Patent Publication Number: US-7219455-B1

Title: Three-view foldable calendar

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The invention pertains to the general field of wall-hanging calendars and more particularly to a wall-hanging calendar that allows three consecutive months to be displayed and that can be compactively folded for storage or mailing. 
     BACKGROUND ART 
     The use of prior art calendars can be traced from the Julian calendar which was in use around 40 B.C. to the Gregorian calendar that was adopted in the U.S. in 1752 and is now in common use throughout the world. Most of the prior art calendars are designed to display one month at a time. In less common use are calendars that display two or three calendar months. The prior art calendars that display three consecutive months are generally difficult to fold into a package that will not crease the display surface of the calendar. Also, they are typically not dimensioned to be folded into a compact package that is easily mailed. 
     The instant triple-view foldable calendar solves the creasing and folding problems prevalent in the prior art by having three equally dimensioned, articulated sections: an upper section, a center section and a lower section. The upper and lower sections fold inward into the center section to form a compact, flat package that will not crease the monthly display and that is suitable for mailing. The three articulated sections are easily extended to allow three consecutive months to be viewed. 
     A search of the prior art did not disclose any literature or patents that read directly on the claims of the instant invention. 
     DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION 
     The three-view foldable calendar is designed to be folded into a compact package during storage or mailing and in a three-view viewing configuration that allows three consecutive months to be displayed. 
     The calendar is comprised of three sections: an upper section, a center section and a lower section. The upper section has twelve pages wherein each page has an upper edge and a lower edge. The center section consists of only one page having an upper edge and a lower edge. The upper edge of the center section is foldably attached to the lower edge of the upper section preferably by a spiral fastener. The lower section also has twelve pages wherein each page has an upper edge and a lower edge. The upper edge of the lower section is also attached by a spiral fastener to the lower edge of the center section. 
     The twelve three-view viewing configurations are comprised of: 
     a) a first viewing configuration wherein the previous month of December together with the current month of January and February are displayed, 
     b) a second viewing configuration wherein the current month of January, February and March are displayed, 
     c) a third viewing configuration wherein the current month of February, March and April are displayed, 
     d) a fourth viewing configuration wherein the current month of March, April and May are displayed, 
     e) a fifth viewing configuration wherein the current month of April, May and June are displayed, 
     f) a sixth viewing configuration wherein the current month of May, June and July are displayed, 
     g) a seventh viewing configuration wherein the current month of June, July and August are displayed, 
     h) an eighth viewing configuration wherein the current month of July, August and September are displayed, 
     i) a ninth viewing configuration wherein the current month of August, September and October are displayed, 
     j) a tenth viewing configuration wherein the current month of September, October and November are displayed, 
     k) an eleventh viewing configuration wherein the current month of October, November and December are displayed, and 
     l) a twelfth viewing configuration wherein the current month of November, December together with the following-year month of January are displayed. 
     In view of the above disclosure the primary object of the invention to produce a calendar that can be easily folded for storage or mailing, that can be extended into three sections that display three consecutive months and that allows a lapsed three-view display to be easily removed and replaced with a current three-view display. 
     In addition to the primary object of the invention it is also an object of the invention to produce a calendar that:
         can be made in various sizes,   can be made in various colors,   is sturdy and is easily displaced,   is convenient to store and to mail when placed in a folded configuration, and   is cost effective from both a manufacturer&#39;s and consumer&#39;s point of view.       

     These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the subsequent detailed description of the preferred embodiment and the appended claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a front elevational view of a three-view foldable calendar shown in a folded configuration with indicia located on the front surface and with a spiral fastener attaching the three sections comprising the calendar. 
         FIG. 2  is a side elevational view showing a front section and a lower section folded over a center section which allows the calendar to be placed in a folded configuration.  FIG. 2  also shows a set of ring fasteners that attach the three sections comprising the calendar. 
         FIGS. 3–14  are front elevational views showing the twelve three-view viewing configurations. 
         FIG. 15  is a perspective view of a lower section being removed from the lower edge of the center section which is necessary before a subsequent three-view configuration is displayed. 
     
    
    
     BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION 
     The best mode for carrying out the invention is presented in terms of a preferred embodiment for a three-view foldable calendar (hereinafter “calendar  10 ”). The calendar  10 , as shown in  FIGS. 1–15 , is comprised of single integrated structure  12  that includes three articulated sections: an upper section  14 , a center section  16  and a lower section  18 . The calendar  10  is designed to be configured in either a storage or mailing configuration, as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , or as shown in  FIGS. 3–14 , in a three-view viewing configuration. To place the calendar  10  in the folded position the upper section  14  and the lower section  18  are folded over the center section  16  as best shown in  FIG. 2 . 
     The upper section  14  consists of twelve pages P 1  through P 12  wherein each page has a front surface  20 , a rear surface  22 , an upper edge  24  and a lower edge  26 . The center section  16  consists of a single page P 1  that has a front surface  20 , a rear surface  22 , an upper edge  24  and a lower edge  26 . The upper edge  24  of the center section  16  is foldably attached by a fastening means  30  to the lower edge  26  of the pages P 1 –P 12  that comprise the upper section  14 . Likewise, the lower section  18  consists of twelve pages P 1  through P 12  wherein each page has a front surface  20 , a rear surface  22 , an upper edge  24  and a lower edge  26 . The upper edge  24  of the pages P 1 –P 12  comprising the lower section  18  are also attached by a fastening means  30  to the lower edge  26  of page P 1  of the center section  16 . 
     The pages of the calendar  10  are preferably made of a high-quality cardboard. However, other materials such as paper, plastic, wood or metal can be used. Also, the fastening means  30  is preferably comprised of a spiral fastener  32 , as shown in FIGS.  1  and  3 – 14 . However, as shown in  FIG. 2 , a plurality of ring fasteners  34  can also be used. In either case, the fasteners  32 , 34  are inserted into a set of corresponding perforations  36  as also shown in FIGS.  1  and  3 – 14 . Also to further enhance the utility of the calendar  10 , indicia  40  in the form of advertising indicia or artistic indicia can be placed on the front surface  20  of the first page of the upper section  14 , as shown in  FIG. 1 . To allow the calendar  10  to be displayed, a centered hanging hole  38  is located adjacent to the upper edge  24  of the upper section  14  as shown in  FIGS. 3–14 . To effect the display a pin (not shown) is inserted into the hole  38  and into a wall at which time the calendar  10  is secured to the wall in the viewing configuration. 
     When the calendar  10  is placed in the viewing configuration three consecutive calendar months are simultaneously displayed for comparative viewing. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 3–14 , twelve three-view viewing configurations are provided: 
     1) a first viewing configuration that includes the months of December, January and February, 
     2) a second viewing configuration that includes the months of January, February and March, 
     3) a third viewing configuration that includes the months of February, March and April, 
     4) a fourth viewing configuration that includes the months of March, April and May, 
     5) a fifth viewing configuration that includes the months of April, May and June, 
     6) a sixth viewing configuration that includes the months of May, June and July, 
     7) a seventh viewing configuration that includes the months June, July and August, 
     8) an eighth viewing configuration that includes the months of July, August and September, 
     9) a ninth viewing configuration that includes the months of August, September and October, 
     10) a tenth viewing configuration that includes the months of September, October and November, 
     11) an eleventh viewing configuration that includes the months of October, November and December, and 
     12) a twelfth viewing configuration that includes the months of November, December and January. 
     In the first three-view viewing configuration, as shown in  FIG. 3 , the month of December corresponds to the previous year. Likewise, in the twelfth three-view viewing configuration, as shown in  FIG. 14 , the month of January corresponds to the following year. 
     To utilize the inventive calendar  10  the initial three-view configuration showing the months of December, January and February, as shown in  FIG. 3 , are displayed. Before subsequent three-view configurations can be viewed, the pages of the lower section  18  must be singularly removed, as typically shown in  FIG. 15 . 
     Thus, before: 
     a) the second viewing configuration is viewed page P 1  of the lower section is removed, 
     b) the third viewing configuration is viewed page P 2  of the lower section is removed, 
     c) the fourth viewing configuration is viewed page P 3  of the lower section is removed, 
     d) the fifth viewing configuration is viewed page P 4  of the lower section is removed, 
     e) the sixth viewing configuration is viewed page P 5  of the lower section is removed, 
     f) the seventh viewing configuration is viewed page P 6  of the lower section is removed, 
     g) the eighth viewing configuration is viewed page P 7  of the lower section is removed, 
     h) the ninth viewing configuration is viewed page P 8  of the lower section is removed, 
     i) the tenth viewing configuration is viewed page P 9  of the lower section is removed, 
     j) the eleventh viewing configuration is viewed page P 10  of the lower section is removed, and 
     k) the twelfth viewing configuration is viewed page P 11  of the lower section is removed. 
     While the invention has been described in detail and pictorially shown in the accompanying drawings it is not to be limited to such details, since many changes and modifications may be made to the invention without departing from the spirit and the scope thereof. Hence, it is described to cover any and all modifications and forms which may come within the language and cope of the claims.