Structural and lighting apparatus for a game machine

A game machine is provided with a structural and lighting apparatus. The structural and lighting apparatus includes a plank, a bar and fins. The bar includes two strips extending on and along a front face of the plank. Each of the strips provides a space with the plank. The bar is located between two panels of two lockers of the game machine so that each of the spaces receives an edge of a corresponding one of the panels. The fins extend on and along a rear face of the plank, thereby providing at least one partition-containing groove for receiving a partition between two lockers and at least one light-containing groove for receiving at least one LED string in the corresponding locker.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

1. Field of Invention

The present invention relates to game machines and, more particularly, to structural and lighting apparatuses for lockers of game machines.

2. Related Prior Art

To attract customers and increase entertaining effects, a game machine such as a crane machine is equipped with LED strings. The LED strings are provided on an external side of the game machine. The LED cast light onto the game machine, attempting to attract customers.

A type of game machine includes lockers for containing and displaying prizes. To render the prizes clearly visible, each of the lockers is equipped with a fluorescent tube. However, each of the fluorescent tubes occupies some space in the corresponding locker. Moreover, the fluorescent tubes could easily be damaged by the prizes. In addition, some of the lockers are too small for commercially available fluorescent tubes.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

It is the primary objective of the present invention to provide lockers of a game machine with a structural and lighting apparatus.

To achieve the foregoing objective, the game machine is provided with a structural and lighting apparatus. The structural and lighting apparatus includes a plank, a bar and fins. The bar includes two strips extending on and along a front face of the plank. Each of the strips provides a space with the plank. The bar is located between two panels of two lockers of the game machine so that each of the spaces receives an edge of a corresponding one of the panels. The fins extend on and along a rear face of the plank, thereby providing at least one partition-containing groove for receiving a partition between two lockers and at least one light-containing groove for receiving at least one LED string in the corresponding locker.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring toFIGS. 1 through 6, a game machine30includes several lockers31and structural and lighting apparatuses10according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention. Each of the lighting apparatuses10includes a plank11, a bar12extending on and along a front face of the plank11, and several fins13extending on and along a rear face of the plank11. The following description referring toFIG. 1through will be given to only one of the structural and lighting apparatuses10for briefness. The plank11is located between two adjacent ones of the lockers31of the game machine30in use.

The bar12is a hollow element that includes two strips121and122extending on and along the front face of the plank11and another strip (not numbered) extending between the strips121and122. A first space16is defined by the strip121and the front face of the plank11. A second space17is defined by the strip122and the front face of the plank11. The bar12is used as a portion of a frame around a panel of a corresponding one of the lockers31. Each of the first and second spaces16and17receives an edge of the panel of a corresponding one of the lockers31.

The structural and lighting apparatus10further includes a coupler20. The coupler20is formed with a middle section and two ends. The middle section of the coupler20is inserted in the bar12. The ends of the coupler20extend from the bar12. Each of the ends of the coupler20can be inserted in the bar12of another structural and lighting apparatus. Thus, three structural and lighting apparatuses10are interconnected, and three lockers31are interconnected.

Alternatively, one of the ends of the coupler20can be inserted in the bar12of another structural and lighting apparatus while of the other end of the coupler20can be inserted in an aluminum extrusion32of the game machine30.

Preferably, the structural and lighting apparatus10includes four fins13to provide a partition-containing groove14between two light-containing grooves15. The partition-containing groove14is used to receive an edge of a partition34of the corresponding locker31(FIG. 5). Each of the light-containing grooves15is used to receive an LED string40. However, there can be only one light-containing groove15, or the light-containing grooves15can be located on a same side of the partition-containing groove14, or there can be two light-containing grooves15on a side of the partition-containing groove14and another light-containing groove15on another side of the partition-containing groove14.

Referring toFIGS. 4 through 6, a proper number of structural and lighting apparatus10are used in the game machine30. The structural and lighting apparatuses10are connected to aluminum extrusions32and32′ of the lockers31of the game machine30by the couplers20.

Referring toFIGS. 6 to 8, each of the structural and lighting apparatuses10is located between two adjacent ones of the lockers31. The partition-containing groove14is located in an interior33of a corresponding one of the lockers31. The light-containing grooves15are located in the interior33of a corresponding one of the lockers31. The partition-containing groove14receives the edge of the partition34located between the lockers31. The LED string40inserted in one of the light-containing grooves15casts light in the interior33of one of the lockers31, and the LED string40inserted in the other light-containing groove15casts light in the interior33of the other locker31. The bar12is located between two panels35of the lockers31. Each of the panels35is entirely or partially transparent or translucent to render the interior33of the corresponding locker31visible. Each of the panels35can be opened or not. The first space16receives a lower edge of the panel35of the upper locker31and the second space17receives an upper edge of the panel35of the lower locker31.

As shown, the structural and lighting apparatus10is located between the upper and lower lockers31. However, the structural and lighting apparatus10is located between left and right lockers31.