Educational Toy with Interchangeable Spheres

U.S. Patent : # 8,496,483

Inventor : George M. Walters

Letter from the inventor:

As a grandparent of four little ones I was always roaming the aisles looking for a gift that was practical and enabled interaction with the children. While watching the children as they played, I noticed that they were attracted to simple, colorful toys with some movement.

I have patented other products, but this was my first that was influenced personally. As a result, I developed what I like to call "Shish-K-Ball".

"Shish-K-Ball" is interactive, safe, colorful, and has global applications. I believe it would be new product innovation with financial rewards.

Your attention is greatly appreciated.

Thank you.
George Walters

As attorney for the inventor of the innovative new Educational Toy with Interchangeable Spheres we are currently seeking investors and manufacturing companies to license, purchase patent rights or enter into a royalty agreement for this timely invention. Interested parties can reach the attorney at the contact numbers listed at the bottom of this page.

The present invention is an educational toy for ages 6 months to 3 years consisting of a plurality of spheres representing letters, numbers, animals, shapes and colors. The spheres can be selectively chosen by the children and added to a rod which can then be closed by screwing an end cap sphere thereto. The educational spheres are used by the child in order to produce words, progressions, mathematics, patterns and other educational arrangements and sequences.

The present invention can be utilized by parents, teachers, babysitters and other caretakers to educate children in various different learning environments.

Invention Objects & Goals

to provide an educational toy that can be used as a teaching tool by parents, teachers, babysitters and other caregivers

a toy that will teach children in a safe and fun way

easily interchangeable spheres disposed on a shaft

a plurality of educational spheres having horizontal throughbores replaceably disposed on a shaft

numerous graphic options including various alphabets, numbering systems, mathematical expressions, colors and patterns

Patent Drawings

The following pictures are meant to display possible physical characteristics of the present invention and are not to be taken in a limiting sense. It is understood that other embodiments may be utilized and that structural changes may be made without departing from the scope of the invention.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

10 Educational Toy 28 threaded aperture

12 educational sphere 30 throughbore of 12

14 retaining sphere 32 first end of 12

16 user 34 second end of 12

18 threaded sphere 36 graphic sets of 12

20 stationary sphere 38 alphabetical indicia set

22 shaft 40 numerical indicia set

24 indicia 42 color set

26 threaded end of 22 44 pictorial illustration set

patent drawing

FIGURE 1
FIGURE 1 is an illustrative view of the present invention. Shown is the present invention being an educational toy 10 whereby the user 16 takes a stationary retaining sphere 14 with a protruding shaft having threading at its distal end, and then skewering a plurality of smaller, interchangeable educational spheres 12 having horizontal throughbores for inserting the shaft therethrough and then sealing the educational spheres 12 on the shaft utilizing a threaded removable retaining sphere 14. The educational spheres 12 are used by the user 16 in order to produce words, progressions, mathematics, patterns and other educational arrangements and sequences.

patent drawing

FIGURE 2
FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of the present invention. Shown is the educational toy 10 having a plurality of interchangeable educational spheres 12 disposed on a shaft 22 and maintained thereon by a pair of retaining spheres 14 on opposing ends thereof. The retaining spheres 14 comprise a permanently affixed stationary sphere 20 on one end of the shaft 22 and a removable threaded sphere 18 on the opposing end thereof. Indicia 24 may be disposed on the educational spheres 12.

patent drawing

FIGURE 3
FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of the present invention. Shown is the educational toy 10 with the threaded sphere 18 removed from the shaft 22 to provide access to the educational spheres 12 to rearrange them according to indicia 24, color or pictorial images disposed thereon as desired

patent drawing

FIGURE 4
FIGURE 4 is an exploded perspective view of the present invention. Shown is the educational toy 10 with the threaded sphere 18 removed to enable the user to rearrange or change the educational spheres 12 accordingly as the shaft 22 is inserted therethrough. Once the educational spheres are in place, the threaded end 26 of the shaft 22 is threaded into a mating threaded aperture 28 in the threaded sphere 18 to maintain the educational spheres 12 in place on the shaft 22 between the threaded sphere 18 and the stationary sphere 20.

patent drawing

FIGURE 5
FIGURE 5 is a partial sectional front view of the present invention. Shown is the educational toy 10 with the educational spheres 12 mounted on the shaft 22 and the threaded sphere 18 threaded onto the threaded end 26 of the shaft 22 to retain the educational spheres 12 between the stationary sphere 20 and the threaded sphere 18.

patent drawing

FIGURE 6
FIGURE 6 is a side sectional view of the present invention. Shown is the educational toy 10 with the educational spheres 12 mounted on the shaft 22 having a first end 32 that is threaded 26 to allow for the replaceable fastening of threaded sphere 18 thereto and a second end 34 that is permanently embedded in the stationary sphere 20.

patent drawing

FIGURE 7
FIGURE 7 is a side assembly view of the present invention. Shown are the primary components of the educational toy 10 with a fixed stationary sphere with a shaft 22 projecting therefrom onto which the educational spheres 12 are placed and retained thereon when the threaded sphere 18 is threaded onto the shaft 22.

patent drawing

FIGURE 8
FIGURE 8 is a side view of the present invention. Shown is a pair of assembled educational toys 10 demonstrating an example of the usage of the indicia 24 on the educational spheres 12.

FIGURE 9
FIGURE 9 is a diagram view of the present invention. Depicted is a plurality of graphic sets 36 of educational spheres 12 including an alphabetical indicia set 38, a numerical indicia set 40, a set with varying colors 42 and sets with pictorial illustrations 44 including animals, shapes, characters and the like. Also shown is the stationary sphere 20 with integral shaft 22 and the threaded sphere 18.