Educational game device

• US 3,924,852 A
• Filed: 04/30/1975
• Issued: 12/09/1975
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/1975
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ronald A. Tamol
• Original Assignee: Ronald A. Tamol
• Inventors: Tamol, Ronald A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Shapiro, Paul E.
• Application Number:
  US05/572,950
• Time in Patent Office: 223 Days
• Field of Search: 273/1M,1L 46/238-240 35/22R
• US Class Current: 273/443
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 33/26 Magnetic or electric toys electric drives A63H29/22 ; indoor games played with small balls using magnetic power A63F7/0088, A63F7/068

Abstract

There is disclosed an educational game device which includes a pair of reservoirs connected by a flow transport course, there being a magnetically displaceable colloidal suspension normally disposed in one of said reservoirs and which can be transported under the influence of a directional magnetic force from the said one reservoir through the flow transport course to the other reservoir.

Claims

1. An educational game device comprising a relatively broad surfaced substantially flat base member, means defining a pair of reservoirs in one face of said base member, each reservoir being disposed at a location remote from the other, there further being means in said one face defining a flow transport course communication between said reservoirs, a cover member generally coextensive with said base member and received in contact with said one face of said base member, and a magnetically displaceable colloidal suspension presEnt within said device and normally disposed in one of said reservoirs, said magnetically displaceable colloidal suspension being selectively transportable from said one reservoir to the other along said flow transport course under the influence of a directional magnetic force.

2. The educational game device of claim 1 in which said base member and said cover member are respectively first and second substantially flat plate members, the means defining said reservoirs being enlarged groove areas formed in said one face of said first plate member, the means defining a flow transport course communication between said reservoirs being other grooves in said one face of said first plate member, there further being a carrier liquid filling any portion of said one reservoir not occupied by said colloidal suspension, the other of said reservoirs and said other grooves, said magnetically displaceable colloidal suspension being immiscible with said carrier liquid, the density of said magnetically displaceable colloidal suspension being different than that of said carrier liquid.

3. The educational game device of claim 2 in which said magnetically displaceable colloidal suspension is a ferrofluid.

4. The educational game device of claim 3 in which said ferrofluid comprises submicron-sized ferromagnetic and ferrimagnetic particles suspended in a carrier fluid selected from the group consisting of hydrocarbons, silicones, fluorocarbons, chlorinated solvents and water.

5. The educational game device of claim 4 in which the said carrier liquid with which said ferrofluid is immiscible is selected from the group consisting of hydrocarbons and water.

6. The educational game device of claim 5 in which said carrier liquid is colorless.

7. The educational game device of claim 2 in which said other grooves are arranged in a random array comprised of a plurality of groove branches at least certain of which are disposed to provide communicative connection between said two reservoirs.

8. The educational game device of claim 2 in which the density of said magnetically displaceable colloidal suspension is greater than that of said carrier liquid.

9. The educational game device of claim 2 in which said second plate member is of transparent material, the enlarged groove areas and said other grooves in said first plate member being smooth surfaced and devoid of any protuberant structure.

10. The educational game device of claim 9 in which said first plate member is of thermoplastic material, said enlarged groove areas and said other grooves being moulded in said first plate member.

11. The educational game device of claim 9 in which said second plate member is fixedly connected to said first plate member is superposed contact therewith.

12. The educational game device of claim 11 in which the surface portions of said one face of said first plate member other than where said enlarged groove areas or other grooves are formed are flat and in planar alignment one with the other, there further being provided means for delineating the expanses of the respective ones of said surface portions.

13. The educational game device of claim 11 in which said second plate member is adhesively secured to said first plate member, the means for delineating the said planar surface portion of said one face of said first plate member comprising said adhesive.

14. The educational game device of claim 9 in which said first plate member is of transparent material, there being provided a backing sheet of non-transparent, non-translucent material in covering fixed contact at the other face of said first plate member.

15. The educational game device of claim 14 in which said backing sheet is provided with intelligence indicia visible through both said first and second plate members.

16. The educational game device of claim 2 in which said magnetically displaceable colloidal suspension embodies a coloration component to provide said suspension with a predetermined color.

17. The educaTional game device of claim 2 in which said first and second plate members each have opposed pairs of side edges, said first and second plate members being connected together at least around the edge portions in a continuous encircling course of connection whereby the edges of said device are substantially impervious to liquid and fluid flow therethrough.

18. The educational game device of claim 1 in which the base member and cover member are of generally rectangular plan outline, said reservoirs being located at diametrically opposite corners of the device.