BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to awards. More particularly the invention concerns a self standing award medal.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
To commemorate achievement in fields such as sports, business and academics, it has become common practice to award achieving individuals various types of certificates, plaques, ribbons, medals and the like. For example, well known types of medals include the Gold, Silver, and Bronze medals which are awarded at the Olympics and like sporting events. The conventional prior art award medal generally consists of a disc-shaped plate that is typically formed by well-known molding and casting techniques and is suspended on a chain or ribbon that is worn about the neck of the recipient. In many instances the disk shaped medal includes brightly colored decorative designs and often is engraved with indicia such as “first place”, “second place” and the like. While the relatively heavy weight of conventional, prior art medals provides a gratifying feel when worn by the recipient, because of their weight the medals are generally worn only on special occasions. When the medal is not being worn, the recipient often wishes to display the medal for viewing by others. However, the prior art offers little in the way of convenient means for appropriately displaying achievement medals.
In recognition of this prior art deficiency, the thrust of the present invention is to provide an achievement medal of a unique design that can be worn by the recipient in a conventional manner and when not in use can be conveniently and attractively displayed on any type of flat surface, such as a desk, bookshelf or the like.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
By way of brief summary, one form of the achievement medal of the present invention comprises a body portion having a front, plate-like display surface, a rear surface, and first and second sides, each side having an upper portion, a lower portion and an intermediate portion. A first, outwardly extending pivot pin is connected to the first side proximate its intermediate portion and a second outwardly extending pivot pin is connected to the second side proximate its intermediate portion. To conveniently support the achievement medal on a flat surface for display purposes, a generally U-shaped support member is pivotally connected to the first and second pivot pins for movement between a first stowed or folded position and a second extended, medal display position.
With the forgoing in mind, it is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved achievement medal that can be worn about the neck of the user in a conventional manner, or alternatively, when not being worn, can be conveniently and attractively displayed on a flat surface, such as found on a desk or bookshelf.
Another object of the invention is to provide an achievement medal of the aforementioned character that includes a plate-like display surface upon which various decorations and indicia can be conveniently imprinted or engraved.
Another object of the invention is to provide an achievement medal as described in the preceding paragraphs that embodies a compact, easy to use support means provided in the form of a pivotally mounted, generally U-shaped support that can be conveniently moved from a stowed configuration to an extended configuration wherein the medal can be supported on a flat surface in a manner such that the indicia provided on the display surface of the medal is readily visible.
Another object of the invention is to provide an award medal that can be of various configurations and can embody a wide variety of colorful ornamental designs.
Another object of the invention is to provide an improved achievement medal of the class described that is of a generally rugged construction, is durable in use and yet is of a simple design that can be economically mass produced.
These and other objects of the invention will be achieved by the novel improved achievement medal of the invention as illustrated in the attached drawings and described in the specification which follows.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a generally perspective, exploded view of one form of the self standing achievement medal of the invention.
FIG. 2 is a generally perspective view of the self standing achievement medal illustrated in FIG. 1 as it appears in an assembled configuration with the medal support in a folded configuration.
FIG. 3 is a generally perspective view of the self standing achievement medal illustrated in FIG. 2, but showing the medal support in an extended configuration.
FIG. 4 is an enlarged right side view of the self standing medal.
FIG. 5 is an enlarged left side view of the self standing medal.
FIG. 6 is a generally perspective, rear view of the self standing medal of the invention showing the medal support in phantom lines.
FIG. 7 is a greatly enlarged, fragmentary view of the area designated in FIG. 6 as 7-7.
FIG. 8 is a generally perspective front view of an alternate form of self standing achievement medal of the invention.
FIG. 9 is a generally perspective rear view of the alternate form of self standing achievement medal of the invention showing the medal support in phantom lines.
FIG. 10 is a greatly enlarged, fragmentary view of the area designated in FIG. 9 as 10-10.
FIG. 11 is a generally perspective view of still another form of self standing achievement medal of the invention.
FIG. 12 is an exploded rear view of the alternate form of self standing achievement medal of the invention shown in FIG. 11.
FIG. 13 is a rear view of the alternate form of self standing achievement medal of the invention shown in FIG. 11.
FIG. 14 is a side elevational view of the alternate form of self standing achievement medal of the invention shown in FIG. 11, showing in dotted lines the support member of the device in an extended position.
FIG. 15 is a fragmentary, generally perspective view illustrating the manner of interconnection of the support member of the device to the body portion thereof.
FIG. 16 is a generally perspective view of the alternate form of self standing achievement medal of the invention shown in FIG. 11.
DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Referring to the drawings and particularly to FIGS. 1 through 7, one form of the self standing achievement medal of the invention is there shown and generally designated by the numeral 14. The achievement medal 14 here comprises a body 16 having a front substantially flat, plate-like display surface 18, a rear surface 20, and a continuous peripheral portion in the form of an outer rim or sidewall. An upstanding decorative overlay 21 is affixed to body portion 16. A variety of decorative and informative indicia can be affixed to and imprinted on overlay 21 and on display surface 18
As illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 6, body 16 has a first side 22 having an upper portion 22a, a lower portion 22b and an intermediate portion 22c. Similarly, body 16 has a second side 24 having an upper portion 24a, a lower portion 24b and an intermediate portion 24c. For a purpose presently to be described, a first pivot pin 26 is connected to and extends outwardly from first side 22 proximate the intermediate portion 22c thereof. Similarly, a second pivot pin 28 is connected to and extends outwardly from second side 24 proximate the intermediate portion 24c thereof.
As illustrated in FIG. 1 of the drawings, body 16 includes a curved top portion 16a having an aperture 30 provided therein and a curved bottom portion 16b.
An important feature of the self standing achievement medal of the present invention is the support member 36 that is pivotally connected to body portion 16 for movement between a first folded position shown in FIG. 2 of the drawings and a second extended position shown in FIG. 3 of the drawings. As best seen in FIG. 1, support member 36 is generally “U” shaped in configuration and includes a pair of spaced apart, generally parallel legs 38 and 40. Connected to and spanning legs 38 and 40, is bight portion 42. Bight portion 42 includes a centrally disposed flat portion 42a to provide better engagement with the supporting surface (see FIG. 3). Legs 38 and 40 of the bight portion 42 are provided with bores 43 that are adapted to closely receive pivot pins 26 and 28 in the manner indicated in FIG. 7 of the drawings so that the leg is able to pivot about the pivot pins. As illustrated in FIG. 2 of the drawings, when the support member 36 is in its folded configuration the curved bight portion 42 is disposed in close proximity with said curved lower portion of body 16.
In the construction illustrated in the drawings and described in the preceding paragraphs, when the recipient desires to wear the medal assembly about his or her neck, support member 36 is folded into the stowed position shown in FIG. 2 of the drawings. When the recipient desires to display the medal on a desk top, bookshelf or the like, support member 36 is pivoted about pivot pins 26 and 28 into the extended position shown in FIG. 3 of the drawings, wherein the lower portion 16b of the body and the flat 42a of the support member engage the supporting surface in a manner to clearly display to the observer the indicia provided on the face of the medal assembly.
Referring next to FIGS. 8 through 10 of the drawings, an alternate form of the self standing achievement medal of the invention is there shown and generally designated by the numeral 54. This latest form of the achievement medal of the invention is similar in some respects to that shown in FIGS. 1 through 7 of the drawings and here comprises a generally circular shaped body 56 having a front substantially flat, plate-like display surface 58, a rear surface 60 (FIG. 9), and a continuous peripheral portion in the form of an outer rim or sidewall. An upstanding decorative, rim-like overlay 61 is affixed to the upper portion of the body. As in the earlier described embodiment of the invention, a wide variety of decorative and informative indicia can be affixed to and imprinted on overlay 61 and on display surface 58
Body 56 has a first side 62 having an intermediate portion 62a and a second side 64 having an intermediate portion 64a. For a purpose presently to be described, a first pivot pin 66 is connected to and extends outwardly from first side 62 proximate the intermediate portion 62a thereof. Similarly, a second pivot pin 68 is connected to and extends outwardly from second side 64 proximate the intermediate portion 64a thereof.
As illustrated in FIG. 9 of the drawings, rim-like overlay 61 includes a curved top portion 61a having an aperture 70 provided therein that is adapted to receive a length of neck ribbon and can be used to support the medal about the recipients neck in a conventional manner.
As in the earlier embodiment, an important feature of the self standing achievement medal of this latest form of the present invention is the support member 76 that is pivotally connected to body portion 62 for movement between a first folded position shown in FIG. 10 of the drawings and a second extended position shown in FIG. 8 of the drawings. As best seen in FIG. 9, support member 76 is generally “U”-shaped in configuration and includes a pair of spaced apart curved legs 78 and 80. Connected to and spanning legs 78 and 80, is bight portion 82. Bight portion 82 includes a centrally disposed flat portion 82a to provide better engagement with the supporting surface (see FIG. 8). Legs 78 and 80 of the bight portion 82 are provided with bores 83 (see FIG. 10) that are adapted to closely receive pivot pins 66 and 68 in the manner indicated in the drawings.
As the construction illustrates in the drawings and described in the preceding paragraphs, when the recipient desires to wear the medal assembly about his or her neck, support member 76 is folded into the stowed position shown in FIG. 10 of the drawings. When the recipient desires to display the medal on a desk top, bookshelf or the like, support member 76 is pivoted about pivot pins 66 and 68 into the extended position shown in FIG. 8 of the drawings, wherein the lower portion of the body and the flat portion 82a of the support member engage the supporting surface in a manner to clearly display to the observer the indicia provided on the face of the medal assembly.
Turning now to FIGS. 11 through 16 of the drawings, still another form of the self standing achievement medal of the invention is there shown and generally designated by the numeral 94. This latest form of the achievement medal of the invention is also similar in some respects to that shown in FIGS. 1 through 7 of the drawings and here comprises a uniquely shaped body 96 having a front display surface 98, a rear surface 100, and a peripheral portion in the form of an outer rim or sidewall 102. An upstanding, generally circular decorative overlay 104 is affixed to body 96. Decorative overlay 104 here simulates a ball. However, a variety of decorative overlays of different configurations can be affixed to body 96 to simulate other articles.
As illustrated in FIGS. 11 and 16, body 96 has a first face portion 106 having an upper portion 106a, a lower portion 106b and an intermediate portion 106c. Similarly, body 96 has first and second sides 108 and 110. Side 108 has a bore 108a, while side 110 has a bore 110a (FIG. 12). The purpose of these bores will presently be described. Upper portion 106a of face portion 106 is provided with an attractively shaped, generally triangular aperture 109 and a rectangular shaped aperture 109a and has imprinted thereon a plurality of designs, here shown as star designs 111. Lower portion 106c of face portion 106 is also provided with an attractively shaped four sided aperture 113. However, it is to be understood that a variety of different types of decorative designs can be imprinted on lower portion 106b and upper portion 106a of body 96. If desired, a variety of different types of decorative designs or other indicia can also be imprinted on lower and intermediate portions 106c and 106b.
An important feature of the self standing achievement medal of this latest form of the invention is a support member 114 that is pivotally connected to body portion 96 for movement between a first folded position shown by the solid lines in FIG. 14 of the drawings and a second extended position shown by the dotted lines in FIG. 14. As best seen in FIG. 12, support member 114 is generally “U”-shaped in configuration and includes a pair of spaced apart, generally parallel legs 116 and 118. Connected to and spanning legs 116 and 118, is bight portion 120. Bight portion 120 includes a centrally disposed flat portion 120a to provide better engagement with the supporting surface (see FIG. 16). Legs 116 and 118 are provided with outwardly extending pivot protuberances 122 and 124 respectively (FIG. 12) that are adapted to be closely received within bores 108a and 110a respectively in the manner indicated in FIGS. 12, 14 and 16 of the drawings. As illustrated by the solid lines in FIG. 14, when the support member 114 is in its folded configuration, the bight portion 120 is disposed in close proximity with the lower portion 106b of body 96.
In the construction illustrated in the drawings and described in the preceding paragraphs, when the recipient desires to wear the medal assembly about his or her neck, support member 114 is folded into the stowed position shown by the solid lines in FIG. 14 of the drawings. When the recipient desires to display the medal on a desk top, bookshelf or the like, support member 114 is pivoted about pivot protuberances 122 and 124 into the extended position shown by the dotted lines in FIG. 14 wherein the lower portion of the body and the flat of the support member engage the supporting surface in a manner to clearly display to the observer the indicia and designs provided on the face of the medal assembly.
Having now described the invention in detail in accordance with the requirements of the patent statutes, those skilled in this art will have no difficulty in making changes and modifications in the individual parts or their relative assembly in order to meet specific requirements or conditions. Such changes and modifications may be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention, as set forth in the following claims:
Patent Application
20090317588
