Patent Publication Number: US-11648791-B2

Title: Die cut calendar

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims priority as a continuation-in-part of U.S. Non-Provisional application Ser. No. 16/913,778, filed on Jun. 26, 2020, which in turn claims priority from U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 62/866,770, filed on Jun. 26, 2019, the entirety of which are each hereby expressly incorporated by reference for all purposes. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE 
     The present disclosure relates generally to calendars, and more specifically to calendars including portions that are selectively viewable as consecutive pages of the calendar are turned. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE 
     Calendars, and in particular wall calendars, are often constructed with a number of individual pages secured to one another such that the individual pages can be turned to expose each individual page as desired. The individual pages are each printed or otherwise adorned with indicia regarding the particular month represented by the page and any other decorative material desired. 
     While many calendars are currently made that include indicia printed or otherwise disposed on the various pages of the calendar that correspond to indicia on other pages, it is necessary to completely expose and view the individual pages in order to see the indicia printed on the different pages. 
     As such, it is desirable to develop a calendar that includes pages that enable the viewing of indicia or other printed material on successive or other partially covered pages of the calendar that addresses and overcome the shortcomings of the prior art. 
     SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE 
     According to one aspect of an exemplary embodiment of the disclosure, an improved calendar is provided in which one or more individual pages of the calendar include portions of the pages that are removed, removable or omitted during formation of the pages in order to enable aligned portions of other pages of the calendar to be viewed through the removed or omitted portions. The removed or omitted portions can be formed as apertures in the page or as removed or selectively removed portions of one or more edges of the individual pages, among others. 
     According to another aspect of an exemplary embodiment of the disclosure, the page(S) it the removed portion(s) can include indicia or other decorative material thereon that corresponds to material printed on one or more other pages in order for the material on the page including the removed portion and the other pages viewable through the removed portion to allow the collective pages to provide a cohesive design to an individual viewing the calendar. 
     Numerous additional aspects, features and advantages of the present disclosure will be made apparent from the following detailed description taken together with the drawing figures. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The drawings illustrate the best mode currently contemplated of practicing the present invention. 
       In the drawings: 
         FIGS.  1 A- 1 M  are schematic views of a first exemplary embodiment of a calendar formed according to the present disclosure. 
         FIG.  2    is cross-sectional view of the calendar of  FIGS.  1 A- 1 M . 
         FIGS.  3 A- 3 N  are schematic views of a second exemplary embodiment of a calendar formed according to the present disclosure, 
         FIG.  4    is cross-sectional view of the calendar of  FIGS.  3 A- 3 N . 
         FIGS.  5 A- 5 M  are schematic views of a third exemplary embodiment of a calendar formed according to the present disclosure. 
         FIGS.  6 A- 6 M  are schematic views of a fourth exemplary embodiment of a calendar formed according to the present disclosure. 
         FIGS.  7 A- 7 M  are schematic views of a fifth exemplary embodiment of a calendar formed according to the present disclosure. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     With reference now to the drawing figures in which like reference numerals designate like parts throughout the disclosure,  FIGS.  1 A- 1 M  schematically represent each of the thirteen (13) individual pages  12 - 36  of a calendar  10  constructed in accordance with the present disclosure. Each page  12 - 36  includes a top edge  38 , and bottom edge  40  and a pair of opposed side edges  42 , 44  joining the top edge  38  and bottom edge  40 . The top edge  38  of each page  12 - 36  is attached to a securing device  46  ( FIG.  2   ) that holds the pages  12 - 36  together in a moveable manner to enable each individual page  12 - 36  to be selectively positioned in front of the remainder of the pages  12 - 36 . One example of the securing device  46  is a spiral coil  48  that is threaded through a number of holes  50  formed adjacent the top edge  38  of each page  12 - 36 . 
     As shown in the exemplary embodiment of  FIGS.  1 A- 1 M  the individual pages  12 - 36  also each include a number of apertures  52  formed therein. The number of apertures  52  varies in each page  12 - 36 , from no or zero (0) apertures  52  in page  36  to twelve (12) apertures  52  present in page  14 . While the number of apertures  52  is different in the various pages  12 - 36 , the alignment of the apertures  52  in each pages  12 - 36 , with the exception of page  36  which has zero (0) apertures  52 , is consistent across all of the pages  12 - 34 . With this consistent orientation or alignment, the apertures  52  in each page  12 - 34  enable an individual to view exposed areas  54  of pages  12 - 34  other than the topmost page  12 - 34  through the aligned apertures  52 , in this manner, indicia  56  printed in the exposed areas  54  on each pages  12 - 34  can be viewed directly through the apertures  52  allowing the indicia  56  in the exposed areas  54  to coordinate with the indicia  56  on the topmost page  12 - 36  to form a coordinated and three-dimensional decorative image for the calendar  10 . 
     In the exemplary embodiment of  FIG.  2   , the calendar  10  is shown where the topmost page  14  includes apertures in alignment with apertures  52  in pages  16 - 32  in order to enable the indicia  56  on pages  20 ,  24 ,  28  and  34  to be viewed along with the indicia  56  on page  14 . Moving the pages  12 - 36  with respect to one another using the securing device  46  selectively positions a page  12 - 36  in the topmost position and will alter the alignment of the apertures  52  to provide a different coordinated image using the indicia  56  on the exposed areas  54  or the pages not having apertures  52  in alignment with the topmost page  12 - 36 , unless pages  12 - 36  are located beneath a page  36  not having any apertures  52 . 
     Alternatively, the apertures  52  can initially be formed as removable, e.g, perforated sections  100  of the pages  12 - 36 . The perforated sections  100  can be selectively removed in order to customize the overall coordinated image provided by the indicia  56  located on each of the pages  12 - 36 . Further, the pages  12 - 36  can include combinations of apertures  52  formed as complete apertures  52  to the pages  12 - 36  and as perforated sections  100  that can be selectively detached or removed from the pages  12 - 36 . 
     Looking now at the exemplary embodiment of  FIGS.  3 A- 3 N , instead of apertures  52 , each of the pages  12 ′- 36 ′ of the calendar  10 ′ is formed similarly to those of the calendar  10  but with a differently shaped bottom edge  40 ′, though other edges  38 ′,  42 ′,  44 ′ can also or alternatively be formed differently in alternative embodiments. The bottom edges  40 ′ of the various pages  12 ′- 38 ′ form a layered, three-dimensional decorative image and/or appearance for the calendar  10 ′, except for page  38 ′ which has a straight bottom edge  40 ′ to provide a backdrop for the differently shaped bottom edges  40 ′ of the remainder of the pages  12 ′- 36 ′. The pages  12 ′- 36 ′ also include indicia  56 ′, such as printed indicia  56 ′, thereon, on various portions of the pages  12 ′- 38 ′ and particularly at the bottom edges  40 ′ in order to provide the coordinated decorative appearance to the calendar  10 ′. 
     As shown in the exemplary embodiment of  FIG.  4   , the calendar  10 ′ provides the stacked pages  12 ′- 38 ′ in the selected arrangement for the bottom edges  40 ′ when displaying the selected page  12 ′- 38 ′ for the month, with the arrangement being able to be altered by moving the pages  12 ′- 38 ′ relative to one another using the securing device  46 ′. 
     In alternative embodiments, the pages  12 ′- 36 ′ can include the decorative edges  37 ′,  40 ,  42 ′ and/or  44 ′ in any combination along with apertures  52 , thrilled in the pages  12 ′- 36 ′. 
     Looking now at  FIGS.  5 A- 5 M , another exemplary embodiment of a calendar  10 ″ is illustrated. The pages  12 ″- 36 ″ of the calendar  10 ″ are formed and secured to one another similarly to those of the prior embodiments of the calendar  10  and  10 ′, but with varying designs for the bottom edges  40 ″ that do not align or correspond particularly to the bottom edges  40 ″ of other pages  12 ″- 36 ″ m order to provide a different aesthetic appearance to the calendar  10 ″. 
     Referring now to  FIGS.  6 A- 6 M , another exemplary embodiment of a calendar  100  is illustrated. The pages  112 - 136  of the calendar  100  are thrilled and secured to one another similarly to those of the prior embodiments of the calendar  10 ,  10 ′ and  10 ″, but with varying designs for the bottom edges  140  and side edges  142 ,  144  that do not align or correspond particularly to the corresponding edges  140 ,  142 ,  144  of other pages  112 - 136  in order to provide a different aesthetic appearance to the calendar  100  depending upon the page  112 - 136  located on the front of the calendar  100 . As such, certain pages, e.g.,  112  have a width less than that of others. e.g.,  116 , but with one side edge  142 , 144  of the narrow page  112  corresponding to the same side edge  142 , 144  of the wider page  116  to allow portions of the wider page  116  to be viewed beneath and/or around the narrow page  112 , and to enable portions of other wide pages, e.g., page  118 , to be viewed beneath and/or around both the narrow page  112  and the wide page  116 . 
     Referring now to  FIGS.  7 A- 7 M , another exemplary embodiment of a calendar  1000  is illustrated. The pages  1012 - 1036  of the calendar  1000  are formed with edges  1038 - 1044  and secured to one another similarly to those of the prior embodiments of the calendar  10 ,  10 ′,  10 ″ and  100 , but with varying designs for apertures  1052  in each of the pages  1012 - 1036  that partially align or correspond particularly to the apertures  1052  located in other pages  1012 - 1036  in order to provide a different aesthetic appearance to the calendar  100  depending upon the page  1012 - 1036  located on the front of the calendar  1000 . The apertures  1052  in each page  1012 - 1036  are aligned with one another, but the number of apertures  1052  in a page  1012 - 1036  can increase or decrease relative to the preceding and; or following pages  1012 - 1036 , providing varying amounts of viewing of the indicia present on the underlying pages  1012 - 1036 . 
     Further, in any of the preceding embodiments, the page  1036  including no varying edges  1038 - 1044  or apertures  1052  can be constructed of a material different from the remaining pages  1012 - 1034 , in order for the page  1036  to function as a backing for the calendar  1000 , such as for mounting the calendar  1000  to an appropriate mounting surface (not shown). Also, the variations present in the edges  1040 - 1044  and or apertures  1052  (if present) in any of the preceding embodiments can be used alone or in combination with one another within the scope of this disclosure. 
     Additionally, in any of the previous embodiments, a cover (not shown) can be positioned over the first page  1012 , in order to obscure the imaging/indicia on the pages  1012 - 1036  until the cover is removed from the calendar  1000  or when the calendar  1000  is removed from any packaging (not shown) including the calendar  1000  and the cover. 
     Various other alternatives are contemplated as being within the scope of the following claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter regarded as the invention.