Pregnancy Advent Calendar

This invention relates in general to calendars and, more specifically, to an advent type calendar designed to inform pregnant mothers of the milestones of human fetal gestation.

Calendars used simply for the marking 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.

In U.S. Pat. No. 2,831,278, issued Apr. 22, 1958, R. H. Myers discloses a calendar structure which permits a user to write personal reminder messages under a moveable tab covering each date on the monthly calendar.

In U.S. Pat. No. 5,207,580, issued May 4, 1993, Victor J. Strecher discloses a calendar manufactured with customized textual messages relating to a specific health or behavior modification goal for a particular individual. Motivational messages as well as reminder messages are displayed in appropriate days of each related month. The specific days, months, and messages unique to the particular individuals behavior modification or health related goal.

In U.S. Pat. No. 5,090,733, issued Feb. 25, 1992, R. Bussiere discloses a calendar with inspirational and motivational messages indicating thoughts or actions for each day, the goal of which is to inspire self-improvement. The messages are printed on moveable tabs and relate 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 objective.

These past designs 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 periods of time associated with these past designs are arbitrary in that they are not related to the timing of any particular event or interval. There is an apparent need for a calendar which is useful to inform a user as to the progress of timing and development of a specific time constrained event or interval. For example, to educate an expectant mother as to the fetal development process and the associated milestones of the human gestation period.

The present invention comprises a calendar which serves to educate a user as to the fetal development process of the human gestation period. In addition, the calendar of the present invention serves to develop the interest of the user in the fetal development process. In an exemplary preferred embodiment, the calendar comprises an upper paper layer on which an image is printed. The upper paper layer is applied atop a lower substrate layer. Rectangular areas (also referred to as "flaps") of varying sizes within the image are cut into the upper paper layer. The rectangular areas are formed with tabs which a user may grip to lift the rectangular area up from the upper paper layer. Under each rectangular area, on the lower substrate layer, a message is printed. A user lifts the tab, raising a related rectangular area, to read the corresponding message under each rectangular area.

Each rectangular area is labelled with a number ranging from 3 through 40 corresponding to particular weeks in the interval comprising the normal human gestation period. The message under each labelled rectangular area tab informs the user of the progress of fetal development for the corresponding week of the human gestation period. Each week, the user lifts another tab to view the message corresponding to the labelled week of the gestation period. The effect of the collection of messages is to educate the user as to the milestones of progress in the fetal development process as well as to develop the users interest in the fetal development process.

More generally, the calendar of the present invention informs and educates the user with respect to milestones in the development of a time constrained development process. Child development is another example of such a timed development process spread through a number of years.

FIG. 1 shows the front of the one possible exemplary embodiment of a calendar of the present invention with the graphical image emphasized more than the tabbed rectangular areas;

FIG. 2 shows the same calendar of FIG. 1 with the tabbed rectangular areas emphasized more than the graphical image;

FIG. 3 shows one exemplary tabbed rectangular area on the upper paper layer of the calendar of FIG. 1 indicating the manner in which it may be pulled open;

FIG. 4 shows the tabbed rectangular area of FIG. 3 opened to reveal the informative message printed below on the substrate paper layer; and

FIG. 5 shows the tabbed rectangular area of FIG. 3 opened to reveal the informative message printed on the back side of the opened tabbed rectangular area.

FIG. 1 is a front view of calendar 100 of the present invention. Upper paper layer 102 has image 104 applied to its surface depicting a comforting, maternal scene. It will be recognized by those skilled in the art that image 104 applied to upper paper layer 102 may be of any desired scene. Upper paper layer 102 is affixed to a paper substrate paper layer (not shown in FIG. 1) which provides structural rigidity. Tabbed rectangular areas 106 (shown in dotted lines on FIG. 1) are pre-formed in upper paper layer 102. Three sides of each tabbed rectangular area 106 are pre-cut in upper paper layer 102 to weaken the edges of each tabbed rectangular area 106 so that it may be lifted up and folded back to hinge at the fourth edge of the tabbed rectangular area 106. Each tabbed rectangular area 106 is labelled to indicate a week number 108 of the human gestation period ("WEEK 3" through "WEEK 40"). Under each tabbed rectangular area 106, on the paper substrate paper layer (not shown in FIG. 1), is a printed message (not shown in FIG. 1). Each printed message informs the user as to the progress of human fetal development at the time period corresponding to the week number 108 label on the tabbed rectangular area 106. Each week during a pregnancy, the user of the present invention peels back a tabbed rectangular area 106 corresponding to the associated week of the pregnancy. Reading each message through the term of the pregnancy informs the user as to the stages of fetal development.

Although the exemplary preferred embodiment described herein comprises 38 tabbed rectangular areas 106 labelled with associated week numbers 108 (namely "WEEK 3" through "WEEK 40"), any period of time may be used which relates to the length of the human fetal development process. One skilled in the art will recognize that daily or monthly events as well as events which relate to non-uniform periods of time could be associated with the tabbed rectangular areas 106.

One skilled in the art will further recognize that the present invention is distinguished from prior calendar designs in that it is not related to any specific day, month, or year. The calendar of the present invention is linked to the date of conception of the developing fetus and may be utilized regardless of the associated starting chronological date.

In addition, it will be readily recognized that tabbed rectangular areas 106 may be of any shape which permits a user to lift the pre-cut tab and fold it back over a hinged edge, or to remove the tabbed shape, to reveal an informative message printed underneath.

FIG. 2 shows the same front view of calendar 100 of the present invention but with image 104 de-emphasized in order to emphasize tabbed rectangular areas 106 formed in upper paper layer 102. Particular exemplary tabbed rectangular areas 110 are shown in an opened position, folded back from upper paper layer 102 to reveal messages 112 printed on substrate paper layer 114. Messages 112, as shown in FIG. 2, are too small for legible detail and are therefor depicted only as horizontal lines representative of textual messages.

FIG. 3 shows additional detail of an exemplary tabbed rectangular area 106 with a labelled week number 108 for "WEEK 18" of the gestation period. Tabbed rectangular area 106 is further depicted by dashed lines hinging at its left side partially folded back to an open position. One skilled in the art will recognize that tabbed rectangular area 106 may be formed in upper paper layer 102 such that it may be folded along any one of its four edges.

In FIG. 4, tabbed rectangular area 106 is shown hinged at its left side fully opened to reveal the message 112, "I MAY BE STARTLED BY LOUD NOISES OUTSIDE YOUR BODY", printed on substrate paper layer 114. This exemplary message corresponds to "WEEK 18" of the human gestation period. FIG. 5 depicts a alternative embodiment of the present invention in which message 112 is printed on the back side of tabbed rectangular area 106. As shown in FIG. 5, message 112 is read by a user when tabbed rectangular area 106 is folded back to its open position. In either case depicted in FIGS. 4 and 5, message 112 is revealed by folding back tabbed rectangular area 106 from upper paper layer 102.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the position of tabbed rectangular areas 106 within upper paper layer 102 is randomized to challenge the mother in finding the appropriate week. In addition, the sizes of the several tabbed rectangular areas 106 are varied, in part to disrupt any undesirable monotonous patterned appearance. The sizes of the tabbed rectangular areas 106 are also varied to accommodate the size of the textual message 112. Folding back a particular tabbed rectangular area 106 reveals a message 112 printed upon substrate paper layer 114. Message 112 is framed by, and viewed through, an opening in upper paper layer 102 created by the lifting of a corresponding tabbed rectangular area 106. The length of the several messages 112 varies and therefor so varies the required size of the opening in upper paper layer 102 through which the message is viewed and framed.

An exemplary set of messages for the human gestation period is as follows:

As can be seen by one skilled in the art, the precise text of the messages may vary within the scope and spirit of the present invention. The above text messages are intended only as exemplary of messages used to inform or educate the user as to the human fetal development process. Alternatively, the printed information to be conveyed may relate to any time constrained development process. Child development, plant or animal development, and development of inanimate objects are exemplary of other applications of the present invention.

It will be recognized by one skilled in the art that any period of time may be chosen for the messages. As discussed above, the messages of the exemplary preferred embodiment are oriented toward weekly progress in the time interval comprising human fetal development. Alternatively, messages could be oriented toward daily or monthly progress as well as non-uniform periods of time.

It is to be understood that the claimed invention is not limited to the description of the preferred embodiment, but encompasses other modifications and alterations within the scope and spirit of the inventive concept.