Stock material or miscellaneous articles – Structurally defined web or sheet – Including fastener for attaching to external surface
Reexamination Certificate
1995-05-17
2001-04-24
Ahmad, Nasser (Department: 1772)
Stock material or miscellaneous articles
Structurally defined web or sheet
Including fastener for attaching to external surface
C040S615000, C428S011000, C428S013000, C428S065100, C428S137000, C428S192000, C428S542200, C428S913300, C434S131000, C434S135000, C434S137000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06221457
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Technical Field
The invention relates to curved surfaces, such as spheres. More particularly, the invention relates to displaying removable, patternable coverings on such curved surfaces.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of globes as educational tools is well known. A globe is an invaluable visual aid for demonstration of three-dimensional concepts, such as in topography, astronomy, and spherical geometry. The Lénárt Sphere (see I. Lénárt,
Alternate Models On The Drawing Ball
, paper presented at the 7th International Congress On Mathematics Education, Montreal, Quebec, Canada, 1992), for example, is a globe specifically designed to demonstrate concepts in non-Euclidean, or spherical, geometry.
While the spherical shape of a globe offers the advantage of three-dimensional representation, it is difficult to mark the surface of a globe accurately. For example, the features on a geographically configured globe must be precisely located. The curved surface, however, is not easily printed upon, either by machine or by hand.
Further, a globe having a particular configuration, such as a meteorological map, is limited to that representation. It is thus not possible to represent changing contours, such as weather systems or national borders.
Rogers, Globe and Measuring Device, U.S. Pat. No. 3,997,980 (Dec. 21, 1976) discloses a geographically configured globe having a curved, three dimensional pivotal overlay. The overlay is pre-patterned with measuring indicia. While simplifying certain measurements, the indicia imprinted on the overlay cannot be modified.
Additionally, it is often desirable to permit students to prepare individual projects using a globe. While the Rogers overlay is removable, it is not designed to provide individual overlays for each user of a globe to prepare an individual project. A three-dimensionally shaped overlay also requires substantial storage space, and is subject to damage or deformation during storage or shipping.
It would therefore be a significant advance in the art to provide a cost-effective, removable globe covering capable of being easily and accurately patterned. It would be particularly useful to provide such a covering requiring minimal storage space and not subject to risk of damage.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention provides a removable, flexible sheet that can be stored or patterned while in a flat position, and that is readily adapted to conform to a hemispherical or spherical object, such as a globe.
In one preferred embodiment of the invention, the sheet is capable of being patterned. Radial incisions made in the sheet produce a covering in the form of a hub or a band and a plurality of substantially triangular polyconic gores that radiate therefrom and that adapt the sheet to conform substantially to a curved surface, such as sphere or hemisphere. A patternable transparent cover, adapted to be removably and pivotally secured to the hemisphere, closely overlays the sheet to form a covering assembly. Covering assemblies may be placed over both hemispheres of a sphere and removably joined by a ring.
REFERENCES:
patent: 2510215 (1950-06-01), Pityo
patent: 3055123 (1962-09-01), Wigal
patent: 3063163 (1962-11-01), Dukes
patent: 3637446 (1972-01-01), Elliott
patent: 3977458 (1976-08-01), Kuen
patent: 4414731 (1983-11-01), Riemer
patent: 4456258 (1984-06-01), Lodrick
patent: 782249 (1957-09-01), None
Ahmad Nasser
Glenn Michael A.
R & R Partners
LandOfFree
Display system for curved surfaces does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Display system for curved surfaces, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Display system for curved surfaces will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2552451