Title: Book holder assembly
Abstract: The present invention is essentially comprised of a pair of spaced-apart planar book support elements joined by a hinged spine support element that accommodates the book spine, a pair of book holder slope support elements that are each joined by a hinge to the top edge of a respective book support element, and a closed cord loop element that adjustably co-operates with the lower extremes of each book support element and each slope support element to controllably vary the slope of the planar book support elements during reading use.
Patent Number: 6,971,621 Issued on 12/06/2005 to Gaines
| Inventors:
|
Gaines; Ronald J. (5807 Rushwood Dr., Dublin, OH 43017)
|
| Appl. No.:
|
716206 |
| Filed:
|
November 17, 2003 |
| Current U.S. Class: |
248/447; 248/454; 248/459 |
| Intern'l Class: |
A47B 097/04; A47G 001/24 |
| Field of Search: |
248/4411,447,451,452,453,454,459,463
281/33,42,34,45,46
206/371,214,477,482
402/4,73,79
24/10.R,11.R
|
References Cited [Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
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| 3954246 | May., 1976 | Sparkman.
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| 3981522 | Sep., 1976 | Bloom.
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| 5678943 | Oct., 1997 | Parsons.
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| 5718023 | Feb., 1998 | Billish.
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| 5722628 | Mar., 1998 | Menaged.
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| 5810182 | Sep., 1998 | Levin.
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| 5829787 | Nov., 1998 | Newhouse, Jr.
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| 5855329 | Jan., 1999 | Pagano.
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| 5908207 | Jun., 1999 | Wilson.
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| 5979857 | Nov., 1999 | Holm.
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| 6231023 | May., 2001 | Morton.
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| 6499767 | Dec., 2002 | Takemura.
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| Foreign Patent Documents |
| 0370961 | May., 1990 | EP.
| |
Primary Examiner: King; Anita
Assistant Examiner: Le; Tan
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Baker, Jr.; Thomas S.
Claims
1. A book holder assembly for holding an open book mounted therein at a desired
book reading slope, comprising:
a pair of spaced-apart book holder planar book support elements each having opposed
longitudinal side edges and opposed transverse bottom and top edges;
a book holder book spine support element having longitudinal edges and joined
at each said longitudinal edge by a hinge to a respective longitudinal side edge
of one of said pair of spaced-apart book holder planar book support elements;
a pair of spaced apart book holder angularity support elements each having longitudinal
side edges and transverse bottom and top edges and each joined at its said transverse
top edge by a hinge to a respective top edge of one of said pair of spaced-apart
book holder planar book support elements;
an eyelet positioned near each bottom edge of each of said pair of spaced-apart
book holder planar book support elements and of each of said pair of spaced apart
book holder angularity support elements; and
a flexible cord threaded through said eyelets and provided with a co-operating
adjustably positioned clamp to form a cord closed loop of desired effective diameter
that limits the slope of said pair of book holder planar book support elements
to the desired book reading slope.
2. The book holder assembly invention of claim 1, and wherein said flexible cord
has sufficient extra length beyond said closed loop whereby said flexible cord
extra length may also be looped over the book holder assembly to function as a
book mark.
3. The invention defined by claim 1, and wherein each of said pair of book holder
planar book support elements is provided with multiple accessory insert through-pockets
positioned on and attached to its reverse side, said accessory insert through pockets
of each book holder planar book support element abutting each other and extending
between said longitudinal edges of the book holder planar book support element.
4. The invention defined by claim 3, and further comprised of a pair of accessory
insert page holder elements, each said accessory insert page holder insert element
slidably co-operating with one of said multiple abutting accessory insert through-pockets
in a respective one of said pair of book holder planar book support elements.
5. The invention defined by claim 4, and wherein each of said accessory insert
page holder elements is provided with a curved page contact element, said curved
page contact element being mounted on said accessory insert page holder element
with a spring that urges said curved page contact element to yieldably press against
said book holder planar book support element.
6. The invention defined by claim 5, and wherein each of said book holder accessory
insert page holder elements is offset longitudinally with respect to the other
along said book holder book support longitudinal edges.
7. The invention defined by claim 1 and further comprised of a pair of spaced-apart
book support ledges, each of said book support ledges being integrally formed with
the bottom edge of a respective book holder assembly planar book support element.
8. The invention defined by claim 7 wherein said eyelet positioned near each
bottom edge of each of said pair of spaced-apart book holder planar book support
elements is positioned in each of said book support ledges.
9. The invention defined by claim 1 where in said eyelet positioned near each
bottom edge of each of said pair of spaced-apart book holder planar book support
elements is positioned in said book holder spine support element.
10. The book holder assembly invention of claim 3, wherein one accessory insert
through-pocket on one of said pair of book holder planar book support elements
is aligned longitudinally with another accessory insert through-pocket on the other
of said pair of planar book holder support elements and an accessory insert element
projects through said one and another accessory insert through-pockets to thereby
retain said pair of book holder book planar book support elements in an open position.
11. A book holder assembly for holding an open book mounted therein at a desired
book reading slope, comprising:
a pair of spaced-apart book holder planar book support elements each having opposed
longitudinal side edges and opposed transverse bottom and top edges;
a book holder book spine support element having longitudinal edges and joined
at each said longitudinal edge by a hinge to a respective longitudinal side edge
of one of said pair of spaced-apart book holder planar book support elements;
a book holder angularity support element having longitudinal side edges and transverse
bottom and top edges and joined at its said transverse top edge by a hinge to a
respective top edge of one of said pair of spaced-apart book holder planar book
support elements;
an eyelet positioned near a bottom edge of one of said pair of spaced-apart book
holder planar book support elements and said book holder angularity support element; and
a flexible cord threaded through said eyelets and provided with a co-operating
adjustably positioned clamp to form a cord closed loop of desired effective diameter
that limits the slope of said pair of book holder planar book support elements
to the desired book reading slope.
12. The book holder assembly invention of claim 11, and wherein said flexible
cord has sufficient extra length beyond said closed loop whereby said flexible
cord extra length may also be looped over the book holder assembly to function
as a book mark.
13. The invention defined by claim 11, and wherein each of said pair of book
holder planar book support elements is provided with multiple accessory insert
through-pockets positioned on and attached to its reverse side, said accessory
insert through pockets of each book holder planar book support element abutting
each other and extending between said longitudinal edges of the book holder planar
book support element.
14. The invention defined by claim 13, and further comprised of a pair of accessory
insert page holder elements, each said accessory insert page holder insert element
slidably co-operating with one of said multiple abutting accessory insert through-pockets
in a respective one of said pair of book holder planar book support elements.
15. The invention defined by claim 14, and wherein each of said accessory insert
page holder elements is provided with a curved page contact element, said curved
page contact element being mounted on said accessory insert page holder element
with a spring that urges said curved page contact element to yieldably press against
said book holder planar book support element.
16. The invention defined by claim 15, and wherein each of said book holder accessory
insert page holder elements is offset longitudinally with respect to the other
along said book holder book support longitudinal edges.
17. The invention defined by claim 11 and further comprised of a pair of spaced-apart
book support ledges, each of said book support ledges being integrally formed with
the bottom edge of a respective book holder assembly planar book support element.
18. The invention defined by claim 17 wherein said eyelet positioned near a bottom
edge of one of said pair of spaced-apart book holder planar book support elements
is positioned in said book support ledge.
19. The invention defined by claim 11 where in said eyelet positioned near a
bottom edge of one of said pair of spaced-apart book holder planar book support
elements is positioned in said book holder spine support element.
20. The book holder assembly invention of claim 13, wherein one accessory insert
through-pocket on one of said pair of book holder planar book support elements
is aligned longitudinally with another accessory insert through-pocket on the other
of said pair of planar book holder support elements and an accessory insert element
projects through said one and another accessory insert through-pockets to thereby
retain said pair of book holder book planar book support elements in an open position.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCES
None.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to book holders, and particularly concerns
a portable book holder assembly that may be used as a book carrier and also that
may be positioned for use with a readily adjustable book holder reading slope.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Many types of books, and especially soft cover or paper cover books, are difficult
to maintain in a particular open position when being read unless the reader's hand
or hands are available to maintain the desired open condition or unless an auxiliary
mechanical device is utilized for the position maintenance task. While many different
book holder constructions have been proposed for accomplishing the position maintenance
task, those that are known are unnecessarily complex especially when relating to
the construction features and procedural steps that are required to adjust or vary
the slope of the book holder assembly for best ease of reading.
Accordingly, a principal object of the present invention is to provide
a book holder construction that structurally is relatively simple and that may
be readily adjusted to vary or change the slope of the assembly for ease of reading
during use.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a book holder assembly
that may additionally be utilized as a book carrier to transport the included book
in its fully closed condition.
Other objects and advantages of the present book holder invention will become
apparent from consideration of the several descriptions, drawings, and claims which follow.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is essentially comprised of a pair of spaced-apart planar
book support elements joined by a hinged spine support element that accommodates
the book spine, a pair of book holder slope support elements that are each joined
by a hinge to the top edge of a respective book support element, and a closed cord
loop element that adjustably co-operates with the lower extremes of each book support
element and each slope support element to controllably vary the slope of the planar
book support elements during reading use. The planar book support elements are
each provided with a ledge element for supporting the lower edges of the book inserted
in the book holder for reading. Ancillary book holder lamp and book holder clamp
elements are optionally included in the book holder assembly.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective elevation view of a preferred embodiment of
the book holder assembly of the present invention in its commonly preferred use position;
FIG. 2 is a plan view of the book holder assembly of FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a schematic perspective view of the book holder assembly of FIG. 1
in its pre-use and folded carrying condition;
FIG. 4 is similar to FIG. 1 but additionally illustrates use of an accessory
reading lamp attachment;
FIG. 5 illustrates use of the FIG. 1 book holder assembly in a position of use
in an automotive vehicle; and
FIG. 6 is similar to FIG. 1 but illustrates the book holder assembly in use
with an accessory clamping device.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
As illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 3, the book holder assembly of the present
invention
is referenced generally by the numeral
10, and is principally comprised
of a pair of spaced-apart book support elements
12 and
14, a book
spine support element
16 that is positioned intermediate support elements
12 and
14 and that joins those elements together with integrally
formed "live" hinges positioned along lines
15 and
18, respectively,
a pair of spaced-apart holder planar angularity support elements
20 and
22 that are each joined to the top of a respective book support element
also by an integrally molded "live" hinge element along lines
24 and
26,
and a flexible multi-purpose cord element
28 that, using the adjustably
positioned cord clamp element
30 to form a closed loop having an adjustable
equivalent diameter depending upon where the clamp element is positioned on the
cord, is used to achieve control of the adjustable reading slope of assembly
10.
The integrally molded "live" hinge elements may be replaced with equivalent mechanical
hinges but with added complexity and difficulty of manufacture. Also, book support
ledges
34 and
36 are molded integral with book support elements
12
and
14. An eyelet opening
32 is positioned near each bottom edge
of each of said pair of spaced-apart book holder planar book support elements
12
and
14 and near the bottom edge of the book holder planar angularity support
elements
20 and
22. Referring to FIGS. 1,
4 and
6,
it may be seen that the eyelets may be positioned in the lowermost inner corner
of each of elements
12,
14,
20, and
22 for threaded
co-operation with the slope control cord element
28. Eyelet openings
32
also may be positioned in spine support element
16 and in book support ledges
34 and
36 near each bottom edge of each of said pair of spaced-apart
book holder planar book support elements
12 and
14, as illustrated
in dashed lines in FIGS. 1 and 6. From this it may been seen that the exact position
of the eyelets
38 in the book support elements
12 and
14 is
unimportant. Additionally, the eyelets
38 may be positioned on the spine
support element
16 alone.
Note from FIGS. 1,
4, and
6 that cord element
28 by being
provided with a length appreciably greater than necessary to adjust the reading
slope of assembly
10 to a desired slope condition can be further used as
a bookmark device by having the cord excess end length looped over the holder assembly
and positioned between specific book pages.
Book support elements
12 and
14 are each provided on their reverse
side with a series of four integrally-molded and attached accessory insert through-pockets
that are each referenced by the numeral
38 in the drawings. Each such accessory
insert through-pocket
38 is sized in cross-section to receive a complementary
molded accessory insert that may be slidably and adjustably positioned in the pocket
38 and that provides the assembly with any one of several different added
functional capabilities. For instance, adjustable accessory inserts
40 and
42 each are provided with an affixed and formed coiled torsion spring page
holder
44 or
46, the free looped end of which contacts an uppermost
open page of the book B. A slidable accessory insert stay
48 is made of
sufficient length that it will co-operate with a pair of opposed insert through-pockets
38 in book support elements
12 and
14, respectively, and thus
provide assembly
10 with a device for maintaining the assembly in a flat
open condition during use.
Although in the preferred embodiment of the instant invention an angularity
support element
20 and
22 is pivotally connected to each of the book
support elements
12 and
14, it is necessary that only one book support
element
12 and
14 have an angularity support element
20 and
22 pivotally connected thereto in order to provide an angular support for
the book holder assembly
10. With this configuration, cord element
28
would pass through a pair of eyelets positioned near each bottom edge of each of
a pair of spaced-apart book holder book support elements and through a single eyelet
in a single book spine support element pivotally connected to one of the book support elements.
As a general proposition I prefer to mold the principal non-cord components of
assembly
10 of thermoplastic resin having substantial rigidity in the cured
condition such as a polypropylene resin or the like.
FIG. 3 illustrates book holder assembly
10 in a fully closed condition.
In this regard, complete closure is effected by use of the torsion spring page
holders
44 and
46 in an overlapping deployment.
FIG. 4 illustrates book holder assembly
10 with an accessory electrical
reading lamp
50 attached to removable insert
52 and installed in
an assembly pocket
38 of book support element
14. FIG. 6, on the
other hand, illustrates the book holder assembly with a clamp element
54
mounted on insert member
56 received in a pocket
38 of book support
element
12 and positioned to be rigidly secured to a table top.
FIG. 5 illustrates the manner whereby assembly
10 may be utilized to
support a book for reading while positioned in the driver's seat
60 in a
non-moving conventional automobile. As shown in that illustration, it is only necessary
to expand the closed loop of cord element
28 by adjustment of the position
of clamp element
30 on that cord so that sufficient loop exists to be partially
engaged over the vehicle steering wheel
62 as shown. In such configuration
reading slope is controlled by the slope of the vehicle steering wheel and not
by the angular separation of angularity support elements
20 and
22
relative to book support elements
12 and
14.
Various changers may be made to the configuration, size, relative proportions,
and materials of construction of the different invention elements disclosed and
described herein without departing from the scope, meaning, or intent of the claims
which follow.
*
