The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Aug. 03, 1999
Filed:
Apr. 17, 1997
Voytek Chwalisz, Carson City, NV (US);
International Game Technology, Reno, NV (US);
Abstract
Disclosed is an optical coin counting system for use in gaming machines such as video poker machines and slot machines. One disclosed system includes an optical detector including a light source and a light detector, a deflection arm which deflects when a coin passes over it, a shaft attached to the deflection arm such that the shaft rotates when the deflection arm deflects, an optic flag attached to the shaft at a location remote from the deflection arm such that when the coin causes the deflection arm to deflect, the optic flag moves with respect to the light detector to cause a change in light intensity detected by the detector, and an opaque barrier disposed substantially about the optic flag such that substantially all light proximate the deflection arm is blocked from reaching the optical detector. The shaft may pass through the opaque barrier.