WO1996016822A1

WO1996016822A1 - Calendar sheet with slanted grid

Info

Publication number: WO1996016822A1
Application number: PCT/US1995/015704
Authority: WO
Inventors: Curtis Colligan
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1994-12-02
Filing date: 1995-12-04
Publication date: 1996-06-06
Anticipated expiration: 1997-06-02
Also published as: AU4414596A

Abstract

A calendar page (20) adapted to receive written information comprises a sheet of material (22) for receiving the written information, a field (30) of a first color located on the sheet which has a grid (40) formed therein and a primary border (60) extending around a majority of the field perimeter. The field is defined by an upper field edge (36), a linear lower field edge (32) and a pair of parallel linear field side edges (34). Together, these define the field perimeter. Both the lower field edge (32) and the field side edges (34) are each oriented at an acute angle 'a' with respect to the bottom edge (24) of the sheet (22).

Description

CALENDAR SHEET WITH SLANTED GRID FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention generally relates to calendars and specifically concerns monthly calendar pages which may be used to form a calendar. In particular, the present invention is directed to monthly calendar sheets adapted to receive a notational information written thereon by a user.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Written calendars have long been known for their usefulness in marking time, and a wide variety of calendars and calendar devices are today employed in the home and office. Typically, calendars and calendar devices are organized to present a complete year, a month of the year, a week of the year or a single day. On one hand, some calendars are designed merely for display in order to indicate the particular day, week or month of a year. On the other hand, some calendars are adapted to receive information placed thereon by a user as a reminder of events, appointments or other notational information.

Of these multitude of calendar devices, the present invention is directed to pages used for monthly calendars of the type adapted to receive information placed thereon by a user. These calendars are typically of two types. A first type of such calendars is the standard wall calendar which is adapted to be supported on a wall, door or other vertical surface. Here, a plurality of pages are bound together with there typically being at least one sheet for each month of the year. These pages are usually printed with each day of the month arranged in seven columns, corresponding to the days of the week. Thus, each month is presented as a matrix of rows and columns with there typically being seven columns, corresponding to the days of the week and five or six rows, as necessary, to accommodate the days of the month. Sometimes, the days are separated by vertical and horizontal lines so that a box is provided for each day within which information such as an appointment or an event to be remembered may be placed by the user. A second type of such calendar is the desk pad. Here again, a plurality of monthly calendar sheets are bound together, but are adapted to be laid flat upon a working surface, such as the top surface of a desk, to form a writing pad for the user. The days are again typically organized in rows and columns, and it is typical to provide a large box for each day so that a user may write information such as his/her appointments, special events, telephone numbers, etc. as an organizational tool. These desk pad calendars have a linear bottom edge which is aligned with a linear edge of the desk, and the matrix of lines forming the rows and columns for the days are respectively parallel to and perpendicular to this linear edge.

Despite the usefulness of these various calendars in receiving information written thereon by a user, a problem exits which has long been unresolved. Due to the anatomy of the human body, most comfortable writing is done on a slant. For right-handed people, it is known that the best writing technique occurs where the writer slants his/her writing away from the body when moving left to right, i.e., at a positive slope. For left-handed writers, when writing left to right, writing is slanted toward the body, that is, at a negative slope. Existing calendars, whether desks or wall calendars, have failed to recognize this need. Accordingly, both wall calendars and desk pad calendars have been equally inconvenient to both left and right-handed writers.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide a new and useful calendar sheet that is better adapted for use in writing information thereon.

Another object of the present invention is to provide monthly calendar sheets which are customized for either left- handed or right-handed writers thereby to be more ergonomic when used to receive written information.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide calendar sheets which may be used on both vertically mounted and horizontally mounted calendar pads that is pleasing in appearance and yet which highlights an informational field upon which information may be written by the user in an easy and convenient manner.

To accomplish these objects, the present invention, then, is directed to a calendar page adapted to receive information written thereon by a user. The calendar page broadly includes a sheet formed of a material capable of receiving information written by the user with this sheet having a linear bottom edge defining an x-axis. A field is then formed on the sheet of a first color. The field has an upper field edge, a linear lower field and a pair of parallel linear side edges thereby defining a field perimeter around the field. The lower field edge is oriented at an acute angle "a" with respect to the bottom edge while the field side edges are each oriented perpendicularly to the lower field edge at an acute angle "b" with respect to the bottom edge. A grid is formed on the field, and this grid has a plurality of spaced-apart parallel first lines oriented parallel to the lower field edge and a plurality of spaced-apart parallel second lines oriented parallel to the field side edges. Thus, the first and second lines define a plurality of boxes arranged in rows and columns with these boxes adapted to receive information therein with the information in the different boxes being demarked by the first and second lines. A primary border extends around the majority of the field perimeter, and this border is formed of a second color different from the first color. Portions of the sheet outside the border have a third color different from the second color thereby emphasizing the presence and orientation of the field.

Preferably, the colors of the calendar page are selected so that the first and third colors are different. The second color is preferably darker than the first and third color and the first color is preferably lighter than the third color. Moreover, the grid is preferably formed in seven columns, and day indicia is located in the primary border proximate to the upper field edge in one-to-one correspondence to the columns for indicating days of the week. Month indicia is also located in the primary border proximate to the upper field edge for indicating a month of the year. A secondary border may also be provided to extend around the majority of the field perimeter between the field perimeter and the primary border. The secondary border is formed of a third color. Moreover, it is preferred by both the primary border and the secondary border each extend completely around the field perimeter.

Preferably, the field is rectangular in shape with the upper field edge being parallel to the lower field edge. The sheet is also preferably rectangular in shape and has a top edge parallel to the bottom edge and a pair of parallel sheets side edges. Preferably, the primary border extends completely around the field and intersects each of the bottom edge, the top edge and the sheet side edges to define corner triangular regions outside of the primary border. It is preferred that the lower field edge be oriented at the acute angle "a" with this angle being within a range of 10 and 40 degrees, inclusively.

These and other objects of the present invention will become more readily appreciated and understood from a consideration of the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment when taken together with the accompanying drawings, in which:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a plurality of calendar pages bound as a calendar desk pad according to a first exemplary embodiment of the present invention with the desk pad being supported on a desk;

Figure 2 is a top plan view of a calendar page according to the first exemplary embodiment of the present invention adapted for right-handed users;

Figure 3 is a top plan view of a calendar page according to the first exemplary embodiment of the present invention adapted for left-handed users; and

Figure 4 is a perspective view of a second alternative exemplary embodiment of the present invention in the form of a wall mounted, hanging calendar utilizing calendar pages according to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

The present invention is directed generally to calendars and, specifically, to pages that are used to form calendars. Accordingly, the present invention is specifically directed to a calendar page with a plurality of such calendar pages typically being bound together to form a calendar that may, for example, be hung on a vertical wall or be employed as a desk pad for a flat working surface.

A first exemplary embodiment of the present invention accordingly is shown in Figure 1. Here, it may be seen that a calendar 10 is depicted as a desk pad adapted to lay flat on a horizontal surface 12 of a desk 14. With reference to Figures 1 and 2, it may be seen that calendar pad 10 is formed of a plurality of pages such as page 20 which are each adapted to receive information written thereon by a user. Each page 20 is defined by a sheet 22 of material capable of receiving information written thereon by a user in pen, pencil or other mark. Each sheet 22 has a linear bottom edge 24 which, for sake of reference, defines an x-axis as is shown in Figure 2. Preferably, sheet 22 is rectangular in shape having a top edge 26 that is linear and parallel to edge 24 and a pair of parallel sheet side edges 28 oriented perpendicularly to edges 24 and 26.

A field 30 is formed out of a first color on sheet 22, and field 30 has a linear lower field edge 32 and a pair of parallel linear field side edges 34 and an upper field edge 36 thereby defining a field perimeter around field 30. As is shown in Figure 2, it is preferred that field 30 be rectangular in shape. In any event, linear lower field edge 32 is oriented at an acute angle "a" with respect to the x- axis, that is, bottom edge 24. Angle "a" should be within a range of 10° to 40°, inclusively. Preferably, angle "a" is within a range of 15° to 30°, and it is believed best that angle "a" be 20°. Where.field 30 is rectangular in shape, parallel field side edges 34 are oriented at a larger acute angle "b" with respect to the x-axis, and it should be appreciated that angles "a" and "b" are complimentary.

Again in reference to Figures 1 and 2, a grid 40 is formed on field 30, such as by printing or other process. Grid 40 is formed by a plurality of spaced-apart parallel first lines 42 oriented parallel to lower field edge 32 and a plurality of spaced-apart parallel second lines 44 oriented parallel to field side edges 34 so that first and second lines 42, 44 intersect each other at right angles. Thus, grid 40 is organized into a plurality of boxes, such as boxes 46, arranged in rows and columns, such as rows 50 and columns 52. Boxes 46 are adapted to receive information therein such that the information in different ones of the boxes is demarked by the first and second lines. Preferably, seven columns of boxes 46 are provided to correspond to the days of the week, and five rows 50 are provided.

A primary border 60 extends around a majority of the perimeter of field 30 with perimeter is formed by lower field edge 32, upper field edge 36 and field side edges 34. In Figure 2, it may be seen that a primary border 60 extends completely around field 30 and, it is to be understood, that the primary border is formed of a second color different from the first color of sheet 22. Portions of sheet 22 located outside of primary border 60, such as triangular portions 62, are formed of a third color which is different from the color of the border and which may be the same or different from the color of sheet 22. Thus, primary border 60 serves to emphasize the presence of an orientation of field 30. Field 30 may thus simply be the background color of sheet 22 with primary border 60 and portions 62 being formed of two different colors, although it should be understood that portions 62 could also be the background color of sheet 22.

In any event, day indicia 70 corresponding to the days of the week may be disposed in the primary border proximate to the upper field edge 36 in one-to-one correspondence to columns 52 for indicating days of the week. Moreover, a month indicia, such as month indicia 72 may also be disposed in the primary border proximate to upper field edge 36 for indicating a month of a year. In Figure 2, this month is represented as "December", and year indicia 74, such as the year "1999" may also be disposed in the primary border 60. As should be understood by the ordinarily skilled person, depending upon the calendar year and month, a day number may be placed in the appropriate boxes 46 for indicating which days of the respective month fall on the respective day of the week, although in Figure 2, the daily numbering is not shown.

When primary border 60 extends around field 30, it is preferred that it intersect each of the bottom edge 24, the top edge 26 and the sheet side edges 28 of sheet 22. Moreover, it is preferred that a secondary border, such as secondary border 80 extend around the majority of the field perimeter between the field perimeter and the primary border 60. The secondary border is preferably formed of the third color, that is, the same as region 62, although it would be possible to form the secondary border 80 of yet a fourth color, if desired. Here again, it is desired that the secondary border extend completely around the field perimeter. Moreover, in order to emphasize the presence and orientation of field 30, it is desirable that the second color be darker than the first and third colors and that the first color be lighter than the third color.

It should be understood from the foregoing, that by virtue of the slanting grid 40 at the acute angle "a" with respect to the bottom edge 24 of sheet 22, greater ease of writing information obtains for a right-handed person where, as is shown in Figure 2, grid 40 has a positive slope. By "positive slope" it is meant that, when bottom edge 24 is considered to be the x-axis, the grid 40 is slanted upwardly when viewed from left-to-right. However, for left-handed writers, it is necessary to provide the grid 40 with a negative slope when viewed from left-to-right such as that shown in reference to Figure 3. Here, it may be seen that a calendar page 120 for a left-handed person is constructed identically as that shown in Figure 3 with grid 140 being canted with a negative slope at the small acute angle "a" with respect to bottom edge 124 of sheet 122. Sheet 122 is provided with a field 130 provided with grid 140, and primary border 160 as well as secondary border 180 extend around field 130, all in the manner described with respect to Figure 2, so that such description need not be repeated.

A second alternative embodiment of the present invention is shown in Figure 4, where it is seen that calendar 210 is of the type adapted to be suspended, such as by a hook 212, on a vertical surface such as wall 214. Calendar 210 includes a plurality of calendar pages 220 of the type described with respect to Figure 2. Here, each page 220 is formed as a sheet 222, again preferably rectangular having a bottom edge 224, a pair of sheet side edges 228 and a top edge 226 that is parallel to bottom edge 224. Here again, sheet 222 is provided with a field 230 having a lower field edge 32 including a grid 240 formed by a plurality of lines, such as lines 242, such that lower field edge 32 and lines 242 are oriented at an acute angle "a" with respect to bottom edge 224. A plurality of parallel lines 244 are oriented at an acute angle "b" with respect to bottom edge 224 and are orthogonal to lines 242 thereby to form a plurality of rows and columns for calendar sheet 220. A primary border 260 and a secondary border 280 extend around field 230, all in the manner similar to that described with respect to the embodiments shown in Figures 1-3. Here again, while calendar page 220 is depicted for a right-handed writer, with grid 240 being oriented at a positive slope with respect to bottom edge 244, a left-handed calendar page could be made by simply canting grid 240 at a negative slope at the acute angle "a" with respect to bottom edge 224. Accordingly, the present invention has been described with some degree of particularity directed to the exemplary embodiments of the present invention. It should be appreciated, though, that the present invention is defined by the following claims construed in light of the prior art so that modifications or changes may be made to the preferred embodiment of the present invention without departing from the inventive concepts contained herein.

Claims

I claim:

1. A calendar page adapted to receive information written thereon by a user, comprising:

(a) a sheet formed of a material capable of receiving information written by the user, said sheet having a linear bottom edge defining an x-axis;

(b) a field formed of a first color and having an upper field edge, a linear lower field edge and a pair of parallel linear field side edges to define a field perimeter therearound, said lower field edge oriented at an acute angle "a" with respect to said bottom edge and said field side edges each oriented perpendicularly to said lower field edge at an acute angle "b" with respect to said bottom edge;

(c) a grid formed on said field, said grid having a plurality of spaced-apart parallel first lines oriented parallel to said lower field edge and a plurality of spaced- apart parallel second lines oriented parallel to said field side edges thereby to define a plurality of boxes arranged in rows and columns and adapted to receive information therein such that information in different ones of said boxes is demarked by said first and second lines; and

(d) a primary border extending around a majority of the field perimeter, said primary border formed of a second color different from said first color and with portions of said sheet outside said primary border having a third color different from said second color whereby to emphasize the presence and orientation of said field.

2. A calendar page according to claim 1 wherein said first and third colors are different.

3. A calendar page according to claim 1 wherein said upper field edge is parallel to said lower field edge so that said field is rectangular in shape.

4. A calendar page according to claim 3 wherein said grid is formed in seven columns and including day indicia located in said primary border proximate to the upper field edge in one-to-one correspondence to said columns for indicating days of a week.

5. A calendar page according to claim 4 including month indicia located in said primary border proximate to the upper field edge for indicating a month of a year.

6. A calendar page according to claim 1 wherein said sheet is rectangular in shape having a top edge parallel to said bottom edge and a pair of parallel sheet side edges.

7. A calendar page according to claim 6 wherein said primary boarder extends completely around said field and intersects each of the bottom edge, top edge and sheet side edges thereby to define corner triangular regions outside said primary border.

8. A calendar page according to claim 1 including a secondary border extending around the majority of said field perimeter between said field perimeter and said primary border, said secondary border formed of the third color.

9. A calendar page according to claim 8 wherein said primary border and said secondary border each extends completely around the field perimeter.

10. A calendar page according to claim 1 wherein the angle "a" is between 10 and 40 degrees, inclusively.

11. A calendar page according to claim 10 wherein the angle "a" is about 20 degrees.

12. A calendar page according to claim 1 wherein said second color is darker than said first and third colors.

13. A calendar page according to claim 11 wherein said first color is lighter than said third color.