EDUCATIONAL GAME TOY

• US 3,745,673 A
• Filed: 07/06/1971
• Issued: 07/17/1973
• Est. Priority Date: 07/06/1971
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Bonna J. Jimerson, Bruce D. Jimerson
• Original Assignee: Bonna J. Jimerson, Bruce D. Jimerson
• Inventors: Jimerson, Bruce D., Jimerson, Bonna J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Grieb, Wm. H.
• Application Number:
  US05/159,612
• Time in Patent Office: 742 Days
• Field of Search: 35/9A,9B,31A,35D,35F,35R,35A
• US Class Current: 434/332
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 3/06 of the multiple-choice answer type, i.e. where a given question is provided with a series of answers and a choice has to be made

Abstract

The simultaneous stimulation of different physical senses has been recognized by educators as an efficient method for teaching young children. This technique can be the bases of an entertaining mechanical game-toy which utilizes a coded rotatable wheel to provide various incentives and rewards which encourage the correct response to questions presented on interchangeable game discs encoded with visual, textural, imbrailled, and accoustical information.

Claims

1. An Educational Game Toy comprising:

a first surface having a plurality of openings;

a second surface beneath said first surface and parallel tO said first surface and moveable in a plane parallel to said first surface;

at least one information surface having question information and answer information which includes at least one correct answer, said question and answer information to be encoded to correspond with the openings in said first surface;

means for attaching said (third) information surface to said second surface whereby the information relative to the openings in said first surface will be changed when said second surface is moved;

means for retaining said second surface in a fixed position relative to said first surface whereby the question and answer information encoded on said information surface may be analyzed through the openings in said first surface prior to the selection of an answer;

means for selecting one among a plurality of the answers to question information presented through the openings in said first surface;

means for rewarding the selection of a correct answer and means for moving said second surface from one position to another whereby each question presented on said information surface may be examined in sequence.

2. The game toy recited in claim 1 wherein said second surface is a rotatable wheel and wherein said means for selecting one among a plurality of answers comprises:

an actuator associated with each of the openings in said first surface which relates answer information, and means for responsively connecting said means for rewarding the selection of a correct answer with said actuators whereby a reward is produced by operation of the actuator associated with the correct answer.

3. The apparatus recited in claim 2 including at least one normally closed door in said first surface;

at least one tray on said rotatable wheel positioned to pass beneath said normally closed door;

means for opening said door to obtain access to said tray when said actuator is operated.

4. The apparatus recited in claim 2 including:

means for applying a torque to turn said rotatable wheel;

means for stopping said wheel at each question position so that the question information and the associated answer information encoded on said information surface is properly registered with respect to the openings in said first surface;

means for releasing said stopping means when the actuator associated with correct answer is operated whereby the wheel will automatically move to the next question position.

5. The apparatus recited in claim 4 wherein said means for rewarding the selection of a correct answer includes:

a race course;

at least one racing object and;

means for moving said racing object when said wheel rotates.

6. The apparatus recited in claim 2 wherein is included:

means for visually obscuring some of the information encoded on said information disk so as to allow the information so obscured to be felt but not seen.

7. The apparatus recited in claim 6 wherein said information disk is encoded so as to be sensitive to the touch.

8. The apparatus recited in claim 4 wherein said first surface comprises a playing board having a plurality of interconnected locations to which game pieces may be moved, and means for operating said actuators in accordance with the positions of said moveable game pieces.