EP1882598A2

EP1882598A2 - Lenticular calendar

Info

Publication number: EP1882598A2
Application number: EP07380136A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Damian Vidal Mira
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2006-05-11
Filing date: 2007-05-11
Publication date: 2008-01-30
Also published as: ES2285938B1; ES2285938A1; EP1882598A3

Abstract

It is constituted on the basis of a laminar body (1), made of plastic, which in at least one of its faces incorporates parallel lenses (2) which offer two image viewing surfaces (4) and (6), depending on the respective and different points of observation (3) and (5), in other words, as a function of the relative position between the calendar and the observer, two different images can be seen of the same calendar. This enables, for example, the same calendar to have the feast days corresponding to two different regions, even with legends in their respective languages, and consequently any person can at all times monitor the feast days of his or her own region and know when necessary how the feast days are distributed in another region with which he or she has some kind of relation.

Description

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a calendar which, by means of a system of lenticular printing, is capable of providing variable information, for example, all the information inherent to it in two respectively visible languages, the feast days of two regions, with one or the other being equally visible, etc.
So, the object of the invention is to strengthen the benefits of the calendar by combining information into a single element which has previously required various sources.
The invention is applicable to any kind of printed calendar, be it of the pocket type, table-top, wall or any other kind.

PRIOR ART OF THE INVENTION

As is known, calendars, whether they be of any of the kinds mentioned above, are materialised on a sheet of paper, board or similar, containing information relating to the months of the year, generally highlighting Sundays and feast days in a different colour, and with different types of complementary information such as saints' days, phases of the moon, etc., without, of course, forgetting advertising.
On many occasions, this information is variable, in such a way that, as a typical example, the feast days of one region do not coincide with those of another. In the event that anyone wishes to know the feast days of his or her own region and the feast days of another region with which they have some permanent relation, the only solution is to have printed calendars respectively and independently for each region, which, as well as implying a complication, sometimes creates a problem due to the availability of calendars for different regions.
On other occasions, there is a language problem, with the calendar being targeted at two groups of people who speak different languages, which considerably complicates its distribution.
The problem stated above is accentuated even more when there are three different types of information which consumers have to receive via calendars.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The calendar of the invention proposes solving the problem stated above in a manner that is entirely satisfactory and in such a way that a single calendar is capable of providing two or three different sets of information, selectively visible according to the criterion of the observer.
To achieve this, and more specifically, the calendar is materialised in a laminar body, made of plastic, which on at least one of its faces incorporates a lenticular structure, in other words, a set of parallel lenses which, depending on the angle of the observer, allow him or her to see portions of at least two different images, corresponding to one and the other face of the lenses.
In this way, a single calendar is, depending on the position of the observer with respect to it, capable of, for example, showing him or her the feast days corresponding to two different regions, or even three different regions if the lenses have their front edge bevelled, offering three observation faces with three different images.
As stated above, the invention is applicable to pocket calendars, table-top ones, wall calendars or for mobile supports indifferently, and the types of faces of the calendar can be combined indifferently in terms of the number of viewing channels or surfaces for each one, in other words, the two lenticular faces can have the same channels or one face can have two and the other three, indifferently, and they can also be combined with conventional faces, with a single level of information.
From the point of view of the design of the calendar, it can incorporate indifferently any kind of information on its faces, and so information can be mixed with advertising, games of chance or any possible combination, virtually without any limitation in this regard.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In order to complement the description that is being made and with the aim of aiding a better understanding of the characteristics of the invention, attached as an integral part of this description is a set of drawings where, on an illustrative rather than limiting basis, the following have been represented:

Figure 1.- Shows an amplified detail in profile and cross-section view, of a lenticular calendar embodied in accordance with the object of the present invention, according to a practical embodiment in which two viewing channels have been provided for it, established on a single face of the calendar and facing it are the two observation permitting different images to be obtained.
Figure 2.- Shows an embodiment similar to that of figure 1, but corresponding to a variant in which there exist three viewing channels on a single face of the calendar.
Figure 4.- Again shows an embodiment similar to that of figure 1, but in which there exist two viewing channels on each of the faces of the calendar.

PREFERRED FORM OF EMBODIMENT

Looking at the figures, it can be seen how the lenticular calendar which the invention proposes is constituted on the basis of a laminar body (1), made of plastic, which, according to the variant of the simplest embodiment, that shown in figure 1, incorporates in at least one of its faces parallel lenses (2) materialised in ribs of triangular cross-section which offer the observer two faces with different orientation, in such a way that when the observer is located at the point (3) solely the faces (4) are visible at a defined orientation, while when the observer is located at a point (5) with a different angle of observation, it is the other faces (6) which are visible, and consequently the image incorporated into them.
Of course, this change of image viewed by the observer can equally be achieved by tilting the calendar (1), or by means of a combined action of movement of the calendar and change of position of the observer.
In this case, as is evident, the other face (7) of the laminar body, which is smooth, in other words lacking in lenses, can be inoperative or it can provide other conventional information, obviously with a single level.
In the variant shown in figure 2, the ribs (2') of one of the faces of the calendar have their edge bevelled, defining three faces (8), (9) and (10), included in different planes, in such a way that, depending on whether the point of observation is orientated towards the faces (8), the faces (9) or the faces (10), there will be three different images visible, in other words, three different information channels will be obtained.
Finally, and as shown in figure 3, the multiple information channels, whether they be two or three, can be located on both faces of the laminar body (1), in such a way that in said example of figure 3, with lenses (2) of the same kind as in the case of figure 1, two information channels (4) and (6) are obtained via one of its faces and another two information channels (4') and (6') via the other face. In practice, these can be materialised in a calendar with six months on each face and two types of information, or a complete calendar for each face with four types of information.
So, in accordance with the objective of the invention, up to six different calendars can be synthesised in a single calendar or laminar body, in other words, with different information, visible unitarily and selectively according to the criterion of the observer.

Claims

Lenticular calendar, which, being of the type of those which are materialised in a laminar body bearing printed information relating to the structuring of the months of the year and any other additional information such as feast days, specific saints' days for each zone and others, is characterised in that it is constituted on the basis of a plastic lamina (1) which on at least one of its faces incorporates a set of parallel lenses (2-2'), defining at least two printing bases (4) and (6) orientated in different directions, in such a way that with different angles of observation (3-5) on the calendar, at least two different images are seen at the same time, such as for example, the feast days of two different regions, even with different languages.
Lenticular calendar, according to claim 1, characterised in that the said lenses (2') are each able to be arranged in three planes (8), (9) and (10) with different orientation, which permit three different images to be viewed from three points of observation.
Lenticular calendar, according to the above claims, characterised in that the lenses parallel to the laminar body, whether they be of two or three image bearing planes, are located on both faces of the laminar body (1).
Lenticular calendar, according to the above claims, characterised in that when the lenses (2-2') are located exclusively in one of the faces of the laminar body (1), the other face (7) of said laminar body, which is plane, is able to incorporate any conventional printed matter of a single level.
Lenticular calendar, according to the above claims, characterised in that the calendar can indifferently be of the pocket type, table-top, wall or for mobile supports.