US20010040423A1

US20010040423A1 - Portable wall frame to enclose a wall calendar

Info

Publication number: US20010040423A1
Application number: US09/740,437
Authority: US
Inventors: Lynn Sheehan
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1999-12-22
Filing date: 2000-12-19
Publication date: 2001-11-15

Abstract

A removable frame mountable on a wall and into which a decorative annual wall calendar can be placed to protect the calendar from damage while hanging, the main portion of the frame including decorative side panels of sufficient depth to hold the calendar and a backer board on which the wall calendar can be hung by suitable means, and a transparent cover hinged to the main portion, which cover may itself include its own matching decorative frame and may be held closed by a magnetic or pressure latch or by use of spring-biased hinges that normally hold the cover in the closed position.

Description

This application claims priority of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/171,775, filed Dec. 22, 1999.[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Very often, people buy or are given attractive wall hanging calendars, for example with illustrations that the people want to save beyond the year. Alternatively, people often will want to save such calendars because of the family history represented by the entries on the calendar.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention comprises a frame mountable on a wall which can be hung on a wall hook like a picture frame and into which the decorative wall calendar can be placed to protect the calendar from damage while hanging during the entire calendar year in which it is being used. The main portion of the frame includes decorative side panels of sufficient depth to hold the calendar and a backer board on which the wall calendar can be hung by suitable means, as for example a hook to receive a hole or support rod normally part of a wall calendar for hanging the calendar. Hinged to the main portion of the frame at one of the decorative side panels or the top panel is a transparent cover, such as glass or a clear acrylic, to enclose the calendar when the cover is closed and to enable the calendar to be inserted when open. The cover may itself include its own matching decorative frame to surround the transparent portion of the cover and may be held closed by various means such as a magnetic or pressure latch or by use of spring-biased hinges that normally hold the cover in the closed position. Additional features can be added within the enclosed area of the frame, as for example, a shelf support for a writing instrument or an area to hold note paper and notes. The outside surface of the transparent cover can also be used as a writing surface using erasable markers, for example for use in writing tentative plans for days in the current month as opposed to “penciling” them in directly onto the calendar. The backer board may comprise pressboard or cork with which thumbtacks, Velcro strips, double sided tape and the like can be used to hold various other items such as notes and photographs.

DRAWING

FIG. 1. shows a complete drawing of my invention, a combination of the front and back views. [0004]
FIG. 2 is a front view of my invention. [0005]
FIG. 3 is a rear view of my invention. [0006]
FIG. 4 is a front view of my invention with the plastic cover open.[0007]

REFERENCE NUMERALS IN DRAWINGS

[0008]

20 frame 22 peg 24 hanger 26 backing 25 staple/brad

28 hinges 30 plastic cover 32 knob latch 34 groove

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 shows a complete drawing of my calendar frame, a combination of the front and back views. In the preferred embodiment, a [0009] frame 20 is made out of wood. However, the frame 20 can be made out of other materials such as plastic and metal materials. The frames inside dimensions are 12″ wide by 24″ long; to frame that size calendar or smaller.
The [0010] frame 20 is enclosed with a backing 26. In the preferred embodiment, the backing 26 is wood. However, the backing 26 can be made out of other materials to coincide with the material that the frame 20 is made of such as; types of plastics or metals.
Protruding from the inside top of the [0011] backing 26 is a peg 22. In the preferred embodiment, the peg 22 is made out of wood. The peg 22 is very thin and has a length of roughly ½″. The peg 22 protrudes at an angle towards the top of the frame. The peg 22 can also be made 5 of various plastics or metals to correspond to the material that the frame 20 and backing 26 are made of. Depending on the material used, the peg 22 is either glued or nailed into the backing 26.
A [0012] hanger 24 is attached to the sides of the frame 20 by using a staple or a brad 25. In the preferred embodiment, the hanger 24 is piece of wire roughly 15″ long. However, another embodiment is to use a notched picture hanger which would be attached with brads to the top—center of the frame 20. The hanger 24 is illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 3.
FIGS. 1, 2 and [0013] 4 all illustrate a plastic cover 30. FIG. 4 shows the plastic cover 30 in an open position. The plastic cover 30 is made of a clear, see-thru plastic or a very thin plexiglass. The plastic cover 30 is attached to the frame 20 and the backing 26 by use of a hinge 28. FIGS. 1, 2 and 4 also illustrate the hinges 28.
FIGS. 1, 2 and [0014] 4 all illustrate a knob or a latch 32. The knob-latch 32 is attached to the plastic cover 30 in the center of the far right hand side of the cover 30. Another embodiment of the knob-latch 32 is to attach a latch to the center of the right side of the frame 20. This latch would turn to the left over the plastic cover 30.
A [0015] groove 34 is formed horizontally on the bottom of the frame 20. The groove 34 will be roughly 8″ long and ½″ wide. The groove 34 is illustrated in FIGS. 1, 2 and 4 also.
FIG. 1 illustrates all of my calendar frames nine parts. FIGS. 2 and 4 illustrate seven of the nine parts; the exceptions being [0016] Part Numbers 24 and 25. FIG. 3 illustrates the back view of my calendar frame. FIG. 3 illustrates only four parts; Numbers 20, 24, 25 and 26.
The manner of inserting a paper wall calendar into my calendar frame is very basic and simple to accomplish. Namely, one first turns the knob-[0017] latch 32 to the left which will open up the plastic cover 30. Then one opens the plastic cover 30 from the right to the left as far as it will open. The plastic cover 30 will open due to the operation of the hinges 28 which are attached to the plastic cover 30 and the frame 20. Next, one inserts the paper wall calendar that was purchased separate from the calendar frame. To insert the calendar, one should open the calendar to the page desired and place the corresponding hole from the page over the peg 22. While the plastic cover 30 is open, one can write an appointment or an important date on the calendar with a writing utensil that can be kept in a groove 34. The knob-latch 32 can be used to close and latch the plastic cover 30 by turning it clockwise.
After the calendar is inserted into the calendar frame the frame can be hung on a nail, or nails on a wall by use of the [0018] wire hanger 24.
My calendar frame is an attractive and easy to use frame with which to display and protect paper wall calendars. [0019]
It will be understood, of course, that modifications and substitutions may be made to the described embodiments without departing from the spirit of the invention as claimed. For example, this frame may also be used as a display case which could display ribbons, buttons, family photographs, etc. [0020]

Claims

I claim:

1. A removable frame mountable on a wall and into which a decorative annual wall calendar can be placed to protect the calendar from damage while hanging, the frame comprising (a) a main portion including decorative side panels of sufficient depth to hold the calendar, a backer board, and means for mounting the wall calendar on the backer board; (b) a transparent cover having an open position by which to insert the calendar and a closed position by which the calendar is enclosed to protect it from damage; and (c) hinge means mounting the cover to the main portion for enabling the cover to be moved to the two positions.

2. A frame according to

claim 1

and further comprising a matching decorative frame surrounding and movable with the transparent cover.

3. A frame according to

claim 2

wherein the hinge means are mounted on the decorative frame and one of the decorative side panels and further comprising means for normally holding the cover in the closed position.

4. A frame according to

claim 1

and further comprising means for holding a writing instrument mounted on either the decorative frame, a decorative side panel, or the backer board.

5. A frame according to

claim 1

wherein the backer board comprises a surface such as cork or pressboard into which tacks and the like may be inserted to hold the calendar and/or other items.

6. A frame according to

claim 1

wherein the backer board comprises an erasable writing surface.

7. A frame according to

claim 1

wherein the transparent cover comprises an erasable writing surface.