Background of the Invention Most typical modern gaming machines have a display area. typically a video display unit on which images of the game being played on the machine are displaved. Below the screen. there is a sloping shelf or control panel area on which an array of buttons for actuation by a player for starting the game. selecting the number of lines to played, selecting the size of bet, etc are disposed. Often the shelf area will also include a slot for receiving coins and a slot for feeding notes into a bill acceptor located beneath the shelf.

Usually, parts of the shelf, particularly those areas around the buttons, are trimmed, typically with chromed material which improves the durability and appearance of the machine. The fitting of the trim to a shelf and the assembly of the other components in the shelf area, tends to be a time consuming process and if it is not done correctly, the shelf area of the machine can appear untidy and unattractive.

It is an object of the present invention to address and alleviate the problems of the prior art discussed above and to improve the ease of manufacture of gaming machines and the appearance. and strength of the shelf area of the machine.

Summary of the Invention Thus according to the present invention there is provided a door for a gaming machine, the door having a carcass defining a shelf area which extends substantially from one side of the door to the other side of the door characterised in that a midtrim panel comprising a single sheet of material which defines a series of holes for receiving body portions of buttons, and an aperture for allowing access to a bill acceptor disposed beneath the shelf. covers the shelf area of the door.

The midtrim mav also define a cut-out portion or slot for receiving components for stems of a coin receiving mechanism.

It is preferred that the midtrim is diecast in a single piece and chrome plated. This provides strength to and protects the shelf area of the door. The door may be made of a moulded plastics material.

In a particularly preferred embodiment. the bill acceptor aperture is generally oval and the edges of the aperture are aligned in a single plane. An upper cover for a bill acceptor defines an upper face which defines a mouth for receiving bills. the upper face being oriented at the same angle as the plane when the bill acceptor is correctly installed in the gaming machine.

Preferably. a slot is defined in the shelf area of the door carcass which receives an upper edge of the midtrim and an L-shaped flange defined at an opposite end of the midtrim snap fits into a shoulder 62 defined on the underside of the shelf.

In one preferred version one or more slots are defined in the upper edge of the midtrim and the upper edge of the midtrim is held in place by clips depending down from a surround or"mask"for a video display or monitor of the gaming machine.

Brief Description of the Drawings The invention will now be described, by way of example only, and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:- Figure 1 is a perspective view of a midtrim for a gaming machine ; Figure 2 is a section through a mouth for a bill acceptor ; Figure 3 shows a door carcass for a gaming machine ; Figure 4a is a schematic view and Figure 4b a cross-section showing means for engaging the midtrim of Figures 1 and 2 on the gaming machine door shown in Figure 3 : Figure 5 is a perspective view of an upper cover for a bill acceptor module ; Figure 6 is an exploded view of a button assemblv : and Figures 7a and 7b illustrate the button assemblv of Figure 6 located in the midtrim.

Detailed Description of Preferred Embodiments Referring to the drawings, Figures 1 and 2 show a midtrim 10 for a gaming machine. The midtrim may be diecast or pressed from sheet metal.

The midtrim is made from a single piece of metal and is preferably chrome

plated or otherwise plated so as to be shiny and generally attractive and to protect the metal.

As oriented in Figure 1. the left hand side of the midtrim includes a series of apertures 12. which. in use. receive stems of button assemblies. shown in Figures 6 and 7a, 7b. Each button assembly includes a body portion 100 having a depending stem 102, inside of which is located a spring, 104 an actuator 106. a cap 108 and a diffuser label 110. As can be seen in Figures 7a and 7b. the stem of the body of the button engages in the hole 12 in the midtrim with the cap and upper end of the body portion visible. The buttons are used by the player to select various machine functions such as the number of lines to be played. the size of the bets to be placed etc.

Towards the centre of the machine, there is a recess 14. which receives a coin entrv slot.

At the right side of the midtrim as oriented in Figure 1. there is a recessed portion 16 which extends from the front of the midtrim towards the rear of the midtrim and defines a generally oval aperture 18. As is best seen in Figure 2. the edges of the recess are all aligned in the same plane. When the midtrim is in its normal orientation, that plane is oriented at about 30° to the horizontal.

Figure 3. shows a door carcass 50 for a gaming machine made from a moulded plastics material and, in particular. illustrates the shelf area 52 onto which the midtrim is fitted. It can be seen that there is a large aperture 54 where the buttons and coin receiving mechanism are located and at the right hand side of the shelf, there is a smaller aperture 56 below which a bill acceptor mechanism (not illustrated in Figure 3) locates.

With reference to Figures 4a and 4b, the midtrim locates on the shelf area bv means of a recess 58 defined in the shelf area of the door 50. and an L-shaped flange 57 defined at the lower end of the midtrim snap fits into a shoulder 59 defined on the bottom edge of the shelf. When a belly door which is located below the shelf, is closed the upper edge of the door abuts the lower edge of the midtrim, to prevent removal of the midtrim. The upper edge of the midtrim defines one or more tabs 61 each tab defining a slot 60.

Slots 63 are defined in the rear wall of the recess 58 in the carcass 50 that receives the upper edge of the midtrim. A monitor mask 62 which locates around the monitor or display of the gaming machine defines depending springy legs or clips 64. To fit the midtrim securely to the door carcass the

tab or tabs 61 pass through the slots 63 in the carcass recess 58. The monitor mask is then located downwardly such that the clips 64 locate and snap fit in the slots 60. Thus a three way interlock is achieved between the midtrim door carcass and monitor mask.

Figure 5 shows a perspective view of an upper cover 80 for a bill acceptor. The upper face 81 of the bill acceptor cover defines an open. generally elliptically shaped mouth 82. The cover fits on top of a standard bill acceptor assemblv shown in phantom at 84. The function of the cover is to interface between the midtrim shelf of the gaming machine and the bill acceptor itself. The angle of the face 81 of the mount should be the same as the angle of the plane defined bv the edges of the mouth 18 such that when the midtrim is placed on the shelf with the bill acceptor in position inside the aperture 56. face 81 slidingly engages with the edges of the oval aperture 18 to align the aperture 18 with the banana shaped mouth 82. Precise alignment of the mouth 18 and aperture 82 is thus not necessary. although it is preferable.

It will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that numerous variations and/or modifications may be made to the invention as shown in the specific embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as broadly described. The present embodiments are, therefore. to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive.