AU737682B2 - A globe having magnetic pieces attached thereto - Google Patents

Description

1

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR A STANDARD PATENT Name of Applicant: Actual Inventor: Address for Service: Peter YOUNGER As above CULLEN CO., Patent Trade Mark Attorneys, 239 George Street, Brisbane, QId. 4000, Australia.

Invention Title: A GLOBE HAVING MAGNETIC PIECES ATTACHED THERETO The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me: A GLOBE HAVING MAGNETIC PIECES ATTACHED THERETO This invention relates to a globe having magnetic pieces attached thereto which can be used as a teaching aid, for instance a teaching aid in the area of geography, but which can also be used as a spherical jigsaw puzzle and the like.

Flat maps showing the location of geographic features such as countries, states, oceans, polar caps, seas, lakes, islands, and the like, are well-known. However, flat maps distort the true position of land masses and other geographic features and are therefore not entirely suitable as an accurate teaching aid.

Flat jigsaw puzzles are well-known as are flat jigsaw puzzles of the world, but these jigsaw puzzles also distort the true position of land masses, and being of a flat design, can be quite uninteresting.

One form of the present invention uses a world globe which 15 presents a blank or near blank spherical surface (or near spherical surface) to provide a better teaching of the true position of geographic features on the globe.

Another form of the present invention uses a spherical surface (or near spherical surface) on which attachable pieces (for instance magnetic pieces) can be attached, it being preferable that these pieces are jigsaw pieces.

One known system for acquisition of geographic information involves the use of an animated 3-dimensional solid model of a world globe immersed into an interactive multimedia environment utilizing video, sound, graphics, images and numerical presentations for perspective display of detailed maps of the world or portions of the maps. More specifically, this known system is directed to an apparatus for and a method of exploring geographic features of the world at various levels of details from a continent to an object in a small town and to acquiring different types of geographic knowledge including, but not limited to, display of multimedia information and data on the economy, commerce, political boundaries, historical landmarks, natural resources, and environment for any specific portion of the world within the context of the world.

The prior art teaches various other methods of using a computer-controlled globe to aid in the teaching a geographical information. It is known to use a computerized illuminated globe almanac system for rotating the globe to a selected viewing position and illuminating selected points, lines and areas on the globe. Rotation is accomplished by a computer-controlled stepper motor. Illumination of major geographic features is done by insertion of light emitting diodes (LED's) on the interior surface of the globe. The system also displays almanac-type information such as, for example, city or country name and population, river name and length, etc.

Another known system relates to an environmental display system wherein temporal computer generated patterns of environmental phenomena, such as holes in the ozone layer, fallout from a nuclear accident, etc., which vary with time and space are projected on the surface of a 15 physical globe or an earth map representing portions of the earth by the use of optical fibers. The system allows for illumination of certain portions of the globe and the variation of displays on the globe. However, the limitation of the system does not allow for detailed study of the geography of different portions of the earth or exploration of geographic topics of interest.

Several other devices and systems show different methods for illumination of various regions of a map, provide different rotation mechanisms for a globe, and emphasize various representations of special geographic features. For example, it is known to show an illuminated map device consisting of a hollow flat or spherical housing, with a map extending over at least a part of its outer surface representing at least some of the topographical features of the earth. It is known to provide a map projection system using slides. It is known to use a computer program for teaching land mass recognition comprising generating a visual display of a geographic feature with respect to a map, user selection of a name for the displayed geographic feature, and indicating the correctness of the user selection. It is known to present an arrangement for rotating a spherical object such as a world globe around a virtual axis orientable axis. It is known to use an educational device for geographical names and locations, wherein areas of interest are externally illuminated by battery-powered lamps actuated by insertion of cartridges, however the device is limited to the map of a country or a region of a country.

It is known to have a world map system which consists of thirtytwo loose maps in the form of twelve equilateral pentagons and twenty inequilateral hexagons having alternately a relatively short side and a relatively long side. With these maps a globe can be formed by surrounding each pentagon with five hexagons in such a way that the side of pentagons and hexagons abutting each other are the same length. The ratio of the length of the relatively long hexagon sides to the length of the relatively short hexagon sides lies between 1:0.75 and 1:1.

It is known to provide an educational toy for familiarizing young 00.* people or children with different geographic areas of the world. The 15 educational toy comprises a rotatable world globe on which is mounted a carrier at least partially encircling the globe along a meridian thereof. The carrier supports a film strip containing longitudinally spaced images of selected geographic areas of the globe. In addition, a viewer is slidably mounted on the carrier, and is slidably movable thereon to a selected position of latitude on the globe in which the viewer is substantially in register with a plurality of images on the carrier of a selected geographic area. Indicia on a light transmitting spot on a geographic area of the globe that corresponds to the images of the selected geographic area is movable by manual rotation of the globe into register with the viewer. The viewer is adjusted to view the indicia and then images of the selected geographic area on the film strip are moved into register with the viewer.

A disadvantage with the above known arrangements is their complexity, their reliance upon electrically or battery operated equipment, and their cost.

The present invention is directed to a device which may at least partially overcome some of the abovementioned disadvantages or provide the public with a useful or commercial choice.

In one form, the invention resides in a sphere, mounting means to mount the sphere for rotation, and a plurality of flexible sheet members which are attachable to the surface of the sphere.

Suitably, the invention resides in a teaching aid in the area of geography, the aid comprising a sphere which has a surface which is blank in the sense that it does not assist in identifying the position of at least some geographic features, and a plurality of flexible sheet members in the form of geographic features which can be attached to the surface of the sphere.

The sphere may comprise a world globe can be blank to not provide any assistance to the correct positioning of geographic features such as countries, states, oceans, polar caps, seas, lakes, islands, and the like. If desired, the globe need not be totally blank and may provide some rough or broad indications for initial positioning of certain key geographic features.

However, the invention is to ensure that at least some and preferably a 15 majority if not all of the geographic features need to be placed on the globe without assistance or guidance by any positional markings on the surface of the globe.

The geographic features are in the form of flexible sheet members which can be shaped or configured to represent geographic features such as countries, states, and the like. The sheet members may have patterns or ornamentations printed on their top side the side facing the viewer when placed on the globe), and if desired, this side can also be profiled to provide a 3-D effect. The sheet members can be in the form of states within a country (for instance the U.S.A. or Australia) to provide a teaching aid for the correct positioning of the states in the country, but it should be appreciated that the teaching aid is also a broad aid to assist in correct understanding of world geographic features and particularly the relative and correct positioning of different world geographic features. The printing need not be limited to geographic features and can include any other desirable type of image. This can include flowers of the world, plants, animals, and the like.

The sphere may be of any suitable size and may be mounted for rotation relative to a base. The surface may be coloured in a single colour white or light blue). It is envisaged that the surface may contain certain features such as lines of latitude and longitude, and while these may assist in some positioning of the flexible sheet members, it is not considered that lines of latitude or longitude (or equatorial lines and the like) would provide sufficient instructions and guidance to reduce the effectiveness of the teaching aid.

The flexible sheet members are attached to the surface of the globe and are preferably attached in such a manner that they can be peeled off and re-used many times. The sheet members may comprise jigsaw pieces which can be attached to each other. This allows the sphere to be in the form of.a jigsaw puzzle and not limited to a world globe.

**In one form, the sphere is formed from thin sheet metal which has a magnetic character. The flexible sheet members may also be formed 15 of magnetic material such that the sheet members can be magnetically attached to the globe. The sheet members are flexible in the sense they can conform to the curvature of the globe but the members should be sufficiently dimensionally stable to not appreciably crumple or become unmanageable when the being attached to the surface of the globe.

In another form, the sphere can be formed from a felt-type material as can the sheet members to attach the two to each other. Various other types of attachments are also envisaged, although the magnetic attachment is considered preferable as the sheet members can be easily cleaned and high definition and aesthetically pleasing graphics can be printed on the sheet members. The sphere can also be formed from metal which makes it strong and easy to clean.

The sphere is mounted via mounting means. The mounting means is preferably in the form to allow the sphere to be rotated in such a manner that all parts of the sphere can be easily viewed. In one form, the mounting means is in the form of a pair of opposed pins about which the globe can rotate, the pins being attached to a curved member which extends from one said pin to the other said pin, the curved member being attached to a vertical support, the vertical support being attached to a horizontal base member.

In another form, the mounting means is in the form of an inner annular member which extends about the sphere, the sphere being attached to the inner annular member via a pair of opposed pins, and being rotatable about the pins, and an outer curved member, the inner annular member being attached to the outer curved member by a pair of spaced apart pins, the inner annular member being rotatable relative to the outer curved member. The outer curved member can be attached to or supported by a base member. If desired, the various pins can be adjustably attached relative to the inner annular member or the outer curved member. For instance, the pins may be slidingly attached relative to the members.

Embodiments of the invention will be described with reference loll o **to the following drawings in which 15 Figure 1 is a world globe mounted onto a mounting board for 'rotation about pivot pins.

Figure 2 illustrates the globe of Figure 1 with magnetic country pieces attached thereto.

Figure 3 illustrates a spherical jigsaw puzzle having jigsaw puzzle pieces attached to a sphere with a mounting means to support the sphere for rotation.

Figure 4 illustrates a sphere identical to Figure 3 except that instead of jigsaw pieces, country pieces are used.

The invention is therefore an educational resource in the area of geography. The teaching aid is a simple and easy way for people of all ages to acquire knowledge of the world in which we live. The magnetised sheet members can be in the shape of countries, states, oceans, seas etc. and can interlock with each other and adhere to the surface of the globe to complete the globe. The teaching aid is a fun and easy way of learning and the various sheet members may be colour-coded and clearly marked with the name of the country, the capital, the state, and the like.

Users of the teaching aid can discover where continents and countries are located and who their neighbours are. The aid is a hands on approach to learning and is considered to be more enjoyable than reading an encyclopedia.

Referring to Figures 3 and 4, there is illustrated an apparatus which is similar to that described above in that there is provided a steel sphere 20 to which flexible magnetic pieces are attached. In Figure 3, the flexible magnetic pieces are in the form of jigsaw puzzle pieces 21 which allows the apparatus to now be in the form of a 3-dimensional magnetic jigsaw puzzle. In Figure 4, the flexible sheet members are in the form of country pieces 22 similar to that described with reference to Figures 1 and 2.

The sphere of Figures 3 and 4 is mounted for rotation by a mounting means. The mounting means has an inner annular member 23. A **pair of diametrically opposed pins 24 is mounted to inner annular member 23 o.o. and to sphere 20 which allows sphere 20 to rotate about the pins 24. Inner 15 annular member 23 is attached to an outer curved member 25 via a pair of :***spaced apart pins 26 with inner annular member 23 being rotatable relative to outer curved member 25 via pins 26.

~Outer curved member 25 can be supported by a base member 27 to allow the entire arrangement to be freestanding.

The mounting arrangement allows the sphere to be rotated in such a manner that virtually all parts of the sphere can be viewed more easily that a traditional mounting arrangement.

It should be appreciated that various other changes and modifications can be made to the embodiment described without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. For instance, while the teaching aid is described with reference to geography, it can also be used with reference to a political world and can be used as a teaching aid to highlight other features of the globe (not necessarily countries), for instance water bodies, ore bodies, oil bearing areas, and the like.

Claims (14)

1. An apparatus which comprises a sphere, mounting means to mount the sphere for rotation, and a multiplicity of flexible magnetic sheet members which are magnetically and removably attached to the sphere in a single layer and which substantially cover the sphere.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the sheet members have an inner face which is attached to the sphere, and an outer face on which graphics is applied. S.

3. The apparatus of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the sheet 10 members are flat prior to being attached to the sphere.

4. The apparatus of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the sphere is a hollow steel ball.

The apparatus of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the surface of the sphere is blank.

6. The apparatus of any one of the preceding claims, wherein a said sheet member abuts with at least two adjacent said sheet members when .attached to the sphere. oleo

7. The apparatus of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the mounting means comprises a pair of opposed pins about which the sphere 20 can rotate, the pins extending from the surface of the sphere, a curved member, the pins being attached to the curved member, a vertical support to which the curved member is attached, and a horizontal base member to which the vertical support is attached.

8. The apparatus of any one of claims 1-6, wherein the mounting means comprises an inner annular member which extends about the sphere, a pair of opposed pins attached to the inner annular member and attached to the sphere to allow the sphere to rotate about the pins, an outer member, a pair of pins attached to the outer member and attached to the inner annular member to allow the inner annular member to rotate about the pins relative to the outer member.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the outer member is curved.

The apparatus of claim 9, comprising a base member, the outer member being attached to the base member.

11. An apparatus comprising a sphere, mounting means to mount the sphere for rotation, and a plurality of flexible sheet members attachable to the sphere, the mounting means comprising an inner annular member which extends to about the sphere, a pair of opposed pins attached to the inner annular member and attached to the sphere to allow the sphere to rotate about the pins, an outer member, a pair of pins attached to the outer member and attached to the inner annular member to allow the inner annular member to rotate about the pins relative to the outer member.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the outer member is curved.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, comprising a base member, the outer member being attached to the base member.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the members are attached to the sphere in a single layer. A teaching aid in the area of geography, the aid comprising a world globe made entirely of steel, the globe having a surface which is blank in the sense that it does not assist in identifying the position of at least some geographic features, a plurality of flat magnetic flexible sheet members in the coco form of geographic features which can be attached in a single layer to the surface of the globe, and mounting means in the form of a pair of opposed 20 pins about which the globe can rotate, the pins extending from the surface of the globe, the pins being attached to a curved member which extends from one said pin to another said pin, the curved member being attached to a vertical support, the vertical support being attached to a horizontal base member.