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US3735501A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Educational toy

Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1971-10-12
•
Granted: 1973-05-29
•
Expires: 1991-10-12
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Abstract

Abstract A toy having a housing provided with at least two sets of double-pole electrical terminals on an exterior face. Two signalling lamps are provided and each may be electrically connected to any double-pole electrical terminal. A card imprinted with a different numeral or other indicium is removably mounted to the panel and when so mounted, each different indicium is positioned beside a different double-pole terminal. In one embodiment of the toy, a printed circuit board electrically inter-connects each double-pole terminal in one set with a different terminal in the other set. The lamps are illuminated when they are connected to double-pole terminals electrically inter-connected via the circuit board. In a second embodiment of the toy, the card is provided with teeth along one edge. When the card is mounted to the housing, the teeth serve to open some but not all of a number of switches each of which, in its normally closed position, interconnects pairs of double-pole terminals. The lamps are illuminated when they are connected to terminals electrically inter-connected via switches not opened by the teeth. In both embodiments, the card is matched with the circuit board or the teeth such that the indicia beside electrically inter-connected terminals bear some relationship to one another.

Inventors

  • 👤 E Ma

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-24 22:05
CPC Classifications
G; G09; G09B; G09B7/00; G09B7/06; G09B7/063

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 7
Claim 1
Independent Claim 178 words
An educational toy comprising: a housing having a panel for receipt of a removable indicia carrying card; at least three sets of double-pole electrical terminals disposed on the panel of said housing; a plurality of sets of contact points, the contact points of each said set being in circuit with a different said pole of each said set of electrical terminals; and each said pole in two said sets being in circuit with a different said contact point in two said sets, each contact point in said two sets, together with each contact point in circuit with said third set of electrical terminals defining a normally closed switch; selector means adapted to engage said contact points to cause opening of selective said switches; power supply means in circuit with closed switches; a pair of manually operable instruments each adapted to be detachably connected to and thereby electrically inter-connect the poles of each said electrical terminal; and signalling means in circuit with and activated by said power supply means when both said instruments complete a circuit with closed switches.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 178 words
An educational toy comprising: a housing having a panel for receipt of a removable indicia carrying card; at least three sets of double-pole electrical terminals disposed on the panel of said housing; a plurality of sets of contact points, the contact points of each said set being in circuit with a different said pole of each said set of electrical terminals; and each said pole in two said sets being in circuit with a different said contact point in two said sets, each contact point in said two sets, together with each contact point in circuit with said third set of electrical terminals defining a normally closed switch; selector means adapted to engage said contact points to cause opening of selective said switches; power supply means in circuit with closed switches; a pair of manually operable instruments each adapted to be detachably connected to and thereby electrically inter-connect the poles of each said electrical terminal; and signalling means in circuit with and activated by said power supply means when both said instruments complete a circuit with closed switches.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 21 words
The educational toy as claimed in claim 1 wherein said cards are removably supported on said housing in holders provided thereon.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 21 words
The educational toy as claimed in claim 1 wherein said signalling means is an electrical light bulb incorporated in said instrument.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 190 words
An educational toy comprising: a housing having a panel for receipt of a removable indicia carrying card; at least three sets of double-pole electrical terminals disposed on the panel of said housing; a plurality of sets of switches, the number of switches in each said set being one less than the number of sets of electrical terminals, each said switch having a pair of contacts and being normally closed, one contact of each said pair being in circuit with a different said pole of one said set of electrical terminals, one said pole in each remaining set of electrical terminals being electrically connected to the other contact of a different said switch in each set; selector means adapted to open every switch but one in each said set; power supply means in circuit with the one closed switch in each said set; a pair of manually operable instruments each detachably connectable to and electrically inter-connecting the poles of each said electrical terminals; and signalling means in circuit with and activated by said power supply means when both said instruments complete a circuit with said one closed switch in every set.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 190 words
An educational toy comprising: a housing having a panel for receipt of a removable indicia carrying card; at least three sets of double-pole electrical terminals disposed on the panel of said housing; a plurality of sets of switches, the number of switches in each said set being one less than the number of sets of electrical terminals, each said switch having a pair of contacts and being normally closed, one contact of each said pair being in circuit with a different said pole of one said set of electrical terminals, one said pole in each remaining set of electrical terminals being electrically connected to the other contact of a different said switch in each set; selector means adapted to open every switch but one in each said set; power supply means in circuit with the one closed switch in each said set; a pair of manually operable instruments each detachably connectable to and electrically inter-connecting the poles of each said electrical terminals; and signalling means in circuit with and activated by said power supply means when both said instruments complete a circuit with said one closed switch in every set.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 28 words
The educational toy as claimed in claim 4 further including at least one said indicia carrying card, said card having teeth cut therein which define said selector means.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US3100352A Cited
US3067524A Cited
US3106784A Cited
US3327405A Cited
US3562922A Cited
US3621590A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1976-05-28 1976-11-27 1977-05-29 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1980-05-28 1980-11-27 1981-05-29 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1984-05-28 1984-11-27 1985-05-29 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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