# US 2019/0318657 A1 · Lever system as a teaching tool > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2019/0318657 A1 - Document ID: US20190318657A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/384,325 - Filed: 2019-04-15 - Published: 2019-10-17 - Earliest claimed: 2018-04-16 - Assignees: The Prophet Corporation - Applicants: The Prophet Corporation - Inventors: Jason Butler Koberstine; Alison Marie Harguth - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190318657A1 ## CPC - G09B 23/06: for physics - G09B: EDUCATIONAL OR DEMONSTRATION APPLIANCES; APPLIANCES FOR TEACHING, OR COMMUNICATING WITH, THE BLIND, DEAF OR MUTE; MODELS; PLANETARIA; GLOBES; MAPS; DIAGRAMS (devices for psychotechnics or for testing reaction times A61B5/16; games, sports, amusements A63; projectors, projector screens G03B) ## Abstract A lever system teaching tool includes a frame and an elongate member that is releasably coupled to the frame. The elongate member defines a plurality of mounting stations along its length. The elongate member can be pivotally or rotatably coupled to the fulcrum of the frame at any of the mounting stations. The elongate member includes repositories at opposite ends of the elongate member. The repositories are sized and shaped to retain one or more incremental loads. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A teaching tool comprising: a frame including a fulcrum; and an elongate member extending along a length between opposite first and second ends, the elongate member defining a plurality of pre-determined mounting stations disposed along the length, wherein each mounting station is configured to be selectively coupled to the frame so that the elongate member rotates relative to the frame about the fulcrum; a first load repository disposed at the first end of the elongate member; and a second load repository disposed at the second end of the elongate member. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The teaching tool of claim 1, wherein the elongate member includes a generally cylindrical rod. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The teaching tool of claim 1, wherein the mounting stations include notches defined in the elongate member. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The teaching tool of claim 1, wherein the fulcrum includes a pin defining a rotation axis extending along a length of the pin; and wherein the mounting stations each define a notch sized to receive the pin to enable the elongate member to rotate about the rotation axis of the pin. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The teaching tool of claim 1, wherein the mounting stations are spaced from each other in unequal distances. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The teaching tool of claim 1, wherein one of the mounting stations is located at a central location along the length of the elongate member. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The teaching tool of claim 6, wherein a number of the mounting stations disposed between the central location and the first end of the elongate member is equal to the number of the mounting stations disposed between the central location and the second end of the elongate member. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The teaching tool of claim 6, wherein a portion of the elongate member disposed between the first end and the central location is symmetrical with a portion of the elongate member disposed between the second end and the central location. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The teaching tool of claim 1, wherein the first and second repositories include buckets. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The teaching tool of claim 1, wherein the elongate member includes a rod, the mounting stations include notches defined along a bottom of the rod, and the first and second repositories include buckets mounted to a top of the rod, wherein the mounting stations are disposed along a region extending between the buckets. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The teaching tool of claim 1, wherein the elongate member is sufficiently long to enable the first end of the elongate member to contact a surface on which the frame is disposed when the elongate member is mounted to the frame at a central one of the mounting stations. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The teaching tool of claim 1, wherein the first and second repositories are sufficiently sized and shaped to hold a plurality of balls. ### Claim 13 A method of teaching physics concepts to students using lever system including a frame and an elongate member, the elongate extending along a length between opposite first and second ends, the elongate member including a first repository at the first end and a second repository at the second end, the method comprising: selecting one of a plurality of mounting stations along an elongate member; coupling the elongate member to a frame so that the selected mounting station engages a fulcrum of the frame, wherein the first end of the elongate member extends outwardly from the frame in a first direction and the second end of the elongate member extends outwardly from the frame in an opposite second direction when the elongate member is coupled to the frame; and applying at least one weight to the first repository. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, further comprising applying at least one weight to the second repository. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein the first and second repositories include buckets. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein coupling the elongate member to the frame includes lowering the elongate member onto the fulcrum so that a rotation pin of the frame slides into a notch defined in the elongate member, the fulcrum being defined along the rotation pin. ### Claim 17 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, further comprising: removing the elongate member from the frame; selecting another of the mounting stations; and coupling the elongate member to the frame so that the selected another mounting station engages the fulcrum of the frame. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, further comprising applying weights to the first and/or second repositories until the elongate member is balanced. ### Claim 19 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein the mounting stations are mounted in a row extending along a length of the elongate member. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, wherein the mounting stations are spaced apart unequal distances from each other.