Patents Examined by Karen A. Richard
  • Patent number: 5310346
    Abstract: An educational word game apparatus utilizes game sheets or boards having rows of spaces for advancing a game piece a predetermined number of spaces. Many of the spaces contain words which are to be either read, pronounced, spelled, and/or defined before a player may move forward. The first player to reach a finish space wins the game. The game may be provided with words of varying difficulty, according to various professions, and in different languages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 1990
    Date of Patent: May 10, 1994
    Inventor: Richard H. Dillhoff
  • Patent number: 5180305
    Abstract: Color printing is a precise and exacting science. The finished piece should be a perfect meld between type and graphic. To accomplish this, a color chart must be used to match a particular color in the photograph or in a slide, as is more commonly used. The match is then incorporated in the headline or body copy. When using a photograph, it is fairly simple to pick and match a color from the chart because they are both reflective. But working with the reflective chart and the transparency, the slide poses a problem. The designer has to visualize and interpolate. With this invention, the chart and slide is transparent. In this invention, the four colors, magenta, cyan, yellow, and black with screens from ten percent to 90 percent for each are selected to match a particular color or a complement of all the colors in the slide. By overlaying any one or more of the primary colors and/or their screens, the designer can specify those colors for the headline, body copy, or a frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 1990
    Date of Patent: January 19, 1993
    Inventor: Ronald P. Farrah
  • Patent number: 5174757
    Abstract: An interactive sculptural composition comprising a support member and at least one design member matingly attached thereto. The support member defines a plurality of parallel channels and possesses a multiplicity of projections arranged into rows parallel to the channels with at least one row of projections being present between each adjacent channel. The design member is matingly attached to the support member by either: (1) inserting at least one of the projections of the support member through a hole in the design member or (2) inserting a first edge of the design member into a first channel of the support member and inserting a second edge of the design member into a second, adjacent channel of the support member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 1990
    Date of Patent: December 29, 1992
    Assignee: Delaware Art Museum
    Inventor: Lial A. Jones
  • Patent number: 5167504
    Abstract: This invention is an improved bilingual dictionary in which cognates are physically distinguished from other words. Cognates are words which are identical in meaning and similar in spelling in two languages. Such words are distinguished from other words in the dictionary by being printed against a distinctly colored background, by being printed with distinctly colored ink, by being printed in a distinguishing typeface, by location in a column of words, or by adjacent symbols. The object of this bilingual dictionary is to facilitate a student's recognition and appreciation of the number of words in a second language which the student already knows without additional study.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 1991
    Date of Patent: December 1, 1992
    Inventor: Harold J. Mann
  • Patent number: 5167505
    Abstract: An educational aid and educational method for teaching pattern recognition and numerical skills to young children. The aid includes plural groups of game pieces each incorporating a different number of game pieces, the game pieces in different groups bearing different indicia such as different colors. The child matches the game pieces to matching target areas in a series of matching operations requiring progressively higher levels of abstract reasoning, ranging from simple color matching to matching the number of pieces to a numeral. The matching target areas may be defined on a substrate and on a series of auxiliary matching targets, each associated with one group of game pieces. The game pieces may be attached to the auxiliary matching targets and the resulting assemblies may then be matched to matching target areas on the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 1990
    Date of Patent: December 1, 1992
    Inventor: Bonnie J. Walsh
  • Patent number: 5163843
    Abstract: A simulated cataractous lens and method of making the same are disclosed. The simulated lens is comprised of a proteinaceous material, such as natural animal lens material which is selectively hardened and which has the hardness and transparency thereof altered by predetermined amounts so as to correspond to different stages of cataract afflicted lenses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 1990
    Date of Patent: November 17, 1992
    Assignee: Nestle, S.A.
    Inventor: Sari L. Brenner
  • Patent number: 5161978
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for presenting information to be learned and/or memorized, wherein the information is reduced to a columnar format, reduced to a reduced text column format which includes only capitalized letters and logical symbols, and further reduced to a fully reduced text cue column format so that the capitalized letters are replaced by non-text symbols; the information is presented by first displaying the topic, topic type and text column format, next displaying the topic, topic type and reduced text cue column format, next displaying the topic, topic type fully reduced text cue column format; and finally concealing topic, topic type, text column, reduced text cue column, and fully reduced text cue column; the information is reinforced by first displaying the topic, topic type and fully reduced text cue column, next displaying the topic, topic type and reduced text cue column, and finally displaying the topic, topic type and text column.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 1990
    Date of Patent: November 10, 1992
    Inventor: Richard G. Kahn
  • Patent number: 5154614
    Abstract: A sound output electronic apparatus includes: a key input corresponding to elements of a predetermined braille pattern; a memory for storing braille data which was input from the key input; and a device for generating the input data stored in the memory as sounds. The data of the braille data which was input and stored can be recognized by sound the information. Also provided is a comparator for comparing the input data which was input from the key input and the input data stored in the memory and generator for generating information indicative of the result of the comparison by the comparator as sound information. The braille data which is being input is compared with the braille data stored to see if they coincide or not. The comparison result can be recognized by a sound output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 1991
    Date of Patent: October 13, 1992
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Mikiharu Matsuoka, Yasuko Miyazaki, Shinichi Tenno
  • Patent number: 5152689
    Abstract: A system for merchandising and selecting pre-fabricated cabinets for installation in a living space. Comprising the system are informational display and selection charts on which a unique code indicia, particularly color coded, is assigned to each cabinet unit. Following a scaled plan layout of the cabinet area in an intended living space for which installation is contemplated, the selected units can be readily retrieved from a merchandising display on which the various units are clearly identified by their codes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 1990
    Date of Patent: October 6, 1992
    Assignee: Triangle Pacific Corp.
    Inventor: Alan M. Kurzman
  • Patent number: 5149270
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for simulation of conditions under which endoscopic procedures may be practiced by an individual to learn and improve on the skills of manipulation and use of instrumentation and to develop the manual dexterity required. The apparatus has a cavity in which an object simulating a human organ is mounted for performing the practice procedure. The cavity is closeable to outside view or access thus forcing the individual practicing a procedure to use and manipulate the instruments under conditions that mimic real life operating and diagnostic conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 1990
    Date of Patent: September 22, 1992
    Inventor: M. J. McKeown
  • Patent number: 5145377
    Abstract: A color-coded system of training illiterate, mentally handicapped or dyslexic individuals in the performance of certain tasks includes specifying colors designating particular objects and the task or operation to be performed with the object bearing a particular color. Color-coded visual indicators such as flash cards may be used to teach the individual to associate the color with the object and the operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 1990
    Date of Patent: September 8, 1992
    Assignee: 1-2-3 Training Systems, Ltd.
    Inventors: Diana J. Tarvin, Ronald E. Goerne
  • Patent number: 5141235
    Abstract: An educational card game adapted to be played on a geographical game board bearing a continental area with countries marked and outlined therein. The outlined countries of the game board are geographically shaped and removed similar to puzzle pieces whereby each are adapted to fit with one another and to overlie the outlined country space. The game is played similar to gin rummy, whereby educational game cards with specific geographical features and information are used for the card playing aspect of the game. The players compete for desired cards, the accumulation of which entitles one player to win each round. The players, after each round is over, collect country board pieces which are added to a player's point totals. The game is completed when all of the country board pieces have been collected or a predetermined point total has been reached.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 1990
    Date of Patent: August 25, 1992
    Inventor: Carlota B. Hernandez
  • Patent number: 5135399
    Abstract: A diagnostic test method and associated apparatus which assesses different categories of motivational skills in an individual in order to diagnose motivational deficiencies that limit a person's performance in a given setting. The motivational strengths and weakness of individuals or groups are summarized as a Motivational Skills Profile in order to select the appropriate treatment program or procedure. A teaching aid consisting of a visual representation associates each category of diagnosed skill deficiency with research areas in which treatments for remediating that deficiency can be found. This teaching aid also adds to the effectiveness and efficiency of any motivational training program by highlighting specific motivational skill goals and by providing feedback on current skill levels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 1990
    Date of Patent: August 4, 1992
    Inventor: Michael P. Ryan
  • Patent number: 5133664
    Abstract: A manual-type braille writer that provides for both writing and reading in a normal left-to-right manner. In the preferred form, this braille writer has a clip board type base, and in the preferred embodiment a guide plate assembly can be moved to, and releasable fixed at, selected vertical locations along this base. The guide plate assembly is provided with a plurality of character cells uniformly spaced along rows across the guide plate assembly as well as in uniformly spaced rows. This guide plate assembly has a lower portion to be placed under a sheet of paper positioned on the clip board base and an upper portion to be positioned on top of the sheet. This upper portion is hinged with respect to the lower portion. Each character cell is typically made up of six appropriately spaced pins extending up from the lower portion that are aligned with a rosette-shaped cutout in the upper portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 1990
    Date of Patent: July 28, 1992
    Assignee: Martin Marietta Energy Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Lawrence S. Hawk, Joe H. Turner
  • Patent number: 5131650
    Abstract: An exercise device including an elongated exercise bar of non-circular cross-section having end members that include throughbores and a conical recess extending outwardly from the throughbore, and a slot communicating with the throughbore for permitting the lateral insertion into the throughbore of a tubular, elastic cable member. The elastic cable member includes one or more internally positioned plug members that provide local enlargement of the cable and are adapted to cooperte with the conical recess to securely position the cable with respect to the end member and to prevent the cable from passing through the end member when tension is applied to the cable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 1990
    Date of Patent: July 21, 1992
    Inventor: Ellen P. Hall
  • Patent number: 5120229
    Abstract: A dental model of teeth mounted in a jaw comprises an artificial jaw member defining tooth-receiving sockets. The teeth have roots, the roots being removably seated in the sockets and bonded there by elastomeric adhesive, whereby the teeth exhibit a resiliently seated characteristic similar to that of the natural teeth in a human jaw. Also, a preformed, artificial gingiva may be applied which exhibits improved, lifelike characteristics for a practice experience that is closer to clinical reality.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 1990
    Date of Patent: June 9, 1992
    Assignee: The Curators of the University of Missouri
    Inventors: Dorsey J. Moore, Connie L. Drisko
  • Patent number: 5114348
    Abstract: The invention provides a tutorial device for observing lunar phase. A base sheet is inscribed with a time scale, a ring of moon pictures and a ring of moon phases. Outer circles on the base sheet define the months, and times of moonrise, moonset and moonsharp. Mounted on the base are a rotary segment shaped moonguide, a globe longitude disc and an elevation disc with a graduated moon angle scale and a pivoted elevation finger. The movable elements are used in conjunction with the fixed rings and circles on the base sheet to obtain moon data for selected times and earth longitudes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 1990
    Date of Patent: May 19, 1992
    Inventor: Shui-Tan Tzeng
  • Patent number: 5114346
    Abstract: The invention comprises three-dimensional characters, i.e., letters and/or numerals, which have discretely colored indicia thereon to distinguish left-hand and right-hand sides of the characters, so that a student of writing and/or reading will know how to position each character to dispose the same in a correct orientation. In this, one colored indicia must always be at the left-hand side, and the other colored indicia must always be at the right-hand side. Included is a color-coded guide in which, slidably, to set the characters; the coloring of the guide complements the left- and right-hand colored indicia of the characters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 1990
    Date of Patent: May 19, 1992
    Inventor: Michael J. Fioramonti
  • Patent number: 5110295
    Abstract: An educational training device in which a plurality of transparent sheets and base sheets are secured in fixed registry onto a top surface of a frame. A student can trace patterns shown on the base sheets onto the transparent sheets. The student can also remove and/or rearrange any of the sheets to thereby study the different interrelationships between the patterns. In addition, a top transparent sheet can be marked upon to draw a pattern that is extrapolated from the data provided by the underlying sheets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 1990
    Date of Patent: May 5, 1992
    Inventor: Christina T. Concra
  • Patent number: 5108291
    Abstract: A supplementary teaching instrument based on mathematical basic theories and principles as well as child psychology. The invention employs a number of rectangular blocks of a prescribed shape which occupy a predetermined area when assembled together, and a corresponding area of triangular shaped blocks of various sizes and shapes. In addition to creating artistic designs by different arrangements of the blocks which may be of different colors, the rectangular blocks can be used in the fashion of a domino game, and the dimensional relationship between the triangular blocks and the rectangular blocks teach the basic concepts of mathematics including addition, substraction, multiplication, fractions, areas, and the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 1990
    Date of Patent: April 28, 1992
    Inventor: Chun-Hsiung Kuo