Patent ID: 6612843
Filing Date: 2003-09-02
Classification: G09B

Abstract:
An educational device for use with a globe having a base supporting a sphere which is mounted to have a rotational axis oriented at an angle of inclination substantially equal to the earth's ecliptic angle relative to the earth's orbital plane, said educational device comprising:a substantially flat board for representing the earth's orbital plane, said board defining a generally rectangular shape having a facade, a centrally placed pivot hole, a first, second, third and fourth side, wherein the facade having: a â€œSUNâ€  label affixed substantially at the center portion edge of the first side; a plurality of season labels affixed to the facade; and a first plurality of month labels affixed to the facade for indicating a given month of the year that the user may select; a pivot pin; and an indexer wheel having: a generally flat circular shaped area for placement of the base of the globe; a centrally positioned pivot orifice in said generally flat circular shaped area, wherein said pivot pin pivotally attaches said indexer wheel to said board by traversing through the pivot orifice of said indexer wheel to the pivot hole of said board, whereby said indexer wheel is freely rotatable around said pivot pin, and whereby when the globe base is symmetrically placed on the circular shaped area the globe is also freely rotatable around an axis defined by the line that traverses the pivot orifice and which is perpendicular to the plane of said board; and an attached fin having a substantially rectangular shape, wherein one side edge of said fin is attached to a first peripheral edge portion of said flat circular shaped area of said indexer wheel; wherein said fin having a substantially rectangular cavity for allowing the user to view through said fin cavity to see a given month label affixed on said board; wherein the side of said fin which is furthest away from said generally flat circular shaped area is angled above the plane of said generally flat circular shaped area of said indexer wheel for providing a handgrip for the user to rotatably orient said indexer wheel to any desired rotatable angle around said pivot hole of said board, whereby user may select any given month of the year by aligning the fin cavity over a corresponding month label affixed on said board; and wherein said fin is for allowing the user to orient the sphere after placing the base of the globe symmetrically over the pivot orifice on the circular shaped area and by rotatably aligning the maximum deflection of the angle of inclination of the sphere rotational axis to be pointing towards the fin when the top axis pole of the sphere is closest to the fin.