Patents by Inventor Stephen William Shaffer, JR.

Stephen William Shaffer, JR. has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Universal switch assembly for locking and unlocking an access door of a gaming machine cabinet
    Patent number: 10745940
    Abstract: An electronic gaming machine includes a cabinet, an access door, an electromechanical latch mechanically coupled to the cabinet and configured to mechanically engage and disengage the access door, and a switch assembly operable to control the electromechanical latch. The switch assembly includes a lock mechanically coupled to the cabinet and extending into the cabinet, a cam mechanically coupled to a rotatable portion of the lock within the cabinet, and a switching element mounted within the cabinet proximate the cam and configured to be mechanically engaged and actuated by the cam when the cam rotates into contact with the switching element, wherein the switching element is electrically connected to the electromechanical latch and is further configured to control the electromechanical latch in response to actuation by the cam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2020
    Assignee: ARISTOCRAT TECHNOLOGIES AUSTRALIA PTY LIMITED
    Inventors: Timothy Francis Barbour, Dominic S. Biondo, Mark Gerard Surra, Stephen William Shaffer, Jr.
  • UNIVERSAL SWITCH ASSEMBLY FOR LOCKING AND UNLOCKING AN ACCESS DOOR OF A GAMING MACHINE CABINET
    Publication number: 20190352934
    Abstract: An electronic gaming machine includes a cabinet, an access door, an electromechanical latch mechanically coupled to the cabinet and configured to mechanically engage and disengage the access door, and a switch assembly operable to control the electromechanical latch. The switch assembly includes a lock mechanically coupled to the cabinet and extending into the cabinet, a cam mechanically coupled to a rotatable portion of the lock within the cabinet, and a switching element mounted within the cabinet proximate the cam and configured to be mechanically engaged and actuated by the cam when the cam rotates into contact with the switching element, wherein the switching element is electrically connected to the electromechanical latch and is further configured to control the electromechanical latch in response to actuation by the cam.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 21, 2018
    Publication date: November 21, 2019
    Inventors: Timothy Francis Barbour, Dominic S. Biondo, Mark Gerard Surra, Stephen William Shaffer, JR.