Educational game for construction and identifying electrical and electronic circuits

• US 4,376,538 A
• Filed: 09/22/1980
• Issued: 03/15/1983
• Est. Priority Date: 09/22/1980
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Keenan, Michael P.
• Original Assignee: Keenan, Michael P.
• Inventors: Keenan, Michael P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pinkham, Richard C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Brown, Scott
• Application Number:
  US06/189,724
• Time in Patent Office: 904 Days
• Field of Search: 273/275, 434/224, 434/118
• US Class Current: 273/275
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 3/00643 Electric board games; Electric features of board games electric word or number games A63F3/0421; computer chess G06F; electric raffle games A63F3/081
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 23/185 for building block systems

Abstract

An educational game is provided not only for entertainment but for the teaching of the construction and recognition of electrical and electronic circuits. Electrical or electronic circuits can be constructed by the positioning of modules or playing pieces representing certain electrical functions on a game board imprinted with positions for the placement of the modules and the completion of an electrical or electronic circuit between a positive and negative lead of a power source. The game lends itself to actual electrically working versions as well as simulated electrical and electronic versions.

Claims

1. Educational game useful for teaching the recognition of electrical and electronic instrumentalities and the construction and tracing of electrical and electronic circuits comprising

(a) a plurality of modules of predetermined shape each provided on its top surface with a visual representation symbolizing an electrical or electronic instrumentality for use in constructing simulated electrical or electronic circuits;

(b) a game board divided into two playing areas in opposition to one another, each said playing area defined by an outer row of adjacent, abutting playing positions and an inner row of adjacent, abutting playing positions, and a plurality of rows of adjacent, abutting playing positions located between said outer and inner row whereby said rows of playing positions define a plurality of horizontal and vertical rows of adjacent, abutting playing positions, each said playing position being of the same predetermined shape as each said module for location of one of said modules in the simulated construction of an electrical or electronic circuit, a line provided on each said playing area adjacent said outer row of adjacent, abutting playing positions simulating a positive lead from a power source, a line provided on each said playing area adjacent said inner row of adjacent, abutting playing positions simulating a negative lead from a power source, said positive and negative leads being connected respectively to each playing position in the outer and inner rows of playing positions whereby a plurality of parallel potential circuits are provided, and an indicating means represented as a lamp located between each playing position in the said inner rows and said simulated negative leads for simulating the completion or blocking of an electrical circuit; and

(c) colored markers for placement on the said indicating means to show when a player'"'"'s electrical circuit is completed or blocked.

2. Educational game useful for teaching the recognition of electrical and electronic instrumentalities and the construction and tracing of electrical and electronic circuits according to claim 1 wherein the colored markers correspond in size to the lamps provided on the game board and comprise colored markers of two different colors for use by the players, respectively, for indicating that an electrical circuit is completed and a lamp is lighted, and markers of a third color for indicating that an electrical circuit is blocked.

3. Education game useful for teaching the recognition of electrical and electronic instrumentalities and the construction and tracing of electrical and electronic circuits according to claim 2 wherein the two different colored markers comprise red and green markers and the third colored marker is gold.