Patent ID: 7344197

Claim:
A portable free-standing supporting device comprising: a continuous structural spine, wherein the spine is configured to interface an object to be supported by the supporting device and is further configured to interface a resting surface upon which the portable free-standing supporting device rests, the spine consisting only of: a single series of hingedly-connected segments, each segment having a pre-designed shape and each pair of hingedly-connected segments having a stopping point, each segment further including a support surface, the support surface being oriented in a common position on each segment; and a series of hinges connecting the hingedly-connected segments and providing the hinged connection between the segments, such that when two contiguous segments bend at the hinge between the contiguous segments until the continuous segments interface at the stopping point a pre-designed geometry is created by the contiguous segments, and such that when all the pairs of contiguous segments interface at their respective stopping points a pre-designed selectively-rigid form is created, said form comprising: a base structure configured to rest on the resting surface, the base structure comprising a plurality of the hingedly-connected segments with the support surface of each of the hingedly-connected segments of the base structure oriented to contact the resting surface; a leg structure connected to and supported by the base structure; and a support area connected to and supported by the leg structure, with the support surface of each of the hingedly-connected segments of the support area providing support for the object, the support area terminating in a free end that does not contact the resting surface; wherein the pre-designed selectively-rigid form is an active position of the portable free-standing supporting device; and wherein the spine of the portable free-standing supporting device is capable of being rolled around itself into an inactive position for storage.