1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a removable book holder assembly for use by a person in a protective or mobile structure such as a car seat, wheelchair, walker, or stroller. The Book holder having an adjustable, releasable clipping means and a support arm configured for axial, rotational and pivotal adjustment of the book supporting surface of the book holder to hold a book in a readable position in front of the user.
2. Description of the Related Art
The prior art of book holders comprises a variety of devices for supporting a book on a platform in a position for viewing or reading. A conventional book holder includes a supporting structure for supporting the book support on a table. The platform is supported by a table or other such flat structure as seen in the Michela U.S. Pat. No. 5,755,423 for a FOLDING PORTABLE SUPPORT STAND, wherein a device is disclosed comprising hinged covers folding into a support structure for holding a booking the open position on a flat horizontal surface.
The prior art also discloses structures built around the person to hold a book in useful relation such as the ADJUSTABLE BOOK HOLDER in U.S. Pat. No. 6,202,973 to Navarin et al. In the '973 patent a structure is disclosed for holding a book in a readable position on a structure attachable to the reader's torso. The Weeks U.S. Pat. No. 3,497,882 for SUPPORT MECHANISM FOR SUPPORTING VARIOUS DEVICES TO BE EMPLOYED IN COOPERATION WITH A HOSPITAL BED likewise discloses a support structure disposed over the bed and a book holder slidably mounted on the support structure for holding the book in reading position while the reader is lying in bed.
The Wiersma U.S. Pat. No. 4,201,013 for a BOOK HOLDING DEVICE discloses a detachable device for use on a bed to suspend a book holder from over the reader's head. The Wiersma device is clamped to a headboard of a bed using C-clamps.
The book holders disclosed in the prior art suffer from a number of disadvantages. In particular, such book holders include do not provide an adequate solution for young children or mobility limited adults. These people spend a significant amount of their time outdoors (e.g., parks, beaches, playground, theme parks, etc) and conventional book holders are primarily designed for indoor use. The book holders in the prior art lack the ease of application to a mobile vehicle such as a wheelchair or stroller to allow the reader to have mobility to explore their environment in a stationary sitting or reclining position while reading a book supported on the mobile vehicle. As a result, the learning benefits are significantly reduced.
The prior art does not accommodate easy and quick attaching the book support onto a structure for mobile use. Thus there is a need for an improved Book Holder that is quickly and easily clipped to a mobile vehicle such as a wheelchair or stroller for holding the book in a reading position in spaced relation to the clip.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a book holder that can be easily and remvoably attached to and removed from a bar or portion of the mobile vehicle without tools.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an adjustable clasp for attaching the book holder to the mobile vehicle to easily and quickly attach or detach the book holder.
It is further object of the present invention to provide an arm between the clasp and the book support platform to hold the book in spaced relation from the clip.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a pivotal attachment between the clasp and the support platform to hold the book on the support platform at a selected angle with respect to the reader for ease of viewing.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a telescoping arm between the clasp and the book support platform to axially adjust the position of the support platform with respect to the clasp to position the platform in a position for ease of viewing by the reader.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a book holder having an elongate arm with a rotational adjustment to rotate the position of the support platform with respect to the clasp to a position for ease of viewing by the reader.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a clasp comprising a clip having an adjustable, resilient arm for removably attaching to a mounting structure on the mobile vehicle.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a locking means on the book holder to retain the rotational, pivotal and axial position of the support platform with respect to the clasp.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a support platform adaptable for use as a writing board.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a connector means for remvoably securing a book to the book holder in a reading position.
Referring to
Mounted to the front surface 18 of panel 16 are two pairs of spring biased book clamps 22 for securing a book (not shown) to the book holder 10. The first pair of spring biased book clamps 22a, 22b is located near the top edge 24. The second pair of spring biased book clamps 22c, 22d is located near the bottom edge 26.
Continuing to refer to
The arm 14 comprises a first end 23 and second end 25. The clasp 15 is on the first end 23. The second end 25 is a spaced from the first end 23. The second end 25 is adjustably attached to the book platform 12. The arm 14 includes a telescoping arrangement 32 in which an upper support portion 34 of the support arm 14 slides within a lower support portion 36 and is held at a selected position by a locking member 55 (
The clips 40 are adjustable in shape and size to fit the shape and size of the supporting frame member on the mobile vehicle (not shown). The clips 40 comprise a pair of resilient C-shaped clip arms 42 adjustably attached to the clip 40. The first clip arm 42a is spaced from the second clip arm 42b in order to tightly retain the supporting frame member of the mobile vehicle (not shown) therebetween. To secure the book holder 10, the user forces the clip arms 42a and 42b apart to allow the frame member to slip between the clip arms 42a, 42b. The clip arms 42a, 42b then snap resiliently together to hold the book holder 10 to the frame member (not shown) of the mobile vehicle (not shown).
Referring to
Continuing to refer to
Referring now to
Referring to
Referring to
referring to
Referring to
In use, the book holder 10 is attached to the vehicle (not shown) by use of the clasp 15. The clasp 15 is rotationally adjusted on the support structure on the vehicle to begin the book holder 10 adjustment to a usable position. The telescoping mechanism in the arm 14 is used to axially adjust the spacing between the clasp 15 and the support platform 12. The rotational coupling between the first end of the arm 14 and the second end of the arm is used to rotate the support platform around the axis of the arm 14 to an operable position. Lastely, the pivotal connection 420 (
The book platform 12 may also be used to support such items as audio/video equipment, PDAs, or mobile phones, cameras, computers, musical instruments, toys, puzzles and games. The panel 16 may be provided with a set of mounting positions for receiving and/or mounting the above items (NOT SHOWN).
Although the invention has been described above in connection with particular embodiments and examples, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the invention is not necessarily so limited, and that numerous other embodiments, examples, uses, modifications and departures from the embodiments, examples and uses are intended to be encompassed by the claims attached hereto. The entire disclosure of each patent and publication cited herein is incorporated by reference, as if each such patent or publication were individually incorporated by reference herein.
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
1377230 | Taylor | May 1921 | A |
2439950 | Rogers | Apr 1948 | A |
2627694 | Saecker | Feb 1953 | A |
3351312 | Ballas | Nov 1967 | A |
3408032 | Francis | Oct 1968 | A |
3497882 | Weeks | Mar 1970 | A |
4021013 | Wiersma | May 1977 | A |
4431156 | Mena | Feb 1984 | A |
4553728 | Corsello | Nov 1985 | A |
4591124 | Hellenbrand et al. | May 1986 | A |
4790506 | Malinowski et al. | Dec 1988 | A |
4867407 | Becker | Sep 1989 | A |
5054736 | Champoux | Oct 1991 | A |
5059149 | Stone | Oct 1991 | A |
5460102 | Pasmanick | Oct 1995 | A |
5595489 | Kwon | Jan 1997 | A |
5615856 | Simington | Apr 1997 | A |
5709365 | Howard | Jan 1998 | A |
5755423 | Michela | May 1998 | A |
5855329 | Pagano | Jan 1999 | A |
5884888 | Grimes et al. | Mar 1999 | A |
6045179 | Harrison | Apr 2000 | A |
6064855 | Ho | May 2000 | A |
6202973 | Navarin et al. | Mar 2001 | B1 |
Number | Date | Country | |
---|---|---|---|
20040214154 A1 | Oct 2004 | US |