GB2103858A

GB2103858A - Educational apparatus

Info

Publication number: GB2103858A
Application number: GB08220411A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Tony Middleton Blagg
Original assignee: WALSALL METROPOLITAN BOROUGH
Current assignee: WALSALL METROPOLITAN BOROUGH
Priority date: 1981-07-14
Filing date: 1982-07-14
Publication date: 1983-02-23

Abstract

The apparatus comprises branched track (20) defined by pieces (13-17) releasably mounted on a body (10), a captive piece 21 for movement along the track and sensors (27-30) mounted in the body below the track to provide a micro-computer (33) with information concerning movement of the piece. The sensors may be magnetic reed switches (the piece 21 then comprising a permanent magnet) or may be photo-electrically or mechanically actuated. In use, a person is instructed to move the piece 21 to a particular location on the track or along a specified route, the actual movement then being compared with the required one by means of the sensors and micro-computer. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Apparatus comprising a track along which a piece is moved by the user Description of invention This invention relates to apparatus intended primarily for use in education.

According to the invention, there is provided apparatus comprising a movable piece, means defining a track along which the piece can be moved under the control of a user, at least one sensor adapted to provide a signal when the piece moves along the track past the sensor and a receiver connected with the sensor for receiving said signal.

The receiver may be adapted to provide a number of different outputs to the user, these outputs corresponding to successive positions of the piece along the track. Alternatively, the receiver may be adapted to issue instructions to the user concerning movement of the piece along the track and to check that the instructions are obeyed.

The track is preferably branched and provided with a number of sensors at respective positions along the track, all of the sensors being connected with the receiver. The piece may be moved along the track by direct manipulation of the piece by the user.

An example of apparatus embodying the invention will now be described, with reference to the accompanying drawing, which illustrates the apparatus diagrammatically.

The apparatus comprises a body 10 having a generally flat bottom wall 11 and an upstanding rim 1 2 around the periphery of the bottom wall.

There is releasably mounted on the body an upper wall formed in a number of separate pieces, in the example illustrated, five pieces identified by the reference numerals 13 to 1 7. Each of these wall pieces is of plate-like form, is paraliel to and spaced from the bottom wall 11 and typically is flush with the upper edge of the rim 12.

The upper wall pieces 1 3 to 1 7 are releasably mounted independentiy of one another on the body 10 by means of interfitting formations, namely hollow posts 1 8 of resiliently flexible material provided on the body and projecting upwardly from the bottom wall 11 and spigots 19 provided on the underside of each of the upper wall pieces. Preferably, each upper wall piece has at least three spigots 1 9 and rests on at least three corresponding posts 1 8. The spigots are a press fit within the posts so that the upper wall pieces are normally retained in fixed relation to the bottom wall but can be removed from the body 10.

The upper wall parts 13 to 1 7 are spaced somewhat from each other to define collectively a track 20 of substantially uniform width, along which a playing piece 21 can be moved by a user.

In the particular example illustrated, the track is branched, by which we mean that at at least one position along the track the user has a choice of routes along which to move the playing piece 21.

The track 20 has one open end where it emerges through a gap 22 in the rim 12. At all positions along the track other than at the open end thereof, the playing piece is captive in the track. It will be understood that the track may have more than one open ends and that provision may be made for withdrawal of the playing piece from the track at positions other than end of the track.

The playing piece 21 comprises a main body 23 which projects upwardly from the exposed surface 24 of the upper wall and normally rests on that surface. The playing piece further comprises a head 25 which lies in the space between the bottom wall 11 and upper wall and which is connected with the body 23 by a neck 26 which extends through the gap between adjacent parts of the upper wall. The body 23 and head 25 are both wider than this gap. To restrain the playing piece 21 against unintended movement along the track, the playing piece may be provided with a spring which acts on the upper wall to maintain the body 23 in contact under pressure with the surface 24, thereby establishing significant friction between the playing piece and the upper wall.

There may be a single playing piece 21 or a plurality of such pieces movable along the track 20, depending upon the use which is to be made of the apparatus.

Within the body 10, there are disposed a number of sensors, some of which are indicated by the reference numerals 27 to 30 in the drawing. Each sensor is disposed at a respective position along the track 20 and is adapted to provide an electrical output signal along a corresponding conductor of a circuit 31 when the playing piece 21 moves along the track past the sensor concerned. In the particular example illustrated, the sensors are magnetic reed switches and the piece 21 comprises a permanent magnet arranged to operate the switches. The magnet may be contained in the head 25 with one magnetic pole facing towards the bottom wall 11 so that rotation of the playing piece about an axis perpendicular to the bottom wall does not vary the magnetic field. Other forms of sensors, for example mechanically actuated switches or photo-electric devices could be used.

It will be appreciated that the housing 10 is portable, that is to say, it is not permanently secured to the structure of a building but can readily be moved about within a building and is preferably sufficiently small in size and weight to be carried by an adult. Whilst we prefer that the surface 24 should face generally upwardly, in a case where means is provided to inhibit free movement of the piece 21 along the track, the surface 24 could be vertical.

The configuration of the track 20 can be changed by removing some or all of the upper wall pieces 13 to 17 and substituting differently shaped pieces for those removed. It is envisaged that a number of sets of upper wall pieces would be provided, the different sets being either adapted to define tracks of different complexity or presenting respective different appearances.

The piece 21 can be moved along any part of the track 20 in either direction. The reed switches 27 to 30 provide the same signal when the piece moves past the switch, irrespective of the direction of movement. Alternatively, sensors which respond to movement of the piece in one direction only or which respond differently to movement of the piece in opposite directions may be provided.

The circuit 31 connects the sensors with an encoder 32 also mounted in the body 10. The encoder is connected by means of a multi-core lead with a receiver 33. Alternatively, the sensors 27 to 30 may be connected directly with an appropriate receiver. The circuit 31 is preferably printed on a sheet 35 which rests on the bottom wall 11 of the body and which has apertures through which the posts 1 8 extend. The sensors 27 to 30 may be attached to this sheet. The sheet can be removed from the body after the upper wall pieces 13 to 1 7 have been removed.

The sheet 35 may bear sensors, only a selection of which are used with a particular track defined by the upper wall. A different selection may be used for each track.

The receiver 33 has means for maintaining a record of the signals received from the switches and preferably also has a store for storing information concerning a proposed or actual route of the piece 21 along the track 20. The receiver may comprise a microcomputer.

There is associated with the receiver 33 an output device in the form of a visual display unit 34 through which the receiver can communicate with a user. Additionally or alternatively, an output device capable of providing audible signals may be associated with the receiver.

One way in which the apparatus can be used is to present to the user a description of movement of the piece 21 along the track. Thus, the microcomputer may be programmed to so control operation of the output device 34 that a respective predetermined output is provided whenever one of the switches 27 to 30 is operated. The surface 24 may be marked or bear models to represent topgraphical features and the outputs may be sentences concerning these features. Information concerning the features passed by the piece 21 may be stored in a memory of the receiver 33 and the microcomputer may be programmed to cause the output device 34 to display a sequence of sentences, relating to the route taken by the piece 21, after movement of the piece along the track has been completed.

The microcomputer may be programmed to cause the output device 34 to display instructions to a user concerning a proposed route of movement of the piece 21 along the track 20 and to compare with that proposed route the actual route followed by the piece when moved by the user. If the actual route differs from the proposed route, the user may be informed of his error via the output device 34.

In a further manner of using the apparatus, the microcomputer may be programmed to select a position along the track 20 and then to inform the user as to whether he has moved the piece 21 to that selected position or not.

There may also be associated with the receiver 33 a line printer for printing out a sequence of statements concerning the route along which the piece 21 is moved.

In a case where the output device is adapted for providing an audible signal, the receiver may be arranged to so control the output device that notes of respective different pitches are provided whilst the piece 21 remains at a corresponding position on the track. The receiver may be adapted to store information concerning the positions to which the piece is moved and the period for which the piece remains in each position so that notes of selected pitch and duration can subsequently be provided by the output device after movement of the piece has been completed.

Claims

1. Apparatus comprising a movable piece, means defining a track along which the piece can be moved by a user, at least one sensor at a position along the track, the sensor being adapted to provide a signal when the piece moves along the track past the sensor, and a receiver connected with the sensor for receiving said signals.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the piece is captive in at least a part of the track.

3. Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein the piece is captive in all parts of the track between ends of the track.

4. Apparatus according to any preceding claim wherein the piece is arranged to slide on said means defining the track.

5. Apparatus according to any preceding claim wherein the track is branched.

6. Apparatus according to any preceding claim wherein the track defines corners.

7. Apparatus according to any preceding claim wherein the track is so arranged that the piece can be moved in either direction along all parts of the track.

8. Apparatus according to any preceding claim wherein the sensor responds to movement of the piece in either direction past the sensor by providing a signal to the receiver.

9. Apparatus according to any preceding claim comprising a plurality of sensors at respective positions along the track.

1 0. Apparatus according to claim 9 wherein the receiver has means for maintaining a record of signals received from the sensors.

11. Apparatus according to claim 9 wherein the receiver has a store for storing information concerning a proposed or actual route of the piece along the track.

1 2. Apparatus according to claim 9 wherein the receiver has a store for information concerning a proposed route of the piece along the track and means for comparing the proposed route with an actual route of the piece along the track, as indicated by signals from the sensors.

13. Apparatus according to any of claims 9 to 12 further comprising an output device for presenting information to a user and wherein the receiver is adapted to control the output device in a manner to present to the user information concerning a proposed route of the piece along the track and an indication that an error has been made if the actual route differs from the proposed route.

14. Apparatus according to any preceding claim wherein said means defining the track comprises a plurality of pieces releasably mounted on a common body and removable independently of one another from the body.

1 5. In combination, apparatus according to Claim 14 and a set of pieces which can collectively be mounted on the body in substitution for the set of pieces comprised by the apparatus according to Claim 14, the second set of pieces being adapted to define a track which differs from that defined by the first set of pieces.

1 6. Apparatus substantially as herein described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawing.

1 7. Any novel feature or novel combination of features disclosed herein or in the accompanying drawing.