| 摘要 |
A dual path helical ramp consisting of a wire rail formed as a helix, a straight rail, a closed transparent cylindrical wall rail, and a ball. The helical rail extends between a first elevation where the ball enters or exits the ramp to a second, lower elevation where a ball exits or enters the ramp. The straight rail extends through the center of the helical rail for the length thereof. The cylindrical wall rail extends outside of the helical rail for the length thereof. The helical rail is joined at either end of the straight rail and the straight rail is joined at either end of the cylindrical wall rail, thereby forming two elevations. The helical rail is dimensioned such that the distance between it and straight rail and it and wall rail is less than the diameter of the ball. As a result, the ball will contact both helical rail and straight rail, or helical rail and wall rail, simultaneously, as it rolls downward by the force of gravity and upward by taking advantage of the centrifugal force of the ball, using suitable circular movements. Each elevation has sufficient space for the ball to cross from one path to the other, allowing the ball to roll up and down a continuous helical path, along linked concentric interior and exterior paths of the dual path helical ramp, as the device is manipulated about its three-dimensional axes.
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