US 5,678,886 · Granted 1997-10-21
The Motorized Casino Seat That Adjusts Every Which Way
Imagine a bar stool at a slot machine that moves up and down, tilts backward, and connects to the machine with motorized controls—all so tired gamblers can find their perfect sitting position without getting up. This patent covers the whole automated comfort system, from the adjustable base to the hidden motors that make it all work.
The plain-English version
What it protects
The claim covers an adjustable seat assembly for slot machines that combines a detachable base plate, motorized lifting and tilting mechanisms, and an electrical connector system. What's protected here is the specific combination of electronically controlled seat height adjustment, backrest tilt functionality, and the ability to shield the motors inside a telescopic housing so players don't see the mechanical guts. Anyone manufacturing a motorized casino stool with these integrated electrical adjustment features without a license would be infringing.
Why it matters
Casino seating might seem trivial, but player comfort directly impacts how long someone sits at a machine—and therefore how much they play. By patenting an integrated motorized adjustment system, Infanti Chair locked up a competitive advantage in the lucrative casino furniture market. Casinos buying premium seating wanted reliability and smooth operation; this patent gave them a protected design that competitors couldn't easily copy without dodging claims around the motorized positioning and electrical control architecture.
Real-world use
The next time you're in a casino and someone at a slot machine leans back and the seat smoothly adjusts to their back, or watches the seat height rise and fall at the push of a button, that's this patented system at work—engineered to keep players comfortable and seated longer.
Original USPTO abstract
A detachable and fully adjustable game stool assembly for a slot machine including an elongated base plate member detachably connected at the front end to a rigid support member which is fixedly connected to the slot machine, and including a fully adjustable seat configuration secured to the opposite end of the base plate. The seat configuration includes a seat connected to the base plate through suitable electrically powered motors and actuating devices so as to readily facilitate positioning of the seat relative to the slot machine and to the base plate for maximum comfort of the patron. Additionally, a suitable motor and actuating device is provided to readily facilitate tilting of the back portion of the seat relative to the base portion of the seat for maximum comfort of the patron. In alternative embodiments of the invention, a telescopic housing is mounted on the base plate and connected to the seat so as to shield the various aesthetically unappealing electrical motors and adjustment devices from the view of a patron. In additional embodiments of the subject invention, a detachable electrical connector is provided so as to establish an electrical connection of high integrity between the game stool assembly and the slot machine.
Patent details
- Publication number
- US 5,678,886
- Filing date
- 1995-10-16
- Grant date
- 1997-10-21
- Assignee
- Infanti Chair Manufacturing Corp.
- Inventor(s)
- INFANTI; VITTORIO
- CPC class
- A47C15/004
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