Patent Publication Number: US-10314390-B2

Title: Leg supports for portable voting booth

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     Not applicable. 
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
     Not applicable. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates generally to the field of portable voting booths, and more particularly to a portable voting booth that can be used to support a voting machine or to provide a writing surface on which a paper ballot may be hand-marked by a voter. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     Portable voting booths are frequently used at polling locations to provide a private space for voters to cast their ballots in an election. Some portable voting booths have a table that supports a voting machine, such as a direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machine, which can be used by a voter to electronically cast a ballot. Other portable voting booths have a table that provides a flat writing surface on which a paper ballot may be hand-marked by a voter. When not in use, some portable voting booths are disassembled and stored until the next election. For this reason, it is common for portable voting booths to include removable legs that can be readily attached to the table during use and detached from the table for storage. 
     A problem with many portable voting booths is that the legs do not adequately support the weight of the table, let alone the added force imposed on the table by the voter during use. Also, some portable voting booths with removable legs are configured such that the legs are not securely held in place and can move about their point of attachment to the table. As a result, many portable voting booths are unstable and can “wobble” when used by a voter. Thus, there is a need for an improved portable voting booth that is stable during use and/or can be disassembled for storage. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is directed to a portable voting booth that generally includes a table, a plurality of legs configured to support the table, and a plurality of leg supports attached to the table that stabilize the legs during use of the voting booth. In some embodiments, the leg supports are attached to the bottom surface of the table and are movable between an open position in which the leg supports stabilize the legs and a closed position in which the leg supports are secured for storage. 
     The table of the portable voting booth has a top surface and a bottom surface. In one embodiment, the top surface of the table supports an electronic voting machine. The electronic voting machine may be provided in a carrying case that can be opened and closed, and the lower base of the carrying case when opened functions as the table of the portable voting booth. In another embodiment, the top surface of the table provides a writing surface on which a paper ballot is hand-marked by a voter. 
     In some embodiments, the legs of the portable voting booth are removably attached to the bottom surface of the table. As such, the legs may be attached to the table during use and detached from the table for storage. 
     In some embodiments, the leg supports of the portable voting booth are movable to an open position in which the leg supports stabilize the legs during use of the voting booth. In one embodiment, each of the leg supports includes a leg connection portion that engages one of the legs. The leg connection portion may comprise a mouth shaped to receive a portion of the leg and, preferably, the inner surface of the mouth includes an overmolded piece formed from rubber, plastic, thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) or similar materials so as to frictionally grip the portion of the leg received within the mouth. 
     In some embodiments, the leg supports of the portable voting booth are movable to a closed storage position in which the leg supports are secured to the table in such a manner as to substantially prevent movement of the leg supports in relation to the table. In one embodiment, the table includes fasteners that immovably secure the leg supports to the bottom surface of the table. For example, each of the fasteners may comprise a latch that engages a portion of one of the leg supports. Preferably, the leg supports are disengaged from the legs and are generally flush with the bottom surface of the table when the leg supports are in the closed storage position. 
     In exemplary embodiments, the portable voting booth includes a table, a plurality of legs removably attached to the bottom surface of the table, and a plurality of leg supports attached to the bottom surface of the table via hinged connections. Each of the leg supports comprises a generally planar triangle-shaped body having first, second and third sides. The first and second sides of each leg support body intersect to form a leg connection portion that engages and stabilizes one of the legs when the leg supports are in the open position. The third side of each leg support body includes at least one leaf having at least one knuckle that interlocks with a pin positioned on the bottom surface of the table so as to provide a hinged connection. To disassemble the portable voting booth, the leg supports are disengaged from the legs, the legs are removed from the table, and the leg supports are moved to the closed storage position. Fasteners positioned on the bottom surface of the table are used to immovably secure the leg supports to the bottom surface of the table. When secured, the legs supports are generally flush with the bottom surface of the table so as to provide a compact unit for storage. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Various exemplary embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below with reference to the attached drawing figures, wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a front perspective view of a portable voting booth in accordance with a first exemplary embodiment of the present invention, wherein the portable voting booth includes a carrying case for an electronic voting machine shown in an open position and four legs removably attached to the bottom surface of the carrying case that are stabilized by four leg supports; 
         FIG. 2  is a front perspective view of the portable voting booth of  FIG. 1  showing the carrying case for the electronic voting machine in a closed position; 
         FIG. 3  is a bottom perspective view of the portable voting booth of  FIG. 1  showing two of the legs removed from the bottom surface of the carrying case; 
         FIG. 4A  is a partial cross-sectional side view of the portable voting booth of  FIG. 1  showing one of the removable legs attached to the bottom surface of the carrying case; 
         FIG. 4B  is a partial cross-sectional side view of the portable voting booth of  FIG. 1  showing one of the removable legs detached and partially removed from the bottom surface of the carrying case; 
         FIG. 4C  is a side plan view of one of the removable legs of the portable voting booth of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 4D  is a perspective top view of one of the removable legs of the portable voting booth of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 5  is a partial bottom plan view of the portable voting booth of  FIG. 1  showing a female connector positioned on the bottom surface of the carrying case with its corresponding leg removed; 
         FIG. 6  is a partial front perspective view of the portable voting booth of  FIG. 1  showing one of the leg supports in the open position with its corresponding leg removed; 
         FIG. 7  is a partial front perspective view of the portable voting booth of  FIG. 1  showing one of the leg supports in the open position and engaging its corresponding leg; 
         FIG. 8  is a partial bottom perspective view of the portable voting booth of  FIG. 1  showing one of the leg supports in the open position and engaging its corresponding leg; 
         FIG. 9  is a partial side plan view of the portable voting booth of  FIG. 1  showing one of the leg supports in the open position and engaging its corresponding leg; 
         FIG. 10  is an exploded view of one of the leg supports and its corresponding hinge pins of the portable voting booth of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 11  is a partial cross-sectional side view of the portable voting booth of  FIG. 1  showing one of the leg supports in the closed storage position and secured by its corresponding fastener; and 
         FIG. 12  is a perspective view of a portable voting booth in accordance with a second exemplary embodiment of the present invention, wherein the portable voting booth includes a table that provides a writing surface on which a paper ballot may be hand-marked by a voter and four legs removably attached to the bottom surface of the carrying case that are stabilized by four leg supports. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS 
     The present invention is directed to a portable voting booth with leg supports that stabilize the legs during use of the voting booth. While the invention will be described in detail below with reference to various exemplary embodiments, it should be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific structural configurations of these embodiments. In addition, although the exemplary embodiments are described as embodying several different inventive features, one skilled in the art will appreciate that any one of these features could be implemented without the others in accordance with the present invention. 
     A. First Exemplary Embodiment 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1-3 , a portable voting booth in accordance with a first exemplary embodiment of the present invention is shown generally as reference numeral  10 . In general terms, portable voting booth  10  includes a carrying case  12  for an electronic voting machine, four removable legs  14   a ,  14   b ,  14   c ,  14   d  that support carrying case  12  during use, and four leg supports  16   a ,  16   b ,  16   c ,  16   d  that are movable between an open position in which the leg supports stabilize legs  14   a ,  14   b ,  14   c ,  14   d , respectively, during use and a closed position in which the leg supports are secured to the bottom surface of carrying case  12  for storage. Each of these components will be described in detail below. 
     Carrying Case 
     Carrying case  12  consists of a lower base  18  and a cover  20  that are attached via a hinged connection so as to permit carrying case  12  to be moved between an open position shown in  FIG. 1  and a closed position shown in  FIG. 2 . When carrying case  12  is in its open position, lower base  18  functions as a table of portable voting booth  10 . As such, lower base  18  of carrying case  12  may be referred to as table  18  in describing certain aspects of the present invention. Of course, one skilled in the art will understand that a separate table may be provided in which the carrying case is placed on the upper surface of the table during use. In this embodiment, carrying case  12  is made of a plastic such as a polycarbonate/acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (PC/ABS) thermoplastic, although other materials may be used within the scope of the present invention. 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 , table  18  has a top surface  22  that is configured to support an electronic voting machine, such as direct-recording electronic (DRE) voting machine  24 . As is known in the art, DRE voting machine  24  may be used by voters to electronically cast their ballots in an election. As can be seen, top surface  22  includes a recess  26  that is complimentary in size and shape to DRE voting machine  24 . As shown, DRE voting machine  24  is positioned at an angle with top surface  22 , but is movable into a horizontal position by placing DRE voting machine  24  within recess  26 . Of course, other types of voting machines may also be supported by table  18  within the scope of the present invention. 
     Preferably, portable voting booth  10  includes a left privacy screen  28   a  and a right privacy screen  28   b  that are positioned in generally parallel vertical planes. Privacy screens  28   a ,  28   b  together with cover  20  provide privacy when voters cast their ballots in an election. Privacy screens  28   a ,  28   b  may be attached along at least a portion of their bottom edges to top surface  22  of table  18  and may be attached along at least a portion of their rear edges to cover  20 . In this embodiment, privacy screens  28   a ,  28   b  are attached to top surface  22  of table  18  and to cover  20  via the use of Velcro® brand tape strips. Of course, other types of temporary or permanent attachment means may also be used. Privacy screens  28   a ,  28   b  may also be modified to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) by the addition of privacy screen extensions (not shown), as is well known in the art. 
     In order to move carrying case  12  from the open position shown in  FIG. 1  to the closed position shown in  FIG. 2 , DRE voting machine  24  is moved from the angled position shown in  FIG. 1  to a horizontal position by placing DRE voting machine  24  within recess  26 . Privacy screens  28   a ,  28   b  are then detached from cover  20  and folded into a position that is flush with top surface  22  of table  18 . Alternatively, privacy screens  28   a ,  28   b  may be completely removed from carrying case  12 . Cover  20  is then lowered onto table  18  whereby latches  32   a ,  32   b  on table  18  engage with respective catches  30   a ,  30   b  on cover  20  in order to lock carrying case  12  in the closed position. At this point, DRE voting machine  24  is completely enclosed within and protected by carrying case  12 . Of course, one skilled in the art will appreciate that carrying case  12  may be moved from the closed position shown in  FIG. 2  to the open position shown in  FIG. 1  by simply reversing the steps discussed above. 
     Referring to  FIG. 3 , carrying case  12  includes a handle  33  that can be grabbed by a user to enable transport of carrying case  12  with DRE voting machine  24  enclosed therein to a storage location. Of course, DRE voting machine  24  could alternatively be stored separately from carrying case  12  within the scope of the present invention. 
     Legs 
     Referring to  FIG. 3 , portable voting booth  10  includes four legs  14   a ,  14   b ,  14   c ,  14   d  that are configured for attachment into four female connectors  36   a ,  36   b ,  36   c ,  36   d , respectively, positioned on a bottom surface  34  of table  18 . Female connectors  36   a ,  36   b ,  36   c ,  36   d  are each positioned generally equidistant from the center of bottom surface  34  near the corners of table  18 , as shown. The configuration of leg  14   a  and its attachment to female connector  36   a  will now be described with reference to  FIGS. 4A-D  and  FIG. 5  (which provides an enlarged view of female connector  36   a ). Of course, it should be understood that legs  14   b ,  14   c ,  14   d  have the same configuration as leg  14   a  and female connectors  36   b ,  36   c ,  36   d  have the same configuration as female connector  36   a  and, as such, these components will not be separately described. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 4C and 4D , removable leg  14   a  includes a tubular leg portion  38  made from a metal such as aluminum, although other materials may be used within the scope of the present invention. Positioned on the upper end of leg portion  38  is a generally cylindrical male connector  40 . Male connector  44  includes a keyed tab  42  and, as best shown in  FIGS. 4A and 4B , a spring clip  44  that is aligned with keyed tab  42 . Spring clip  44  is positioned within a recess (not shown) in male connector  40  and is held within the recess by a cap  46 . Cap  46  is fastened to male connector  40  with a screw  48  (also shown in  FIG. 4D ). Spring clip  42  is secured to a grip  50  (also shown in  FIG. 4C ) that slides over the bottom of spring clip  42 . Grip  50  has a locking edge or latch  52 , which will be described in greater detail below. 
     Referring to  FIG. 4B , female connector  36   a  is positioned on bottom surface  34  of table  18  and includes a keyed slot  54  (also shown in  FIG. 5 ) that has a locking edge or catch  56 . As best shown in  FIG. 3 , keyed slot  54  is aligned with an imaginary line that extends diagonally across bottom surface  34  of table  18  between female connector  36   a  and female connector  36   c . Referring back to  FIG. 4B , male connector  40  and female connector  36   a  are configured to be joined in a specific alignment. Prior to the attachment of removable leg  14   a  to table  18 , keyed tab  42  of male connector  40  is aligned with keyed slot  54  of female connector  36   a  so that keyed tab  42  may be received within keyed slot  54 . As male connector  40  of leg  14   a  is inserted into female connector  36   a , the sloped leading end of latch  52  contacts a side wall  58  of keyed slot  54 , which causes spring clip  44  to compress. This causes movement of grip  50  and spring clip  44  away from side wall  58  and toward leg portion  38  of leg  14   a . Once male connector  40  is fully inserted within female connector  36   a  and latch  52  of grip  50  has moved past catch  56  of keyed slot  54 , spring clip  44  decompresses. This causes movement of grip  50  and spring clip  44  toward side wall  58  and into the position shown in  FIG. 4A . Latch  52  of grip  50  and catch  56  of keyed slot  54  are then interlocked, which results in the attachment of leg  14   a  to bottom surface  34  of table  18 . 
     As best shown in  FIG. 4C , when removable leg  14   a  is attached to bottom surface  34  of table  18 , leg portion  38  is at an angle A of about 7.5 degrees with respect to male connector  40  as measured between keyed tab  42  and leg portion  38 . As best shown in  FIG. 4A , this angled orientation results in leg portion  38  being at an angle B of about 97.5 degrees with respect to bottom surface  34  of table  18 . Of course, it should be understood that the present invention is not limited to these particular angles of orientation. In other embodiments, the angle between leg portion  38  and male connector  40  may be in the range of 0 degrees to 45 degrees, and the angle between leg portion  38  and bottom surface  34  of table  18  may be in the range of 90 degrees to 135 degrees. 
     Leg  14   a  can readily be decoupled and removed from bottom surface  34  of table  18  by compressing spring clip  44  via the application of force to grip  50 , which moves grip  50  and spring clip  44  away from side wall  58  and toward leg portion  38  of leg  14   a . At this point, latch  52  of grip  50  and catch  56  of keyed slot  54  are no longer interlocked, thereby reversing the steps described above in connection with the attachment of leg  14   a  to bottom surface  34  of table  18 . When leg  14   a  is decoupled and removed from bottom surface  34  of table  18  (as well as legs  14   b ,  14   c ,  14   d  through the same process), the legs can be stored along with carrying case  12  until needed for use in another election. 
     It should be understood that the present invention is not limited to the use of removable legs that are attached to the bottom surface of the table as described in connection with the first exemplary embodiment. In some embodiments, the legs may be attached using other types of attachment means known in the art, e.g., the legs may be screwed into the table, the legs may twist and lock-in with friction fittings, or the legs may be attached using bungee cords through the center. In other embodiments, the removable legs may be attached to another portion of the portable voting booth. For example, the legs could be attached to the sides of the table rather than its bottom surface. 
     In yet other embodiments, the legs of the portable voting booth need not be removable, e.g., the legs may be permanently attached to the table. In some embodiments in which the legs are permanently attached to the table, the legs are movable to a storage position in order to save space. For example, the legs could be foldable (e.g., via attachment to the table with hinges) and/or the legs could be telescoping so as to collapse to a storage position. Thus, a number of different leg configurations and attachment means may be used within the scope of the present invention. 
     Leg Supports 
     Referring to  FIG. 3 , portable voting booth  10  includes four leg supports  16   a ,  16   b ,  16   c ,  16   d  each of which is attached via a hinged connection to bottom surface  34  of table  18 . Leg supports  16   a ,  16   b ,  16   c ,  16   d  are each positioned generally equidistant from the center of bottom surface  34 , as shown. Each of leg supports  16   a ,  16   b ,  16   c ,  16   d  is movable between an open position in which the leg supports stabilize legs  14   a ,  14   b ,  14   c ,  14   d , respectively, and a closed position in which the leg supports are secured for storage. In  FIG. 3 , leg supports  16   c  and  16   d  are shown in the open position, while leg supports  16   a  and  16   b  are shown in the closed storage position. Leg supports  16   a ,  16   b ,  16   c ,  16   d  are immovably secured to bottom surface  34  of table  18  when in the closed storage position through the use of fasteners  60   a ,  60   b ,  60   c ,  60   d , respectively, as described below. The configuration of leg support  16   a  and its attachment to bottom surface  34  of table  18  via fastener  60   a  will now be described with reference to  FIGS. 6-10 . Of course, it should be understood that leg supports  16   b ,  16   c ,  16   d  have the same configuration as leg support  16   a  and fasteners  60   b ,  60   c ,  60   d  have the same configuration as fastener  60   a  and, as such, these components will not be separately described. 
     Referring to  FIG. 10 , leg support  16   a  has a generally planar triangle-shaped body that includes a first side  62 , a second side  64 , and a third side  66 . The leg support body also has a top surface  63  (also shown in  FIGS. 6 and 7 ) and a bottom surface  65  (shown in  FIG. 8 ). Leg support  16   a  is formed as a single, unitary piece and is made from a plastic such as a polycarbonate (PC) that is preferably impregnated with a stiffener such as fiberglass. Of course, leg support  16   a  may be comprised of different components that are connected together through any suitable means and/or may be made from other materials within the scope of the present invention. 
     First side  62  and second side  64  of the leg support body intersect to form a leg connection portion  68  that, as shown in  FIGS. 7-9 , is configured to receive leg portion  38  of leg  14   a  when leg support  16   a  is in the open position. As shown in  FIGS. 6 and 10 , leg connection portion  68  comprises an arcuate mouth  70  and, preferably, an overmolded piece  72  covers the inner surface of arcuate mouth  70 . Overmolded piece  72  may be formed from rubber, plastic, a thermoplastic elastomer (TPE), or any other material that enables overmolded piece  72  to frictionally grip leg portion  38  of leg  14   a . Leg support  16   a  also includes a catch  74  positioned adjacent leg connection portion  68 . Catch  74  is configured to interlock with fastener  60   a  (see  FIG. 3 ) when leg support  16   a  is in the closed storage position, as described below. 
     Of course, it should be understood that the leg connection portion may have other configurations within the scope of the present invention. For example, the leg connection portion may have a cross-section that is square, rectangular or any other shape, provided that the cross-section of the leg has a complimentary shape to enable the leg connection portion to intimately contact the leg. 
     Referring to  FIG. 10 , third side  66  of the leg support body includes two generally planar leaves  76 ,  78  that extend outwardly therefrom. Leaf  76  includes a set of knuckles  76   a ,  76   b ,  76   c  and, similarly, leaf  78  includes a set of knuckles  78   a ,  78   b ,  78   c . The interior surfaces of knuckles  76   a ,  76   c ,  78   a ,  78   c  are oriented to face in a first direction and the interior surfaces of knuckles  76   b ,  78   b  are oriented to face in a second opposed direction. As such, a first cylindrical hollow channel is defined by knuckles  76   a ,  76   b ,  76   c  for receiving a first pin  80  and, similarly, a second cylindrical hollow channel is defined by knuckles  78   a ,  78   b ,  78   c  for receiving a second pin  82 . Pins  80 ,  82  are secured to bottom surface  34  of table  18  (see  FIG. 3 ), as described below. As such, third side  66  of the leg support body is hingedly connected to bottom surface  34  of table  18  through the interlocking of knuckles  76   a ,  76   b ,  76   c  with pin  80  and the interlocking of knuckles  78   a ,  78   b ,  78   c  with pin  82 . Of course, one skilled in the art will understand that third side  66  of the leg support body may be attached to bottom surface  34  of table  18  via other types of attachment means known in the art, such as any hinged fastener that uses pins or even a Velcro® brand fastener. 
     Referring to  FIG. 3 , bottom surface  34  of table  18  includes an interior portion  84  that is slightly recessed relative to an exterior portion  86 . As shown in  FIG. 8 , interior portion  84  includes two rectangle-shaped recesses  84   a ,  84   b  formed therein. Pin  80  is positioned within recess  84   a  and extends between side walls  84   c  and  84   d . Similarly, pin  82  is positioned within recess  84   b  and extends between side walls  84   e  and  84   f . As shown in  FIG. 10 , pin  80  includes an outer knurled end  80   a  that enables secure attachment to side wall  84   c  and, similarly, pin  82  include an outer knurled end  82   a  that enables secure attachment to side wall  84   f . Leg support  16   a  is movable between an open position and a closed storage position by rotating leg support  16   a  about pins  80 ,  82 . 
     As best shown in  FIGS. 7-8 , when leg support  16   a  is in the open position, arcuate mouth  70  with overmolded piece  72  is configured to receive leg portion  38  of leg  14   a . In this embodiment, arcuate mouth  70  with overmolded piece  72  surrounds over one-half of the circumference of leg portion  38 . It can be appreciated that leg support  16   a  functions as a brace to stabilize leg  14   a  during use. In particular, leg support  16   a  provides lateral support that prevents voting booth  10  from swaying or swinging (which is a problem associated with conventional voting booths). The inclusion of overmolded piece  72 , while optional, provides additional stability by increasing the coefficient of friction between the contacting surfaces to thereby enable arcuate mouth  70  with overmolded piece  72  to frictionally grip leg portion  38 . 
     Of course, it should be understood that the leg support may have other configurations within the scope of the present invention. For example, the leg support may have a leg support body of any geometry, size and shape provided it includes a portion that can be attached to the bottom surface of the table and a portion that can engage and stabilize the leg. 
     Leg support  16   a  may be moved to the closed storage position by disengaging arcuate mouth  70  with overmolded piece  72  from leg portion  38 , detaching leg  14   a  from bottom surface  34  of table  18  (as discussed above), and rotating leg support  16   a  about pins  80 ,  82  until the leg support body is generally flush with bottom surface  34  of table  18 . As shown in  FIG. 3 , fastener  60   a  immovably secures leg support  16   a  in the closed storage position by engaging catch  74  (see  FIG. 10 ). As used herein, the term “immovably secure” means that the leg support is secured to the table in such a manner as to substantially prevent movement of the leg support in relation to the table. Fastener  60   a  may be manually actuated to release catch  74  and enable leg support  16   a  to be moved from the closed storage position to the open position, as discussed below. 
     Fastener  60   a  is best shown in  FIG. 11 , which is a partial cross-sectional side view of portable voting booth  10  taken along a line that intersects fastener  60   a  and catch  74  of leg support  16   a . It should be understood that this view only shows the portion of leg support  16   a  between catch  74  and the inner surface of arcuate mouth  70  with overmolded piece  72  (i.e., first side  62 , second side  64 , and third side  66  of leg support  16   a  are not seen in this view). Fastener  60   a  comprises a flexible molded snap that is attached with a screw  86  to the backside  34   a  of bottom surface  34  of table  18 . Fastener  60   a  includes a tab  88  that extends downwardly from bottom surface  34  of table  18 . Tab  88  includes a latch  90  that is positioned to interlock with catch  74  of leg support  16   a  in order to secure leg support  16   a  in the closed storage position. 
     In order to move leg support  16   a  from the closed storage position to the open position, fastener  60   a  and catch  74  of leg support  16   a  are disengaged by applying force to tab  88  to move or flex latch  90  toward screw  86  so that catch  74  is no longer interlocked with latch  90 . The force applied to tab  88  may then be released and leg support  16   a  is rotated about pins  80 ,  82  to the open position. Conversely, leg support  16   a  may be moved from the open position to the closed storage position by rotating leg support  16   a  about pins  80 ,  82  to the position generally shown in  FIG. 11 . It should be understood that manual actuation of tab  88  is not required at this point because catch  74  will move along the sloped edge of tab  88  until fastener  60   a  snaps into the position shown in  FIG. 11  in which latch  90  interlocks with catch  74 . 
     It should be understood that the present invention is not limited to the use of leg supports that are secured to the bottom surface of the table using fasteners as described in connection with the first exemplary embodiment. In some embodiments, other types of fasteners known in the art may be used, such as button snaps, magnets, Velcro® brand fasteners, or any other type of clip. In other embodiments, the leg supports may be secured to another portion of the portable voting booth. In yet other embodiments, the leg supports are not movable and are permanently held in an open position, although this configuration is not preferred insofar as the voting booth could not be disassembled to provide a compact unit for storage. 
     B. Second Exemplary Embodiment 
     Referring to  FIG. 12 , a portable voting booth in accordance with a second exemplary embodiment of the present invention is shown generally as reference numeral  100 . In general terms, portable voting booth  100  includes a table  102 , four removable legs  104   a ,  104   b ,  104   c ,  104   d  that support table  102  during use, and four leg supports  106   a ,  106   b ,  106   c ,  106   d  (leg support  106   b  is not seen in  FIG. 12 ) that are movable between an open position in which the leg supports stabilize legs  104   a ,  104   b ,  104   c ,  104   d , respectively, during use and a closed position in which the leg supports are secured to the bottom surface of table  102  for storage. 
     Table  102  includes a top surface  108  that provides a writing surface on which a paper ballot is hand-marked by a voter. Preferably, a three-panel, foldable privacy screen  110  is included that provides privacy when voters cast their ballots in an election. As can be seen, privacy screen  110  includes a left panel  110   a , a center panel  110   b  and a right panel  110   c , which are attached along their bottom edges to top surface  108  of table  102 . In this embodiment, panels  110   a ,  110   b ,  110   c  are attached to top surface  108  of table  102  via the use of Velcro® brand tape strips. Of course, other types of temporary or permanent attachment means may also be used. Left and right panels  110   a ,  110   c  may also be modified to comply with the ADA by the addition of privacy screen extensions (not shown), as is well known in the art. 
     It should be understood that the bottom surface of table  102  is identical to that of table  18  of the first exemplary embodiment and will not be separately described herein. Further, it should be understood that legs  104   a ,  104   b ,  104   c ,  104   d  have the same configuration as legs  14   a ,  14   b ,  14   c ,  14   d  of the first exemplary embodiment and, similarly, leg supports  106   a ,  106   b ,  106   c ,  106   d  have the same configuration as leg supports  16   a ,  16   b ,  16   c ,  16   d  of the first exemplary embodiment. As such, the structure and functionality of each of these components will not be separately described herein. 
     C. General 
     The description set forth above provides several embodiments of the inventive subject matter. Although each embodiment represents a single combination of inventive elements, the inventive subject matter is considered to include all possible combinations of the disclosed elements. Thus, if one embodiment comprises elements A, B, and C, and a second embodiment comprises elements B and D, then the inventive subject matter is also considered to include other remaining combinations of A, B, C, or D, even if not explicitly disclosed. 
     The use of any and all examples or exemplary language (e.g., “such as”) provided with respect to certain embodiments is intended merely to better describe the invention and does not pose a limitation on the scope of the invention. No language in the description should be construed as indicating any non-claimed element essential to the practice of the invention. 
     As used herein, unless the context dictates otherwise, the terms “coupled to,” “connected to” and “attached to” are intended to include both direct coupling (in which two elements are directly connected to each other) and indirect coupling (in which at least one additional element is located between the two elements). 
     Also, the recitation of ranges of values herein is merely intended to serve as a shorthand method of referring individually to each separate value falling within the range. Unless otherwise indicated, each individual value is incorporated into the description as if it were individually recited herein. 
     While the present invention has been described and illustrated hereinabove with reference to several exemplary embodiments, it should be understood that various modifications could be made to these embodiments without departing from the scope of the invention. Therefore, the present invention is not to be limited to the specific structural configurations of the exemplary embodiments, except insofar as such limitations are included in the following claims.