Abstract:
A display for charting levels of selected human interests consisting of a base that has a plurality of radially arranged benchmarks of different levels of the selected interest. A pointer axially located on the display may be rotated from one bench mark to another. The plurality of factors having different values for the characteristics relate to the interests.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
   This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(e) to U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/571,402, entitled “Harmony Meter,” filed on May 14, 2004, which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety. 

   BACKGROUND OF INVENTION 
   1. Field of Invention 
   Human nature has generated wide interest in measuring and comparing levels of different types of human interests. These interests are widely diverse and include, for example, interests related to fitness, health, diet, children&#39;s behavior, athletics, employment, and others. In general, these interests are usually not systematically evaluated or presented in a fashion which permits day-to-day comparison of various levels of a particular interest. For the most part, these interests are written about in books, articles, and perhaps to some extent charts, which list various characteristics that affect a particular interest. Insofar as the Applicant is currently aware, there is no currently available system which permits measurements of changes day to day of different levels of a particular type of motivational interest. 
   SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
   The present invention provides a display for charting variable levels of selected types of human interests by calculating various values assigned to factors related to the interest. These types of interests that may be appropriately charted include, for example, diet, children&#39;s behavior, athletic and interpersonal relationships. A wide range of additional interests may also be charted and appropriately measured on a temporal basis. 
   In the present invention, the display provides a chart to measure levels of selected human interests comprising a base which, in a preferred embodiment, may consist of a clock-like member having a plurality of radially arranged benchmarks that are each intended to identify different measures of the selected interests. These benchmarks may comprise, for example, a series of cartoon faces, such as the well-known happy face, arrayed from a serious frown to a happy smile. The benchmarks may be further differentiated one from the other by numerical values. The benchmarks may be selectively identified by an axially located pointer having one end journalled for rotational movement from one benchmark to the other. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the pointer, may incrementally snap from one position to another. In addition, factors which may characterize the human interests are also displayed on the base. Thus, for example, factors associated with dietary interests may consist of a sequential array of different foods, generally considered very healthful may be displayed along with a range of foods generally considered not healthful. At the healthful end, the factors may consist of a series of individual notations sequentially arranged, such as “low-salt pretzels,” “multi-grain bagel,” “glass of pure water,” “veggies and low-fat dip,” “no cheese pizza,” “non-fat ice cream,” “wheat germ,” “PBJ on whole wheat,” “8 ounces of orange juice,” each numbered with a relevant numerical value. The factors of non-healthy foods may include “miscellaneous high-fat fast foods,” “hydrogenated oil snacks,” “cupcakes,” “soda and sugary drinks,” “high sugar cereals,” “pizza and cheeses,” “high-fat popcorn, potato chips, etc.,” each also with a numerical value 
   In the use of such a display, the user will, from time to time, add up a number of values conforming to factors representing food the user ate in a given time period and then move the pointer to the corresponding numbered benchmark. The foregoing display inherently induces the person using it to be more aware and mindful of the factors affecting this interest and thus, hopefully, will motivate the individual to select a better course of action. 
   It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a display for charting levels of selected human interests, in which a base having a plurality of radially arranged benchmarks identifying different levels of the selected interest is provided. A pointer having one end journalled for rotation at the axial center of the benchmarks may be selectively rotated to a particular benchmark having a value corresponding to the total values of a group of relevant factors selected by the user. 
   It is also an object of the present invention to a display for charting comparative levels, in “yin-yang” style of different selected human interests. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
     The accompanying drawings are not intended to be drawn to scale. In the drawings, each identical or nearly identical component that is illustrated in various figures is represented by a like numeral. For purposes of clarity, not every component may be labeled in every drawing. In the drawings: 
       FIG. 1  is an exploded, perspective view of the components comprising a display embodying the present invention; 
       FIG. 2  is a plan view of an assembled display illustrating a particular interest, in this case “children&#39;s incentives,” it being understood that the drawings are representative of a wide range of interests that might be displayed in a particular chart; 
       FIG. 3  is a representation of a quadrant of another display of human interests, in this case, athletic interests; 
       FIG. 4  is a representation of a quadrant of another display of human interest, namely, diets; and 
       FIG. 5  is a representation of a linear embodiment of the present invention. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
   This invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangement of components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or of being carried out in various ways. Also, the phraseology and terminology used herein is for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. The use of “including,” “comprising,” or “having,” “containing,” “involving,” and variations thereof herein, is meant to encompass the items listed thereafter and equivalents thereof as well as additional items. 
   The present invention comprises a display for charting levels of selected human interests. The display in a preferred embodiment may comprise a clock-like display  10  ( FIG. 2 ) having a centrally located rotational pointer  12  having one end  14  journalled for rotation on or near the axial center of the display  10 . A series of benchmarks  18  are radially arranged about the one end  14  of the pointer  12 . The pointer  12  may be rotated in stepped movements, as hereinafter described, from benchmark to benchmark, by simple finger force. Benchmarks  18  have indicia associated with each which identify different levels of the selected interest being measured. Thus, for example, a benchmark at one end of the array of benchmarks may have a happy face at  18   a , while the benchmark at the other end,  18   b , may have a sad face with the benchmarks in between scaled from one extreme of happiness to the other extreme of sadness. As illustrated in  FIG. 4  relating to diet interests, the periphery of the display has various food factors that are printed around the periphery with each relevant food factor having an assigned value related to represent those foods with a negative diet impact having negative numbers and those with a positive impact having a positive number. In addition to the factors shown in the drawing, many others may be used including, for example, factors such as particular foods may be listed, with different values including non-fat yogurt +2, low-fat muffins +1, granola +3, skim milk and soy milk +2, while other foods having lower values may include hamburger −2, donuts −4, cookies −3, brownies −3. These and a myriad of other factor, each with values, are provided to allow the user to total the values for the particular foods eaten. In the example given, the numbers may range from +4 to −4. In the embodiment of the present invention, one particular benchmark  18   c  may be balanced at a numerical value of zero, with those benchmarks on the  18   a  side being plus numbers, up to a high number as for example 10; whereas the benchmarks from  18   c  to  18   b  would have negative numbers, also, for example, up to −10. The −10 benchmark would represent a very unhealthy diet, while the +10 benchmark would represent a healthy diet. Obviously the numbers in between −10 and +10 would be relatively healthy or unhealthy, depending upon the relative number involved. 
   For interests relating to fitness ( FIG. 3 ), for example, the individual factors may have such terms as physical chores (+1), one ½ hour walking (+2), one ½ hour jogging (+5), gardening (+1), one ½ hour swimming (+5), on the more helpful or active side of the array of factors, while on the negative side, such activities as sunbathing (−3), procrastinating (−4), watching sports (−2), napping or resting (−4), internet blogging (−3), and a wide range of other activities may also be provided. 
   The display used in the present invention may have a number of forms, but in the preferred embodiment, the display is noted as a clock-like configuration, with the display formed of a base having a series of super imposed components, including, as illustrated in the drawing, a series of elements which may be die-cut or vacuum-formed. It is the base  10  that includes a bottom  30  which is die-cut of cardboard and which may be imprinted with appropriate indicia that is decorative in nature. The card may, for example, have an imprint of the particular type of interest being measured as, for example, diet ( FIG. 4 ). Various illustrative decorations such as pictures of various foods  13  may be imprinted, together with a series of radially arranged numbers from +10 to zero to −10  15  representing a scale from a healthy diet (+10) to an unhealthy diet (−10). Also radially arranged are locations for the benchmarks that are to be positioned adjacent to the numbers. The bottom may also be provided with a hang tag  32  for hanging the display much the same as a clock. Vertically aligned above the die-cut bottom  30  is a clear vacuum form insert  34 . The insert  34  is provided with a central, rectangular opening  36  aligned with a central rectangular opening  33  in the bottom  30 . The insert  34  is formed with a series of vacuum-formed bosses  38 . The bosses  38  are arranged radially and sized and shaped to accommodate a benchmark. Also provided in this embodiment is an annular, peripheral ridge  37  projecting upwardly from the center with its upper surface essentially level with the upper surfaces of the bosses  38 . A series of die-cut buttons  60  or benchmarks are arrayed on the top of each of the bosses  38 . These buttons or benchmarks  60  are imprinted, in this particular embodiment, with cartoon faces, with the faces sequentially arranged in incremental moods from a frown to a very happy face as illustrated in  FIG. 2 . Thus, for example, the face in  FIG. 2  at  18   a  is a very happy face, while that at  18   b  is a very sad face. Arranged peripherally on the ridge  37  is a graphically imprinted disc  40  which may be die-cut from a cardboard and which is preferably imprinted with a series of facts relative to the interests being measured. These facts are selected depending upon the particular interests being measured. In the case of diet, the facts will preferably consist of a series of food products with each food product having a different value. Thus, for example, no-yolk eggs are +3, salad and low-fat dressing +2, 100% fruit drinks +1, miscellaneous vegetables +3, dried fruit +3, fruit rollups +3, miscellaneous fried foods −3, fried chicken −3, pork and bacon −1, red mean −2, hot dogs −3, etc. It is thus apparent that the facts identifying food has a plus or minus value depending upon how healthy the particular food identified might be. The arrangement of these foods are preferably such that the minus identified foods would be between the benchmark  18   c  and  18   b , while the healthier foods would be between benchmark  18   c  and  18   a , thus providing easy reference to an individual using the display. 
   Displays for other types of interests are also similarly arrayed, including, for example, a fitness display in which terms and values such as ½ hour volleyball +2, 1 hour ice hockey +4, skateboarding +3, avoiding activity −1, laying in bed too long −4, watching a movie −2, lounging around −3, sunbathing −3, may be used. For a child&#39;s incentive display, facts terms such as ‘Helping a Friend’ +1, ‘Creating a Gift’ +1, ‘Share My Toys’ +1, ‘Big Mess’ −1, ‘Hurt One&#39;s Feelings’ −1, ‘Hurt Someone’ −1, or other terms and values may also be used. The display may also be provided with three or more small, cylindrical magnets  50 . These cylindrical magnets should be shaped and sized to fit underneath bosses  58  in spaced relation around the base with the magnets  50  secured in those positions when the unit it closed by insert  34  and the bottom  30 . These magnets  50  will serve to allow the display to be mounted on a metal refrigerator wall as an alternative method of display to the hangar  32 . 
   A clear vacuum-formed top  55  shaped and sized and sandwiched over the disc  40 , insert  34 , and bottom  30  is provided. The vacuum formed top  55  is formed with a rectangular opening  56  that is shaped and aligned with the openings  36  and  33 . The upper surface of the top  55  is formed with bosses  58  similar in number, and shaped and sized, to nest with bosses  38  to secure the buttons or benchmarks  60  there between. The periphery of the top  55  is also provided with a raised annular rim  59  shaped and sized to nest with the ridge  37  to secure the disc  40  in place. The assembly is peripherally sealed after the pointer  12  is appropriately secured in the unit. The pointer  12  may be secured by a retainer  70  that projects upwardly through the openings  33 ,  36 , and  56 . The retainer  70  should have a shoulder securing it on the outer side of the bottom  30  and a rectangular shaped projection extending through the openings to prevent rotation of the retainer  70 . The retainer is provided with an axial opening and a projecting annular shoulder, preferably with an outer splined surface having parallel channels that interengage inwardly projecting springs in the opening in the hub  72  of one end of the pointer  12 . A rivet  74  extends downwardly through an axial opening in the hub  72  into the axial opening of the retainer  70  and is turned to engage and sandwich the end of the pointer for incremental snap rotation about the central axis. 
   An alternate form of the present invention is illustrated in  FIG. 5  which illustrates the different types of human interests with the benchmark illustrated in a linear array to be selectively identified by a pointer suitably secured for linear movement in an elongated slot extending the length of the array. The “yin-yang” aspect of the invention is characterized by the contrasting dark shading on the left side of each human interest scale and the light on the right side. 
   The invention may be adopted for computer or a PDA display in which tracking past performances would be enhanced and easily adapted. 
   Other arrangements that permit rotation of the pointer radially around the display while allowing it to remain in a selected position may also be provided. 
   Having thus described several aspects of at least one embodiment of this invention, it is to be appreciated various alterations, modifications, and improvements will readily occur to those skilled in the art. Such alterations, modifications, and improvements are intended to be part of this disclosure, and are intended to be within the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the foregoing description and drawings are by way of example only.