GB2422239A

GB2422239A - Magnetically supported floating globe

Info

Publication number: GB2422239A
Application number: GB0500945A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Jamie Ryan Holden
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2005-01-15
Filing date: 2005-01-15
Publication date: 2006-07-19
Also published as: GB0500945D0

Abstract

A globe comprises a base 1 and a sphere 3. By means of magnetic repulsion the sphere is caused to float above the stand so that no part of it is directly obscured. Magnets 2 provided in the base repel magnets in the sphere. A small weight may be provided so that the globes orientation is automatically restored should it be disturbed. The base may have at least three magnets spaced regularly around the sphere and the sphere may have a magnetic layer. The polarities of the magnets in the base and sphere are such that they repel one another.

Description

LEVITATING GLOBE

This invention relates to a levitating globe. The type of globe used to study the geographic structure of the planet.

Globes are representational miniatures of the planet we live on. They enable us to study the natural state of the planet in terms of land masses and water, understand the borders of countries in relation to each other and they basically give us the chance to see the world in a way which in reality we could only see from Outer Space.

Various problems with many globes available on the market today include the fact that: - some make it very awkward to study the southern hemisphere without lifting the globe up to eye level or bending down to it's level.

- many are attached to stands which are normally connected to the globe through the north and south poles. This means that place names and geographic features at these poles are lost where these connections are made.

- most globes are connected to stands but in reality the planet is free standing. These stands compromise and detract from the experience and realism the globe conveys in terms of comparing it to the real planet.

The invention put forward counteracts all these problems because the sphere of the globe floats above the stand and has no physical connections to it.

The invention consists of a base and a separate sphere that contains a magnetic layer. The base has mounted within it at least three spaced magnets that face and repel the sphere's magnetic polarity. The base magnets are positioned at such an angle beneath the sphere's underside that not only levitate the sphere but also restrict undue lateral movement. This means that the sphere can be spun/rotated in any direction and through any axis.

Because the sphere is not physically connected to the base the sphere's surface is not compromised by connections meaning that place names and geographic features will not be exciuded to cater for these fixings.

The sphere may contain a small weight at the South Pole or at some point on the sphere so that the sphere would return to a default position once somebody has finished interacting with or studying it.

The base's magnets may be permanent magnets or electro-magnets could be utilised if required with an electricity source fed directly to the base.

Although this levitating sphere concept is being utilised in this instance to convey an image of the Earth's surface, there is no reason why other imagery could not be illustrated on the sphere's surface, i.e. so it looks like a floating football, another planet or depicts any imagery you want to convey on it's surface.

A specific embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings. These include: Figure 1 shows a side on view of the base and the sphere Figure 2 shows a close-up of a base magnet and the sphere's magnetic layer repeling each other.

As shown in Figure 1, the stand 1 consists of at least three uprights with magnets mounted to the end of each 2 (in this case four uprights are used for illustrative purposes) . The magnets 2 are positioned at regular angles around the sphere 3.

The sphere 3 contains a magnetic layer within it's outer surface 4. The outer polarity of this magnetic layer repels the magnetic polarity of the four facing magnets 2 which are attached to the base 1. This, as illustrated in figure 2, forces the sphere away from the base magnets which in turn not only levitates the sphere but also holds it in a central position between all the base magnets.

Claims

1 A levitating globe consisting of a stand and separate sphere enables the interactor to freely rotate the sphere in any orientation.

The sphere floats above the stand and has no physical connections to it because both contain magnets with polarities poisoned so that they oppose each other. Therefore the magnets on the base repel against the magnets in the sphere and force it into a state of levitation and restrict it's lateral movement.

2 A levitating globe as claimed in Claim 1 whereby the sphere is not physically attached to the stand meaning that the sphere's surface is not distracted by or interfered with by stand connections'. This means that place names and geographic features are not excluded where connections to the sphere might normally exist.

3 A levitating globe as claimed in Claim 1 and Claim 2 where the sphere contains a small weight that returns the sphere's orientation to a default position once somebody has finished interacting with or studying it.