp assembly rigidly secured to the rotatable mounting ring;
a reel mechanically coupled to said motor shaft;
an encoder wheel mechanically coupled to said reel;
an optical sensor for sensing the angular position of said reel; and
a locking mechanism which enables the angular position of said rotatable mounting ring relative to said fixed mounting ring to be locked in a first mode of operation and allows said rotatable mounting ring to be rotated relative to said fixed mounting ring in a second mode of operation, wherein said locking mechanism is formed so as to be accessible while the reel assemblies are installed in a gaming machine to enable the angular position of the stepper motor to be adjusted while the reel assemblies are installed in a gaming machine; and
a fixed reel support for carrying said motor mount, said stepper motor, said reel, said encoder wheel, said optical sensor and said locking mechanism.
2. The reel assembly as recited in claim 1 , wherein said interlocking arrangement includes a tongue and groove arrangement for interlocking said fixed mounting ring and said rotatable mounting ring together in an axial direction.
3. The reel assembly as recited in claim 1 , wherein said locking assembly exerts compression forces between said rotatable mounting ring and said fixed mounting ring in said first mode of operation to prevent angular movement of said rotatable mounting ring and said fixed mounting ring and enables rotation of said rotatable mounting ring and said fixed mounting ring in said second mode of operation.
4. The reel assembly as recited in claim 3 , wherein said locking assembly includes a screw and nut for securing and unsecuring said rotatable mounting ring relative to said fixed mounting ring.
5. The reel assembly as recited in claim 4 , wherein said screw is accessible after the reel assemblies are installed in a gaming machine.
6. The reel assembly as recited in claim 1 , further including a coarse adjustment mechanism for providing a coarse adjustment of the rotatable mounting ring with respect to fixed mounting ring.
7. The reel assembly as recited in claim 6 , wherein said coarse adjustment mechanism is used to provide one or more fixed angular positions of said rotatable mounting ring relative to said fixed mounting ring.
8. The reel assembly as recited in claim 6 , wherein said coarse adjustment mechanism is configured to lock one of said one or more fixed angular positions of said rotatable mounting ring relative to said fixed mounting ring in place.
9. The reel assembly as recited in claim 1 , further including a pointer movable with said rotatable mounting ring and cooperating hash marks on said fixed mounting ring to indicate course positions of said rotatable mounting ring with respect to fixed mounting ring for reels with different numbers of pay lines.
10. The reel assembly as recited in claim 1 , wherein the fixed mounting ring includes a tab extending radially outwardly therefrom and said rotatable mounting ring includes another radially extending tab that cooperates with said tab extending radially outwardly from said fixed mounting ring, each of said tabs including at least one through hole, said tabs disposed at predetermined radial positions of said rotatable mounting ring with respect to said fixed mounting ring, said through holes configured to receive a pin to secure the radial position of said rotatable mounting ring with respect to said fixed mounting ring at one of said predetermined positions.
11. A method of adjusting the angular position of a reel in a gaming machine relative to one or more pay lines on said gaming machine in a gaming machine in which said reel is mounted to a motor mount comprising a fixed mounting ring and a rotatable mounting ring and a locking mechanism for securing the angular position of said rotatable ring with respect to said fixed ring in a first mode of operation and enabling said rotatable mounting ring to be rotated relative to said fixed mounting ring in a second mode of operation, the method comprising the steps of:
(a) placing said locking mechanism in said second mode of operation while said reel is within said gaming machine;
(b) rotating said reel to the desired position; and
(c) placing said locking mechanism in said first mode of operation after said reel is in said desired position.