Patent US4736469A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
Patent US3713236A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3713236A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Motor driven map viewer and tracking device
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1971-04-05
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Granted: 1973-01-30
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Expires: 1991-04-05
Abstract
Abstract A device to aid motorists in determining their position on a highway map includes a freely supported globe having a map of the area being traveled. The globe is moved by a motor driven magnetic drive wheel which tracks a route path or film traced on the selected route with a marker containing a supply of paramagnetic particles in a fast drying liquid or a paste carrier which is applied to the selected route with a marker prior to initiation of the trip. A motor speed control knob with a pointer and associated scale with vehicle speed indicia is pre-set or periodically adjusted to move the globe at a speed related to the scale of the map and corresponding to the vehicle speed to maintain the vehicle position on the route path in registry with a position indicating pointer on a magnifying viewing window.
Inventors
- 👤 H Fields
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-25 20:02
CPC Classifications
G; G09; G09B; G09B29/00; G09B29/10; G09B29/106
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim
108 words
A device for determining the position of a vehicle on a map comprising a sphere having a map on its surface, means supporting said sphere for universal movement, a magnetically trackable route path on said map, fixed means indicating a vehicle position on said map, and means to rotate said sphere at a rate proportionate to the rate of movement of said vehicle at the scale size of said map, said means to rotate said sphere including a drive wheel, and means effective to establish magnetic attraction between the drive wheel and the path, whereby the direction of rotation of said sphere is determined by said route path.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
108 words
A device for determining the position of a vehicle on a map comprising a sphere having a map on its surface, means supporting said sphere for universal movement, a magnetically trackable route path on said map, fixed means indicating a vehicle position on said map, and means to rotate said sphere at a rate proportionate to the rate of movement of said vehicle at the scale size of said map, said means to rotate said sphere including a drive wheel, and means effective to establish magnetic attraction between the drive wheel and the path, whereby the direction of rotation of said sphere is determined by said route path.
Claim 3
Independent Claim
108 words
A device for determining the position of a vehicle on a map comprising a sphere having a map on its surface, means supporting said sphere for universal movement, a magnetically trackable route path on said map, fixed means indicating a vehicle position on said map, and means to rotate said sphere at a rate proportionate to the rate of movement of said vehicle at the scale size of said map, said means to rotate said sphere including a drive wheel, and means effective to establish magnetic attraction between the drive wheel and the path, whereby the direction of rotation of said sphere is determined by said route path.
Claim 4
Independent Claim
108 words
A device for determining the position of a vehicle on a map comprising a sphere having a map on its surface, means supporting said sphere for universal movement, a magnetically trackable route path on said map, fixed means indicating a vehicle position on said map, and means to rotate said sphere at a rate proportionate to the rate of movement of said vehicle at the scale size of said map, said means to rotate said sphere including a drive wheel, and means effective to establish magnetic attraction between the drive wheel and the path, whereby the direction of rotation of said sphere is determined by said route path.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
53 words
A device in accordance with claim 1 wherein said means for freely supporting said sphere for universal movement comprises a hemispherical half shell having an inside diameter greater than the diameter Of the sphere and bearings spaced on the periphery of the inside surface of the shell for engaging and supporting said sphere.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
130 words
A device for determining the position of a vehicle on a map comprising a sphere having a map on its surface, means supporting said sphere for universal movement, a magnetically trackable route path on said map, fixed means indicating a vehicle position on said map, and means to rotate said sphere at a rate proportionate to the rate of movement of said vehicle at the scale size of said map to maintain the vehicle position on the selected route path in registry with said position indicating means, said means to rotate said sphere including a drive rotor engaged with said sphere, one of said magnetically trackable route path and said drive rotor being a magnet and the other of said drive rotor and said trackable route path being magnetically attractable.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
130 words
A device for determining the position of a vehicle on a map comprising a sphere having a map on its surface, means supporting said sphere for universal movement, a magnetically trackable route path on said map, fixed means indicating a vehicle position on said map, and means to rotate said sphere at a rate proportionate to the rate of movement of said vehicle at the scale size of said map to maintain the vehicle position on the selected route path in registry with said position indicating means, said means to rotate said sphere including a drive rotor engaged with said sphere, one of said magnetically trackable route path and said drive rotor being a magnet and the other of said drive rotor and said trackable route path being magnetically attractable.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
31 words
A device in accordance with claim 3 including means for varying the rate of rotation of said means to rotate said sphere to adjust said rate in accordance with vehicle speed.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
109 words
A device in accordance with claim 4 wherein said means for varying the rate of rotation comprises a motor having a rotatable part connected to said rotor and a field coil, adjustable pole pieces on said field coil, a bell crank having one end connected to a said pole piece and another end having a cam follower surface, an eccentric engageable with said cam follower surface, means to turn said eccentric, said last mentioned means being calibrated with miles per hour indicia so that said means can be adjusted in accordance with the vehicle speed to move the pole pieces and change the rate of rotation of said motor.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
20 words
A device in accordance with claim 1 wherein said magnetically trackable route path comprises iron particles in a paste carrier.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
13 words
A device in accordance with claim 6 wherein said iron particles are magnetized.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
24 words
A device in accordance with claim 1 including a viewing window having a magnifying lens and including said vehicle position indicator on said window.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
28 words
A device in accordance with claim 8 wherein said means for supporting said sphere includes an aperture to admit a marker between said sphere and said magnifying lens.
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) | 1976-01-30 | 1976-07-31 | 1977-01-30 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-01-30 | 1980-07-31 | 1981-01-30 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-01-30 | 1984-07-31 | 1985-01-30 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |