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United States Patent

Malinowski et al.

Patent Number: 4,790,506 (PDF)

Date of Patent: Dec. 13, 1988

SUPPORT STAND FOR READING MATERIAL

Inventors

  • Stephen A. Malinowski
  • Douglas C. George

    ABSTRACT

    A support stand for reading material having a transparent plate (10) supported substantially above eye level (82) of a seated or standing reader. The plate is tilted toward the reader such that its front surface is approximately perpendicular to the reader's line of vision. Disposed near the lower edge of the plate on the side opposite the reader is a protruding member (12) which acts as a ledge for the reading material to rest against. Other configurations of this stand may include one or two secondary supporting plates (44 and 58), positioned at or below eye level, these plates being tilted such that their surfaces are also approximately perpendicular to the reader's line of vision and positioned at approximately the same distance from the reader's head.

    Claims

    We claim:
      1. A support stand for holding reading material above 
    eye level of a seated or standing human, comprising:
      a rigid transparent plate having front and back major
        surfaces and top, bottom, left and right edges,
      means for supporting said plate such that (a) said plate
        is substantially above eye level of said seated or
        standing human, and (c) said plate is inclined from
        the vertical such that said top edge of said plate is
        approximately the same distance from said human's
        head as said bottom edge thereof,
      means attached to said back major surface for supporting
        said reading material lying against said back major surface,
      a second rigid plate,
      means for holding said second plate below said transparent
        plate, inclined in the opposite direction as said
        transparent plate, and
      means attached to said second plate for supporting reading
        material lying against said second plate.
      2. The support stand of claim 1, further including:
      a third rigid plate,
      means for holding said third plate below said second plate,
        inclined in the same direction as and to a greater degree than
        said second plate, and
      means attached to said third plate for supporting reading
        material lying against said third plate.
      3. The support stand of claim 1, further 
    including means for attaching said stand to a horizontal work surface.
      4. The support stand of claim 2 further 
    including means for attaching said stand to a horizontal work surface.
      5. The support stand of claim 1 further 
    including means for supporting said stand directly on the floor.
      6. The support stand of claim 2 further 
    including means for supporting said stand directly on the floor.
      7. The support stand of claim 3, further 
    including means to allow said stand to swivel about a vertical axis.
      8. The support stand of claim 4, further 
    including means to allow said stand to swivel about a vertical axis.