Abstract:
The purpose of this invention is to provide an easel assembly reversibly transformable between a deployed position suitable for supporting at least one planar item thereon and a collapsed position suitable for transport and storage. The easel assembly includes a pair of support members. Each support member is pivotally interconnected for selective movement between a folded position where said support members are generally parallel and a deployed position where said support members divaricate. In addition, each support member is integrally connected to a base member which is constructed and arranged for removable, pivotal interconnection at the end opposite the support member. The connected base members are constructed and arranged for positioning on a planar surface when the easel assembly is in the deployed position, thereby distributing any downward load of the easel assembly along the planar surface to resist tipping and maintain the stability of the deployed easel. The support members also include an upper and lower portion which are connected together in a manner that allows the easel assembly to attain a collapsed state suitable for transport and storage.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   The invention generally relates to a portable easel; particularly, to a folding easel transformable between a deployed position suitable for supporting at least one planar item thereon and a collapsed position for easy transport and storage. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   Easels have been used since ancient times for the purpose of supporting planar items, such as, posters, artwork, and the like. They may be used to hold up a painter&#39;s canvas or sketchbook while the artist is working on it or to display a completed painting for exhibition. The simplest form of an artist&#39;s easel consists of three vertical support members joined at one end. A pivoting mechanism allows the centermost support member to pivot away from the other two, forming a tripod. The two non-pivoting support members have a horizontal cross-member on which the planar item is placed. 
   Easels can be divided into two general categories; large, full-size easels designed for permanent studio use, and folding, lightweight easels for travel. Permanent easels have been primarily designed as stationary display furniture and are capable of exhibiting large and/or smaller pieces of finished art. Whereas, portable easels often include telescopic or folding legs that collapse for ease of transport and storage. While portable, folding easels work well for holding lighter items (smaller canvasses), they are not always stable enough for larger and/or heavier items. 
   For example, the three supports of the tripod-type portable easel must be interconnected by a plurality of horizontal bracing members (crossbars) at an intermediate point to prevent the support members from spreading apart and collapsing when a large/heavy item is placed thereon. The addition of these horizontal members often results in an easel assembly that is complex (composed of multiple parts) and therefore, expensive to manufacture, and difficult to assemble. Moreover, most lightweight, portable easels can easily become top-heavy and tip over when larger items are placed thereon. 
   As a consequence of these aforementioned problems, it is an object of the present invention to provide a portable easel assembly of a simple and elegant design comprising few individual parts while providing superior stability with no cross-bracing required. In addition, the easel of the present invention is capable of being easily transported and stored when in its collapsed state. 
   DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART 
   The prior art discloses numerous easel assemblies which are designed for enhanced stability and portability. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 404,146 to Ackerman, discloses a foldable easel with elongated supports members A, A and F that have foot members D, D attached to the bottom thereof. This construction permits assembly and disassembly by collapsing and folding the support and foot members into the configuration shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 . However, unlike the present invention, the support members are of a unitary construction, and thus are not connected together in a manner that allows the easel to attain a size suitable for transport and storage. Moreover, the &#39;146 easel requires an additional back support member F to provide the necessary stability to the assembled easel. 
   Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 1,625,904 to Mattson, is drawn to a folding easel forming a general pyramid-shape construction. The easel can be folded up flat for ease in transporting, as shown in  FIG. 2 . Unlike the present invention, this patent fails to disclose support members formed from two separate portions which are connected together in a manner that allows the easel to attain a collapsed state suitable for transport and storage. 
   U.S. Pat. No. 3,799,488, to Sena, is directed to an artist&#39;s collapsible easel which can be mounted either on a table or upon a wall and wherein the frames of the same can be angled and rigidly held in the angled positions against collapse upon one another by slide plates having lateral projections that can adjustably engage between the side edges of the frames close to the point of the pivot bolt connection between the frames. An U-shaped base and canvas supporting frames and brackets for engagement with the upper and lower edges of the artist&#39;s canvas frame are connected in an adjustable manner upon the legs of the canvas supporting frame. The free ends of the frame legs are joined together by the pivot bolt connections and held against collapse by the lateral projections of slide plates held in common with leg ends and the same pivot bolts. 
   U.S. Pat. No. 4,042,203 to Warkentin, discloses a folding artist&#39;s easel which utilizes square steel tubing to form a rigid triangular base, a supporting column, and a telescopic brace, with pivotal connections therebetween. A workpiece is clamped to the easel by means of individually adjustable upper and lower steel cross-members which permit adjustment in the elevation of the workpiece as well as clamping a workpiece of great height. When the easel is folded, either (or both) the brace or the lower cross-member may be secured in place to retain the easel in its folded position, and the pivotal connection between the base and the brace interlocks with the column to prevent side movement between these parts. 
   U.S. Pat. No. 6,202,974, to Rellinger, describes a tripod-type portable easel with adjustable board support which has a plurality of legs pivotally joined together by a head, the legs of which may be selectively spread apart when set up as an easel and folded together when collapsed. Each leg is composed of multiple interlocked sections biased together when in their extended position which may be manipulated for separation and folding into a bundle, one section against another section for storage and transport, and a board support mounted on at least one leg which may be selectively adjustably moved to a desired position on any of the sections and moved against the leg on which it is mounted for storage and transport and extended away from the leg for holding a display on the easel when set up. This patent fails to teach base members that distribute the downward force of the load onto the planar surface (e.g., floor) thereby providing stability to the easel in the extended position. 
   U.S. Pat. No. 6,338,216, to Young, discloses an artist and display easel that is secured from the top by use of a crossbar that interlocks with the easel to hold a standard canvas or display. The top crossbar holds the easel body in place by interlocking notches. The top crossbar also holds the top of a display or canvas securely to the easel body. Unlike the present invention, this patent requires the use of a crossbar for stability. Furthermore, it fails to disclose base members formed of two separate portions connected together in a manner that allows the easel to attain a collapsed state suitable for transport and storage. 
   In contrast to the instant invention, the foregoing described prior art fails to teach or suggest an elegant easel that is sufficiently stable to support large works in its deployed state, yet capable of being easily transported and stored in its collapsed state. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The instant invention is directed toward an easel assembly reversibly transformable between a deployed position suitable for supporting at least one planar item thereon and a collapsed position suitable for transport and storage. Examples of some non-limiting planar items include canvasses, posters, or the like. The easel assembly includes a pair of corresponding support members wherein each support member is pivotally interconnected at the upper portion for selective movement between a folded position where the support members are generally parallel and a deployed position where the support members divaricate. 
   Each of the support members is composed of an upper portion and a lower portion, wherein the lower portion of each of the support members is integrally connected to a base member. The base members are constructed and arranged for removable attachment together at the end opposite the support member. The connected base members are constructed and arranged for positioning on a planar surface (e.g., floor, table, etc) when the easel is in its deployed position, thereby distributing the downward load of the at least one planar item and/or easel assembly along the planar surface. The distribution of downward force along the base members results in a deployed easel assembly resistant to tipping. The upper and lower portions are connected together in a manner that allows the easel to attain a collapsed state suitable for easy transport and storage. 
   Accordingly, it is an objective of the instant invention to provide an easel assembly that may be reversibly transformable between a deployed position and a collapsed position using little to no tools (e.g., screwdriver), and which of a stable and robust design, while remaining aesthetically pleasing. 
   Still another objective of the present invention is to teach an easel that is economical to manufacture in that it has few components or complicated moving parts. 
   It is yet another objective of the instant invention to provide an easel capable of holding at least one planar item thereon. 
   Another objective of the present invention is to teach an easel composed of commercially available parts resulting in an easel economical to manufacture, ship, and easy to assemble. 
   Other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with any accompanying drawings wherein are set forth, by way of illustration and example, certain embodiments of this invention. Any drawings contained herein constitute a part of this specification and include exemplary embodiments of the present invention and illustrate various objects and features thereof. It will be readily appreciated by those skilled in the art that the use of an easel for supporting planar items thereon for the purpose of providing a work surface or a display is useful in the art. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES 
       FIG. 1  is an upper perspective view of the easel assembly according to one embodiment of the present invention, as seen from the front in the upright and deployed position; 
       FIG. 2  is a side view of the easel assembly shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 3  is a side perspective view of the easel assembly of  FIG. 1  supporting a planar item thereon; 
       FIG. 4  is a partial upper back view of the easel assembly showing the upper portions attached by a hinge; 
       FIG. 5  is a partial back view of the easel assembly showing the upper and lower portions of the support members pivotally attached by another hinge; 
       FIG. 6  is a partial front view of the easel assembly showing the upper and lower portions of the support members provided with additional support by a securing means; 
       FIG. 7  is a partial back view of the easel assembly showing the base members pivotally attached by a removable hinge; 
       FIG. 8  is a partial front view of the easel showing the upper portions with an attached handle; 
       FIG. 9  is an upper perspective view of the easel assembly disposed on a planar surface; 
       FIG. 10  is an upper perspective of the easel assembly showing one lower portion of the support member being pivoted along the hinge shown in  FIG. 5 ; 
       FIG. 11  is an upper perspective of the easel assembly showing both lower portions of the support members being pivoted along the hinge assembly shown in  FIG. 5 ; 
       FIG. 12  is a perspective view of the easel assembly in the collapsed position for transport and/or storage; 
       FIG. 13  is an upper perspective view of the easel assembly according to another embodiment of the present invention, as seen from the front in the upright, deployed position; 
       FIG. 14  is an upper perspective view of the easel assembly of  FIG. 13  with the upper and lower portion of the support members detached; and 
       FIG. 15  is an upper perspective view of the easel assembly of  FIG. 13  in the collapsed position for transport and/or storage. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
   Detailed embodiments of the instant invention are disclosed herein, however, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the invention, which may be embodied in various forms. Therefore, specific functional and structural details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a basis for the claims and as a representation basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the present invention in virtually any appropriately detailed structure. 
   Referring now to  FIGS. 1-15 , wherein like elements are numbered consistently throughout,  FIG. 1  illustrates one embodiment of the easel assembly according to the present invention, generally referenced herein as  10 .  FIGS. 1 and 3  show the easel assembly in a deployed position capable of supporting at least one planar item  40  thereon. As shown in  FIGS. 1-15 , the easel assembly includes a pair of substantially identical support members, shown here as “L-shaped” right and left support members  12 ,  14 . 
   Each support member comprises an upper portion  16 ,  20  and a lower portion  18 ,  22 . The upper portion of both support members is pivotally interconnected by any suitable pivot means known in the art, for example, a hinge  28  (see  FIG. 4 ). The pivot means allows the easel to be disposed between a folded position where the support members are generally parallel (see  FIGS. 10-12 ) and a deployed “pyramidal” position where the support members diverge, as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 3 . The lower portion of each of the support members are integrally connected to a base member  24 ,  26  (right and left, respectively). The support members and base members allow the easel assembly to stand upright without the need for any additional cross-brace or back support member, thereby providing a stable and aesthetically pleasing design. 
   Each base member is constructed and arranged for removable attachment together at the ends opposite  30 ,  32  the support member  12 ,  14 . The base members may be removably and pivotally interconnected by any means deemed suitable. For example, as shown in  FIG. 7 , the base members are connected together by a removable hinge assembly  34 . The base members include at least one integrally attached threaded post  82  (two are shown in  FIG. 10 ) capable of receiving any conventional hinge assembly. Thus, one side of the hinge is connected/disconnected from the posts by wing nuts  36  which can be tightened/loosened by hand without the need for additional tools (e.g., screwdriver). The connected base members can then be positioned onto a planar surface (e.g., floor, table, etc) and the support members separated ( FIG. 1 ). As shown in  FIG. 2 , the base members are formed at an acute angle α relative to the support member. Preferably, the angle α is between about 50° and about 70°. The angled configuration acts to distribute the downward load (weight) of the planar item and/or easel assembly along the planar surface to lower the center of gravity. The lowered center of gravity makes the easel more resistant to tipping and acts to maintain the stability of the easel when deployed, as compared to the aforementioned prior art easel assemblies. 
   The upper portion and lower portion of each support member are connected together at a joint  48 . The support members allow the easel assembly to attain a collapsed state suitable for transport and storage (see  FIG. 12 ). For example, according to a preferred embodiment shown in  FIGS. 1-12 , both support members are pivotally interconnected by any commercially available hinge assembly  42 . Thus, the upper portions are able to fold together about the hinge  28 . When the base members are disconnected and placed on the planar surface, the lower portions of the support members are able to be pivoted about the hinge  42  and juxtaposed to the folded upper portions, thereby reducing the overall size of the easel assembly for easy storage and travel, as shown in  FIGS. 10 and 11 . According to this illustrative, albeit non-limiting embodiment, the hinge assembly  42  is attached to the support members by threaded posts  52  and wing nuts discussed further below. 
   Referring to  FIGS. 1-12 , it is contemplated that the upper and lower portions may also include support plates  44  for enhanced stability of the easel assembly by preventing the hinge assembly  42  from pivoting until desired; however, these support plates are not required. In use, the support plates are positioned on the side opposite that of the hinge assembly  42 . Each support plate is constructed and arranged to swivel between a position that spans the joint of the upper and lower support members to prevent pivoting thereabout (see left side of  FIG. 6 ) and a position that will allow the hinge assembly to pivot along the joint (see right side of  FIG. 6 ). According to a preferred embodiment shown in the  FIGS. 1-12 , the support plates also include at least two apertures  49  and a securing means  50  that engage the upper and lower support members. The securing means are shown here as, albeit non limited to, wing nuts. The posts  52  may also be used to secure the hinge assembly  42  to the upper and lower support members, and are received in the apertures and the securing means is hand tightened in place. Other means of securing could be used without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. 
   Referring now to an alternative embodiment shown in  FIGS. 13-16 , the upper portion and lower portion of each support member are removably interconnected at joint  48 . According to this illustrative, albeit non-limiting example, the upper and lower portion of the support members are removably connected by at least one dowel or rod (two dowels are shown in  FIG. 14 ). That is, one end  60  of the dowel is integrally connected to the upper support member, along its longitudinal axis. Similarly, the other end  62  is constructed and arranged for receipt within corresponding apertures  56  formed inside the lower support member, along its longitudinal axis. Thus, according to this embodiment the base members do not need to be disconnected at the hinge assembly  34  and placed on a planar surface for the separation of the upper and lower portions of the support members. As with the previous embodiment, the separated easel assembly is reduced in overall size for easy storage and transport. 
   Any of the aforementioned embodiments may include a plurality of apertures  64  formed along both support members  12 ,  14  at corresponding heights. These apertures are constructed and arranged to receive support dowels  66  designed to hold the weight of a planar item thereon for display. The planar items rest against the support members as shown in  FIG. 3 . The dowels may be removed from the apertures when the easel is dissembled for easier transport. According to a preferred embodiment, at least one of the support members or base members may include integrally connected holding means  68  constructed and arrange to hold the dowels thereto when removed from the support member so that they do not project outward therefrom. This also ensures the dowels do not become lost when stored and/or catch on items during transport. For example, as shown in  FIG. 1 , the housing member is a plurality of outward projecting loops or tabs  70  constructed and arranged to hold the dowels during transport and storage. 
   The upper and lower member of any of the aforementioned embodiments may also include at least one corresponding attachment means capable of holding the upper and lower members together during transport and storage. In an illustrative, albeit non-limiting example as shown in  FIG. 2 , the upper member and lower member may include hook and loop attachment means (VELCRO™)  72 ,  74 , respectively. In addition, the upper and lower members may include apertures through which the user can insert one of the dowels  66 . As shown in  FIG. 1 , these apertures  78  are formed equidistant from the joint  48 , so that when the upper and lower members are placed together, these apertures align so that the user may insert one of the dowels  66  therethrough (see  FIG. 11 ). This also acts to hold the upper and lower member together for easier transport. 
   Any of the aforementioned embodiments may also include a handle  76  formed thereon which allows the user to hold the easel assembly during transport. The handle may be removably attached to the support member (e.g., snaps) or it may be permanently attached thereto. As shown in the embodiment in  FIGS. 1-12 , the handle formed is from a durable cloth material for gripping comfort, however, the handle may be formed from any material desired without departing from the scope of the invention, (e.g. plastic, metal, wood, etc.) 
   The support and base members may be integrally formed or removably attached by any means of attachment known in the art. Moreover, these members may be formed from any durable material deemed suitable for displaying at least one planar item thereon. Suitable materials may include metal, plastic, wood, or the like, either singly or in any combinations thereof. 
   The method of assembling the easel in accordance with the embodiment shown in  FIGS. 1-12  is as follows; first, the easel assembly in the collapsed state ( FIG. 12 ) is placed on a planar surface (e.g., floor, table, etc). The dowel used as an attachment means is then removed from apertures  78 . The lower portions of the support member are moved to an extended position along the hinge assembly  42 , one support member shown in extended position in  FIG. 10 . If present, the support plates are pivoted and tightened in place across the joint for enhanced support (see  FIG. 9 ). The base members are then joined together at the side opposite  30 ,  32  that of the support members by detachable hinge  34 , for example, by threading wing nuts  36  over threaded posts  82 . The easel assembly may then be placed upright with the base members and support members separated to a deployed position ( FIG. 1 ). The support members are articulated about hinge  28  to an angle  80  that permits the easel to stand upright. The angle is dependent on the upright height of the easel assembly. Finally, a pair of dowels is inserted into the apertures  64  that most closely correspond to the desired height the user wishes the bottom of the planar item to rest against. Of course, the planar item must be placed onto support dowels where the planar item is capable of spanning both support members. Moreover, multiple pairs of dowels may be inserted into the support members depending on the number of planar items to be displayed. In order to disassemble the easel, the procedure is merely reversed. 
   All patents and publications mentioned in this specification are indicative of the levels of those skilled in the art to which the invention pertains. All patents and publications are herein incorporated by reference to the same extent as if each individual publication was specifically and individually indicated to be incorporated by reference. 
   It is to be understood that while a certain form of the invention is illustrated, it is not to be limited to the specific form or arrangement herein described and shown. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes may be made without departing from the scope of the invention and the invention is not to be considered limited to what is shown and described in the specification and any drawings/figures included herein. 
   One skilled in the art will readily appreciate that the present invention is well adapted to carry out the objectives and obtain the ends and advantages mentioned, as well as those inherent therein. The embodiments, methods, procedures and techniques described herein are presently representative of the preferred embodiments, are intended to be exemplary and are not intended as limitations on the scope. Changes therein and other uses will occur to those skilled in the art which are encompassed within the spirit of the invention and are defined by the scope of the appended claims. Although the invention has been described in connection with specific preferred embodiments, it should be understood that the invention as claimed should not be unduly limited to such specific embodiments. Indeed, various modifications of the described modes for carrying out the invention which are obvious to those skilled in the art are intended to be within the scope of the following claims.