Sign language blocks

• US 4,846,687 A
• Filed: 10/11/1988
• Issued: 07/11/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 10/11/1988
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Pamela S. White, Phillip S. White
• Original Assignee: Pamela S. White, Phillip S. White
• Inventors: White, Pamela S., White, Phillip S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Grieb, William H.
• Application Number:
  US07/255,944
• Time in Patent Office: 273 Days
• Field of Search: 434/112, 434/159, 434/167, 434/168, 434/172, 434/403
• US Class Current: 434/112
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2009/0491 Customisable dice, e.g. with interchangeable or replaceable inserts
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 1/10 by means of pins and holes
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 21/009 Teaching or communicating with deaf persons G09B21/04 takes precedence; deaf and dumb persons G09B21/00

Abstract

Educational sign language blocks are set forth as an educational tool to enable individuals to enhance an understanding of sign language, as typically utilized by hearing impaired individuals. The individual sign language blocks each include a designated letter of the alphabet and an associated symbol corresponding to that letter to reinforce the noted alphabet letter and further including a removable side face including the appropriate sign language designation for the aforenoted letter. The removal faces are each provided with three projections to correspond to three recesses within an associated face of the block. The pattern of recesses and projections are varied for each of the individual blocks whereupon an individual attempting to associate the appropriate sign language symbol with the designation or letter on the block must choose correctly or else the removable face will not mate due to misalignment of the projections and recesses.

Claims

1. Sign language educational blocks for instructional teaching of sign language designations comprising,

a plurality of sign language blocks wherein each of said blocks is formed with a letter face for illustration of a predetermined alphabet letter, and

a pictorial face for presenting a predetermined illustration whose spelling begins with a predetermined alphabet letter, and

a removable face removably and selectively securable to a securement face of one of said sign language blocks wherein said removable face is provided with an illustrative sign language designation corresponding to the predetermined alphabet letter.

2. Sign language educational blocks as set forth in claim 1 wherein the plurality of sign language blocks are defined by twenty-six blocks wherein each block includes a different letter of the alphabet and whose associated removable face is provided with a series of projections receivable within mating recesses of said securement face.

3. Sign language educational blocks as set forth in claim 2 wherein each removable face of each sign language block is provided with three projections receivable within three recesses of said securement face.

4. Sign language educational blocks as set forth in claim 3 wherein each projection is formed with a resilient bulbous tip receivable within a bulbous cavity communicating with a cylindrical channel to receive each projection.

5. Sign language educational blocks as set forth in claim 4 wherein each of the twenty-six sign language blocks is provided with a varying pattern of projections on its associated removable face and a complementary pattern of recesses within a corresponding securement face such that only an appropriate sign language designation may be received within a corresponding sign language block whose alphabet designation corresponds to the sign language designation.

6. Sign language educational blocks as set forth in claim 5 wherein each of the pattern of projections comprising three projections on a corresponding removable face is selected from a matrix pattern of projections defined by a diagonal array of projections, a vertical array of projections, and a horizontal array of projections.

7. Sign language educational blocks as set forth in claim 6 wherein each securement face provided with three recesses is selected from a matrix of recesses defined by a diagonal array of recesses, a vertical array of recesses, and a horizontal array of recesses.