Patent ID: 7185869

Claim:
A foldable reading stand for supporting a book or other object, the stand having a flat collapsed configuration for storage, and a set-up configuration for holding an object in an inclined position, said stand comprising: a panel having a front surface for holding an object in an inclined position, a rear surface, and right and left side outer edges; a shelf connected to said panel and pivotal to a flat position parallel to said panel, when the stand is in said flat collapsed configuration, and to a set-up position at an angle to the front surface of the panel, when the stand is in said set-up configuration, wherein the shelf in the set-up position is adapted to support said object in the inclined position on the panel; and right and left support members connected to the rear surface of the panel near said right and left side outer edges, respectively, the right and left support members being pivotal on a first pivot axis and a second pivot axis, respectively, to fold flat against said panel when the stand is in the flat collapsed configuration, and to pivot away from each other, when the stand is in the set-up configuration, to extend rearward from the panel and diverge from each other to support the panel in an inclined position, and wherein front portions of the right and left support members extend underneath the shelf to hold the shelf in said set-up position; wherein said shelf comprises a right groove and a left groove, and wherein said front portion of the right support member comprises a first tab frictionally received in said right groove to secure the right support member to the shelf, when the shelf is in the set-up position and the stand is in the set-up configuration, and wherein said front portion of the right support member further has a second tab frictionally received in said right groove to secure the shelf to the right support member and retain the shelf parallel to the right support member, when the shelf is in a collapsed position and the stand is in the flat collapsed configuration.