Abstract:
A recipe stand for flippably mounting recipe pages thereon includes at least one information card with information printed thereon which moves between a stowed position in which typically at least part of the information is hidden from sight and an exposed position in which the information is visible for simultaneous viewing with the recipes. The information typically includes measurement equivalents or ingredient substitutions. The stand may include a multi-ring binder which is openable for use and closable to a size which fits on a standard bookshelf. The stand may include multiple panels which are foldable between an erect position and a collapsed position. In one embodiment, a binder mechanism on which the pages are mounted is rotatably mounted on the stand between a forward position for displaying the fronts of the pages in an upright position and a reversed position for displaying backs of the pages in an upright position.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims priority from U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/846,297 filed Sep. 21, 2006: the disclosure of which of incorporated herein by reference. 
     
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    1. Technical Field 
         [0003]    The present invention relates generally to display stands or binders, especially collapsible display binders. More particularly, the invention relates to such a display stand or binder for displaying recipes and information cards related to cooking which are movable between a stowed or hidden position and an exposed or visible position. Specifically, the invention relates to such a stand or binder in which the recipe pages may be flipped over via a binding mechanism which may be rotatably mounted in order to facilitate display of the front and rear sides of the pages so that either side of the page may be read while the information pages are simultaneously visible. 
         [0004]    2. Background Information 
         [0005]    Collapsible display binders have been long known in the art which allow for the presentation of a plurality of pages such that one of the pages may be displayed and then flipped over to allow an underlying page to be subsequently displayed. U.S. Pat. No. 2,146,387 granted to Turnbull and U.S. Pat. No. 2,208,213 granted to Ericson both teach such collapsible binders which were configured in particular to allow a page to be flipped upwardly so that the rear of one page could be displayed along with the front of another page therebelow. Other display binders such as that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,617,665 granted to Ericson were aimed at flipping the pages from a front display position all the way over to a position substantially behind the binder where the pages are substantially hidden when viewed from the front of the binder. 
         [0006]    However, when a chef is using a recipe during the cooking process, he or she may want to view more information than just the recipe itself, such as measurement equivalences and ingredient substitutions. Thus, there is a need for a recipe stand which provides convenient access to such information while the chef is in the process of preparing food. The present invention solves this and other problems in the art. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    The present invention provides an apparatus for displaying recipes, the apparatus comprising: a stand having an upper end and a lower end adapted to sit on a support surface; a page binder mechanism mounted on the stand adjacent the upper end and adapted for mounting pages thereon in a manner which allows the pages hanging down from the binder mechanism to be flipped over in an upward direction; an information card movably mounted on the stand between a stowed position and an exposed position in which the card extends outwardly from the stand; and a front information side on the card with information printed thereon which is visible in the exposed position. 
         [0008]    The present invention also provides an apparatus for displaying recipes, the apparatus comprising: a stand; a forward facing page-supporting surface on the stand which angles upwardly and rearwardly; a plurality of pages mounted on the stand and flippable between a home position in which the pages are supported by the page supporting surface and a flipped position in which the pages are not supported by the page supporting surface; an information card movably mounted on the stand between a stowed position and an exposed position in which the card extends outwardly from the stand; and a front information side on the card with information printed thereon which is visible in the exposed position. 
     
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0009]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the recipe stand of the present invention with the information cards in the stowed or hidden positions. 
           [0010]      FIG. 2  is a front elevational view of the recipe stand with the information cards in the exposed or display positions. 
           [0011]      FIG. 3  is a side elevational view of the recipe stand with the binder in an open position displaying the recipe pages. 
           [0012]      FIG. 4  is a sectional view taken on line  4 - 4  of  FIG. 3  with portions cut away to show the mounting of the information cards on the binder. 
           [0013]      FIG. 5  is a sectional view taken on line  5 - 5  of  FIG. 4  and shows the lower information card in the stowed position. 
           [0014]      FIG. 5A  is similar to  FIG. 5  and shows the lower information card in the display position. 
           [0015]      FIG. 6  is a side elevational view of the recipe stand in the collapsed position. 
           [0016]      FIG. 7  is a plan view of the spine of the binder and the ring assembly showing the pivotal nature of the ring assembly. 
           [0017]      FIG. 8  is a sectional view taken on line  8 - 8  of  FIG. 7  showing a recipe page mounted on the ring assembly with the ring assembly rotated to a reversed position. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0018]    The recipe stand of the present invention is indicated generally at  10  in  FIGS. 1-2 . Stand  10  includes a two ring binder  12  and a support  14  which is movable between an erect position shown in  FIGS. 1 and 3  to allow binder  12  to stand in a generally upright position on a support surface  16  ( FIGS. 2-3 ) such as a kitchen counter and a collapsed position shown in  FIG. 6 . In accordance with the invention, stand  10  includes upper and lower information cards  18  and  20  which are movable between a hidden or stowed position shown in  FIG. 1  and a visible exposed or display position shown in  FIG. 2 , as indicated at Arrow A in  FIG. 2 . 
         [0019]    Referring to  FIG. 1 , binder  12  includes a page supporting structure or panel  22  against which a plurality of recipe pages  24  lie when stand  10  is in the erect position and sitting on a support surface  16  ( FIGS. 2-3 ). Stand  10  is a handheld item which in its collapsed position is typically the size of a book or notebook so that it may be stored on a standard bookshelf. While the size of the stand  10  may vary, it is preferably sized for use on a kitchen counter and thus small enough to minimize space used on the countertop while large enough so that recipes on pages  24  and information on cards  18  and  20  is easily legible. Typically, panel  22  (and stand  10  in the collapsed position) has a width in the range of about 5 to 12 inches and more typically about 6 to 7 inches, and a height in the range of about 6 to 12 inches and more typically about 8 to 10 or 11 inches. 
         [0020]    Binder  12  also includes a spine  26  which is hingedly connected to panel  22  by a living hinge  27 . A cover panel  28  is also hingedly connected to spine  26  by another living hinge  29  so that when cover panel  28  and panel  22  are in a closed position as shown in  FIG. 1 , they define therebetween a space in which pages  24  are disposed. Support  14  includes an upper mounting flange  30  mounted adjacent an upper end of panel  22  and a rear panel  32  which is hingedly connected to flange  30  via a living hinge  34 . Support  14  further includes a rear base panel  36  hingedly connected to rear panel  32  via a living hinge  38 , a front base panel  40  hingedly connected to rear base panel  36  via a living hinge  42  and a lower mounting flange  44  which is hingedly connected to panel  40  via a living hinge  46 . Hinges  27 ,  29 ,  34 ,  38 ,  42  and  46  are parallel to one another and in the erected position of stand  10  are horizontal. Said hinges thus represent respective axes about which the various panels pivot or fold and are horizontal in the erected position. Lower flange  44  is connected to panel  22  adjacent a lower end thereof via a pair of fasteners in the form of rivets  48  ( FIG. 2 ). Upper flange  30  is likewise connected to panel  22  via a pair of fasteners in the form of rivets  50  ( FIG. 2 ). 
         [0021]    Referring to  FIGS. 2-4 , panel  22  has a top or top edge  52 , a bottom or bottom edge  54 , first and second sides or side edges  56  and  58 , and front and rear substantially flat surfaces  60  and  62 . Thus, when stand  10  is in the erected position shown in  FIG. 1  with cover  28  in the closed position, rear panel  32  extends rearwardly and downwardly from adjacent top  52  of panel  22  and panels  40  and  36  are substantially horizontal with panel  40  extending rearwardly from adjacent bottom  54  of panel  22  and panel  36  extending rearwardly from panel  40  to adjacent a lower end of panel  32 . In the closed position of binder  12  and erected position of support  14  shown in  FIG. 1 , spine  26  extends forward in a generally horizontal direction from adjacent top  52  of panel  22  and cover  28  hangs generally downwardly from the front of spine  26  in front of front page-supporting surface  60  of panel  22 . When binder  12  is in the open position shown in  FIGS. 2-3 , spine  26  extends rearwardly from adjacent top  52  of panel  22  and cover panel  28  hangs downwardly from spine  26  in a position rearward of rear surface  62  of panel  22 . 
         [0022]    Referring to  FIG. 3 , binder  12  further includes a page binder mechanism in the form of a ring assembly  64  having a generally rectangular base  66  and a pair of spaced rings  68  which are mounted on base  66  and moveable between open and close positions in a standard fashion, the open position not being shown in the figures. Base  66  is fastened to spine  26  by fasteners in the form of a pair of rivets  70  ( FIGS. 1-2 ). Referring to  FIGS. 2 and 3 , pages  24  define holes  72  for receiving respectively therein rings  68  so that pages  24  hang down from rings  68  when stand  10  is in the erect position. Panel  22  and front surface  60  thereof in the erect position angle upwardly and rearwardly so that pages  24  together are supported on surface  60 , more particularly with a back page of pages  24  in contact with surface  60  and the remainder of the pages sequentially resting on one another forward thereof. Pages  24  may simply be pages with recipes printed directly thereon although in the preferred embodiment, pages  24  include protective sleeves having pockets therein in to which paper or the like with recipes printed thereon may be inserted and removed as desired. In any case, each page  24  will typically include a recipe title  74  and a printed textual recipe  76  represented by the horizontal lines printed on a front  78  of page  24 . Pages  24  are flippably mounted on rings  68  so that they flip from a home position ( FIG. 3 ) hanging down from rings  68  and supported on surface  60  generally about a horizontal axis passing through the center of rings  68  parallel to the various living hinges to a flipped upside down position extending upwardly from rings  68  and then over the top of the stand to the rear of the stand to rest in a flipped upright position on panel  28  in the open position of  FIG. 3 . 
         [0023]    Referring to  FIG. 2 , each of information cards  18  and  20  have printed thereon information related to cooking which is useful to the chef during the cooking process. Each of information cards  18  and  20  has a top edge  80 , a bottom edge  82 , first and second side edges  84  ( FIG. 4) and 86 , a flat front information side  88  and a flat back side  90  ( FIG. 4 ). In the stowed position, each side edge  84  is adjacent and inward of first side edge  56  of panel  22  and each side edge  86  is adjacent and outward of second side edge  58  of panel  22 . In the exposed position, side edge  84  is adjacent and inward of side edge  58  and side edge  86  is distal and outward of side edge  58 . The textual information related to cooking is printed on the front sides  88  of cards  18  and  20 . Each card  18  and  20  includes a category section  92  and a chart section  94 . Category section  92  is disposed adjacent second side  86  so that when cards  18  and  20  are in the stowed position ( FIG. 1 ), category section  92  extends outwardly from and adjacent second side  58  of panel  22  so that each section  92  is visible from the front of stand  10 . Each section  92  is narrow from side to side and substantially narrower than each section  94 . Each section  92  serves as a manual gripping portion which is manually accessible in the stowed position to facilitate moving the cards to the display position. Each category section  92  includes one or more words which specify the category to which the information in the respective chart section  94  is related. Section  92  of card  18  in particular shows the word “Measurements” although other words such as “Conversions” or “Equivalencies” may be used to a similar effect. Section  92  of card  20  includes the word “Substitutions” although other words may work for the purpose. These words are printed vertically to read top to bottom in order to provide a narrow profile of each section  92  which extends outwardly of side  58  of panel  22 . Each chart section  94  preferably includes divider lines such as vertical divider lines  96  and horizontal dividing lines  98  which are printed on fronts  88  of the cards. These divider lines form rows  100  and columns  102  each having a plurality of blocks  104  in which specific textual information is printed as represented by the horizontal lines within each block  104 . More particularly, each block  104  of card  18  includes textual information indicating a measurement equivalent  106  and each block  104  of card  20  includes textual information indicating an ingredient substitution  108 . Some examples of measurement equivalents  106  are “4 cups=1 quart”, “1 stick of butter=½ cup of butter” and “3 teaspoons=1 tablespoon”. Some examples of ingredient substitutions  108  are “1 cup sweet milk=1 cup sour milk+1 teaspoon soda” and “1½ cups corn syrup=1 cup sugar+Y cup water”. 
         [0024]    While the size of cards  18  and  20  may vary, they most typically have a height from top edge  80  to bottom edge  82  in the range of 2 to 5 inches and a width from first side edge  84  to second side edge  86  in the range of 4 to 8 inches. The height of the cards is more typically about 3 to 4 inches and the width more typically about 5 to 6 inches. Category section  92  typically has a width of about 3/16 to 1 inch, more typically ¼ to ¾ inch and even more typically about ¼ to ½ inch. Section  92  thus also represents the width of the portion of each card  18  and  20  which extends outwardly from second side  58  of panel  22  in the stowed position. Chart section  94  is substantially wider than category section  92 . Typically, section  94  is in the range of 5 to 15 times wider than section  92 , more typically from 8 to 15 times wider and usually 10 to 15 times wider. 
         [0025]    Referring to  FIGS. 3-5 , page supporting panel  22  and the mounting of information cards  18  and  20  is described in further detail. Panel  22  includes several layers or walls. More particularly, panel  22  includes a main structural wall  110 , a mounting wall  112  and a cover wall  114 . Main wall  110  includes a primary structural internal wall  116  which is typically formed of a relatively rigid material such as metal, wood, cardboard, plastic or the like. Internal wall  116  is encased by a covering including front and rear layers  118  and  120  typically formed of a plastic material which provides an aesthetically pleasing appearance and waterproof characteristics. Spine  26 , panels  28 ,  32 ,  36  and  40 , and flanges  30  and  44  all have a structural configuration analogous to that of main wall  110 . Mounting wall  112  is secured to the main wall  110  by rivets  48 ,  50  and an additional rivet  124  ( FIGS. 2-4 ). Cover wall  114  is connected in a continuous fashion along top  52 , first side  56 , and bottom  54  of panel  22  so that wall  114  and wall  110  define therebetween a flat pocket or interior chamber  126  having an entrance opening  128  which opens along second side  58  of panel  22 . More particularly, rivet  124  passes through a portion of cover wall  114  adjacent second side  58  centrally between top  52  and bottom  54  in order to form upper and lower entrance openings  128 A and  128 B through which cards  18  and  20  are respectively laterally slidable into and out of interior chamber  126 . Cards  18  and  20  typically slide side to side in a horizontal direction. Cover wall  114  is typically made of a flexible material and is an optional structure which provides for aesthetic appeal although it is not necessary to the function of stand  10 . 
         [0026]    Mounting wall  112  defines upper and lower elongated openings or slots  130  and  132  which are substantially straight and horizontal. Each of said slots extends from adjacent first side  56  to adjacent second side  58  of panel  22 . Connected to each card  18  and  20  are a pair of fasteners in the form of rivets  134  and  136 , each having a short shaft  138  disposed in a respective one of slots  130  and  132  and an enlarged head  140  which is larger than the width of the respective slot and which slidably engages a rear surface  142  of mounting wall  112  during the movement of the cards into and out of interior chamber  126 . Likewise, back  90  of each card  18  and  20  slidably engages a front surface  144  of mounting wall  112  and fronts  88  slidably engage the rear surface of main wall  110  during the sliding movement of cards  18  and  20  between the stowed and displayed positions. Each of slots  130  and  132  has first and second ends  146  and  148 . In the stowed position, shaft  138  of rivet  143  abuts first end  146  of the respective slot as shown in  FIG. 5 . In the display position of the information cards, shaft  138  of rivet  136  abuts second end  148  of the respective slot, as shown in  FIG. 5A . 
         [0027]    The operation of stand  10  is described briefly although it should be fairly evident in light of the description thus far. As shown in  FIG. 1 , stand  10  is opened to the erect position. Cover panel  28  is then flipped upwardly and over top  52  of panel  22  and then downwardly behind panel  22  and panel  32  as indicated at arrow B in  FIG. 3  to open binder  12  to expose recipe pages  24  so that recipe  76  may be conveniently read during the cooking process. Information cards  18  and  20  are slid outwardly as indicated at arrow C in  FIG. 4  so that cards  18  and  20  are moved to the display position. As previously noted, the textual information of the recipe and the information on cards  18  and  20  thus face forward in a manner which is conveniently accessible to the chef so that chef does not have to search for such information during the cooking process. In addition, information cards  18  and  20  are preferably made of material that is easily cleaned such as a plastic material so that ingredients which stick thereto during the process of cooking will be easily removable. When the chef is finished using stand  10 , information cards  18  and  20  are simply slid back into the stowed position within interior chamber  126  and cover panel  128  is flipped back to its closed position as indicated at arrow D in  FIG. 6 . Panels  32 ,  36  and  40  are then folded from the generally triangular erected configuration to the collapsed position as shown at arrow E in  FIG. 6  via the hinges  34 ,  38 ,  42  and  46 . In the collapsed position shown in  FIG. 6 , the various panels and pages  24  are generally parallel so that stand  10  forms a generally flat rectangular parallelepiped configuration so that stand  10  may then be put away on a bookshelf along with other cookbooks or the like. 
         [0028]    It will be appreciated by one skilled in the art that various changes may be made to stand  10  which are within the scope of the present invention. For instance, the particular structure which provides for the horizontal sliding of information cards  18  and  20  may take various configurations. In addition, another effective manner of moving the information cards from the stowed position to the display position is to pivotally connect them to a mounting wall. This might involve a single pivot on which both cards are pivotally mounted or separate pivots which the cards are individually pivotally mounted. Preferably, such an arrangement would include a stop mechanism which would stop the card from pivoting outwardly too far and maintain the card in the display position. In addition, the exemplary embodiment shows that each information card utilizes a pair of fasteners or rivets disposed in the respective slot so that when the card is pulled out to the display position it does not rotate downwardly under its own weight. A single elongated rivet or fastener might be used instead of two separate rivets. In addition, other stops may be utilized to prevent such a rotational movement in order to maintain the cards in the proper display position. The slots formed in the mounting wall may also be formed in the main wall of panel  22  although with certain materials this may not be desirable due to the weakening of the structure thereof. In addition, other binding mechanisms may be used besides a ring assembly to allow the recipes to be mounted on the binder while allowing them to be flipped over. While the openable rings of the ring assembly are generally preferred to allow for the insertion and removal of recipe pages, this is not required. Other variations will be evident to one skilled in the art. 
         [0029]    Referring to  FIGS. 7 and 8 , recipe stand  200  is described. Recipe stand  200  is the same as stand  10  except for the pivotal mounting of the binder mechanism. More particularly, stand  200  includes a page binder mechanism in the form of a ring assembly which may include base  66  and rings  68  as used in stand  10 . Assembly  202  further includes a substantially rectangular mounting plate  204  to which base  66  is mounted via rivets  70 . Mounting plate  204  is pivotally mounted on spine  26  via a pivot  206  extending therebetween, as indicated at arrow F with the partially rotated position shown in dot-dash lines in  FIG. 7 . The binder mechanism rotates about an axis which passes through pivot  206  and is perpendicular to spine  26  and to the various living hinges or axes about which the various panels pivot of fold. The solid lines of  FIG. 7  show assembly  202  positioned so that a front  208  thereof faces forward toward panel  22  and a rear  210  faces rearwardly toward panel  28 . As shown in  FIG. 8  at arrows G, assembly  202  may be rotated 180 degrees about pivot  206  so that rear  210  faces forward. This allows for the reversing of the orientation of pages  24 . As indicated in  FIG. 8 , a page  24  is shown upside down with a front  78  thereof having rotated from a position corresponding to  FIG. 7  so that in  FIG. 8  the front  78  of page  24  faces forward in the upside down position. Thus, when pages  24  are flipped forward and downwardly via rings  68  to hang down therefrom in front of the stand and lay against page supporting panel  22 , recipes which are printed on the rear of pages  24  will now be visible in an upright position when stand  200  is in the erect position with binder  12  open as shown in  FIG. 2  with reference to stand  10 . Thus, stand  200  allows recipes printed on the rear of the pages to be easily positioned so that the information on cards  18  and  20  is simultaneously visible therewith. 
         [0030]    In the foregoing description, certain terms have been used for brevity, clearness, and understanding. No unnecessary limitations are to be implied therefrom beyond the requirement of the prior art because such terms are used for descriptive purposes and are intended to be broadly construed. 
         [0031]    Moreover, the description and illustration of the invention is an example and the invention is not limited to the exact details shown or described.