Education and demonstration – Question or problem eliciting response – Correctness of response indicated to examine by...
Reexamination Certificate
2003-01-24
2004-05-11
Fernstrom, Kurt (Department: 3712)
Education and demonstration
Question or problem eliciting response
Correctness of response indicated to examine by...
C434S322000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06733297
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND
This invention relates to an instructional device that assists a person in remembering facts in any field that can be answered by a single or few letters, a word or a number or group of numbers.
In the present age of computers and calculators, a person especially students, most often get into their calculators or computers to get a quick answer. While this allows work to be accomplished at a faster rate, it has its disadvantages especially with children at their primary to high school level of education because they tend to rely on these modern devices for the answers without personally knowing them. Consequently, they are at a loss when computers or calculators are not handy when they need them or they don't have the ability to check whether the answers given by the devices are correct. Further, these calculators and computers foster laziness both mentally and physically and discourages one to patiently memorize or work their way into the right answers.
A mathematic teaching device disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,759,041 attempts to address the above problem by offering a device where a mathematical question, specifically, a multiplication problem is posted at the front side and the right answer to the question is posted at the back side, the question and answer coordinated by a pointed instrument of sufficient length such as a pencil which passes from a hole bored at the front side posting the problem to the corresponding hole on the back side where the correct answer is posted. While this device aids a person wanting to memorize his/her multiplication table, the person is not given a challenge prior to answering the question before flipping over to the back side to see if the answer is correct. Also, the answer to the question at the back side is directly opposite in position to the question at the front side which makes it very easy for someone to quickly flip the device and look at the answers. Further, there are numerous facts covered by various fields aside from mathematical questions that one needs to know by heart such as historical, current, scientific, cultural, literary and geographical questions, the answers for which are good and beneficial to know which are not addressed by the above patented device.
It is therefore an object of this invention to provide an instructional device that will aid a person in memorizing facts and information on various topics.
It is also an object of this invention to provide a mental and physical challenge to the user of this device before an answer is given.
It is a further object of this invention to provide the device in a form that can be used by every member of the community.
It is still a further object of this invention to provide this device in a portable form so that it can be easily brought or transported, as well as carried along while travelling by any means of transportation.
It is also a further object of this invention to provide a gift item that is reasonable in price and at the same time very useful.
It is still a further object of this invention to provide an instructional device that improves ones manual dexterity while using the device.
It is also a further object of this invention to provide a feeling of satisfaction and pride on a user when the final step in the operation of the device is successfully reached.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to an instructional device comprising a casing bordered by side walls, a front face and a back face, the casing snugly enclosing a first central insert component and a second central insert component, each having a combination of protruding fences, walled openings, and plain openings on a top and bottom surfaces. Herein, the first central insert component and the second central insert component may be simply referred to interchangeably as first and second insert or first and second insert component. The first central insert component and the second central insert component is stacked together with the bottom surfaces of each central insert component communicating directly with each other resulting in the top surface of the first central insert component facing away from the top surface of the second central insert component. The stacking of the bottom surfaces with each other forms a series of internal enclosures and pathways while each top surface of the central insert components forms a series of external enclosures and pathways. The coordination of the internal and external enclosures and pathways resulting from the communication and matching of the protruding fences, walled openings and plain openings forms several pathways permitting passage of an object from one top surface to the other top surface or through a middle compartment formed after stacking the first with the second central insert compartment. The object, preferably round such as a ball or a marble is the tool used to operate the device. The fences protrude upwards from the top surface and downwards from the bottom surface of the first and second central insert components. The tips of the fences that define the cells and separate the different areas of the device, protruding upwards from each top surface of the first and second central insert component, touch on the respective face of the casing or the device to prevent the object from leaving or entering the cells and the areas within the device through routes different from the designed pathways formed by the stacking of the first and second central insert components. This also allows turning the device upside down without affecting its operation. The central insert components stack in a definite manner to form the pathways and protruding bars from one insert component lodging against a designated wall or into specific openings of the other insert component further aid at ensuring that the components are stacked together properly. After the central insert components are stacked together, three of the side edges of the components are coterminal to each other while one edge of one central insert component extends further than the other edge of the other central insert component. This exposes the top and bottom surface of the extended section because it does not stack with a corresponding section of the other insert component. The extended section of the component have a series of openings designed for resetting the operation or entering a column area. Also the cells defined by the fences of one insert component does not lie directly opposite the cells defined by the fences of the other insert component but are offset from each other to allow the object to traverse from one top surface of an insert component to the other top surface of the other insert component in a sinuous pattern.
A series of questions and answers are imprinted on each face and each pair of question and answer is contained in a cell. The cells of question and answers are arranged in a column. The device provides two possible answers for each question, a correct answer and an incorrect or wrong answer. The object is used to designate which answer is chosen by the user. Each answer has an opening leading to a definite pathway. The answer is chosen by directing the object to one opening of a double opening sitting directly underneath the answers. The double opening leads to passageways of different depths, the depth underneath a correct answer is longer than the depth underneath a wrong answer because this passageway has to reach from one cell at the top surface of one insert component to the other cell at the top surface of the other insert component. The passageway for the wrong answer is shorter and terminates at the middle compartment formed between the first and second central insert component. The middle compartment leads to a wrong answer exit without reaching another cell. Longitudinal fences protruding from the bottom surface of one central insert component keep the object within the column of cells as it traverse the middle compartment to the wrong answer exit. The entry to an opening permitting the passage of the object preferably has a ramp to facilit
Giermek Adam
Valentine Mark G.
Co Sarno Maria Erlinda
Fernstrom Kurt
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