Patent US3686789A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3686789A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Modular space toy
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1971-05-10
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Granted: 1972-08-29
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Expires: 1991-05-10
Abstract
Abstract A modular bowl-shaped toy, preferably having straight or convexly flared sidewalls, with a ball for rolling circularly around the inside of the bowl module to simulate an orbiting spacecraft. The bowel module has an upward and inwardly turned rim forming a circumferential channel and, preferably, a substantially tangential passageway leading therefrom so that at high circumferential velocities the ball can enter the channel and escape from orbit through the passageway. Additional bowl modules of similar design can be connected by conduits to simulate both orbital and interplanetary space travel. A springbiased launching device in the bottom of the bowl module may be used to propel the ball into a circular path around the inside of the bowl, and a movable barrier selectively prevents the ball from entering the tangential passageway.
Inventors
- 👤 Joseph Polonyi
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-05 07:19
CPC Classifications
A; A63; A63H; A63H33/00
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 20
Claim 1
Independent Claim
95 words
In a toy of the type including a bowl having a planetsimulating region at its center and a ball for rolling circularly around the inside of the bowl to simulate a spacecraft orbiting the planet, the improvement wherein: the bowl comprises a circular base defining the central planetsimulating region and sidewalls extending outward and convexly upward from the base, whereby the centripetal reaction force exerted by the sidewalls upon the circularly rolling ball diminishes with increasing radius of the circular path to simulate the relation between gravitational force and orbital radius of an actual spacecraft.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
95 words
In a toy of the type including a bowl having a planetsimulating region at its center and a ball for rolling circularly around the inside of the bowl to simulate a spacecraft orbiting the planet, the improvement wherein: the bowl comprises a circular base defining the central planetsimulating region and sidewalls extending outward and convexly upward from the base, whereby the centripetal reaction force exerted by the sidewalls upon the circularly rolling ball diminishes with increasing radius of the circular path to simulate the relation between gravitational force and orbital radius of an actual spacecraft.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
20 words
The toy of claim 1 comprising a transparent cover permanently attached to the bowl for preventing loss of the ball.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
75 words
In a toy of the type including a bowl having a planet-simulating region at its center and a ball for rolling circularly around the inside of the bowl to simulate a spacecraft orbiting the planet, the improvement wherein: the bowl has a rim comprising an upward and inward extending circumferential channel formed with a substantially tangential passageway leading therefrom for preventing escape of the ball when rolling at high circumferential velocities except through said passageway.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
75 words
In a toy of the type including a bowl having a planet-simulating region at its center and a ball for rolling circularly around the inside of the bowl to simulate a spacecraft orbiting the planet, the improvement wherein: the bowl has a rim comprising an upward and inward extending circumferential channel formed with a substantially tangential passageway leading therefrom for preventing escape of the ball when rolling at high circumferential velocities except through said passageway.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
20 words
The toy of claim 3 comprising a movable barrier for selectively preventing the rolling ball from entering the tangential passageway.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
30 words
The toy of claim 4 wherein the bowl comprises: a circular base defining the central planet-simulating region and sidewalls extending conically outward and upward from the base to the rim.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
27 words
The toy of claim 4 wherein the bowl comprises: a circular base defining the central planet-simulating region and sidewalls extending outward and convexly upward from the base.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
62 words
The toy of claim 4 wherein the movable barrier comprises: an upstanding cylindrical portion adapted for slidably fitting within the opening of the inward extending portion of the rim whereby the rolling ball is prevented from entering the circumferentiaL channel and thence escaping through the tangential passageway when the cylindrical portion of the barrier is positioned within the opening of the rim.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
56 words
The toy of claim 7 wherein the movable barrier comprises: a spider having a central hub and radial members extending therefrom to connect the hub to the cylindrical portion of the barrier, whereby the barrier can be selectively positioned in the way of or clear of the circumferential channel by respectively lowering or raising the hub.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
23 words
The toy of claim 4 comprising a launching device for propelling the ball into an orbital path around the inside of the bowl.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
117 words
The toy of claim 9 wherein the launching device comprises: a launching arm pivotally mounted for rotation about one end, the axis of rotation coinciding with the central axis of the bowl; biasing means for urging the launching arm in one rotational direction; latching means for releasably holding the launching arm from rotation by the biasing means; and finger-operated means for releasing the latching means after the ball has been placed in the path of rotation of the launching arm at the bottom of the bowl, whereby the released launching arm will rotate under the influence of the biasing means and strike the ball to propel it into an orbital path around the inside of the bowl.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
54 words
The toy of claim 10 wherein: the finger-operated releasing means comprises a pivotally mounted lever spring biased toward a position adjacent the plane of rotation of the arm, and the latching means comprises a stop extending laterally from the lever in the way of the launching arm when the lever is in said position.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
25 words
The toy of claim 11 wherein the launching device comprises: means for selectively varying the launch velocity imparted to the ball by the launching arm.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
35 words
The toy of claim 12 wherein the launch velocity varying means comprises: a series of depressions in the bottom of the launching device positioning the ball along the path of rotation of the launching arm.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
87 words
The toy of claim 4 comprising means for injecting the ball into an orbital path around the inside of the bowl, said inject means including: a tube having an inside diameter larger than the diameter of the ball, one end of said tube being clamped to said barrier in position for injecting the ball into an orbital path inside the bowl, and a releasable spring-loaded plunger inserted in the other end of the tube for impelling the ball through the tube for injection into said orbital path.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
24 words
The toy of claim 7 wherein the movable barrier further comprises an annular lip extending inward from the lower edge of the cylindrical portion.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
116 words
A toy for simulating orbital and interplanetary space flight comprising: first and second bowls, each bowl including a circular planet-simulating base region, upward and outward extending sidewalls, a rim with an inward extending lip to form a circumferential channel around the top of the bowl, and a passageway opening into the circumferential channel and extending substantially tangentially therefrom; a transfer conduit joining the tangential passageways of the first and second bowls; and a ball for selectively rolling either circularly around the inside of one of the bowls to simulate orbital space flight or into the circumferential channel and thence escaping through the tangential passageway and transfer conduit to the other bowl to simulate interplanetary space flight.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
116 words
A toy for simulating orbital and interplanetary space flight comprising: first and second bowls, each bowl including a circular planet-simulating base region, upward and outward extending sidewalls, a rim with an inward extending lip to form a circumferential channel around the top of the bowl, and a passageway opening into the circumferential channel and extending substantially tangentially therefrom; a transfer conduit joining the tangential passageways of the first and second bowls; and a ball for selectively rolling either circularly around the inside of one of the bowls to simulate orbital space flight or into the circumferential channel and thence escaping through the tangential passageway and transfer conduit to the other bowl to simulate interplanetary space flight.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
24 words
The toy of claim 16 comprising a movable barrier in the one bowl for selectively preventing the rolling ball from entering the tangential passageway.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US1961147A
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US2949682A
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US2890537A
Cited
US3101946A
Cited
US3208185A
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US3273282A
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US3464700A
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1975-08-29 | 1976-02-28 | 1976-08-29 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-08-29 | 1980-02-28 | 1980-08-29 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-08-29 | 1984-02-28 | 1984-08-29 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |