Card stacking construction member and teaching aid

Abstract

A card construction game and teaching tool for building a structure of cards includes a card holder having an outermost spherical surface. The card holder includes a plurality of slots disposed in spaced relation along the spherical surface, and is provided with hemispheres defined by any one of three mutually orthogonal planes. Each of the hemispheres include slots spaced equidistantly thereon, so that each of the hemispheres are symmetrical about a central axis thereof. The slots are sized and shaped to receive a portion of at least one of the cards therein, and include at least one projection configured to releasably engage the card portion disposed within the slot.

1 . A card construction game and teaching tool for building a structure of cards, comprising: 
 a plurality of cards;    at least one card holder having an outermost spherical surface;    the card holder having a plurality of slots disposed in spaced relation along the spherical surface;    the slots being disposed so that the holder is symmetrical about three mutually orthogonal planes;    each of the slots being sized and shaped to receive a portion of one of said cards therein; and    the slots including opposing projections configured to releasably engage the card portion disposed within the slot.    
   
   
       2 . The game and teaching tool of  claim 1 , wherein the card holder comprises: 
 hemispheres defined by any one of three mutually orthogonal planes;    each of the hemispheres having a plurality of the slots spaced equidistantly thereon;    and each of the hemispheres being substantially identical.    
   
   
       3 . The game and teaching tool of  claim 2 , the card holder is configured to supportably engage up to four card portions in a co-planar orientation, in any of three mutually orthogonal planes.  
   
   
       4 . The game and teaching tool of  claim 3 , wherein the card holder is configured to simultaneously engage up to four card portions in a co-planar orientation, in each of three mutually orthogonal planes.  
   
   
       5 . The game and teaching tool of  claim 1 , comprising a plurality of card holders.  
   
   
       6 . The game and teaching tool of  claim 1 , wherein the opposing projections are configured to apply a releasable bias against the card portion disposed within the slot.  
   
   
       7 . The game and teaching tool of  claim 1 , wherein the opposing projections are disposed directly opposite one another.  
   
   
       8 . The game and teaching tool of  claim 1 , wherein the opposing projections are offset from one another.  
   
   
       9 . The game and teaching tool of  claim 8 , wherein the opposing projections are fabricated from a resilient material configured to provide the bias.  
   
   
       10 . The game and teaching tool of  claim 9 , wherein the opposing projections are fabricated from a polymeric material.  
   
   
       11 . The game and teaching tool of  claim 10 , wherein the card holder is fabricated from a polymeric material.  
   
   
       12 . The game and teaching tool of  claim 11 , wherein the card holder is fabricated from a material selected from the group consisting of PVC, ABS, and combinations thereof.  
   
   
       13 . The game and teaching tool of  claim 11 , wherein the card holder is a one-piece device.  
   
   
       14 . The game and teaching tool of  claim 13 , comprising a molded card holder.  
   
   
       15 . The game and teaching tool of  claim 14 , wherein the card holder comprises two molded hemispheres bonded to one another.  
   
   
       16 . The game and teaching tool of  claim 15 , wherein the card holder is hollow.  
   
   
       17 . The game and teaching tool of  claim 15 , wherein the card holder is substantially solid.  
   
   
       18 . A card construction game and teaching tool for building a structure of cards, comprising: 
 at least one card holder having an outermost spherical surface;    the card holder having a plurality of slots disposed in spaced relation along the spherical surface;    the card holder having hemispheres defined by any one of three mutually orthogonal planes;    each of the hemispheres having slots spaced equidistantly thereon;    wherein each of the hemispheres are symmetrical about a central axis thereof;    the hemispheres being substantially identical to one another;    each of the slots being sized and shaped to receive a portion of at least one of said cards therein; and    the slots including at least one projection configured to releasably engage the card portion disposed within the slot.    
   
   
       19 . The game and teaching tool of  claim 18 , wherein the game and teaching tool comprises a plurality of cards.  
   
   
       20 . A method for constructing a game and teaching tool, the method comprising: 
 fabricating a card holder having an outermost spherical surface;    disposing a plurality of slots in spaced relation along the spherical surface;    spacing the slots equidistantly on hemispheres defined by any one of three mutually orthogonal planes;    wherein each of the hemispheres is symmetrical about a central axis thereof;    the hemispheres being substantially identical to one another;    sizing and shaping each of the slots to receive a portion of one of said cards therein; and    providing the slots with at least one projection configured to releasably engage the card portion disposed within the slot.