Education and demonstration – Telling time or calendar reading
Reexamination Certificate
1999-08-30
2001-08-28
Ackun, Jr., Jacob K. (Department: 3712)
Education and demonstration
Telling time or calendar reading
C283S002000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06280200
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
There are numerous prior art devices and methods for aiding a person in keeping track of time. Calendars used simply for keeping track of the passage of time have been known for millennia. Other calendar designs have incorporated figures or messages for aesthetic enhancement of the calendar. Many previous calendars have been designed which provide humorous, religious, or inspirational messages for a user associated with each day. For example, Christmas Advent calendars provide religious inspiration through messages and figures relating to the biblical teachings of the Christmas season.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,831,278, issued to R. H. Myers, on Apr. 22, 1958, presents a calendar structure, which permits a user to write personal reminder messages under a moveable tab covering each date on the monthly calendar. U.S. Pat. No. 5,207,580, issued to Victor J. Strecher, on May 4, 1993, presents a calendar manufactured with customized textual messages relating to a specific health or behavior modification goal for a particular person. Motivational messages as well as reminder messages are displayed in appropriate days of each related month. Specific days, months, and messages are unique to the particular peoples' behavior modification or health-related goal. U.S. Pat. No. 5,090,733, issued to R. Bussier, on Feb. 25, 1992, presents a calendar with inspirational and motivational messages indicating thoughts or actions for each day, the goal being inspiration for self-improvement. The messages are printed on moveable tabs, relating to sections of a picture so that as messages are added or revealed, a picture is being constructed to inspire the user to fulfill a personal goal. These past inventions are not associated with the timing of any specific event comprising part of a time interval but rather relate to abstractions, such as personal reminders, inspiration, or motivation. The time periods associated with these inventions are arbitrary in that they are not related to the timing of any particular event or interval. Therefore, a need was established for a calendar, which was useful to inform a user as to the progress of timing and development of a specific time constrained event or interval.
A first attempt at meeting this need was U.S. Pat. No. 5,443,288, issued to Barbara L. Miles, on Aug. 22, 1995, which is an advent calendar for educating an expectant mother as to the fetal development process and the associated milestones or the human gestation period. Unlike the present invention, the Miles device specifically informs a user regarding fetal development during a plurality of weeks of the human gestation period, and is not applicable to the instruction of children, whereas the present invention is specifically tailored to aiding a child in determining time intervals preceding a date of significance. Not only do the purpose and look of the present invention differ from the Miles device, but also the method of informing the user, the comprehension level of calendar information, and the arrangement of calendar elements and graphics. None of the above noted patents, taken either singly or in combination, are seen to disclose the specific arrangement of concepts disclosed by the present invention. Therefore, a need has been established for a calendar specifically tailored for instruction of a child that aids the child in determining time intervals preceding a date of significance, such as the number of days before a birthday.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to multiple embodiments of a non-Julian calendar for informing a child in determining daily intervals preceding a date of significance. The general concepts which relate to intervals of time are difficult for children to fully comprehend. When a young child is informed that some date of significance is, for example, 10 days away, they are unable to fully comprehend and adjust emotionally. When dealing with an event such as a birthday, this is a seemingly non-important issue (when viewed from the eyes of an adult). However, when considering a perhaps more significant event, such as upcoming surgery, for example, even we as adults can understand the importance of attempting to take control of our emotions. This imparts a sense of security to the child.
The Julian calendar was introduced in Rome in 46 B.C. and established the 12 month year of 365 days with each fourth year having 366 days and the months each having 31 or 30 days, except for February 28 or in leap years 29 days. The present invention relates to a non-Julian calendar for informing a child in determining daily intervals preceding a date of significance. All embodiments of the non-Julian calendar of the present invention contain a plurality of movable (or removable), each bearing a unique designator (integer numbers, in preferred embodiments) defining the order in which the tabs are to be open (or removed). The number of tabs is preferably between 6 and 20, although this range is not meant to be limiting.
For purposes of introduction, a brief example will be provided. All aspects of this example will be expanded upon elsewhere in the Specification. This brief example is intended only to communicate the concept of the invention. Consider an example in which an embodiment of the non-Julian calendar of the present invention contains 10 movable tabs. Beginning 10 days before a date of significance, such as a birthday, a child opens a single tab to reveal an activity. On consecutive days, the child opens the tabs in a step-wise manner and performs a specified activity. In the process of engaging in the activities specified, which include opening a single tab per day, even a young child can learn to understand the concept of a daily interval. The assimilation of this concept enables the child to present an appropriate emotional response.
In a preferred embodiment, the non-Julian calendar of the present invention is a multi-layer calendar which comprises a lower layer having a first top surface and an upper layer disposed above the lower layer and having a second top surface. The term “layer” as used herein, is meant to encompass laminates of individual sheets. The materials from which these layers are made may be any thin a flexible stock. Paper is the preferred material, however plastics and other sheet stocks may be employed.
The upper layer contains a plurality of tabs, the tabs having a front surface and a back surface. The tabs are movable from a closed to an open position much like a door, along a fixed linear fold axis. In preferred embodiments, the tabs are polygonal in shape, although any geometric shape which folds open about a fixed linear fold axis is meant to be encompassed within the scope of the present invention.
A printed artistic design or image is disposed on the second top surface. This artistic design or image may be selected to relate to the date of significance. For example, if the date of significance is a birthday, the artistic design or image may be a birthday motif including, for example, party hats and party favors. In preferred embodiments, significant elements of the artistic design or image are positioned on the second top surface at locations corresponding to the tabs.
A plurality of printed unique are designators disposed on the second top surface. One unique designator is positioned on the front surface of each tab. The printed unique designators function to define the order in which the tabs are to be opened in use. In preferred embodiments, the unique designators are numeric integers. In alternative embodiments, letters of the alphabet may be used. It is important that whatever the choice of unique designators, an order is implied.
The calendar of the present invention also includes a plurality of printed message/activity areas, one printed message/activity area being revealed by the movement of a tab from a closed position to an open position. The term “message/activity area”, as used herein, is meant to include a wide variety of printed indicia. For example, it may correspond to a blank space in
Ackun Jr. Jacob K.
Farrell Kevin M.
Farrell & Associates, P.C.
Fernstrom Kurt
Huff Shayne Y.
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