Patent ID: 7857277

Claim:
A portable drawing apparatus, comprising: a pair of drawing surface support members arranged as narrow elongated structures, each drawing surface support member configured to connect to a drawing support surface along an edge of the drawing support surface; a pair of lower support members arranged as narrow elongated structures, each lower support member pivotally connected to a respective drawing surface support member; a pair of rear support members arranged as narrow elongated structures, each rear support member pivotally connected to a respective drawing surface support member; a lower cross frame having first and second members pivotally connected to each other in a center region, the lower cross frame connected to a distal region of each front support member and to the rear support members; an upper cross frame having first and second members pivotally connected to each other in a center region, the upper cross frame connected to a distal region of each drawing surface support member and to the rear support members; a hinged lateral member comprising two portions rotatable about a common pivot, the hinged lateral member connected at each of two ends to one of a respective rear support member, a respective drawing surface support member, and a respective lower support member, wherein, in an operational configuration: the drawing support surface forms a planar upwardly and rearwardly reclined surface connected to each of the drawing surface support members along opposite edges of the drawing support surface, each lower support member is substantially parallel to a respective drawing surface support member, the rear support members and lower support members are configured to rest on a common substantially planar surface, wherein each rear support member extends at a substantial angle with respect to the drawing surface support members, and wherein, in a collapsed configuration, the portable drawing apparatus is operable such that the drawing surface support members and the lower support members are substantially mutually parallel and have their respective distal ends substantially pointing in a same direction with respect to a common hinge, the drawing surface support members, the lower support members, and at least a portion of the rear support members forming a bundle.