Patent ID: 6199816
Filing Date: 2001-03-13
Classification: A47B

Abstract:
An adjustable, storable holder for supporting a book or other article to be read or viewed in an open position, the holder comprising:(a) a generally rectangular shaped base member, the base member having an upper surface with four sides, the upper surface comprising between about two and twenty peg holes in lines along the upper surface, the peg holes being in sets of two;(b) between about two and twenty pegs, the pegs being of at least two lengths, with at least two pegs of each length, the pegs having at least one end with a diameter that matches the diameter of the peg holes in the upper surface of the base member;(c) a viewing member which is hinged at one side to one side of the upper surface of the base member, the viewing member comprising a central transparent panel, the transparent panel being generally parallel to and pressed up against the reading article when the holder is in use, thus to facilitate viewing of the reading article by a user standing or sitting nearby;(d) a hinge mechanism for hinging the viewing member to the base member; and(e) a compartment in the base member for storage of the pegs when they are not in use; andwherein the holder has a hands-free, open position in which at least two matched pegs project from a matched set of peg holes in the upper surface, each set of pegs being generally parallel to each other, with one end of each peg removably inserted in a peg hole and the other end of each peg engaged against a back side of the reading article, the reading article being supported by the pegs, the viewing member resting relatively flat against one or two pages of the reading article and at an angle to the upper surface, a bottom edge of the reading article resting between the hinged side of the viewing member and the corresponding side of the upper surface;wherein the holder has an alternate closed position for storage of the holder, in which the viewing member lies flat against a substantial portion of the upper surface of the base member; andwherein a side of the viewing member opposite to the hinged side can be temporarily lifted with one hand so that the user may then turn to another page in the reading article without removing the reading article from the holder.