Abstract:
A folding display easel having left, right and center panels, the right and left panels being foldable toward the center panel. The center panel has a plurality of engagement elements for engaging with rings in a binder for easy storage and removal of easel from the binder.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    None. 
       STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
       [0002]    None. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0004]    The present invention relates to the field of display easels, and more particularly, to display easels that form part of or may be incorporated into ring binders. 
         [0005]    2. Brief Description of the Related Art 
         [0006]    Many different types of display easels have been suggested for many different applications. Some of those types of display easels have been incorporated into ring binders. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,552,479 discloses an easel type binder having front, rear and central binder panels with fold lines running longitudinally the full length of the front and rear binder panels to permit the panels to be folded into a binder-closed position. The binder is provided with a transversely extending fold line which extends across the front, rear and central binder panels to permit the upper portion of each panel to be folded back into an easel providing position. A pair of flaps having locking tabs are provided to “rigidify” the binder in its easel formation. In another example, U.S. Pat. No. D341,160, an extendable support is included on a central portion of a binder such that the support may be folded up when the binder is closed and folded down to a position at a right angle with the central portion of the binder to hold the binder in a standing position. Many other examples of easels can be found, including folding easels such as is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 871,833, entitled “Easel and Hanger.” 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    In a preferred embodiment, the present invention is a folding display easel. The easel comprises a left panel having a base side, right side at substantially a right angle to said base, a top side having a first portion at substantially a right angle to said right side and a second portion angling toward said base side, and a left side having a retention element; a right panel having a base side, left side at substantially a right angle to said base, a top side having a first portion at substantially a right angle to said left side and a second portion angling toward said base side, and a right side having a retention element; a center panel having a base side, a left side, a right side, a top side, a front face and a rear face; a first connecting element connecting said right side of said left panel to said left side of said center panel, said first connecting element permitting said left panel to fold toward said front face of said center panel and resisting said left panel folding toward said rear face of said center panel; a second connecting element connecting said left side of said right panel to said right side of said center panel, said second connecting element permitting said right panel to fold toward said front face of said center panel and resisting said right panel folding toward said rear face of said center panel; a first engagement element formed integrally with said top side of said center panel, wherein said first engagement element engages with a ring when said easel is placed in a ring binder; and a second engagement element formed integrally with said top side of said center panel, wherein said first engagement element engages with a ring when said easel is placed in a ring binder. The easel has a folded position in which a first of said right and left panels is folded to a position adjacent said front face of said center panel and a second of said right and left panels is folded to a position adjacent said first of said right and left panels and said easel has a support position in which said right and left panels are partially folded to positions placing said right and left patent at approximately right angles with said center panel to support a binder resting upon said second portions of said tope sides of said right and left panels and retained on said second portions by said retention elements on said right and left panels. 
         [0008]    The first engagement element may comprise a plurality of tabs extending from top side of said center panel. The plurality of tabs comprises a first tab having a neck portion and a tip portion, said tip portion being larger than said neck portion; a second tab having a neck portion and a tip portion, said tip portion being larger than said neck portion; and a third tab having a neck portion and a tip portion, said tip portion being larger than said neck portion. The second tab is between said first tab and said third tab. The first and second tab tips form a channel and said first and second tab necks form a receptacle connected to said channel, said channel being larger than said receptacle. The first tab tip and said second tab tip may have straight edges facing one another, wherein said straight edges form a channel. The straight edges of said first tab tip and said second tab tip may be non-parallel to one another and thereby form a channel that becomes narrower as it gets closer to the receptacle. The second engagement element may be formed spaced apart from the first engagement element and similar to said first engagement element in structure. 
         [0009]    Still other aspects, features, and advantages of the present invention are readily apparent from the following detailed description, simply by illustrating a preferable embodiments and implementations. The present invention is also capable of other and different embodiments and its several details can be modified in various obvious respects, all without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Accordingly, the drawings and descriptions are to be regarded as illustrative in nature, and not as restrictive. Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0010]    For a more complete understanding of the present invention and the advantages thereof, reference is now made to the following description and the accompanying drawings, in which: 
           [0011]      FIG. 1  is a front view of an easel in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention with its side panels in a fully open position. 
           [0012]      FIGS. 2A-D  are front views of an engagement means for engaging with rings in a binder of an easel in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0013]      FIG. 3  is an end view of a grooved element between a central panel and a side panel of an easel in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0014]      FIG. 4  is a front view of an easel in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention with its side panels in a fully closed or folded position. 
           [0015]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view of an easel in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention with its side panels extended to supporting positions. 
           [0016]      FIG. 6  is a front view of an open binder having an easel in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention inserted into the binder in a folded position. 
           [0017]      FIG. 7  is a front view of an open binder having an easel in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention begin inserted into the binder in a folded position. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0018]    A preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to  FIGS. 1-7 . A table top easel  100  of a preferred embodiment has a center panel  110 , a right panel  120  and a left panel  130 . The right and left panels  120 ,  130  each are connected to the center panel  110  by a connecting element  300 . In a preferred embodiment, right, left, and center panels are forms integrally from a semi-rigid plastic material and the connecting elements  300  are formed by rounded grooves in the plastic material. The rounded grooves permit the left and right panels to be folded in one direction toward the center panel but resist folding of the right and left panels in an opposite direction. The right and left panels each have a base edge  122 ,  132 , an angled top edge  124 ,  134  and a retention element  126 ,  136 . When the easel is in use, the base edges  122 ,  132  are placed on a flat surface. The angle top edges  124 ,  134  provide support for an object such as a display binder, and the retention elements  126 ,  136  each have a portion that is substantially perpendicular to said angled top edges  124 ,  134  and thereby retain the object on the easel. 
         [0019]    The center panel  110  has a top side or edge  114  and a bottom edge or side  112 . The top side  114  has a plurality of engagement elements  200  extending from it. As shown in  FIGS. 2A-D , each engagement element  200  is formed from a left tab  210 , a right tab  220  and a pair of central tabs  230 . The left tab has a straight outer side  212 , a straight top side  214 , a straight inner side  216  and a neck portion  218 . The corners between the outer side  212  and the top side  214  and between the top side  214  and the inner side  216  preferable are rounded. Each central tab  230  has straight right and left sides  232 ,  234 , a straight top side  236  and neck portions  238 . Again, the corners preferably are rounded. The right tab  220  has a form that is the inverse of left tab  210 . In between each pair of tabs, there is formed a channel  250  and a receptacle  240 . 
         [0020]    The straights sides on the tabs that are opposing one another preferable are angled slightly toward one another to provide increased resistance as a ring of a binder is inserted between the tabs until the ring is past the channel and in the receptacle. The tab corners, edges or ridges between the straight sides and the neck portions provide a retention mechanism to prevent unintended released of the easel from a binder. 
         [0021]    When in use, the right and left panels of the easel are paced at approximately right angles to the center panel, as shown in  FIG. 5 . In this configuration, a display binder may be placed upon the easel such that is rests on the angled top edges of the right and left panels and on the engagement element on the top side or each of the center panel. When not in use, the right and left panels may be folded inward, as is shown in  FIG. 4  such that one of the right and left sides is approximately flush against the center panel. In the folded configuration, the easel may be inserted into a display binder as shown in  FIGS. 6 and 7 . The easel is inserted such that the tabs engage with the binder rings. The easel is pressed into the binder such that the binder rings proceed through the channels between the tabs and into the receptacles. While three sets of tabs are shown in the preferred embodiment, other arrangements are of course possible. 
         [0022]    The foregoing description of the preferred embodiment of the invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed, and modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachings or may be acquired from practice of the invention. The embodiment was chosen and described in order to explain the principles of the invention and its practical application to enable one skilled in the art to utilize the invention in various embodiments as are suited to the particular use contemplated. It is intended that the scope of the invention be defined by the claims appended hereto, and their equivalents. The entirety of each of the aforementioned documents is incorporated by reference herein.