US4063369A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Visual communication tool for children
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1975-12-15
•
Granted: 1977-12-20
•
Expires: 1995-12-15
Abstract
Abstract A visual communication tool for children in which non-worded expression can be displayed in pictorial form. By utilizing a series of provided figures, a child is capable of creating his own storybook so as to communicate his creativity to others through the pictorial display or with an accompanying explanation.
Inventors
- 👤 Mary Louise Hart
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 22:58
CPC Classifications
G; G09; G09B; G09B1/00; G09B1/02; G09B1/04; G09B1/06; A; A63; A63H; A63H33/00; A63H33/38
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 8
Claim 1
Independent Claim
341 words
A visual communication tool for children comprising: a binder means having a front cover, a rear cover and cover attachment means attaching said front cover to said rear cover, a plurality of display mounting leaves mounted in said binder means, said display mounting leaves being pivotally constrained within said binder means, thereby enabling access to any one of said plurality of leaves without removal from said binder means; each of said display mounting leaves providing an unobstructed area in which a user may assemble one or more component story figures as desired; component story figures which are placed on said unobstructed areas of said mounting leaves to illustrate a story as composed by the user of said tool; each of said component story figures having a distinct shape representative of a particular story figure without alphabetical indicia, said plurality of said display mounting leaves and said component story figures portraying a schematic expression continuously from the first of said mounting leaves through the remainder of said mounting leaves as needed within said binder means; restraining means for securely attaching said component story figures to said plurality of display mounting leaves and for enabling overlapping attachment of component story figures to one another, thereby maintaining said figures in place on said leaves when the binder is open or closed until said component story figures are manually removed by said user from said mounting leaves; a plurality of mounting pockets on said binder means in which said component story figures are stored before placement on said display mounting leaves and after removal of said story figures from said mounting leaves, said mounting pockets having indicia associated with said story figures thereby indicating which of said mounting pockets is to contain one of said story figures, said mounting pockets being mounted on the inside surfaces of one or more of said front and rear covers respectively, said component story figures having shapes and representing objects which follow one particular theme, thereby limiting the story sequence to a particular topic as expressed by the user.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
341 words
A visual communication tool for children comprising: a binder means having a front cover, a rear cover and cover attachment means attaching said front cover to said rear cover, a plurality of display mounting leaves mounted in said binder means, said display mounting leaves being pivotally constrained within said binder means, thereby enabling access to any one of said plurality of leaves without removal from said binder means; each of said display mounting leaves providing an unobstructed area in which a user may assemble one or more component story figures as desired; component story figures which are placed on said unobstructed areas of said mounting leaves to illustrate a story as composed by the user of said tool; each of said component story figures having a distinct shape representative of a particular story figure without alphabetical indicia, said plurality of said display mounting leaves and said component story figures portraying a schematic expression continuously from the first of said mounting leaves through the remainder of said mounting leaves as needed within said binder means; restraining means for securely attaching said component story figures to said plurality of display mounting leaves and for enabling overlapping attachment of component story figures to one another, thereby maintaining said figures in place on said leaves when the binder is open or closed until said component story figures are manually removed by said user from said mounting leaves; a plurality of mounting pockets on said binder means in which said component story figures are stored before placement on said display mounting leaves and after removal of said story figures from said mounting leaves, said mounting pockets having indicia associated with said story figures thereby indicating which of said mounting pockets is to contain one of said story figures, said mounting pockets being mounted on the inside surfaces of one or more of said front and rear covers respectively, said component story figures having shapes and representing objects which follow one particular theme, thereby limiting the story sequence to a particular topic as expressed by the user.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
46 words
The invention according to claim 1 in which said display mounting leaves are fabricated of felt flannel material; said component story figures are fabricated from felt flannel material; and said restraining means comprises felt to felt surface adhesion of said story figures to said mounting leaves.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
54 words
The invention according to claim 2 in which plastic partitions are provided between each of said plurality of said display mounting leaves, thereby maintaining said story figures in place and preventing the shifting of said story figures from one mounting leaf to another mounting leaf when said binder means is in the closed position.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
55 words
The invention according to claim 1 in which said display mounting leaves are fabricated from thin sheets of ferrous metal; said component story figures comprising shaped objects of magnetic vinyl having properties which produce attraction to ferrous metal; and said restraining means comprising the magnetic attraction between said display leaves and said component story figures.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
45 words
The invention according to claim 1 in which said display mounting leaves comprise non-porous, smoothly surfaced pages; said component story figures comprise thin, pliable plastic shapes; and said restraining means comprise surface adhesion between said plastic shapes and said non-porous surfaces of said mounting leaves.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
30 words
The invention according to claim 1 in which said indicia on said mounting pockets comprise individual letters of the alphabet, each of which is positioned on a respective mounting pocket.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
31 words
The invention according to claim 1, in which said indicia comprise single words correlating to the component story figure to be placed therein and positioned onto each of said mounting pockets.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1980-12-19 | 1981-06-20 | 1981-12-20 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1984-12-19 | 1985-06-20 | 1985-12-20 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1988-12-19 | 1989-06-20 | 1989-12-20 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |