Abstract:
Method and apparatus for magnifying and illuminating reading materials through the use of a plurality of magnifying lens which are adjustably placed on posts which are movable above the surface of the reading materials which materials are supported on a desk top or reading platform which is placed on the upper surface of a supporting base. The magnifying lens are supported by a series of manually and motor-driven posts which are placed on horizontal and vertical posts so that they can be moved above the surface of the reading material in an appropriate unique position which is adjustable to the requirements of the eye of the user, which user is suffering from muscular degeneration of the retina. The lens are moved by a series of screw drives which are housed in the vertical and horizontal posts. Means for lighting is adjustably supported on an arm placed above the lens so that light from the lamp can shine through the lens and onto the surface of the reading materials. The apparatus can be folded so as fit into a carrying case and may be operated by either AC or DC current.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
   The present invention relates generally to magnifiers and, more particularly, is concerned with a magnifier and illuminator for reading materials for use by individuals with muscular degeneration of the retina. 
   DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART 
   Magnifying devices have been described in the prior art, however, none of the prior art devices disclose the unique features of the present invention. 
   In U.S. Pat. No. 1,814,540 dated Jul. 14, 1931, Bander disclosed a reading glass. In U.S. Patent Application Publication U.S. 2002/0051304 dated May 2, 2002, Jung disclosed an adjustable table magnifier. In U.S. Pat. No. 5,239,416 dated Aug. 25, 1993, Spitzberg disclosed a variable power zoom stand magnifier. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,859,032 dated Aug. 22, 1989, Feinbloom disclosed a handheld magnifier apparatus. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,120,564 dated Oct. 17, 1978, Rios disclosed a reading stand with magnifier. In U.S. Pat. No. 2,199,107, dated Apr. 30, 1940, Kibbe disclosed a work assisting magnifying and illuminating device. In U.S. Pat. No. 2,087,081, dated Jul. 13, 1937, Bock disclosed an optical magnifying apparatus. In U.S. Pat. No. 1,735,949 dated Nov. 19, 1929, Brady disclosed a magnifying and illuminating device. 
   While these magnifying devices may be suitable for the purposes for which they were designed, they would not be as suitable for the purposes of the present invention as hereinafter described. 
   SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION  
   The present invention discloses a method and apparatus for magnifying and illuminating reading materials through the use of a plurality of magnifying lens which are adjustably placed on posts which are movable above the surface of the reading materials which materials are supported on a desk top or reading platform which is placed on the upper surface of a supporting base. The magnifying lens are supported by a series of manually and motor-driven posts which are placed on horizontal and vertical posts so that they can be moved above the surface of the reading material in an appropriate unique position which is adjustable to the requirements of the eye of the user, which user is suffering from muscular degeneration of the retina. The lens are moved by a series of screw drives which are housed in the vertical and horizontal posts. Means for effectively lighting the reading material is adjustably supported on an arm placed above the lens so that light from the lamp can shine through the lens and onto the surface of the reading materials. The present invention can be folded so as fit into a carrying case and may be operated by either AC or DC current. 
   An object of the present invention is to provide a device to aid the vision of persons afflicted with muscular degeneration of the retina which is a disease affecting millions of persons in the United States alone. A further object of the present invention is to provide a plurality of lens which can be utilized by a user so as to magnify and illuminate the reading materials which are placed on a desk top. A further objective of the present invention is to provide a method and apparatus for a system which can be easily used by a person having muscular degeneration of the retina or similar eyesight problems. A further object of the present invention is to provide a device which can be simply and relatively inexpensively manufactured. 
   The foregoing and other objects and advantages will appear from the description to follow. In the description reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof, and in which is shown by way of illustration specific embodiments in which the invention may be practiced. These embodiments will be described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention, and it is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and that structural changes may be made without departing from the scope of the invention. In the accompanying drawings, like reference characters designate the same or similar parts throughout the several views. 
   The following detailed description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense, and the scope of the present invention is best defined by the appended claims. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     In order that the invention may be more fully understood, it will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the present invention. 
       FIG. 2  is a side elevation view of the present invention. 
       FIGS. 3-4  are cross-sectional views of the present invention. 
       FIG. 5  is an electrical schematic of the present invention. 
   

   LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS 
   With regard to reference numerals used, the following numbering is used throughout the drawings.
       10  present invention     11  user     12  desk top     13  eye     14  support base     16  support flange     18  left lens     20  right lens     22  vertical lens post     23  slot     24  cross post     25  adjustment screw     26  horizontal member     27  slot     28  end support     30  roller     32  track     34  first vertical post     36  second vertical post     38  apertures     40  pin     42  track     44  support member     46  fastener     48  aperture     50  first screw drive     52  knob     54  second screw drive     56  knob     58  fastener     60  light     62  bulb     64  housing     66  support arm     68  rotatable pivot     70  rotatable pivot     72  control knob     74  joystick     76  pivot     78  first power switch     80  second power switch     82  lens fastener     84  controller     86  Y axis motor     88  X axis motor     90  platform tilt motor     92  AC/DC converter     94  AC power supply     96  switch     98  switch     100  switch     102  reading materials     104  support member     106  screw drive     108  scissors lift     110  pivotal connector     112  threaded pivotal connector   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
   The following discussion describes in detail at least one embodiment of the present invention. This discussion should not be construed, however, as limiting the present invention to the particular embodiments described herein since practitioners skilled in the art will recognize numerous other embodiments as well. For a definition of the complete scope of the invention the reader is directed to the appended claims.  FIGS. 1 through 5  show the present invention wherein a device for magnifying and illuminating reading materials is disclosed. 
   Turning to  FIG. 1 , shown therein is the present invention  10  having a desk top  12  upon which may be placed reading materials, such as books, magazines and/or pages of paper, which desk top is supported by a support base  14  having a support flange  16  disposed about its bottom side and extending laterally therefrom so as to provide support to the present invention. The desk top has an upper and lower end and a left and right side which will be defined in the following discussion. A plurality of lens are supported on a downwardly extending lens post  22  wherein there is a left set of lens  18  and a right set of lens  20  which may include an upper and lower lens mounted onto the corresponding lens post so that each of the left and right eyes of the user has a dedicated set of lens  18 ,  20  in order to correct the independent eyesight which is unique to each eye of the user. The lens  18 ,  20  are supported on an independent vertical lens post  22  which lens post are downwardly disposed from a cross post  24  having first and second ends wherein one end operates in a track  42  of a horizontal member  26  and the second end is supported by a right end support post  28  having a roller  30  on its lower end which roller operates in track  32  disposed on the upper surface of the desk top  12 . The left end of the cross port  24  is generally supported by a horizontal member  26  which is supported by a first and second vertical support post  34  on the lower end and  36  on the upper end of desk top  12  which posts are vertically height adjustable so as to be telescoping utilizing a plurality of apertures  38  and a retractable pin  40  so that the vertical posts can be raised and lowered and removable for folding the present invention  10 . The horizontal member  26  has a track  42  therein which receives a downwardly disposed support member  44  disposed on the left end of cross post  24  so that the downwardly disposed member  44  can move from a first, lower end of the desk top  12  to the second, upper end of the desk top in the track  42 . Note that the vertical support posts  34 ,  36  are removably disposed in the support base  14  by means of a threaded fastener  46  insertable in aperture  48  as would be done in the standard manner by one skilled in the art. This allows the vertical posts  34 ,  36  to be removed from the support base  14  for storage. A first screw drive  50  having a screw drive knob  52  thereon is disposed in the track  42  of horizontal member  26  in which the downwardly disposed support member  44  moves up and down the desk top  12 . A second screw drive  54  having a knob  56  thereon is disposed in the cross post  24  so that the lens post  22  can be moved from left to right across the surface of the reading material on the surface of the desk top  12 . Note that fastener  58  is threadably disposed in the cross post  24  for connecting the cross member to the support member  44  so that the cross post  24  can be removed and separated from the support member  44  and the horizontal member  26  so that the cross post can be more conveniently stored. Also shown is a light  60  having a bulb or light emitting diode (LED)  62  mounted in a housing  64  which housing is disposed on the upper end of a support arm  66  so that the housing has a rotatable pivot member  68  on its upper end and a rotatable pivot member  70  on its lower end so that the light can be easily adjustable in all directions so as to properly illuminate the reading material placed on the desk top  12 . Also shown is a control knob  72  which is used for a screw drive (not shown but see  FIGS. 3 and 4 ) which is used to elevate the desk top  12  which will be disclosed later. Also shown is a joystick  74  used for multi-directional control of the present invention  10  which will be later described. Also shown is the end of a pivot member  76  which is used to raise the upper end of the desk top  12  on the support base  14  which will be later described. Also shown are first and second power switches  78 ,  80 . Also shown are a plurality of lens mounting fasteners  82  having one associated with each lens set  18 ,  20  so that the lens can be quickly and easily attached to and removed from the lens post  22  and can be independently height adjusted according to the visual power of the user by being moved in slot  23  as would be done in the standard manner by one skilled in the art. The horizontal distance between the right and left post  22  can be varied by using adjustment screw  25  to allow the corresponding post  22  to be moved along screw drive  54  in slot  27  as would be done in the standard manner by one skilled in the art. 
   Turning to  FIG. 2 , shown therein is the present invention  10  having a desk top  12  upon which may be placed reading materials  102 , such as books, magazines and/or pages of paper, which desk top is supported by a support base  14  having a support flange  16  disposed about its bottom side and extending laterally therefrom so as to provide support to the present invention. A plurality of lens are supported on a downwardly extending lens post  22  wherein there is a left lens  18  and a right lens  20  which may include an upper and lower lens mounted onto the corresponding lens post so that each of the left and right eyes of the user  11  has a dedicated set of lens  18 ,  20  in order to correct the independent eyesight which is unique to each eye  13  of the user. The lens  18 ,  20  are supported on an independent vertical lens post (not visible) which lens post are downwardly disposed from a cross post  24  having first and second ends wherein one end operates in a track  42  of a horizontal member  26  and the second end is supported by an end support post  28  having a roller  30  on its lower end which roller operates in track (not visible) disposed on the upper surface of the desk top  12 . The left end of the cross post  24  is generally supported by a horizontal member  26  which is supported by a first and second vertical support post  34 ,  36  on each end thereof which posts are vertically height adjustable so as to be telescoping utilizing a plurality of apertures  38  and a retractable pin  40  so that the vertical posts can be raised and lowered and removable for folding the present invention  10 . The horizontal member  26  has a track  42  therein which receives a downwardly disposed support member  44  (not visible) disposed on the left end of cross post  24  so that the downwardly disposed member can move from a first, lower end of the desk top  12  to the second, upper end of the desk top in the track  42 . Note that the vertical support posts  34 ,  36  are removably disposed in the support base  14  by means of a threaded fastener  46  insertable in aperture (not visible) as would be done in the standard manner by one skilled in the art. This allows the vertical posts  34 ,  36  to be removed from the support base  14  for storage. A first screw drive  50  having a screw drive knob  52  thereon and a Y-axis drive motor  86  is disposed in the track  42  of horizontal member  26  in which the downwardly disposed support member moves up and down the desk top  12 . A second screw drive  54  having a knob  56  thereon and an X-axis drive motor  88  is disposed on the cross post  24  so that the lens post can be moved from left to right across the surface of the reading material on the surface of the desk top  12 . Note that fastener  58  is threadably disposed in the cross port  24  for connecting the cross member to the support member so that the cross post  24  can be removed and separated from the support member and the horizontal member  26  so that the cross post can be more conveniently stored. Also shown is a light  60  having a bulb  62  mounted in a housing  64  which housing is disposed on the upper end of a support arm  66  so that the housing has a rotatable pivot member  68  on its upper end and a rotatable pivot member  70  on its lower end so that the light can be easily adjustable in all directions so as to properly illuminate the reading material placed on the desk top  12 . Also shown is a control knob  72  which is used for a screw drive (not shown but see  FIGS. 3 and 4 ) which is used to elevate the desk top  12  which will be disclosed later. Also shown is a joystick  74  used for multi-directional control of the present invention  10  which will be later described. Also shown is the end of a pivot member  76  which is used to raise the desk top  12  on the support base  14  which will be later described. Also shown are a plurality of lens mounting fasteners  82  having one associated with each lens  18 ,  20  so that the lens can be quickly and easily attached to and removed from the lens post. 
   Turning to  FIGS. 3-4 , shown therein is the present invention  10  having a desk top  12  upon which may be placed reading materials  102 , such as books, magazines and/or pages of paper, which desk top is supported by a support base  14  having a support flange  16  disposed about its bottom side and extending laterally therefrom so as to provide support to the present invention. A plurality of lens are supported on a downwardly extending lens post  22  wherein there is a left lens  18  and a right lens  20  which may include an upper and lower lens mounted onto the corresponding lens post so that each of the left and right eyes of the user has a dedicated set of lens  18 ,  20  in order to correct the independent eyesight which is unique to each eye of the user. The lens  18 ,  20  are supported on an independent vertical lens post (not visible) which lens post are downwardly disposed from a cross post  24  having first and second ends wherein one end operates in a track  42  of a horizontal member  26  and the second end is supported by an end support post  28  having a roller  30  on its lower end which roller operates in track (not visible) disposed on the upper surface of the desk top  12 . The left end of the cross post  24  is generally supported by a horizontal member  26  which is supported by a first and second vertical support post  34 ,  36  on each end thereof which posts are vertically height adjustable so as to be telescoping utilizing a plurality of apertures  38  and a retractable pin  40  so that the vertical posts can be raised and lowered and removable for folding the present invention  10 . The horizontal member  26  has a track  42  therein which receives a downwardly disposed support member  44  (not visible) disposed on the left end of cross post  24  so that the downwardly disposed member can move from a first, lower end of the desk top  12  to the second, upper end of the desk top in the track  42 . Note that the vertical support posts  34 ,  36  are removably disposed in the support base  14  by means of a threaded fastener  46  insertable in aperture (not visible) as would be done in the standard manner by one skilled in the art. This allows the vertical posts  34 ,  36  to be removed from the support base  14  for storage. A first screw drive  50  having a screw drive knob  52  thereon and a Y-axis drive motor  86  is disposed in the track  42  of horizontal member  26  in which the downwardly disposed support member moves up and down the desk top  12 . A second screw drive  54  having a knob  56  thereon and X-axis drive motor  88  is disposed on the cross post  24  so that the lens post can be moved from left to right across the surface of the reading material on the surface of the desk top  12 . Note that fastener  58  is threadably disposed in the cross post  24  for connecting the cross member to the support member so that the cross post  24  can be removed and separated from the support member and the horizontal member  26  so that the cross post can be move conveniently stored. Also shown is a light  60  having a bulb  62  mounted in a housing  64  which housing is disposed on the upper end of a support arm  66  so that the housing has a rotatable pivot member  68  on its upper end and a rotatable pivot member  70  on its lower end so that the light can be easily adjustable in all directions so as to properly illuminate the reading material placed on the desk top  12 . Also shown is a screw drive knob  72  which is used for a third screw drive  106  and a platform tilt drive motor  90  which is used to elevate the desk top  12  by means of a scissors lift  108  having a pair of support legs pivotally connected at  110  to the underside of platform  12  and threadably pivotally connected at  112  to screw drive  106  so that when screw drive  106  is turned platform  12  is either raised or lowered. Also shown is a joystick  74  used for multi-directional control of the present invention  10  which will be later described. Also shown is the end of a pivot member  76  which is used to raise the desk top  12  on the support base  14 . Also shown are a plurality of lens mounting fasteners  82  having one associated with each lens  18 ,  20  so that the lens can be quickly and easily attached to and removed from the lens post. 
   Turning to  FIG. 5 , therein is shown an exemplary electrical schematic for the present invention showing the lamp  60  along with a multidirectional controller  84  having a joystick  74  thereon for controlling the operation of the drive motors of the present invention. Shown are a Y axis motor  86 , an X axis motor  88 , and platform tilt motor  90  along an AC/DC converter  92  and an AC power supply  94 . Switches  96 ,  98 ,  100  are also shown. 
   In summary, the present invention  10  provides a method and apparatus for magnifying and illuminating reading materials  102  so that the reading materials can be brought into focus and read by a user  11  having impaired vision, comprising; a) a base  14  for supporting the apparatus; b) a desk top  12  being disposed on the base for supporting the reading materials, the desk top having upper and lower ends, left and right sides, and an underside; c) a left  18  and right  20  set of magnifying lens being disposed above the reading materials to permit a user to focus on the reading materials through the lens; d) means for supporting said left and right set of magnifying lens including at a minimum elements  22 ,  24 ,  28 ,  82  (other elements may also be involved), whereby each set of lens is independently vertically adjustable according to the visual power of the user, and, whereby each set of lens is independently horizontally adjustable according to the distance between the eyes of the user; e) means for moving said left and right set of magnifying lens from said upper to said lower end of said desk top including at a minimum elements  26 ,  34 ,  36 ,  50 ,  86  (other elements may also be involved), whereby the reading materials remain in proper focus with the eyes of the user; f) means for moving said left and right set of magnifying lens from said left side to said right side of said desk top including at a minimum elements  24 ,  28 ,  54 ,  88  (other elements may also be involved), whereby the reading materials remain in proper focus with the eyes of the user; g) means for raising said upper end of said desk top including at a minimum elements  106 ,  108 ,  110 ,  90  (other elements may also be involved), whereby the reading materials remain in focus with the eyes of the user; and, h) means for illuminating said desk top including at a minimum elements  60 ,  62  (other elements may also be involved), whereby the reading materials are effectively illuminated to allow a user with impaired vision to read the reading materials.