Abstract:
A one-piece collapsible stand, especially for a binder, made of a suitable material, like corrugated cardboard or polypropylene, by stamping or molding. In its collapsed configuration, all components of the stand are coplanar. The stand comprises a frame-like bottom plate, to which a center leg and two side legs are connected by integral hinges. Complementary latch notches in the side of the engaging legs adjacent their free ends interlock to fix the structure in its erected configuration. Specifically spaced circular holes aligned in parallel to a side of the frame-like bottom plate enable the stand to be transported in its collapsed position in ring binders.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention relates to a collapsible stand, especially for binders or other material, which are to be held in a convenient position for reading. Although below the device according to the invention is referred to as a binder stand, it should clearly be understood that the stand can be used for other purposes, e.g. for the storage or display of books, brochures, manuals, loose pages, and other substantially flat materials 
     U.S. Class: Class 248: which provides for devices which carry the weight of an article or articles against the pull of gravity/subclass 459: which provides for devices formed from a sheet or blank of cardboard or equivalent material, which can be bent and, which, when assembled, provides stable support for said article or articles. 
     Other stands made for binders are designed either to provide a portable writing stand, or they are combination ring binders and stands; in one instance, the stand is also an outer case for a ring binder. None of the stands turned up in a search of existing patents offer a simple, portable, inexpensive stand for binders. Some bookstands may also be capable of supporting a binder, and may be portable, but they must be carried independently of the binder and, consequently, take up more room and are not as convenient as the design in this patent application. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is an object of the invention to provide a one-piece collapsible binder stand made of lightweight material by stamping or molding, and to arrange the structural members in such a way that heavy binders and books can be safely supported by a simple structure, which is easy and inexpensive to manufacture, and can be easily inserted in a ring binder for secure and convenient transportation. 
     The invention relates to a one-piece collapsible stand, especially for a binder, made of a suitable material by stamping or molding, the stand being foldable between an erected, operative configuration and a collapsed, inoperative configuration wherein all of its components are coplanar, and it can be easily inserted in a binder. The stand comprises a frame-like bottom plate having a front edge portion and a rear edge portion; a center leg having two sides and a free end and being connected to the front edge portion by an integral hinge; one side leg on each side of the center leg, each side leg having an inner side, and outer side, and a free end, and being connected to the rear portion by an integral hinge; latch notches on each side of the center leg adjacent the free end of each side leg; and two cover tabs for preventing the article to be supported from sliding off the stand, each cover tab having two sides, and an elliptical free end, and being connected to the front edge portion by an integral hinge; and two page tabs for holding the pages, each page tab having two sides, and an elliptical free end, and being connected to the front portion by an integral hinge; and circular openings aligned in parallel to a side of the frame-like bottom plate for the purpose of inserting the stand into the rings of a binder, like a loose-leaf page, to provide means for transporting the stand with a binder. All integral hinges have their pivotal axis formed by a line of reduced thickness of the material. The engaging sides of the legs are formed such that the latch notches interlock for fixing the legs in the erected, operative configuration. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a binder stand according to the invention, the stand being shown in its collapsed, inoperative configuration; 
     FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the binder stand of FIG. 1 shown in its erected, operative configuration; 
     FIG.  3 . shows an integral hinge in fragmented cross section along the lines  9 — 9  in FIG.  1   
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The stand shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 is made of a material that can be stamped or molded and that has the property of being bendable for a considerable number of times along lines of reduced thickness without showing fatigue failure. Corrugated cardboard and polypropylene are examples of such materials that lend themselves to forming integral hinges as further described below. 
     In its collapsed configuration, the stand resembles a flat sheet of material with cut lines as shown. The stand comprises a bottom plate  1  having a front edge portion  2 , a rear edge portion  4  and two side edge portions  3  and  5  extending between the front and rear edge portions to form a closed, generally rectangular base. Circular openings are formed either by stamping or molding along a side of plate  1  (e.g.  49  and  51 ). These circular openings are generally aligned with each other and are generally disposed parallel to a side of plate  1 . The spacing between said circular openings matches the configuration of commercially available ring binders and other binders. A generally oblong opening  1   a  is formed in bottom plate  1 . The front edge portion  2  includes a central recess  2   a  contiguous with the generally oblong opening  1   a . The central recess  2   a  extends a substantial distance into the front edge portion  2 . A center leg  6  has two sides  7  and  9  and a free end  8 . Central leg  6  is hingedly connected to a front edge of central recess  2   a  forming a central hinge  11 . The hinge  11  is an area of reduced thickness obtained by grooving the material on both sides to serve as an integral central hinge  11  as shown in cross section in FIG.  3  and in broken lines in FIG.  1 . Two side legs  13  and  15  are similarly connected to bottom plate  1  adjacent the rear edge portion  4  by integral side hinges. The hinges  18  and  20  are generally aligned with each other and are generally parallel to the hinge  11 . The legs  13  and  15  have respective inner sides  14  and  16 , outer sides  17  and  19 , and free ends  22  and  24 . The side edges  7  and  9  of the central leg  6  are inclined obliquely to the central hinge  11  at an angle other than a right angle. As shown, the edges  7  and  9  diverge from the central hinge  11  towards the free end  8  to produce an inversely tapered center leg in which the free end  8  is wider than the length of the central hinge  11 . Similarly, the inner sides  14  and  16  of the side legs converge towards each other from their respective side hinges  18  and  20  to be generally adjacent the side edges  7  and  9  of the center leg. In their erected, operative configuration the legs can be interlocked by parallel latch notches  10 ,  21  and  12 ,  23  respectively. The closed ends of engaging latch notches are positioned in a common datum line  25 , which is essentially at right angles to the pivotal axis of the corresponding hinge. This is shown in FIG. 1, where  10  and  21  are engaging latch notches of the center leg  7  and the side leg  13 ; the common line  25  is at right angles to the pivotal axis of the hinge  18 . Thus a stable, easel-like support is created. 
     First tab means  26  and  28  are provided on the front edge portion  2  to serve for holding the covers of binder, or book, or other material to prevent the article from sliding off the stand supporting it. First tab means  26  and  28  each having two sides  27  and  30 , and  29  and  32  respectively, and an elliptical free end  31  and  33 , and are connected to the front edge portion by an integral hinge  34  and  35 , which are in parallel to central hinge  11 . First tab means  26  and  28  are generally aligned with each other and sides  27  and  30  and  29  and  32  are in parallel to side edge portions  3  and  5 . First tab means  26  and  28  are located in close proximity to the side edge portions  3  and  5  respectively, to widen the span between first tab means, which improves the stability of an article being supported on the stand. These tabs can be bent upwards about the first tab hinges  34  and  35  to hold the covers of a binder and prevent it from sliding. 
     Second tab means  36  and  38  are provided on the front edge portion  2  on either side of the center leg  6  and inside of the first tab means  26  and  28 . The second tab means extend substantially farther towards the front portion  2  than the first tab means. Second tab means can be bent upwards about integral second tab hinges  44  and  46  to serve for holding the pages of a binder, or book, or other material. Second tab means  36  and  38  each having an inner side  37  and  39 , and an outer side  40  and  42 , and an elliptical free end  41  and  43 , and are connected to front portion  2  by an integral hinge  44  and  46  respectively. Second tab hinge inner endpoints  48  and  50  are generally aligned with each other, and are located closer to front edge portion  2  than second tab hinge outer endpoints  45  and  47 , which are generally aligned with each other. The outer sides  40  and  42  are at a right angle to the second tab hinges  44  and  46  and the inner sides  37  and  39  are not at a right angle to the second tab hinges so that the sides converge and the inner sides  37  and  39  are longer than the outer sides  40  and  42 , and the width of second tab means  36  and  38  is narrower at the free end of the tab than the width at the hinged end of the tab. 
     With the stand according to the invention erected, the free ends  22  and  24  of the side legs project forward of the center leg  6  and are adapted to contact and support the covers of a binder being supported on the stand. Thus the force of the weight of a heavy binder acts mostly on the free ends  22  and  24  of the side legs  13  and  15  in the direction of the longitudinal axis of each leg. This is the direction of the greatest strength of the legs and, therefore, heavy loads can be supported on a relatively light and inexpensive structure. Also, there is very little stress on the latch notches  10 ,  12 ,  21 , and  23  of the stand according to the invention, which increases its product life. 
     Circular openings are placed to match the spacing of rings in ring binders for the purpose of transporting the stand, in its collapsed configuration, in a secure and convenient manner in such binders. Circular openings can be formed along any of the four sides of the binder stand bottom plate without in any way impairing the functionality of the binder stand. The number of circular openings and the spacing between circular openings can vary to match the configurations of different binder types and styles available on the market.