Abstract:
A self standing achievement medal that can be worn about the neck of the user in a conventional manner, or alternatively, when not being worn, can be conveniently and attractively displayed on a flat surface, such as found on a desk or bookshelf. The achievement medal includes a plate-like display surface upon which various decorations and indicia can be conveniently imprinted or engraved and a pivotally mounted, generally U-shaped support that can be conveniently moved from a stowed configuration to an extended configuration wherein the medal can be supported on a flat surface in a manner such that the indicia provided on the display surface of the medal is readily visible.

Description:
[0001]    This is a Continuation-In-Part of co-pending U.S. application Ser. No. 12,215,090 filed Jun. 24, 2008. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0003]    The present invention relates generally to awards. More particularly the invention concerns a self standing award medal. 
         [0004]    2. Discussion of the Prior Art 
         [0005]    To commemorate achievement in fields such as sports, business and academics, it has become common practice to award achieving individuals various types of certificates, plaques, ribbons, medals and the like. For example, well known types of medals include the Gold, Silver, and Bronze medals which are awarded at the Olympics and like sporting events. The conventional prior art award medal generally consists of a disc-shaped plate that is typically formed by well-known molding and casting techniques and is suspended on a chain or ribbon that is worn about the neck of the recipient. In many instances the disk shaped medal includes brightly colored decorative designs and often is engraved with indicia such as “first place”, “second place” and the like. While the relatively heavy weight of conventional, prior art medals provides a gratifying feel when worn by the recipient, because of their weight the medals are generally worn only on special occasions. When the medal is not being worn, the recipient often wishes to display the medal for viewing by others. However, the prior art offers little in the way of convenient means for appropriately displaying achievement medals. 
         [0006]    In recognition of this prior art deficiency, the thrust of the present invention is to provide an achievement medal of a unique design that can be worn by the recipient in a conventional manner and when not in use can be conveniently and attractively displayed on any type of flat surface, such as a desk, bookshelf or the like. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    By way of brief summary, one form of the achievement medal of the present invention comprises a body portion having a front, plate-like display surface, a rear surface, and first and second sides, each side having an upper portion, a lower portion and an intermediate portion. A first, outwardly extending pivot pin is connected to the first side proximate its intermediate portion and a second outwardly extending pivot pin is connected to the second side proximate its intermediate portion. To conveniently support the achievement medal on a flat surface for display purposes, a generally U-shaped support member is pivotally connected to the first and second pivot pins for movement between a first stowed or folded position and a second extended, medal display position. 
         [0008]    With the forgoing in mind, it is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved achievement medal that can be worn about the neck of the user in a conventional manner, or alternatively, when not being worn, can be conveniently and attractively displayed on a flat surface, such as found on a desk or bookshelf. 
         [0009]    Another object of the invention is to provide an achievement medal of the aforementioned character that includes a plate-like display surface upon which various decorations and indicia can be conveniently imprinted or engraved. 
         [0010]    Another object of the invention is to provide an achievement medal as described in the preceding paragraphs that embodies a compact, easy to use support means provided in the form of a pivotally mounted, generally U-shaped support that can be conveniently moved from a stowed configuration to an extended configuration wherein the medal can be supported on a flat surface in a manner such that the indicia provided on the display surface of the medal is readily visible. 
         [0011]    Another object of the invention is to provide an award medal that can be of various configurations and can embody a wide variety of colorful ornamental designs. 
         [0012]    Another object of the invention is to provide an improved achievement medal of the class described that is of a generally rugged construction, is durable in use and yet is of a simple design that can be economically mass produced. 
         [0013]    These and other objects of the invention will be achieved by the novel improved achievement medal of the invention as illustrated in the attached drawings and described in the specification which follows. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0014]      FIG. 1  is a generally perspective, exploded view of one form of the self standing achievement medal of the invention. 
           [0015]      FIG. 2  is a generally perspective view of the self standing achievement medal illustrated in  FIG. 1  as it appears in an assembled configuration with the medal support in a folded configuration. 
           [0016]      FIG. 3  is a generally perspective view of the self standing achievement medal illustrated in  FIG. 2 , but showing the medal support in an extended configuration. 
           [0017]      FIG. 4  is an enlarged right side view of the self standing medal. 
           [0018]      FIG. 5  is an enlarged left side view of the self standing medal. 
           [0019]      FIG. 6  is a generally perspective, rear view of the self standing medal of the invention showing the medal support in phantom lines. 
           [0020]      FIG. 7  is a greatly enlarged, fragmentary view of the area designated in  FIG. 6  as  7 - 7 . 
           [0021]      FIG. 8  is a generally perspective front view of an alternate form of self standing achievement medal of the invention. 
           [0022]      FIG. 9  is a generally perspective rear view of the alternate form of self standing achievement medal of the invention showing the medal support in phantom lines. 
           [0023]      FIG. 10  is a greatly enlarged, fragmentary view of the area designated in  FIG. 9  as  10 - 10 . 
           [0024]      FIG. 11  is a generally perspective view of still another form of self standing achievement medal of the invention. 
           [0025]      FIG. 12  is an exploded rear view of the alternate form of self standing achievement medal of the invention shown in  FIG. 11 . 
           [0026]      FIG. 13  is a rear view of the alternate form of self standing achievement medal of the invention shown in  FIG. 11 . 
           [0027]      FIG. 14  is a side elevational view of the alternate form of self standing achievement medal of the invention shown in  FIG. 11 , showing in dotted lines the support member of the device in an extended position. 
           [0028]      FIG. 15  is a fragmentary, generally perspective view illustrating the manner of interconnection of the support member of the device to the body portion thereof. 
           [0029]      FIG. 16  is a generally perspective view of the alternate form of self standing achievement medal of the invention shown in  FIG. 11 . 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0030]    Referring to the drawings and particularly to  FIGS. 1 through 7 , one form of the self standing achievement medal of the invention is there shown and generally designated by the numeral  14 . The achievement medal  14  here comprises a body  16  having a front substantially flat, plate-like display surface  18 , a rear surface  20 , and a continuous peripheral portion in the form of an outer rim or sidewall. An upstanding decorative overlay  21  is affixed to body portion  16 . A variety of decorative and informative indicia can be affixed to and imprinted on overlay  21  and on display surface  18   
         [0031]    As illustrated in  FIGS. 1 and 6 , body  16  has a first side  22  having an upper portion  22   a,  a lower portion  22   b  and an intermediate portion  22   c.  Similarly, body  16  has a second side  24  having an upper portion  24   a,  a lower portion  24   b  and an intermediate portion  24   c.  For a purpose presently to be described, a first pivot pin  26  is connected to and extends outwardly from first side  22  proximate the intermediate portion  22   c  thereof. Similarly, a second pivot pin  28  is connected to and extends outwardly from second side  24  proximate the intermediate portion  24   c  thereof. 
         [0032]    As illustrated in  FIG. 1  of the drawings, body  16  includes a curved top portion  16   a  having an aperture  30  provided therein and a curved bottom portion  16   b.    
         [0033]    An important feature of the self standing achievement medal of the present invention is the support member  36  that is pivotally connected to body portion  16  for movement between a first folded position shown in  FIG. 2  of the drawings and a second extended position shown in  FIG. 3  of the drawings. As best seen in  FIG. 1 , support member  36  is generally “U” shaped in configuration and includes a pair of spaced apart, generally parallel legs  38  and  40 . Connected to and spanning legs  38  and  40 , is bight portion  42 . Bight portion  42  includes a centrally disposed flat portion  42   a  to provide better engagement with the supporting surface (see  FIG. 3 ). Legs  38  and  40  of the bight portion  42  are provided with bores  43  that are adapted to closely receive pivot pins  26  and  28  in the manner indicated in  FIG. 7  of the drawings so that the leg is able to pivot about the pivot pins. As illustrated in  FIG. 2  of the drawings, when the support member  36  is in its folded configuration the curved bight portion  42  is disposed in close proximity with said curved lower portion of body  16 . 
         [0034]    In the construction illustrated in the drawings and described in the preceding paragraphs, when the recipient desires to wear the medal assembly about his or her neck, support member  36  is folded into the stowed position shown in  FIG. 2  of the drawings. When the recipient desires to display the medal on a desk top, bookshelf or the like, support member  36  is pivoted about pivot pins  26  and  28  into the extended position shown in  FIG. 3  of the drawings, wherein the lower portion  16   b  of the body and the flat  42   a  of the support member engage the supporting surface in a manner to clearly display to the observer the indicia provided on the face of the medal assembly. 
         [0035]    Referring next to  FIGS. 8 through 10  of the drawings, an alternate form of the self standing achievement medal of the invention is there shown and generally designated by the numeral  54 . This latest form of the achievement medal of the invention is similar in some respects to that shown in  FIGS. 1 through 7  of the drawings and here comprises a generally circular shaped body  56  having a front substantially flat, plate-like display surface  58 , a rear surface  60  ( FIG. 9 ), and a continuous peripheral portion in the form of an outer rim or sidewall. An upstanding decorative, rim-like overlay  61  is affixed to the upper portion of the body. As in the earlier described embodiment of the invention, a wide variety of decorative and informative indicia can be affixed to and imprinted on overlay  61  and on display surface  58   
         [0036]    Body  56  has a first side  62  having an intermediate portion  62   a  and a second side  64  having an intermediate portion  64   a.  For a purpose presently to be described, a first pivot pin  66  is connected to and extends outwardly from first side  62  proximate the intermediate portion  62   a  thereof. Similarly, a second pivot pin  68  is connected to and extends outwardly from second side  64  proximate the intermediate portion  64   a  thereof. 
         [0037]    As illustrated in  FIG. 9  of the drawings, rim-like overlay  61  includes a curved top portion  61 a having an aperture  70  provided therein that is adapted to receive a length of neck ribbon and can be used to support the medal about the recipients neck in a conventional manner. 
         [0038]    As in the earlier embodiment, an important feature of the self standing achievement medal of this latest form of the present invention is the support member  76  that is pivotally connected to body portion  62  for movement between a first folded position shown in  FIG. 10  of the drawings and a second extended position shown in  FIG. 8  of the drawings. As best seen in  FIG. 9 , support member  76  is generally “U”-shaped in configuration and includes a pair of spaced apart curved legs  78  and  80 . Connected to and spanning legs  78  and  80 , is bight portion  82 . Bight portion  82  includes a centrally disposed flat portion  82   a  to provide better engagement with the supporting surface (see  FIG. 8 ). Legs  78  and  80  of the bight portion  82  are provided with bores  83  (see  FIG. 10 ) that are adapted to closely receive pivot pins  66  and  68  in the manner indicated in the drawings. 
         [0039]    As the construction illustrates in the drawings and described in the preceding paragraphs, when the recipient desires to wear the medal assembly about his or her neck, support member  76  is folded into the stowed position shown in  FIG. 10  of the drawings. When the recipient desires to display the medal on a desk top, bookshelf or the like, support member  76  is pivoted about pivot pins  66  and  68  into the extended position shown in  FIG. 8  of the drawings, wherein the lower portion of the body and the flat portion  82   a  of the support member engage the supporting surface in a manner to clearly display to the observer the indicia provided on the face of the medal assembly. 
         [0040]    Turning now to  FIGS. 11 through 16  of the drawings, still another form of the self standing achievement medal of the invention is there shown and generally designated by the numeral  94 . This latest form of the achievement medal of the invention is also similar in some respects to that shown in  FIGS. 1 through 7  of the drawings and here comprises a uniquely shaped body  96  having a front display surface  98 , a rear surface  100 , and a peripheral portion in the form of an outer rim or sidewall  102 . An upstanding, generally circular decorative overlay  104  is affixed to body  96 . Decorative overlay  104  here simulates a ball. However, a variety of decorative overlays of different configurations can be affixed to body  96  to simulate other articles. 
         [0041]    As illustrated in  FIGS. 11 and 16 , body  96  has a first face portion  106  having an upper portion  106   a,  a lower portion  106   b  and an intermediate portion  106   c.  Similarly, body  96  has first and second sides  108  and  110 . Side  108  has a bore  108   a,  while side  110  has a bore  110   a  ( FIG. 12 ). The purpose of these bores will presently be described. Upper portion  106   a  of face portion  106  is provided with an attractively shaped, generally triangular aperture  109  and a rectangular shaped aperture  109   a  and has imprinted thereon a plurality of designs, here shown as star designs  111 . Lower portion  106   c  of face portion  106  is also provided with an attractively shaped four sided aperture  113 . However, it is to be understood that a variety of different types of decorative designs can be imprinted on lower portion  106   b  and upper portion  106   a  of body  96 . If desired, a variety of different types of decorative designs or other indicia can also be imprinted on lower and intermediate portions  106   c  and  106   b.    
         [0042]    An important feature of the self standing achievement medal of this latest form of the invention is a support member  114  that is pivotally connected to body portion  96  for movement between a first folded position shown by the solid lines in  FIG. 14  of the drawings and a second extended position shown by the dotted lines in  FIG. 14 . As best seen in  FIG. 12 , support member  114  is generally “U”-shaped in configuration and includes a pair of spaced apart, generally parallel legs  116  and  118 . Connected to and spanning legs  116  and  118 , is bight portion  120 . Bight portion  120  includes a centrally disposed flat portion  120   a  to provide better engagement with the supporting surface (see  FIG. 16 ). Legs  116  and  118  are provided with outwardly extending pivot protuberances  122  and  124  respectively ( FIG. 12 ) that are adapted to be closely received within bores  108   a  and  110   a  respectively in the manner indicated in  FIGS. 12 ,  14  and  16  of the drawings. As illustrated by the solid lines in  FIG. 14 , when the support member  114  is in its folded configuration, the bight portion  120  is disposed in close proximity with the lower portion  106   b  of body  96 . 
         [0043]    In the construction illustrated in the drawings and described in the preceding paragraphs, when the recipient desires to wear the medal assembly about his or her neck, support member  114  is folded into the stowed position shown by the solid lines in  FIG. 14  of the drawings. When the recipient desires to display the medal on a desk top, bookshelf or the like, support member  114  is pivoted about pivot protuberances  122  and  124  into the extended position shown by the dotted lines in  FIG. 14  wherein the lower portion of the body and the flat of the support member engage the supporting surface in a manner to clearly display to the observer the indicia and designs provided on the face of the medal assembly. 
         [0044]    Having now described the invention in detail in accordance with the requirements of the patent statutes, those skilled in this art will have no difficulty in making changes and modifications in the individual parts or their relative assembly in order to meet specific requirements or conditions. Such changes and modifications may be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention, as set forth in the following claims: