US3513580A - Laminated display form - Google Patents

Description

May 26, 1970 T. JL AGES 3,513,580

LAMINATED DISPLAY FORM Filed Nov. 1. 1967 YOUI 0B 4 I INE AD PRINTED IN THIS SDICI.

United States Patent O 3,513,580 LAMINATED DISPLAY FORM Tom J. Agres, 143 N. Harvey, Oak Park, Ill. 60302 Filed Nov. 1, 1967, Ser. No. 679,690

Int. Cl. G09d 3/00 I U.S. Cl. 40-107 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE `of the metallic foil to normally prevent the display form from adhering to another surface but providing for a selected section to be stripped therefrom for removable attachment to an appropriate support member.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the invention The present invention relates generally to a laminated removably adhesive display form useful for yadvertising purposes, and more particularly this invention relates to a laminated form having severable sections bearing discrete informative displays or portions of information, such as the separate month yof the year in calendar style, and being adapted for releasable attachment to a suitable support member.

Descriptionof the prior art Persons engaged in selling goods and services of various kinds frequently find it advantageous, for advertising purp'oses, to make gifts of articles finding everyday utility to -prospective customers. By placing his name, iirm, address and a description of his products or services in a prominent position on such gifts, a salesman is assured that customers and prospective customers will be reminded of him when the gift is used. Accordingly, it is desirable that articles to be distributed by salesmen (or businesslmen in general) be useful to the recipient, so that the recipient will have frequent recourse to the gift and the associated advertising material. Additionally, the gift should have an extended period of use in order to keep the advertising material before thevrecipient for as long a time as is possible. Further, the gift articles should be inexpensive in order to permit wide distribution of the advertising.

lPreviously advertising gifts of this type have been used f quite extensively with varying degrees of success. Once a gift article has been chosen it is necessary to arrange to have the desired advertising material placed on the articles, as advertising merely sent in association with the articles will soon become separated and the value of the gift for advertising purposes Will be greatly decreased.

The advertising calendar has long been a favorite advertising gift due to its usefulness throughout the year, the

- constant presence of the advertising before the recipient, y'the ease of having advertising material printed in association with the calendar portion, Iand its relatively low cost compared to other types of gifts. However, the advertising calendar has the disadvantage of being quite conspicuous in its advertising function, and this factor causes many recipients to forego using the calendar. Further, the usefulness of the calendar is limited to a single location (unless it is a carry type of calendar which has the dis- ICC .advantage of being an additional element to carry and to remember to transfer when changing suits or pocketbooks).

Accordingly, the display form of this invention provides an advertising gift that obviates the disadvantages of .prior art advertising gifts. Further, this invention, While primarily discussed in the advertising gift context, has a multitude of other potential uses.

i SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Briefly, in the preferred embodiment disclosed herein, a display form is prepared by afiixing a pressure sensitive adhesive to one surface of a sheet of metallic foil. Each of the twelve months of the year is printed in calendar form on a separate section of the other surface of the foil. The placement of the various months on the sheet of foil is prearranged to facilitate use of the nished form, and the placement of the months will vary to accommodate sales during a given month. (While this embodiment utilizes calendar months printed on the foil, it should be realized that any type of informative display or information that is inherently severable into discrete portions may be utilized.)

A layer of clear, flexible plastic is laminated over the calendar bearing surface of the metallic foil to provide a transparent protective coating and produce, with the foil, a composite display form. In addition to protecting the metallic foil and the printing thereon, the plastic layer gives the composite form structural strength without irnpairing the flexibility thereof.

The composite display form is divided into separate sections with each section having an associated month printed on the metallic foil in that section. An advertisers material is located in a separate section of the form.

A backing material is placed over the adhesive side of the metallic foil so that the display form is normally not in condition for adhesion to another surface. The backing material serves to maintain the separate sections as a single entity for handling and distribution, and yet the sections may be easily stripped from the backing material for aiixation to a desired support member.

At the beginning of each month, the section carrying the current month maybe broken away from the form and secured to a suitable support member by stripping the section from the backing material and pressing the adhesive on the metallic foil against the surface of the supporting member. While there are many applications for an adhesive calendar of this type, a particularly suitable support member is a Watch band. By attaching the current month to the Watch band, any watch may ibe converted into a calendar Watch. As the pressure sensitive tape may |be easily removed from the Watch band when so desired, it is a relatively simple matter to change months to keep the calendar up to date.

y This laminated form is an excellent advertising medium as it is relatively inexpensive to manufacture in large quantities, has an inherent usefulness, and has a useful life of a full year (or as long as is practicable 'with the desired limitations on the size of the form). Further, this invention has the advantage of bringing the advertisement to the recipients attention every month when one months calendar is exchanged for the next. Thus, the conditioned blindness that occurs when a person is constantly faced with the same surroundings does not have a chance to set in, and yet the advertisement is frequently brought to the recipients attention.

Accordingly, a primary object of the present invention is to provide a display form which is adapted to serve an advertising function.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a display form which is relatively flexible and yet durably 3 constructed to provide continued service as an information source.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a display form having severable sections each of which contatins a discrete display and each of which may be conveniently affixed to the surface of a suitable support member so as to make the display it contains readily available.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a display form having severable sections each bearing a calendar month and adapted for afxation to a wristwatch band.

Yet a further object of the present invention is to provide a calendar separated into months with each monthly section adapted for selective aixation to a watch band to yield a continuously current calendar in association with the watch.

These and other objects, advantages and features of the present invention will hereinafter appear, and, for purposes of illustration, but not of limitation, an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is shown in the appended drawing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a representative section of the display form of this invention attached to the band of a wrist Watch.

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of a preferred embodiment of a display form constructed according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged side elevation view of a representative section of the display form taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged sectional view taken along line 4 4 of FIG. 1, with the representative section of the display form further enlarged relative to the watch band.

y DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT With reference to FIG. 2 of the drawing, a display form is illustrated. While the particular shape of form 10 is not a feature of this invention, as the shape will change to accommodate the information being disclosed, the form in this preferred embodiment is rectangular.

The structure of form 10 is based upon a sheet of metallic foil 12, as may be seen from the cross-sectional view of FIG. 3. In the preferred embodiment dislcosed herein, sheet 12 comprises a metallic gold or silver foil which contributes to the attractiveness of the present invention and thereby enhances its utility for advertising purposes.

Metallic foil 12 has an adhesive 13 aixed to a first surface 14 thereof. Adhesive 13 may be any of the varlous types of adhesive that will releasably adhere to an appropriate surface when applied thereto. However, the preferred type of adhesive 13 for use in this embodiment is one of those generally referred to as pressure sensitive. The main characteristic of the adhesive used is that it must be capable of relinquishing its grip upon the material to which it is adhering when so desired by the user (i.e., it must be releasably attachable).

Surface 15 of metallic foil 12 is adapted to receive a display. The display on surfaces 15 0f foil 12 may be formed by any suitable technique such as printing, stamping, or punching the desired information thereon. Nevertheless, for purposes of this preferred embodiment the most generally useful approach would be to print the display on the metallic foil, and hence the display w1ll hereinafter be referred to as being printed While the informative display printed on metallic foil 12 may be of any desired content, the preferred embodiment disclosed herein involves a display form 10 bearing a plurality of discrete displays for purposes described hereinafter.

Layer 16 is a layer of flexible, transparent plastic having side 17 thereof firmly laminated to surface 15 of metallic foil 12 and coextensive in area therewith. The transparent quality of layer 16 allows the information and advertising materials imprinted on surface 15 of metallic foil 12 to be viewed. Furthermore, plastic layer 16 protects the printed materials from abrasion encountered in the use of form 10 and gives the form a high gloss making it attractive for advertising purposes.

The composite display form comprising metallic foil sheet 12 and plastic layer 16 is detachably held to a sheet of backing material 18 by means of adhesive 13 on surface 14 of metallic foil 12. Backing sheet 18 is constructed of a material that will permit the composite form to be stripped therefrom without removing adhesive 13 from surface 14 of foil 12.

The form 10 is scribed or otherwise provided with linear incisions along dotted lines 19 in the horizontal direction and dotted lines 21 in the vertical direction (as illustrated in FIG. 2). Lines 19 and 21 section the composite form 10 of metallic foil sheet 12 and plastic layer 16 into a plurality of display sections 20 each one of the discrete displays printed on foil 12, an advertising Section 28, and an instruction section 30. Each section comprises a portion of sheet 12 and layer 16 in fixed combination. When form 10 is distributed, and before it is used by the customer to whom it is distributed, the sections 20, 28, and 30 are detachably held in fixed positions relative to one another by means of the backing material 18 positioned against adhesive 13 of surface 14 of metallic foil 12.

In the disclosed embodiment, each of the plurality of display sections bears a calendar month 22 imprinted on side 15 of metallic foil sheet 12. The individual calendar months are, of course, the discrete displays previously discussed. It will be understood that the discrete displays could involve other materials that have an informative or connotative function as compared to a mere pattern, but for purposes of this description the discrete displays will be identified as separate calendar months.

Each of the calendar months 22 is printed on a central portion of the associated display section 20 so that the end portions 24 of the sections are blank. The blank end portions or flaps 24 of a section 20 may be used to aid in securing the section to an appropriate support member, as described in more detail hereinafter.

The display of monthly calendars in each section 20 of form 10 is a particularly advantageous arrangement from the standpoint of advertising function. The calendars themselves have an inherent utility, and form 10 will be useful for an entire year (or longer if so desired). Additionally, the user thereof will have recourse thereto each time it is necessary to change months to keep the calendar up to date. This extended period of utility represents a significant advantage over many other advertising devices which are designed to be discarded after a short period of use, or to which the user makes only infrequent reference.

As may be seen in FIG. 2, section 28 of form 10 is adapted for the imprintation of materials advertising goods and services (as represented at 23), and section 30 is suited for the display of instructions 25 relating to the use of form 10. One engaged in the selling of goods and services would distribute form 10 containing information relating to his name, address, lirm, and goods or services in section 28 to persons with whom he deals, or to prospective customers, for advertising purposes. Each time it is necessary to change monthly calendars, the advertising materials in section 28 will be brought to the attention of the user of form 10, and the function for which the form was intended will be effected. It should be understood that the particular design of sections 28 and 30 of the preferred embodiment are illustrated only by way of example and may be altered within the scope of the present invention.

Typically, one engaged in selling goods or services would have materials advertising his particular` business imprinted in section 28 (on surface 15 of metallic foil sheet 12) of each form 10 to be distributed. He would also specify the display or information to be` imprinted in section 20 (if other information than a calendar month is desired). Thusly imprinted the forms would be distributed to people with whom the salesman has business dealings or to prospective customers. The recipient would then affix the display or information contained in a given section 20 to a selected support member by separating that particular section from the remainder of the form. This would be achieved by stripping the selected section 20'ffrom backing material 18 by separating the adhesive 13 of metallic foil sheet 12 from backing material 18. Sheets 12and 18 are adapted to permit this separation without @derogation from the adhesive properties of the adhesive 13.1 This separationwpldexpose the adhesive 13 of the particular section 20, and thus condition that section for affixation to a selected support rnember. The remainder of form would remain intact with the remaining sections held detachably to backing sheet 18 by adhesive 13.

In the illustrated preferred embodiment, the display imprinted on the top surface of sheet 12 of each section 20 is a calendar for a month of the year.In order to permit the display form to be utilized efficiently, the months are arranged in a predetermined order. Thus, the illustrated form, adapted for distribution in the latter part of December 1966 or January 1967, has the calendarf 32 for January at the lower left corner of form 10 (FIG. 2 orientation) and the monthly calendars of February and March (34 and 36 respectively) in ascending order thereabove. The calendar 38 for themonth of April is then at the lower right hand corner with May and June (40 and 42 respectively) placed at successive positions thereabove. Similarly, July (44), August (46), and September (22) are positioned in ascending order at the upper left of form 10, while October (50), November (52), and December (54) are positioned in ascending order at the upper right of form 10.

With this arrangement, the recipient may strip off the desired monthly calendar without disturbing the rest of the display form. Of course, other arrangements could be utilized equally well. For example, January could be at the lower left, February at the lower right, March above January, April above February, etc. Whatever arrangement is used, emphasis is placed upon a distribution of the displays that will permit eicient utilization of the displays Without destruction of the remainder of display form 10. l i

Adjacent the imprintation on each section 20, the end portions or flaps 24 of each section 20 are left blank to aid in securing the particular section to a support member. FIGS. l and 4 illustrate the manner in which the preferred embodiment can be utilized in connection with a wrist watch band 26. On the first day of a given month, the particular section 20 corresponding to the calendar for that month is separated from backing sheet 18 in the manner described above. The portion of the section 20 corresponding to the monthly calendar 22 iscentered on the exterior surface of a Wrist watch band 26 and affixed thereto by pressure applied to the section causing the adhesive 13 on metallic foil 12 to adhere to Wrist watch band 26. Flaps 24 are then bent around the band 26 so that the ends of flaps 24 overlap. Pressure applied to the flaps 24, directed toward the interior surface of wrist watch band 26, causes adherence of the adhesive 13 to band 26 and causes the overlapping ends of flaps 24 to adhere to one another. At the end of the month corresponding to calendar 22 of the section 20 afiixed to wrist watch band 26, that section is removed from the wrist watch band by separating the overlapping ends of iiaps 24 and removing the adhesive surface of sheet 12 from the band 26. This is made possible by the use of a proper adhesive 13. The calendar corresponding to the next month is thensubstituted therefor in the manner described above.

Each time it is necessary to bring the calendars up to date, the person to whom form 10 was given will have recourse thereto. Because the salesman who distributed the form 10 has had information relating to his name, firm, address, and telephone number and the products and services he markets imprinted in section 28, such recourse by a customer or prospective customer will serve as reminder to the latter party of the identity and business of the donor and thus an advertising function will be effected. Furthermore, each time the customer or prospective customer has recourse to calendar 22 there will be a tendency to remember the display form and hence the advertiser.

While the foregoing preferred embodiment has been described with reference to the imprintation of monthly calendars in sections 20 and to the adaptation of sections 20 for aixation to wrist watch bands, it should be realized that various other types of useful information may be substituted for the calendars 22 and that the form and size of sections 20 may be altered to permit convenient affixation to other devices without deviating from the teachings of the present invention. In addition, it should be understood that the advertising materials imprinted in section 28 of the present invention can take various forms inthe advertising of goods and services.

It should be further understood that various changes, modifications and alterations may be made in the arrangements of the elements of the described embodiment of the present invention without departing from the spirit and the scope thereof as defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A display form comprising:

a sheet of metallic foil having first and second surfaces on opposite sides thereof;

a permanent display formed on a permanent display section of the first surface of said metallic foil;

a plurality of sequentially relatedv temporally significant displays formed on removable display sections of the first surface of said metallic foil, said removable display sections being arranged for detachment in a sequence based upon the temporal significance of the displays thereon, the last of said removable display sections to be detached being detachably connected to said permanent display section;

a layer of flexible transparent plastic laminated over and aflixed to the first surface of said metallic foil to strengthen the display form and protect said displays, said plastic layer being divided into sections corresponding to said permanent display section and said removable display sections;

a pressure sensitive adhesive affixed to the second surface of said metallic foil; and

a sheet of backing material releasably adhering to said pressure sensitive adhesive on the second surface of said metallic foil,

whereby said removable display sections of said metallic foil may be individually stripped from said backing material to provide completely independent display structures bearing temporally significant displays for attachment to a suitable support member, while leaving said permanent display and the remaining removable display sections undisturbed.

2. A display form as claimed in claim 1 wherein each of said removable display sections is rectangular in shape with the associated temporally significant display located on the central portion thereof, the end portions thereof being adapted to be bent around a suitable support member and overlapped to releasably attach the removable display section to a suitable support member.

3. `A display form as claimed in claim 2 wherein:

said permanent display is an advertising display;

said temporally significant displays are calendar months located in a space having a width approximately equal v l References -Citec'l4 to the width of a conventional wrist watch band; and UNITED STATES PATENTS said end portions of said removable display sections v t are long enough to overlap when a removable dis- Slu' y play section is positioned on a wrist watch band, 5 2768460 10/1956 Northllp 40 135 whereby a new monthly calendar may be relcasably 2963805 12/1960 Sterry 1 "O 135 X attached to a wrist watch band each month in the 3:197899 8/1965 Twentier 40 2 X conventional sequence and the advertising function 3,340,630 9 /1967 Becker 40 107 X of said advertising display is preserved until al1 the removable calendar display sections have been 10 EUGENE R. CAPOZIO, Primary Examiner utilized. 4. A display form as claimed in claim 1 wherein said W' J' CONTRERAS Assistant Primary permanent display and said temporally significant dis? U S CL X.R plays are printed on said metallic foil. 15 40 135 205 55 Y

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