Universal switch assembly for locking and unlocking an access door of a gaming machine cabinet

1. A switch assembly for electronically controlling an electromechanical latch of an electronic gaming machine, the switch assembly comprising:

a mechanical lock comprising one of a plurality of industry-standard mechanical locks, the mechanical lock configured to be coupled to a cabinet of the electronic gaining machine, the mechanical lock including a keyway configured to receive a key and a rotatable portion, the keyway configured to be accessible from an exterior surface of the cabinet, the rotatable portion configured to extend at least partially into an interior of the cabinet;

a customized cam coupled to the rotatable portion of the mechanical lock, the customized cam configured to be coupled to any of the plurality of industry-standard mechanical locks to permit control of the electromechanical latch by any of the plurality of industry-standard mechanical locks; and

a switching element configured to be mounted within the cabinet proximate the customized cam, wherein the switching element is in communication with an electromechanical latch configured to mechanically lock or unlock an access door of the cabinet of the electronic gaming machine, wherein:

during operation, the customized cam is configured to rotate on the rotatable portion of the mechanical lock into mechanical contact with the switching element to mechanically engage and actuate the switching element, and

when actuated, the switching element generates a first electronic signal to electronically control the electromechanical latch,

wherein the electromechanical latch is configured to:

receive the first electronic signal from the switching element;

receive a second electronic signal from the electronic gaming machine; and

lock or unlock the access door based on the first electronic signal and the electronic signal.

2. The switch assembly of claim 1 , wherein the switching element is further configured to control the electromechanical latch to cause the electromechanical latch to disengage and unlock an access door of the electronic gaming machine in response to actuation by the cam.

3. The switch assembly of claim 1 , wherein the switching element is a micro-switch, and wherein the electromechanical latch is an electromechanical rotary latch, and wherein the lock is a cylindrical lock.

4. The switch assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a mounting bracket configured to receive the mechanical lock, the mounting bracket further configured to accommodate any of the plurality of industry-standard mechanical locks.

5. The switch assembly of claim 1 , wherein the electromechanical latch is configured to unlock the access door when the first electronic signal and the second electronic signal both instruct the electromechanical latch to unlock.

6. The switch assembly of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first electronic signal and the second electronic signal are wireless signals.

7. An electronic gaming machine comprising:

a cabinet;

an access door;

a hook fixedly coupled to one of i) the cabinet and ii) the access door;

an electromechanical latch fixedly coupled to one of the other of i) the cabinet and ii) the access door, wherein the electromechanical latch is configured to mechanically engage the hook to lock the access door in a closed position, or mechanically disengage the hook to unlock the access door so that the access door is moveable to an open position; and

a switch assembly operable to control the electromechanical latch, the switch assembly comprising:

a lock comprising one of a plurality of industry-standard locks, the lock coupled to the cabinet and partially extending into the cabinet;

a cam coupled to a rotatable portion of the lock located within the cabinet, the cam configured to be coupled to any of the plurality of industry-standard locks; and

a switching element mounted within the cabinet proximate the cam, wherein:

the switching element is configured to be mechanically engaged and actuated by the cam when the cam is rotated on the rotatable portion of the lock into mechanical contact with the switching element, and

the switching element is electrically connected to the electromechanical latch and is further configured to generate a first electrical signal to electronically control the electromechanical latch in response to mechanical actuation by the cam,

wherein the electromechanical latch is configured to:

receive the first electrical signal from the switching element;

receive a second electrical signal from a processor of the electronic gaming machine; and

engage or disengage the hook based on the first electrical signal and the second electrical signal.

8. The electronic gaming machine of claim 7 , wherein the switching element is further configured to cause the electromechanical latch to disengage the hook and unlock the access door in response to mechanical actuation by the cam.

9. The electronic gaming machine of claim 7 , further comprising a processor, wherein the processor is configured to perform operations comprising receiving, from the electromechanical latch, a signal indicating that the electromechanical latch is at least one of open and closed.

10. The electronic gaming machine of claim 7 , further comprising a processor, wherein the processor is configured to perform operations comprising transmitting a signal to the electromechanical latch that causes the electromechanical latch to at least one of engage and disengage the hook.

11. The electronic gaming machine of claim 10 , wherein the processor is further configured to perform operations comprising transmitting the signal to the electromechanical latch to allow access to the cabinet independent of operation of the switching element.

12. The electronic gaining machine of claim 7 , further comprising a processor, wherein the processor is configured to perform operations comprising overriding the first electrical signal provided by the switching element to the electromechanical latch when the switching element is mechanically engaged and actuated by the cam, such that the access door remains locked.

13. The electronic gaming machine of claim 7 , wherein the electromechanical latch is an electromechanical rotary latch.

14. The electronic gaming machine of claim 7 , wherein the lock is a barrel lock.

15. The electronic gaming machine of claim 7 , wherein the switch assembly further comprises a mounting bracket configured to receive the lock.

16. The electronic gaming machine of claim 15 , wherein the mounting bracket is configured to accommodate any of the plurality of industry-standard mechanical locks used by casinos to secure access doors on electronic gaming machine cabinets.

17. The electronic gaming machine of claim 7 , wherein the access door is a button deck of the electronic gaming machine.

18. A system for controlling access to an electronic gaming machine cabinet, the system comprising:

an electromechanical latch configured to mechanically couple an access door to the electronic gaming machine cabinet; and

a universal switch assembly operable to generate an electronic signal to electronically control the electromechanical latch, the universal switch assembly comprising:

a lock comprising one of a plurality of industry-standard mechanical locks, the lock configured to be mechanically coupled to the cabinet;

a cam coupled to a rotatable portion of the lock, the cam configured to be coupled to any of the plurality of industry-standard mechanical locks to permit interoperation between any of the plurality of industry-standard mechanical locks and the electromechanical latch; and

a switching element configured to be mounted within the cabinet proximate the cam, wherein:

the switching element is further configured to be mechanically engaged and actuated by the earn when the cam is rotated on the rotatable portion of the lock into mechanical contact with the switching element, and

the switching element further is configured to generate a first electronic control signal to electronically control the electromechanical latch in response to mechanical actuation by the cam,

wherein the electromechanical latch is configured to:

receive the first electronic control signal from the switching element;

receive a second electronic control signal from an electronic gaming machine associated with the electronic gaming machine cabinet; and

lock or unlock the access door based on the first electronic control signal and the second electronic control signal.

19. The system of claim 18 , further comprising a processor, wherein the processor is configured to perform operations comprising transmitting a control signal to the electromechanical latch that causes the electromechanical latch to at least one of open or close.

20. The system of claim 19 , wherein the processor is further configured to perform operations comprising transmitting the electronic control signal to the electromechanical latch to allow access to the cabinet independent of operation of the switching element.