Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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1
1 EDUCATIONAL BALL
2 BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
3 1. Field of the Invention
4 The present invention relates to an educational ball, and more
particularly to an educational ball that can increase fun and challenge of
using the
6 educational ball and can provide multiple spatial arrangements.
7 2. Description of Related Art
8 With the ever-changing technology, currently multiple kinds of
9 conventional educational products can be availed to train mental, spatial
concepts and logical thinking. However, the conventional educational products
11 mostly have only a single specific mode of arrangement or a single
spatial
12 arrangement of structure, and this cannot enhance interest and
attraction for users
13 to use the conventional educational products. In addition, the specific
14 arrangement or the single array structure of the conventional
educational
products also reduce the challenge of the conventional educational products,
and
16 this may reduce the training effect of mental, spatial concepts and
logical
17 thinking for the users.
18 To overcome the shortcomings, the present invention provides an
19 educational ball to mitigate or obviate the aforementioned problems.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
21 One aspect of the present invention is to provide an educational ball
that
22 can increase fun and challenge of using the educational ball and can
provide
23 multiple spatial arrangements.
24 The educational ball in accordance with the present invention has a body
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1 and multiple operating sets. The body is a square block and has six outer
surfaces,
2 six mounting recesses respectively formed in the outer surfaces, and six
engaging
3 holes respectively formed through the mounting recesses. The operating
sets are
4 connected to the body, are respectively and rotatably mounted in the
mounting
recesses, and each one of the operating sets has a rotating mount, two
covering
6 plates, a sliding groove, and multiple sliding sheets. The rotating mount is
7 rotatably mounted in a corresponding mounting recess, and has an engaging
8 jacket and two inserting holes. The covering plates are connected to the
rotating
9 = mount, and each of the covering plates has a connecting pipe, multiple
track
grooves, and a guiding channel. The sliding sheets are movably mounted in the
11 track grooves of the covering plates and the sliding groove of the
operating set to
12 cover the rotating mount.
13 Other advantages and novel features of the invention will become more
14 apparent from the following detailed description when taken in
conjunction with
the accompanying drawings.
16 BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS:
17 Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of an educational
ball
18 in accordance with the present invention;
19 Fig. 2A is an exploded perspective view of the educational ball in Fig.
1;
Fig. 2B is an enlarged perspective view of a covering plate of the
21 educational ball in Fig. 2A;
22 Fig. 3 is a partial cross-sectional front side view of the educational
ball in
23 Fig. 1;
24 Fig. 4 is a partial cross-sectional side view of the educational ball in
Fig.
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1 1;
2 Fig. 5 is an enlarged perspective view of the educational ball in Fig.
1;
3 Figs. 6 and 7 are enlarged and operational perspective views of the
4 educational ball in Fig. 1;
Fig. 8 is a top view of a second embodiment of an educational ball in
6 accordance with the present invention;
7 Fig. 9 is an exploded perspective view of a third embodiment of an
8 educational ball in accordance with the present invention;
9 Fig. 10 is an exploded perspective view of a fourth embodiment of an
educational ball in accordance with the present invention;
11 Fig. 11 is a partial cross-sectional front side view of the educational
ball
12 in Fig. 10; and
13 Fig. 12 is an operational and partial cross-sectional front side view of
the
14 educational ball in Fig. 11.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
16 With reference to Figs. 1 and 2A, a first embodiment of an educational
17 ball in accordance with the present invention has a body 10 and multiple
18 operating sets 20.
19 The body 10 is a square block and has six outer surfaces, six mounting
recesses 11, and six engaging holes 12. The outer surfaces are connected to
each
21 other to form the square body 10. The mounting recesses 11 are
respectively
22 formed in the outer surfaces of the body 10, and each one of the
mounting
23 recesses 11 has a center. The engaging holes 12 are respectively formed
through
24 the centers of the mounting recesses 11.
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1 Preferably, the
body 10 is composed of two half-casings 13, the
2 half-casings 13
are connected to each other, and each one of the half-casings 13
3 is hollow and
has an inner side, an external surface, an opening 131, two
4 connecting tabs
132, and two connecting recesses 133. The inner sides of the
half-casings 13 face and contact each other, and each inner side has four
edges.
6 The opening 131
is formed through the inner side of the half-casing 13 between
7 the four edges
of the inner side of the half-casing 13. The two connecting tabs
8 132 are formed
on and protrude from two of the four edges of the inner side of
9 the half-casing
13, and face to each other. In addition, the connecting recesses
133 are formed in the other two edges of the inner side of the half-casing 13.
11 As the half-
casings 13 are connected to each other to form the square
12 body 10, the
connecting tabs 132 and the connecting recesses 133 of one of the
13 half-casings 13
are respectively connected to the connecting recesses 133 and the
14 connecting tabs
132 of the other half-casing 13. Preferably, one of the
half-casings 13 has multiple mounting tubes 134 formed in and protruding
16 outwardly from
the half-casing 13 and extending to the opening 131 of the
17 half-casing 13,
and the other half-casing 13 has multiple inserting posts 135
18 formed in and
protruding outwardly from the half-casing 13. The inserting posts
19 135 are
respectively mounted in and connected to the mounting tubes 134 to
connect the half-casings 13 securely with each other. Furthermore, four of the
21 engaging holes
12 are formed through the four connecting tabs 132 of the
22 half-casings 13,
and the other two engaging holes 12 are respectively formed
23 through the half-
casings 13 opposite to the openings 131 of the half-casings 13.
24 With reference
to Figs 2A and 21B, the operating sets 20 are connected to
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1 the body 10, are respectively and rotatably mounted in the mounting
recesses 11,
2 and each one of the operating sets 20 has a rotating mount 21, two
covering plates
3 22, and multiple sliding sheets 23.
4 The rotating mount 21 is round, is rotatably mounted in a corresponding
5 mounting recess 11 of the body 10, and has an inner side, an outer side,
an outer
6 periphery, an engaging jacket 211, an engaging ring 212, two cutting
slots 213,
7 two inserting holes 214, and multiple notches 215. The engaging jacket
211 is
8 formed on and protrudes from the inner side of the rotating mount 21,
extends in
9 one of the outer surfaces of the body 10, and engages one of the engaging
holes
12 to hold the rotating mount 21 in the corresponding mounting recess 11 of
the
11 body 10. The engaging jacket 211 is hollow and has a free end and an
external
12 surface. The free end of the engaging jacket 211 extends in the body 10
via a
13 corresponding engaging hole 12. The engaging ring 212 is formed on and
14 protrudes from the external surface of the engaging jacket 211 at the
free end,
and abuts against the corresponding outer surface of the body 10.
16 The cutting slots 213 are axially formed through the external surface of
17 the engaging jacket 211 and the engaging ring 212 to enable the engaging
jacket
18 211 to deform relative to the corresponding engaging hole 12 of the body
10.
19 Then, the engaging ring 212 can be passed through the corresponding
engaging
hole 12 to abut against the corresponding outer surface of the body 10 to hold
the
21 rotating mount 21 in the corresponding mounting recess 11. The inserting
holes
22 214 are formed through the outer side of the rotating mount 21 beside
the
23 engaging jacket 211. The notches 215 are formed through the outer side
and the
24 inner side of the rotating mount 21 at the outer periphery of the
rotating mount 21
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1 and are spaced apart from each other at intervals, and each one of the
notches 215
2 has a width.
3 Preferably, with reference to Figs. 2A and 3, when the engaging jacket
4 211 securely engages the corresponding engaging hole 12 by the engaging
ring
212, each operating set 20 further has a T-shaped limiting element 24 mounted
in
6 and abutting against the engaging jacket 211 via the free end of the
engaging
7 jacket 211 to prevent the engaging jacket 211 from deforming relative to
the
8 engaging hole 12 to hold the rotating mount 21 securely on the
corresponding
9 outer surface of the body 10. The limiting element 24 has a pushing rod
241 and
a limiting board 242. The pushing rod 241 has an end. The limiting board 242
is
11 transversally formed on the end of the pushing rod 241 to form the T-
shaped
12 limiting element 24, and is mounted in and abuts against the engaging
jacket 211
13 to enable the engaging ring 212 to abut against the body 10 at the
corresponding
14 engaging hole 12.
With reference to Fig. 2A, 2B and 4, the two covering plates 22 are
16 connected to the rotating mount 21 at an interval to cover the outer
side of the
17 rotating mount 21, and each one of the covering plates 22 is semi-
circular and has
18 an inner surface, a flat inner edge, a curved outer edge, an outer side,
a
19 connecting pipe 221, an abutting ring 222, two cutting grooves 223,
multiple
track grooves 224, and a guiding channel 225.
21 The inner surface of the covering plate 22 covers a part of the outer
side
22 of the rotating mount 21. The flat inner edge of the covering plate 22
faces the
23 flat inner edge of the other covering plate 22 at an interval. The
connecting pipe
24 221 is formed on and protrudes from the inner surface of the covering
plate 22,
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1 extends in the outer side of the rotating mount 21, and engages one of
the
2 inserting holes 214 to hold the covering plate 22 with the rotating mount
21. The
3 connecting pipe 221 is hollow and has a free end and an external surface.
The
4 free end of the connecting pipe 221 extends in the rotating mount 21 via
a
corresponding inserting hole 214. The abutting ring 222 is formed on and
6 protrudes from the external surface of the connecting pipe 221 at the
free end,
7 and abuts against the inner side of the rotating mount 21.
8 The cutting grooves 223 are axially formed through the external surface
9 of the connecting pipe 221 and the abutting ring 222 to enable the
connecting
pipe 221 to deform relative to the corresponding inserting hole 214 of the
rotating
11 mount 21. Then, the abutting ring 222 can be passed through the
corresponding
12 inserting hole 214 to abut against the inner side of the rotating mount
21 to hold
13 the covering plate 22 with the rotating mount 21. The track grooves 224
are
14 formed through the curved outer edge of the covering plate 22, are space
apart
from each other at intervals, align with some of the notches 215 of the
rotating
16 mount 21, and each one of the track grooves 224 has a width. The width
of the
17 track groove 224 is wider than the width of a corresponding notch 215 of
the
18 rotating mount 21. The guiding channel 225 is formed in the flat inner
edge of the
19 covering plate 22. in addition, each one of the track grooves 224 of the
operating
set 20 communicates with one of the track grooves 224 of one of the adjacent
21 operating sets 20.
22 With reference to Fig. 1, when the covering plates 22 are mounted on the
23 rotating mount 21, the operating set 20 has a sliding groove 25 formed
between
24 the guiding channels 225 of the covering plates 22, and the sliding
groove 25
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1 aligns with two
of the notches 215 of the rotating mount 21. That is, the notches
2 215 of the
rotating mount 21 align with the sliding groove 25 and the track
3 grooves 224 of
the covering plates 22. Furthermore, the sliding groove 25 of the
4 operating set 20
communicates with the two sliding grooves 25 of two of the
adjacent operating sets 20. Preferably, each one of the covering plates 22 has
a
6 color.
7 The sliding
sheets 23 are movably mounted in the track grooves 224 of
8 the covering
plates 22 and the sliding groove 25 of the operating set 20 to cover
9 the rotating
mount 21. Each one of the sliding sheets 23 is a curved and
rectangular sheet and has an outer surface and a mark 231. The outer surface
of
11 the sliding sheet
23 is exposed from one of the track grooves 224 or the sliding
12 groove 25 of the
operating set 20. The mark 231 is formed on the outer surface of
13 the sliding sheet
23, and the mark 231 can be a numeral or an English alphabet as
14 shown in Fig. 8.
Additionally, the mark 231 of the sliding sheet also can be a pattern of
16 Chinese Animal
Zodiac, Constellations, Poker or Numerology. Furthermore,
17 the outer surface
and the mark 231 of the sliding sheet 23 have different
18 colors.
Preferably, the color of the outer surface of the sliding sheet 23 is
19 same or different
from the colors of the two covering plates 22. The amount
of the sliding sheets 23 of one of the operating sets 20 is fewer than amount
21 of the other
operating sets 20 to form a gap on the operating set 20, and this
22 can enable the
sliding sheets 23 of the operating set 20 to move to another
23 operating set 20 via the gap.
24 In use, with
reference to Fig. 5, a user can turn the educational ball over
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1 to enable the operating sot 20 that has fewer sliding sheets 23 to move
to a top of
2 the educational ball. In the first embodiment of an educational ball, the
gap is
3 formed in the sliding groove 25 of the corresponding operating set 20.
With
4 reference to Fig. 6, the user can rotate one of the adjacent operating
sets 20 to
enable one of the sliding sheets 23 of the adjacent operating set 20 to align
with
6 the gap. Then, the user can push the corresponding sliding sheet 23 to
move into
7 the gap to fill the sliding groove 25 of the operating set 20 that has
fewer sliding
8 sheets 23 as shown in Fig. 7, and the gap is moved and formed on the
adjacent
9 operating set 20.
According to the above-mentioned operation, the user also can rotate
11 two adjacent operating sets 20 to enable the gap to align with one of
the track
12 grooves 224 of one of the two adjacent operating sets 20 to form
different spatial
13 arrangements. In addition, each one of the operating sets 20 can be
rotated
14 relative to the four adjacent operating sets 20 to move the sliding
sheets 23
between the operating sets 20. Furthermore, the user can move the sliding
sheets
16 23 in the track grooves 224 annularly according to the order and
sequence of
17 numerals or English alphabets or move the sliding sheets 23 in the
sliding
18 grooves 25 to align with each other according to the order and sequence
of
19 numerals or English alphabets. In addition, the user also can push the
sliding
sheets 23 with same colors to move in the track grooves 224 and the sliding
21 groove 25 of one of the operating sets 20. Therefore, the educational
ball in
22 accordance with the present invention can provide different spatial
arrangements
23 and modes of operation, and this can increase operational variability,
fun and
24 challenge of using the educational ball. Then, the training effect of
mental,
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1 spatial concepts and logical thinking for the users can be improved by the
2 educational ball of the present invention.
3 With reference
to Fig. 8, a second embodiment of an educational ball in
4 accordance with
the present invention is substantially the same as the first
5 embodiment
except for the following features. Only one of the operating sets 20
6 has a sliding
groove 25, and the mark 231 of each one of the sliding sheets 23 is
7 an English alphabet.
8 With reference
to Fig. 9, a third embodiment of an educational ball in
9 accordance with
the present invention is substantially the same as the first
10 embodiment
except for the following features. Each rotating mount 21A of the
11 operating sets
20A does not have the engaging ring 212 and the cutting slots 213,
12 and the engaging
jacket 211A cannot be deformed. In addition, each limiting
13 element 24A
further has an engaging head 243A formed on the limiting board
14 242A opposite to
the pushing rod 241A. The engaging head 243A is resilient and
is securely mounted in the engaging jacket 211A to enable the limiting board
16 242A to abut
against the body 10. Then, the rotating mount 21A can be mounted
17 on the
corresponding mounting recess 11 of the body 10. Preferably, glue is
18 coated on the
engaging head 243A and is connected to the engaging jacket 211A
19 to increase the
structural strength between the rotating mount 21A and the body
10.
21 With reference
to Figs. 10 and 11, a fourth embodiment of an
22 educational ball
in accordance with the present invention is substantially the
23 same as the
first embodiment except for the following features. Each rotating
24 mount 21B of the
operating sets 20B does not have the engaging ring 212, the
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1 cutting slots 213, and the notches 215. The engaging jacket 211B cannot
be
2 deformed, and each one of the sliding sheets 23B is movably mounted in
the
3 track grooves 224B of the two sliding grooves 225B of the operating set
20B to
4 cover the rotating mount 21B. In addition, each limiting element 24B has a
limiting mount 241B, a spring 242B, and a connecting seat 243B.
6 The limiting mount 241B is mounted around the engaging jacket 211B
7 that extends into the corresponding half-casing 13 and abuts the inner
side of the
8 corresponding half-casing 13B. The limiting mount 241B has an abutting
board
9 244B and at least two limiting rods 245B. The abutting board 244B is
mounted
around the corresponding engaging jacket 211B and abuts the inner side of the
11 corresponding half-casing 13B. The at least two limiting rods 245B are
formed
12 on and protrude from the abutting board 244B opposite to the inner side
of the
13 corresponding half-casing 13B at spaced intervals.
14 The spring 242B is mounted around the corresponding engaging jacket
211B between the at least two limiting rods 245B and abuts the abutting board
16 244B. The connecting seat 243B is inserted into and connected to the
17 corresponding engaging jacket 211B, abuts the spring 242B, and has a
18 connecting head 246B and a pressing board 247B. The connecting head 246B
is
19 inserted into the corresponding engaging jacket 211B via the spring 242B
and the
abutting board 244B. The pressing board 247B is formed on the connecting head
21 246B opposite to the abutting board 244B and abuts the spring 242B.
22 In use, with reference to Fig. 12, when rotating one of the operating
sets
23 20B, the corresponding operating set 20B may be moved outwardly relative
to
24 the adjacent operating sets 20B, and the connecting seat 243B is moved
with the
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1 corresponding engaging jacket 211B relative to the half-casing 13B. Then,
the
2 pressing board 24M is moved toward the at least two limiting rods 245B,
and the
3 spring 242B is compressed between the abutting board 2448 and the
pressing
4 board 247B. When the corresponding operating set 20B is moved outwardly
relative to the adjacent operating sets 20B, the corresponding operating set
20B
6 may be rotated smoothly without rubbing against the adjacent operating
sets 20B.
7 After rotating the corresponding operating set 20B, when releasing the
8 corresponding operating set 2013, the compressed spring 242B may provide
a
9 force to the connecting seat 243B to move the corresponding operating set
20B
back to the original positions between the adjacent operating sets 20B.
11
