Calendar and a strip of calendars attachable to a watch strap, and method of attaching the same thereto

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

a. Technical Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a calendar chip and a strip of calendar chips easily attachable to a wrist watch band and a method of attaching the same thereto.

b. Prior Art

Conventionally, banks and the like have distributed calendar chips as mentioned above to their customers as novelties. A prior art calendar chip 60 of this type is made of an oblong thin metal plate 61 on which a calendar 62 for one of twelve calendar months is printed as shown in Fig. 17. Referring to Fig. 18, the calendar chip 60 is fixed to a band D of a wrist watch by laying the calendar chip 60 on the band D across the same and folding lateral opposite ends 63, 64 to the backside of the band D.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

When the calendar chip is attached to the wrist watch band, the flaps 63, 64 of the metal plate are positioned on the backside of the band D. As a result, if a user wears the watch on his wrist, he would feel uneasy because the flaps 63, 64 directly touch his skin. To make matters worse, the flaps 63, 64 may injure his skin. Further, some person may attach a plurality of metal calendar chips 60 to the band D in line as a calendar for several calendar months. In this case, however, the band D does not curve in an arc along the wrist but bends at various angles, so that the wrist watch sits so worse on the person.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a calendar chip for a wristwatch, which can be easily attached to a band of the watch and sits well on the wrist of a user without injuring his skin.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with the present invention, the aforementioned disadvantages in the prior art calendar chip are eliminated.

The calendar chip according to the present invention comprises a tubular flat body which is made of a plastic film practically shrunk by heat in the widthwise direction and which has first and second layers contiguous to each other, said first layer including on its surface a calendar for a single calendar month or including calendars for a plurality of calendar months successive in time, disposed in the longitudinal direction in order of time.

Such a calendar chip is slipped on a wrist watch band from the end of the band to a part near a watchcase. Then, the calendar chip is subjected to heat treatment and is practically shrunk in the widthwise direction. Thus, the calendar chip is fixed to the watch band. (Claims 1 and 10; Figs. 12 to 14)

A plurality of calendar chips including a calendar for a single calendar month or including calendars for a plurality of calendar months successive in time may be united in one as a strip of calendar chips in advance, so that a required calendar chip is torn off from the strip in use. (Claim 2 and 11; Figs. 8, 10 and 14)

In this case, the required calendar chip can be torn off from the adjacent calendar chip on a perforated line provided therebetween. Instead of the perforated line, the strip may be marked with a line between calendar chips adjacent to each other so that the calendar chips are cut off with a cutting means such as a scissors on the line. (Claim 3; Fig. 2)

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, each of the calendar chips of the strip includes calendars for a plurality of successive calendar months, and all the calendars on all the calendar chips are those for successive calendar months. In this case, also, each of the calendar chips can be torn off from the strip and attached to the wrist watch by a way similar to the above. This conveniently allows a user to see a plurality of calendar months simultaneously. (Claim 4; Figs. 1 and 8)

In the above case, each of the calendar chips can be provided with a second perforated line between the calendars adjacent to each other, so that the user attaches a calendar chip including calendars for the current month and the following months, and detaches at the perforated line a piece in which the calendar for the current month is presented when the current month is over. (Claim 5; Fig. 8)

In this case, the detachment of the unnecessary piece can be more easily performed by making a third perforated line longitudinally extending in the piece in which the current mouth is presented. (Claim 6; Figs. 8 and 9)

However, there is a possibility that the calendar chip is torn off at the third perforated line because of the thermal shrinkage in attaching the calendar chip to the watch. Hence, the third perforated line preferably requires the larger force to cut off, compared to the first and second perforated lines. (Claim 7; Fig. 8)

In another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the strip of calendar chips consists of a plurality of calendar chips longitudinally disposed. A first calendar chip at one end of the strip includes two calendars for first and second calendar months successive in time, and a second calendar chip adjacent to the first calendar chip includes calendars for the second calendar month and a third calendar month succeeding the second calendar in time.

The user attaches the first calendar chip to his wrist watch in the first calendar month. This is convenient in that the user can make a schedule for a relatively long period because he can see the calendars for the first or current month and the second or next month simultaneously. When the first month is over and the second month begins, the user detaches the first calendar chip and attaches the second calendar chip to the watch. Then, he can see the calendars for the second or current month and the third or next month simultaneously. (Claim 8; Fig. 10)

In this case, also, a perforated line or a mark line for cutting off can be provided between calendar chips adjacent to each other. (Claim 9; Fig. 10)

Advantageously, heat treatment to the calendar chip is performed especially to the second layer. When the second layer is heated, the and serves as a shield, so that the first layer of the calendar chip is not shrunk. Thus, deformation of characters of a calendar printed on the first layer is avoided. (Claim 12; Fig. 4)

As to a heating manner, preferably, hot air is blown to the surface of the second layer. (Claim 13; Fig. 4)

A hair dryer can be employed as a means for blowing hot air to the calendar chip. (Claim 14; Fig. 4)

In still another preferred embodiment, when the calendar chip is attached to the wrist watch band, the calendar chip is set on the band so that a part where a calendar is positioned on the first layer of the calendar chip corresponds almost to the widthwise middle of the wrist watch band. In this state, the calendar chip is temporarily fixed to the band with adhesive tape. After the thermal treatment to the calendar chip is completed, the adhesive tape can be removed. This prevents the calendar chip from moving due to the hot blow in attaching the calendar chip uti8lizing its thermal shrinkage characteristic. Thus, the calendar chip can be fixed to the watch in position. (Claim 15; Fig. 3)

For the same purpose, after the calendar chip is set on the watch band so that a part where a calendar is presented on the first layer of the calendar chip corresponds almost to the widthwise middle of the wrist watch band, slacks of the calendar chip at the opposite ends of the wrist watch band may be folded toward the second layer. In this case, the folded portions prevent the calendar chip and the watch band from moving relatively to each other. (Claim 16; Fig. 7)

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other objects of the present invention will become more fully apparent with reference to the drawings wherein:

• Fig. 1 is a perspective view illustrating an embodiment of a strip of calendar chips according to the present invention;
• Fig. 2 is a perspective view illustrating a piece of calendar chip torn off from other calendar chips of the strip shown in Fig. 1;
• Fig. 3 is a perspective view illustrating the piece of calendar chip fitted on a band of a wristwatch and temporarily fixed to the band in position;
• Fig. 4 is a perspective view illustrating the piece of calendar chip blow with hot air from a hair dryer;
• Fig. 5 is a perspective view illustrating a watch sitting on a wrist, to which the piece of calendar chips is fixed through thermal shrinkage;
• Fig. 6 is a sectional view illustrating the piece of calendar chips fitted on the watch band before heated;
• Fig. 7 is a perspective view illustrating an alternative embodiment of the temporal fixation of Fig. 3;
• Fig. 8 is a perspective view illustrating another embodiment of the strip of calendar chips according to the present invention; each of the calendar chips including two calendars and being provided with a perforated line between these calendars, and the strip of calendar chips being also provided with a longitudinal perforated line;
• Fig. 9 is a perspective view illustrating a piece of calendar chips torn off from the strip of calendar chips of Fig. 8 and fixed to a watch band; the half of the piece of calendar chips, which includes a single calendar, being detached on the perforated line;
• Fig. 10 is a perspective view illustrating another embodiment of the present invention; in which a first calendar chip includes two calendars for two successive calendar months, and a second calendar chip includes two calendars for the latter calendar month in the first calendar chip and the following calendar month;
• Fig. 11 is a perspective view illustrating the strip of calendar chips according to the present invention affixed to a board;
• Fig. 12 is a perspective view illustrating a single calendar chip formed as a unit, which includes a single calendar for a single calendar month;
• Fig. 13 is a perspective view illustrating a single calendar chip formed as a unit, which includes two calendars for two calendar months;
• Fig. 14 is a perspective view illustrating a single calendar chip formed as a unit, which includes three calendars for three calendar months and is provided with perforated lines between the adjacent calendars;
• Fig. 15 is a schematic view illustrating a perpetual calendar;
• Fig. 16 is a graph illustrating a thermal contraction characteristic of an ester film - SR;
• Fig. 17 is a plan view illustrating a conventional metallic calendar chip for a wristwatch; and
• Fig. 18 is a perspective view illustrating the calendar chip of Fig. 17 fixed to a band of the wristwatch.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Figs. 1 to 7 show an embodiment according to the present invention.

Reference numeral 10 designates the whole strip of calendar chips. The strip of calendar chips is formed of an integral tubular and flat body 12 of plastic film. The plastic film may be a stretchable film of polyvinyl chloride or polyester and may shrink when heated. The thermal shrinkage of the tubular body 12 must occur practically in the lateral direction; that is the thermal shrinkage must occur (1) only in the lateral direction but not at all in the longitudinal direction or (2) mainly in the lateral direction and a little in the longitudinal direction although the thermal shrinkage in the longitudinal direction must not cause significant deformation of characters of the calendar.

As the stretchable polyester film, for example, "Ester Film - SR" developed by Toyobo Co., Ltd. is commercially available. There are two types of Ester Film; SR : E1527 and SR : E1529. Both of the films have individual thermal shrinkage characteristics shown in Fig. 16.

The body 12 is preferably formed by bonding or welding opposite ends of a sheet of the aforementioned plastic film to each other at a junction 14.

The body 12 having a compressed and tubular configuration includes a first front layer 16 and a second rear layer 18 contiguous with opposite ends of the first layer 16.

The body 12 consists of three calendar chips 20, 22, 24 longitudinally joined one another. The three calendar chips 20, 22, 24 are printed with calendars for successive six calendar months on the surface of the first layer 16 in the longitudinal direction in order of time. For example, the first calendar chip 20 is printed with calendars 26a, 26b for October and November, 1989. The second calendar chip 22 is printed with calendars 26c, 26d for December, 1989 and January, 1990. Also, the third calendar chip 24 is printed with calendars 26e, 26f for February and March, 1990. To simplify the illustration, the calendars 22b to 22f include simply a sign representing a calendar month and year, but days of the week "Sunday" to "Saturday" and days "1" to "31" are omitted.

The adjacent calendar chips 20, 22 and 22, 24 are provided with a perforated line 28 therebetween, respectively. Instead of the perforated line, a dot line may be printed so that the calendar chips can be detached with cutting means such as scissors on the dot line.

Assume that a user requires the aforementioned calendar of October, 1989. As shown in Fig. 2, the user tears off the first calendar chip 20 from the strip 10 of calendar chips on the perforated line 28 between the first calendar chip 20 and the second calendar chip 22. Then the user sets a watch A to which the calendar chip 20 is to be attached, with a dial C of a watchcase B facing to him. The user slips the first calendar chip 20 on a watch band D from its free end to the watchcase B. The calendars 26a, 26b are printed almost in the widthwise middle of the first layer 16 of the calendar chip 20. Therefore, the calendar 20 must be positioned on the band D so that the center of the calendar chip 20 nearly corresponds to that of the watch band D. In this state, the calendar chip 20 is temporarily fixed to the watch A in position with adhesive tape strips E, F affixed over each of lengthwise opposite ends of the calendar chip 20, the band D and the watchcase B, as shown in Fig. 3.

Then, as shown in Fig. 4, turning the watch A having the calendar chip 20 temporarily fixed, hot air from a hair dryer is blow to the second layer 18 of the calendar chip 20. This causes the calendar chip 20 to shrink in the lateral direction due to heat to clinch the band D in. Thus, the attachment of the calendar chip 20 to the band D is effected. Fig. 5 shows the watch band D to which the calendar chip 20 is fixed.

Since the hot air is blown to the second layer 18, or the backside, of the calendar chip 20, the band D serves as a shield and prevents the hot air from directly touching the first layer 16 of the calendar chip 20 or, especially, the middle portion thereof in which the calendars 26a, 26b are printed. Accordingly, the portion having the calendars 26a, 26b may hardly shrink due to heat, and thus deformation of characters on the calendar can be avoided.

As previously mentioned, since the calendar chip 20 is temporarily fixed to the band D with the adhesive tape strips E, F, the calendar chip 20 might not be moved on the band D due to the pressure of the hot blow. Hence, the calendar chip 20 can be fixed to the band D in position.

Instead of the hair dryer G, other heating means such as a stove can be employed to heat the calendar chip 20. If the user never mind some deformation of characters on the calendar, the calendar chip 20 may be heated at the front side, or the first layer 16, or may be heated all over the surface.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view illustrating the calendar chip 20 fitted on the band D before the heat treatment. The calendar chip 20, for example, may be formed to have a circumference of 52 mm. The commercially available watch band D is approximately 1.5 mm in thickness and approximately 15 mm in width. Hence, if the calendar 26a is printed with the width of about 14 mm, the band D can perfectly block the hot blow from the backside thereof. The second layer 18 and opposite U-shaped portions 19 of the calendar chip 20 mainly shrink to come closely in contact with three sides D₁, D₂, D₃ of the watch band D.

In this case, it is assumed that the inner peripheral surface of the calendar chip 20 should be hardly shrunk in a part which is in contact with the lower side of the band D. The inner circumferential length (ℓ) of the rest of the calendar chip 20, which is not in contact with the lower side of the band D, must be shrunk to (m) which is the sum of the length of the three sides D₁, D₂, D₃ of the band D. Using the numerical value given above, the following equations are provided:

(ℓ) = 52 - 15 = 37 mm

(m) = 15 + 2 x 1.5 = 18 mm

(m) / (ℓ) = 0.49 mm

The plastic film for the calendar chips must have a lateral shrinkage coefficient of approximately 50 %. As will be recognized from thermal shrinkage characteristic shown in Fig. 16, SR : E1527 and SR : E1529 commonly obtain this level of coefficient at approximately 80 °C. SR : E1527 is preferred because it has a less shrinkage at ordinal temperature. In the above embodiment shown in the figure, the calendar chip 20 is temporarily fixed to the watch band D with the adhesive tape strips E, F before the heat treatment. Instead, as shown in Fig. 7, slacking portions 19 projecting to the lateral sides from the band D may be folded upward and inward opposite to each other. This prevents the calendar chip 20 from moving on the band D in the lateral direction.

In the aforementioned first embodiment, although the strip 10 consists of the three calendar chips 20, 22, 24, it may consist of two, or four or more calendar chips. Only a single calendar month may be presented in a single calendar chip, and three or more calendar months may be presented therein.

In another embodiment shown in Fig. 8, similar to the above embodiment, the perforated line 28 is provided between the adjacent calendar chips 20, 22 and 22, 24. In addition to that, each of the calendar chips 20, 22, 24 is provided with a second perforated line 30 between the adjacent parts including a calendar 26a, 26b; 26c, 26d; and 26e, 26f (not shown). Furthermore, the second layer 18 is provided with a third perforated line 32 longitudinally extending. The calendar chip 20, similar to the calendar chips 22, 24, is divided into upper and lower parts 34, 36 by the second perforated line 30. In the first layer 18 not shown in Fig. 8, the part 34 includes a calendar of October, 1989 and the part 36 includes that of November, 1989. The calendar chips 22, 24, similar to the above embodiment, include calendars for four calendar months from December, 1989 to March, 1990.

A user tears the calendar chip 20 from the strip 10 at the first perforated line 28 and attaches it to the band of his watch in October, 1989, for example. When October, 1989 is over, the part 34 is removed from the calendar chip 20 with the part 36 having a calendar of November, 1989 left on the watch band. This process is shown in Fig. 9. First, the part 34 of the calendar chip 20 is cut at the perforated line 32 from the top. After the part 34 is detached at the perforated line 32, it is torn off from the part 36 on the second perforated line 30 along the outer peripheral surface of the band.

When the calendar chip 20 is attached to the watch band through thermal shrinkage in this case, the calendar chip 20 may tear at the perforated line 32 provided therein. To avoid this, the perforated line 32 is so tough that significantly strong force is required for cutting it off. As to the force required for cutting the first, second and third perforated lines 28, 30, 32, it is preferable that the first perforated line 28 requires the least force, the second perforated line 30 requires the force slightly larger than that, and the third perforated line 32 requires the much larger force.

In an embodiment shown in Fig. 8, the longitudinal perforated line may be provided only in the part 34, because the removal of the part 36 having a calendar of the second calendar month can be performed with a knife.

Also in an embodiment shown in Fig. 10, the three calendar chips 20, 22, 24 are joined into a unity. In this case, the first calendar chip 20 includes two calendars 26a, 26b for two successive calendar months (October and November, 1989 in the embodiment of Fig. 10). The second calendar chip 22 adjacent to the first calendar chip 20 includes a calendar identical with the second calendar 26b in the first calendar chip 20, or a calendar for November, 1989, and another calendar 26c, or a calendar for the following month December, 1989, the latter being presented under the former on the calendar chip 20.

A user tears off the first calendar chip 20 from the strip and attaches it to his wrist watch in October, 1989. This allows the user to simultaneously see two of the calendars for October and November, 1989. When October, 1989 is over, he detaches the first calendar chip 20 from the wrist watch but instead attaches the second calendar chip 22 thereto. This allows the user to see both of the calendars for the current month and the following month, or the calendars for November and December, 1989.

Also in the embodiment shown in Fig. 10, although the perforated line 28 is provided between the two adjacent calendar chips, a dot line may be printed instead so that the calendar chips can be cut off from each other at the dot line.

Referring to Fig. 11, the strip of calendar chips according to the present invention is affixed to a board used in distributing the strip as novelties. The bottom end of the strip 10 is provided with an extension 42 extending from a perforated line 40. The strip 10 can be fixed to the board 13 by affixing the extension 42 to the board 13 with an adhesive tape strip H.

In any of the aforementioned embodiments, a strip consisting of a plurality of calendar chips is prepared in advance, and only a required calendar chip is detached from the strip and attached to a wrist watch. However, the present invention also provides a calendar chip which is formed as a unit. Fig. 12 shows a calendar chip 21 as a unit, which includes a single calendar 26a. A user attaches a calendar chip having a calendar for the current month (a calendar for October, 1989 in the embodiment shown in Fig. 12) to his wrist watch. When the calendar month is over, the calendar chip 21 is removed and another calendar chip (having a calendar for the following calendar month) is attached.

Referring to Fig. 13, a single calendar chip 21 includes two calendars 26a, 26b for two successive calendar months. A user attaches the calendar chip 21 to his wrist watch when the earlier calendar month 26a begins, and removes it when the following calendar month 26b is over.

Referring to Fig. 14, a calendar chip 21 as a unit includes calendars 26a, 26b, 26c for successive calendar months. The calendar chip 21 is provided with a perforated line 44 between the adjacent calendars. A user attaches the entire calendar chip 21 to his wrist watch, detaches on the perforated line 44 a piece including a calendar for the past calendar month each time the calendar month corresponding to a calendar on the calendar chip is over, and throws the piece away. In this case, preferably, a perforated line longitudinally extending is provided similar to the embodiment shown in Fig. 8.

As has been described, according to the present invention, a tubular calendar chip made of a plastic film is fitted on a wrist watch band, shrunk by means of heat treatment and tightly fixed thereto. The plastic film and the watch band D are united almost in one because the former is very flexible and very thin, so that the flexibility essential in the band D permits the band D to curve with the fixed calendar chip. The calendar chip of the present invention sits well on the wrist of a user without injuring the skin of the user, unlike the prior art embodiment in which opposite ends of a metal chip is folded to the backside of the watch band and touches the skin of the wrist.

Particularly, the calendar chip of the present invention is advantageous in that the watch band can be curved well along the contours of the wrist when the calendar chip includes a plurality of calendars for months and the entire calendar chip curved with the watch band, compared to the conventional case in which a plurality of metal plates having a calendar are attached to the watch band.

Although ordinary calendars are used in the above embodiments, a special perpetual calendar 50 previously invented by the inventor may be used. The perpetual calendar 50 is shown in Fig. 15. In a middle calendar day display 52, numerals "1" - "31" representing calendar days are arranged at several levels. Groups of three and four numerals are alternately arranged; for example, "1" - "3" are placed at the first level, "4" - "7" at the second level, "8" - "10" at the third level, and so fort.

For example, small "5" and "11" are disposed above and below a large "3" in a square at the upper right corner. This means that May 3 and November 3 are national holidays.

First Sunday display columns 54, 56 are arranged above and below the calendar day display 52. In the upper display column 54, for example, calendar days corresponding to the first Sunday of each month in 1989 are indicated. "1-1" means January 1 is the first Sunday of January, and "2-5" means February 5 is the second Sunday of February.

In the lower display column 56, information similar to the above is presented with regard to the following calendar year 1990. For example, "1-7" means January 7 is the first Sunday of January.

The special perpetual calendar is disclosed in detail in Japanese Patent Application No. 328098/1987 which relates to an invention of the inventor of the present invention.