US3866337A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Apparatus for demonstrating atomic structure
Assignee: Individual
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Filing: 1973-07-26
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Granted: 1975-02-18
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Expires: 1993-07-26
Abstract
Abstract An apparatus for demonstrating the theoretical structure of an atom which comprises a circular disc having means representing the nucleus of the atom positioned centrally thereon, and a plurality of electron representing members carried on a number of planetary shafts mounted on the disc. The disc is adapted to be rotated in one direction while the planetary shafts are rotated in the opposite direction such that the electron representing members trace a plurality of elliptical orbits about the nucleus to thereby provide a three dimensional representation of electrons orbiting the nucleus of an atom.
Inventors
- 👤 Thomas D Burns
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 09:51
CPC Classifications
G; G09; G09B; G09B23/00; G09B23/26
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 15
Claim 1
Independent Claim
244 words
An apparatus for demonstrating the theoretical structure of an atom to students and other observers and comprising a frame defining a central axis, a disc mounted on said frame for rotation about said central axis, said disc including a forwardly facing front surface, means for representing the nucleus of an atom mounted on said frame along said central axis and forwardly of said front surface, a shaft rotatably carried by said disc, said shaft defining a shaft axis extending parallel to and radially spaced from said central axis and including a forward end positioned forwardly of said front surface, a transverse member mounted at said forward end of said shaft and extending perpendicular to said shaft axis, said transverse member including two end portions with said two end portions being positioned on opposite sides of said shaft and substantially equidistant therefrom, means for representing an electron carried at each of said two end portions, means for rotating said disc in a first direction about said central axis and at a predetermined rotational speed, and means for rotating said shaft about said shaft axis while said disc is rotated and in a direction opposite said first direction and at a rotational speed substantially corresponding to said predetermined rotational speed such that said electron representing means traces a pair of intersecting elliptical orbits about said nucleus representing means to thereby provide a three dimensional representation of a pair of electrons orbiting the nucleus of an atom.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
244 words
An apparatus for demonstrating the theoretical structure of an atom to students and other observers and comprising a frame defining a central axis, a disc mounted on said frame for rotation about said central axis, said disc including a forwardly facing front surface, means for representing the nucleus of an atom mounted on said frame along said central axis and forwardly of said front surface, a shaft rotatably carried by said disc, said shaft defining a shaft axis extending parallel to and radially spaced from said central axis and including a forward end positioned forwardly of said front surface, a transverse member mounted at said forward end of said shaft and extending perpendicular to said shaft axis, said transverse member including two end portions with said two end portions being positioned on opposite sides of said shaft and substantially equidistant therefrom, means for representing an electron carried at each of said two end portions, means for rotating said disc in a first direction about said central axis and at a predetermined rotational speed, and means for rotating said shaft about said shaft axis while said disc is rotated and in a direction opposite said first direction and at a rotational speed substantially corresponding to said predetermined rotational speed such that said electron representing means traces a pair of intersecting elliptical orbits about said nucleus representing means to thereby provide a three dimensional representation of a pair of electrons orbiting the nucleus of an atom.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
93 words
The apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said nucleus representing means includes a transverse plate comprising a magnetic material and a plurality of magnets adapted to be magnetically attached to said plate, said two end portions of said transverse member each comprise a magnetic material, and said electron representing means includes a magnet adapted to be magnetically attached to each of said end portions, whereby the magnets of said nucleus representing means and said electron representing means may be Selectively attached to and removed from said apparatus to illustrate different atomic structures.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
39 words
The apparatus as defined in claim 2 wherein said magnets of said nucleus representing means and said electron representing means each include a colored fluorescent material, and said apparatus further includes an ultraviolet lamp for illuminating said fluorescent material.
Claim 5
Independent Claim
415 words
An apparatus for demonstrating the theoretical structure of an atom to students and other observers and including provision for demonstrating the theoretical electron shells of various atoms, said apparatus comprising a frame including a central shaft which defines a central axis, a disc rotatably mounted on said central shaft for rotation about said central axis, said disc including a forwardly facing front surface, means for representing the nucleus of an atom mounted on said central shaft forwardly of said front surface, a first planetary shaft rotatably carried by said disc, said first planetary shaft defining a first shaft axis extending parallel to and radially spaced from said central axis and including a forward end positioned forwardly of said front surface of said disc, a first pair of electron representing members carried at said forward end of said first planetary shaft and radially spaced from said first shaft axis, a plurality of second planetary shafts rotatably carried by said disc, each of said second planetary shafts defining a second shaft axis extending parallel to and radially spaced from said central axis, said second shaft axes being positioned in a generally circular arrangement about said central axis and radially beyond said first shaft axis, each of said second planetary shafts including a forward end positioned forwardly of said front surface of said disc, a second pair of electron representing members carried at said forward end of each of said second planetary shafts and radially spaced from the associated second shaft axis, means for rotating said disc in a first direction about said central axis at a predetermined rotational speed, and means for rotating said first planetary shaft about said first shaft axis and each of said second planetary shafts about the associated second axis while said disc is rotated, the rotation of said first and second planetary shafts being in a direction opposite said first direction and at a rotational speed substantially corresponding to said predetermined rotational speed, such that said first pair of electron representing members traces a first pair of intersecting elliptical orbits about said nucleus representing means to thereby provide a three dimensional representation of a pair of electrons orbiting the nucleus in an inner electron shell of an atom, and said second pairs of electron representing members trace a number of intersecting elliptical orbits about said nucleus representing means to thereby provide a three dimensional representation of a number of electrons orbiting the nucleus in a second outer electron shell of the atom.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
415 words
An apparatus for demonstrating the theoretical structure of an atom to students and other observers and including provision for demonstrating the theoretical electron shells of various atoms, said apparatus comprising a frame including a central shaft which defines a central axis, a disc rotatably mounted on said central shaft for rotation about said central axis, said disc including a forwardly facing front surface, means for representing the nucleus of an atom mounted on said central shaft forwardly of said front surface, a first planetary shaft rotatably carried by said disc, said first planetary shaft defining a first shaft axis extending parallel to and radially spaced from said central axis and including a forward end positioned forwardly of said front surface of said disc, a first pair of electron representing members carried at said forward end of said first planetary shaft and radially spaced from said first shaft axis, a plurality of second planetary shafts rotatably carried by said disc, each of said second planetary shafts defining a second shaft axis extending parallel to and radially spaced from said central axis, said second shaft axes being positioned in a generally circular arrangement about said central axis and radially beyond said first shaft axis, each of said second planetary shafts including a forward end positioned forwardly of said front surface of said disc, a second pair of electron representing members carried at said forward end of each of said second planetary shafts and radially spaced from the associated second shaft axis, means for rotating said disc in a first direction about said central axis at a predetermined rotational speed, and means for rotating said first planetary shaft about said first shaft axis and each of said second planetary shafts about the associated second axis while said disc is rotated, the rotation of said first and second planetary shafts being in a direction opposite said first direction and at a rotational speed substantially corresponding to said predetermined rotational speed, such that said first pair of electron representing members traces a first pair of intersecting elliptical orbits about said nucleus representing means to thereby provide a three dimensional representation of a pair of electrons orbiting the nucleus in an inner electron shell of an atom, and said second pairs of electron representing members trace a number of intersecting elliptical orbits about said nucleus representing means to thereby provide a three dimensional representation of a number of electrons orbiting the nucleus in a second outer electron shell of the atom.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
30 words
The apparatus as defined in claim 4 wherein said apparatus comprises four of said second planetary shafts to thereby represent eight electrons orbiting in the second shell of the atom.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
125 words
The apparatus as defined in claim 5 wherein the two electron representing members of each of said second pairs are disposed 180* apart on opposite sides of the associated second axis and equidistant therefrom, and said four second pairs of electron representing members are oriented in relation to each other such that a line formed between the two electron representing members of each pair lies at an angle of 45* with respect to the lines formed between the two electron representing members of each of the adjacent pairs and at an angle of 90* with respect to a line formed between the two electron representing members of the opposite pair such that the orbits of the electron representing members are disposed in different angular orieNtations.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
174 words
The apparatus as defined in claim 4, wherein said apparatus further comprises a third planetary shaft rotatably carried by said disc, said third planetary shaft defining a third shaft axis extending parallel to said central axis and radially beyond said second shaft axes, said third planetary shaft including a forward end positioned forwardly of said front surface of said disc, a third pair of electron representing members carried at said forward end of said third planetary shaft and radially spaced from said third shaft axis, and means for rotating said third planetary shaft about said third shaft axis while said disc is rotated, the rotation of said third shaft being in a direction opposite said first direction and at a rotational speed substantially corresponding to said predetermined rotational speed, such that said third pair of electron representing members traces an outermost pair of intersecting elliptical orbits about said nucleus representing means to thereby provide a three dimensional representation of a pair of electrons orbiting the nucleus in a third outermost shell of the atom.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
107 words
The apparatus as defined in claim 7 wherein said central shaft is fixedly mounted to preclude the rotation thereof, and said means for rotating said first and second planetary shafts comprises a main pulley fixedly mounted on said central shaft rearwardly of said disc, first pulley means fixedly mounted on said first pulley shaft rearwardly of said disc, second pulley means fixedly mounted on each of said second planetary shafts and rearwardly of said disc, and belt means for operatively interconnecting said main pulley with said first and second pulley means whereby each of said first and second planetary shafts are rotated upon the disc being rotated.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
59 words
The apparatus as defined in claim 8 wherein said means for rotating said third planetary shaft comprises an auxiliary pulley rotatably mounted on said central shaft rearwardly of said disc, third pulley means fixedly mounted on said third pulley shaft rearwardly of said disc, and auxiliary belt means for operatively interconnecting said auxiliary pulley and said third pulley means.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
84 words
The apparatus as defined in claim 9 wherein said means for rotating said third planetary shaft comprises means for selectively preventing rotation of said auxiliary pulley on said central shaft whereby said third pair of electron representing members may be made to trace an elliptical orbit when said auxiliary pulley is prevented from rotating and made to trace an erratic orbit when said auxiliary pulley is free to rotate, such erratic orbit simulating the instability which occurs in the atom from certain outside interference.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
79 words
The apparatus as defined in claim 10 wherein said disc includes an aperture extending therethrough and positioned radially from said central axis, and said frame includes a panel mounted rearwardly of said disc, and light means mounted on said panel in axial alignment with said aperture in said disc such that light emanating from said light means is periodically visible through said aperture during rotation of said disc to thereby simulate the production of electromagnetic energy within the atom.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
57 words
The apparatus as defined in claim 11 wherein said frame further includes a plurality of variously colored filters, and means for mounting said filters on said panel for selective movement in front of said light means such that the light means may simulate the various wave lengths of the visible light range of the electromagnetic energy spectrum.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
37 words
The apparatus as defined in claim 12 wherein said frame further includes pictorial display means carried on said panel for simulating the approach of intereference to the atom, and means for selectively illuminating said pictorial display means.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-02-17 | 1978-08-19 | 1979-02-18 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-02-17 | 1982-08-19 | 1983-02-18 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-02-17 | 1986-08-19 | 1987-02-18 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |