Abstract:
The present invention is essentially comprised of a pair of spaced-apart planar book support elements joined by a hinged spine support element that accommodates the book spine, a pair of book holder slope support elements that are each joined by a hinge to the top edge of a respective book support element, and a closed cord loop element that adjustably co-operates with the lower extremes of each book support element and each slope support element to controllably vary the slope of the planar book support elements during reading use.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCES  
       [0001]     None.  
       FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     The present invention relates generally to book holders, and particularly concerns a portable book holder assembly that may be used as a book carrier and also that may be positioned for use with a readily adjustable book holder reading slope.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0003]     Many types of books, and especially soft cover or paper cover books, are difficult to maintain in a particular open position when being read unless the reader&#39;s hand or hands are available to maintain the desired open condition or unless an auxiliary mechanical device is utilized for the position maintenance task. While many different book holder constructions have been proposed for accomplishing the position maintenance task, those that are known are unnecessarily complex especially when relating to the construction features and procedural steps that are required to adjust or vary the slope of the book holder assembly for best ease of reading.  
         [0004]     Accordingly, a principal object of the present invention is to provide a book holder construction that structurally is relatively simple and that may be readily adjusted to vary or change the slope of the assembly for ease of reading during use.  
         [0005]     Another object of the present invention is to provide a book holder assembly that may additionally be utilized as a book carrier to transport the included book in its fully closed condition.  
         [0006]     Other objects and advantages of the present book holder invention will become apparent from consideration of the several descriptions, drawings, and claims which follow.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0007]     The present invention is essentially comprised of a pair of spaced-apart planar book support elements joined by a hinged spine support element that accommodates the book spine, a pair of book holder slope support elements that are each joined by a hinge to the top edge of a respective book support element, and a closed cord loop element that adjustably co-operates with the lower extremes of each book support element and each slope support element to controllably vary the slope of the planar book support elements during reading use. The planar book support elements are each provided with a ledge element for supporting the lower edges of the book inserted in the book holder for reading. Ancillary book holder lamp and book holder clamp elements are optionally included in the book holder assembly. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0008]      FIG. 1  is a schematic perspective elevation view of a preferred embodiment of the book holder assembly of the present invention in its commonly preferred use position;  
         [0009]      FIG. 2  is a plan view of the book holder assembly of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0010]      FIG. 3  is a schematic perspective view of the book holder assembly of  FIG. 1  in its pre-use and folded carrying condition;  
         [0011]      FIG. 4  is similar to  FIG. 1  but additionally illustrates use of an accessory reading lamp attachment;  
         [0012]      FIG. 5  illustrates use of the  FIG. 1  book holder assembly in a position of use in an automotive vehicle; and  
         [0013]      FIG. 6  is similar to  FIG. 1  but illustrates the book holder assembly in use with an accessory clamping device. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0014]     As illustrated in  FIGS. 1 through 3 , the book holder assembly of the present invention is referenced generally by the numeral  10 , and is principally comprised of a pair of spaced-apart book support elements  12  and  14 , a book spine support element  16  that is positioned intermediate support elements  12  and  14  and that joins those elements together with integrally formed “live” hinges positioned along lines  15  and  18 , respectively, a pair of spaced-apart holder planar angularity support elements  20  and  22  that are each joined to the top of a respective book support element also by an integrally molded “live” hinge element along lines  24  and  26 , and a flexible multi-purpose cord element  28  that, using the adjustably positioned cord clamp element  30  to form a closed loop having an adjustable equivalent diameter depending upon where the clamp element is positioned on the cord, is used to achieve control of the adjustable reading slope of assembly  10 . The integrally molded “live” hinge elements may be replaced with equivalent mechanical hinges but with added complexity and difficulty of manufacture. Also, book support ledges  34  and  36  are molded integral with book support elements  12  and  14 . An eyelet opening  32  is positioned near each bottom edge of each of said pair of spaced-apart book holder planar book support elements  12  and  14  and near the bottom edge of the book holder planar angularity support elements  20  and  22 . Referring to  FIGS. 1, 4  and  6 , it may be seen that the eyelets may be positioned in the lowermost inner corner of each of elements  12 ,  14 ,  20 , and  22  for threaded co-operation with the slope control cord element  28 . Eyelet openings  32  also may be positioned in spine support element  16  and in book support ledges  34  and  36  near each bottom edge of each of said pair of spaced-apart book holder planar book support elements  12  and  14 , as illustrated in dashed lines in  FIGS. 1 and 6 . From this it may been seen that the exact position of the eyelets  38  in the book support elements  12  and  14  is unimportant. Additionally, the eyelets  38  may be positioned on the spine support element  16  alone.  
         [0015]     Note from  FIGS. 1, 4 , and  6  that cord element  28  by being provided with a length appreciably greater than necessary to adjust the reading slope of assembly  10  to a desired slope condition can be further used as a bookmark device by having the cord excess end length looped over the holder assembly and positioned between specific book pages.  
         [0016]     Book support elements  12  and  14  are each provided on their reverse side with a series of four integrally-molded and attached accessory insert through-pockets that are each referenced by the numeral  38  in the drawings. Each such accessory insert through-pocket  38  is sized in cross-section to receive a complementary molded accessory insert that may be slidably and adjustably positioned in the pocket  38  and that provides the assembly with any one of several different added functional capabilities. For instance, adjustable accessory inserts  40  and  42  each are provided with an affixed and formed coiled torsion spring page holder  44  or  46 , the free looped end of which contacts an uppermost open page of the book B. A slidable accessory insert stay  48  is made of sufficient length that it will co-operate with a pair of opposed insert through-pockets  38  in book support elements  12  and  14 , respectively, and thus provide assembly  10  with a device for maintaining the assembly in a flat open condition during use.  
         [0017]     Although in the preferred embodiment of the instant invention an angularity support element  20  and  22  is pivotally connected to each of the book support elements  12  and  14 , it is necessary that only one book support element  12  and  14  have an angularity support element  20  and  22  pivotally connected thereto in order to provide an angular support for the book holder assembly  10 . With this configuration, cord element  28  would pass through a pair of eyelets positioned near each bottom edge of each of a pair of spaced-apart book holder book support elements and through a single eyelet in a single book spine support element pivotally connected to one of the book support elements.  
         [0018]     As a general proposition I prefer to mold the principal non-cord components of assembly  10  of thermoplastic resin having substantial rigidity in the cured condition such as a polypropylene resin or the like.  
         [0019]      FIG. 3  illustrates book holder assembly  10  in a fully closed condition. In this regard, complete closure is effected by use of the torsion spring page holders  44  and  46  in an overlapping deployment.  
         [0020]      FIG. 4  illustrates book holder assembly  10  with an accessory electrical reading lamp  50  attached to removable insert  52  and installed in an assembly pocket  38  of book support element  14 .  FIG. 6 , on the other hand, illustrates the book holder assembly with a clamp element  54  mounted on insert member  56  received in a pocket  38  of book support element  12  and positioned to be rigidly secured to a table top.  
         [0021]      FIG. 5  illustrates the manner whereby assembly  10  may be utilized to support a book for reading while positioned in the driver&#39;s seat  60  in a non-moving conventional automobile. As shown in that illustration, it is only necessary to expand the closed loop of cord element  28  by adjustment of the position of clamp element  30  on that cord so that sufficient loop exists to be partially engaged over the vehicle steering wheel  62  as shown. In such configuration reading slope is controlled by the slope of the vehicle steering wheel and not by the angular separation of angularity support elements  20  and  22  relative to book support elements  12  and  14 .  
         [0022]     Various changers may be made to the configuration, size, relative proportions, and materials of construction of the different invention elements disclosed and described herein without departing from the scope, meaning, or intent of the claims which follow.