BOOK STAND

[0001] The present invention relates to a folding bookstand, particularly suitable to be used for reading a book in a supine position.

[0002] The purpose of a book-stand is to make reading comfortable for the reader. Such purpose is generally reached thanks to the fact that the book-stand permits support of the text, for example a book or musical score; said support avoids unnatural positions of the neck of the reader who also has his/her hands free for another activity .

[0003] The book-stands present on the market today have some limitations or drawbacks. In particular, in the prior art there are no book-stands which can be used very comfortably in a supine position, such as for example lying on a bed and which at the same time take up little space when not in use so as to be conveniently stored and/or transported.

[0004] A type of book-stand suitable to be used in a supine position comprises a support structure standing on the ground and means of support ^' of the book extending laterally to overhang such structure, so to be position able on a reader lying supine on a bed. Clearly, such book-stand is of considerable size and cannot be easily or conveniently transported or folded away into a small space when not in use.

[0005] In another prior embodiment, the book-stand rests directly on the bed by means of two or more cumbersome legs positioned at the user's sides. In this case too, solutions minimising the space occupied by the book-stand when not in use are not known. Moreover, the support legs of the book-stand obstruct the freedom of movement of the reader's legs, making reading less comfortable.

[0006] The purpose of the present invention is to propose a book-stand able to overcome the aforementioned drawbacks or limitations of book-stands of the prior art.

[0007] Said purpose is achieved by a book-stand according to claim 1.

[0008] Further characteristics and advantages of the bookstand according to the invention will be evident from the description below of its preferred embodiments, made by way of a non-limiting example with reference to the attached drawings, wherein:

[0009] - figure 1 is a perspective view of the book-stand holding a book, in a first position of use, according to the invention;

[0010] - figure 2 is a perspective view of the empty bookstand, in. the same first position of use;

[0011] - figure 3 is a frontal view of the book-stand holding a book, in a second position of use;

[0012] - figure 4 is a lateral view of the empty bookstand, in the second position of use;

[0013] - figure 5 is a perspective view of the closed book- stand;

[0014] - figure 6 is a view in elevation of an example of a prop structure of the book in a position of use; and

[0015] - figure 7 shows the prop structure of the book folded up.

[0016] With reference to the appended drawings, reference numeral 1 globally denotes the book-stand which the present invention relates to.

[0017] Said book-stand 1 comprises a book-stand body 2 from which three legs and the book support structure 10 extend.

[0018] As shown in figures 1, 2 and 4 showing the book ^¬ stand 1 in two main positions of use, a central leg 3 and two lateral legs 5 and 7 are detectable.

[0019] All three legs 3, 5 and 7 comprise at least one support foot 31, 51 and 71.

[0020] Moreover, each of the three legs 3, 5 and 7 comprises at least one intermediate joint 32, 52, 72 thanks to which the user may bend each leg by a certain desired angle.

[0021] The presence of the joints 32, 52 and 72 divides each of the legs 3, 5 and 7 into two half-legs: the supporting half-legs 3', 5' and 7' and the half-legs resting on the floor, the resting half-legs 3", 5" and 7". Each supporting half-leg 3', 5' and 1' extends from the book-stand body 2 to the relative intermediate joint 32, 52 and 72, while the other one is connected to the support portion 2. Each resting half-leg 3", 5" and Ί" extends from the respective intermediate joint 32,52 and 72 to a respective support foot 31,51 and 71.

[0022] Moreover, all the legs 3, 5 and 7 are composed of at least two telescopic sections so as to be adjustable in length. Preferably, at least the supporting half-legs 3", 5" and 7" are made from telescopic sections a, b.

[0023] Said telescopic sections a, b are reciprocally blocked by a blocking element c by which the user allows or blocks the reciprocal sliding of the inner section b in relation to the outer section a.

[0024] The central leg 3 is connected to the book-stand body 2 preferably along its centreline and lies on a substantially horizontal plane.

[0025] The two side legs 5 and 7 are connected at lateral ends of the book-stand body 2.

[0026] Preferably the side legs 5 and 7 are connected to the book-stand body 2 by hinges and are therefore free to rotate around a hinging axis identifying preferential planes to lie on.

[0027] In a preferred embodiment, said hinging axes of the two central legs 5 and 7 are substantially parallel to each other and substantially perpendicular to the central leg 3; preferably the planes which each side leg lie on substantially coincide with each other. In other words, in a preferred embodiment, when the book-stand is in use the supporting half legs 3', 5' and 7' lie on the same, substantially horizontal plane.

[0028] In a preferred embodiment, starting from the bookstand body 2, the supporting half-leg 3' extends substantially in an opposite direction to the position adopted by the user of the book-stand. The two side legs 5 and 7, and in particular their supporting half-legs 5' and 1' extend substantially in directions orthogonal to that in which the supporting half-leg 3' lies.

[0029] Advantageously, the central supporting half-leg 3' is also made of telescopic sections, so as to adjust the distance of the central leg 3 in relation to the user.

[0030] A prop structure 10, 20 is also fitted on the bookstand body 2 suitable to support the book.

[0031] Said prop structure 10, 20 is hinged to the bookstand 2 so as to be free to rotate around a substantially horizontal hinging axis.

[0032] In a preferred embodiment, the prop structure 10, 20 is positioned at a certain inclination imposed by the user in the upper half space defined by the plane which the three legs lie in. The inclination of said prop structure 10, 20 is imposed by the user by means of adjustment 15.

[0033] In one embodiment, said means of adjustment 15 comprises an adjustment rod having an upper end 1-6 hinged to the prop structure 10,20 and a lower end 17 free to move ^' in positions chosen by the user. In particular, said lower end 17 may block itself in dedicated blocking positions made on the other components of the book-stand, preferably on the central leg 3. Such blocking positions may be identified for example by notches made on the central leg 3.

[0034] In an embodiment variation, the lower end 17 of the means of adjustment 15 is connected to a cursor 35 sliding along the central leg 3 and which can be blocked in a desired position.

[0035] In one embodiment, the prop structure of the book 10, 20 comprises at least one central arm 10 to the ends of which transversal support bars 20 shaped so as to permit an open book to be supported are connected. Said bars 20 are generally sections, for example "L"-shaped, mechanically fitted on the arm 10. Moreover, the support bars 20 are separable from the arm 10, when the book- stand is not in use, to minimise the space occupied by the book-stand when folded. In one embodiment variation, of the book-stand, the support bars 20 are hinged to the arms 10 so as to be collapsible along said arms 10.

[0036] Figures 6 and 7 show a prop structure 40 in a preferred embodiment. Such prop structure can be fitted to and dismounted from a pair of support arms 10 hinged to the book-stand 2. Said prop structure 40 comprises two plates 25, 26 movable in relation to each other so as to adapt the width of the prop structure to the size of the book to be supported. For example, one of the two plates 25, 26 is provided with at least one notched rod 27, which couples . with a respective seat made in the other plate. The upper plate 25 is fitted, on the back, with a hook 29 for connection to a cross piece 80 extending between the support arms 10. Two L-shaped half-bars 20' are hinged to the ends of each plate 25, 26. These half- bars 20' are therefore rotatable between a horizontal position of use (figure 6) and a rest position in which they are folded back along the edges of the plates, so as to form a sort of tray (figure 7) .

[0037] Preferably, to achieve such enclosed, compact configuration, the half-bars 20' must not obstruct each other when rotated. For this reason, one pair of half- bars 20' rotates above the plates 25, 26 while the other pair of half-bars 20' rotates below the plates.

[0038] The tray thus formed is suitable to house the book ^L stand in a closed position, as illustrated in figure 5.

[0039] A light 50 may be fitted onto the support bars 20, 20' -to illuminate the pages of the book.

[0040] Advantageously, dedicated clips 60 are fitted to the book-stand to hold the pages of the text. Said clips are positioned in traction between the two support bars 20 so as to block the desired pages in place.

[0041] In a preferred embodiment, said clips 60 bear magnetic devices 61 to block the pages. In order to avoid the fact of having the respective clip 60 on the book, on top of the words to be read, this is positioned under them: the pages overlying the clip are retained by the interaction of the two magnetic devices 61. The positions of the clips 60 and their use is shown in figure 1.

[0042] Thanks to the use of such page blocking devices, the reader does not have to be worry to hold the pages while reading, thereby offering total freedom of the upper limbs and therefore making reading much more comfortable.

[0043] Figures 1 and 2 show the book-stand open in a main position of use specifically for a reader in a supine position .

[0044] The central leg 3, and in particular the supporting half-leg 3', is designed so as to be suitable for this type of application, that is to be regulated in length so as to be able to position the respective foot 31 in the space between the supine reader's legs.

[0045] Figures 3 and 4 show a further variation of use of the book-stand. By conveniently folding the legs as required, thanks to the extremely small size of the same, the book-stand can be adapted for use as a desk bookstand from being a book-stand "for bed". In particular the central half leg 3' is always positioned on the centreline of the book-stand body 2 from which the two side half-legs 5' and 7' extend, perpendicular to the former. The resting half-legs are folded back on themselves parallel to the supporting half-legs positioned in the positions as above.

[0046] In a further embodiment variation, not shown, the central leg 3 is fitted, for example at the ends of the supporting half-leg 3, with a rear support cross piece extending orthogonally to said central leg and enabling use of the book-stand resting it on the user's legs. In such configuration, the side legs and the central leg are folded as in figures 3 and 4. Consequently, the book ^¬ stand rests on the user's legs by means of the open folded side legs and the rear cross-piece. Advantageously, the latter may be formed of two foldable elements hinged to the central leg. [0047] Figure 5 shows how the dimensions of the book-stand in the position of use are extremely limited.

[0048] For example, the folded book-stand comes to occupy a space the same as or even less than the size of an average sized book.

[0049] The side legs 5 and 7 in fact, folded back on themselves as in the above position and thanks to the hinges at the ends are positioned parallel to the central leg 3 which the arms 10 too are also folded back on.

[0050] Innovatively the book-stand may be used by a person in a supine position and may be stored away occupying little space.

[0051] Advantageously the legs are adjustable in length.

[0052] Advantageously the legs have at least one joint.

[0053] Advantageously both the supporting half-legs and the half-legs standing on the ground are telescopic.

[0054] Advantageously the inclination of the arms is adj ustable .

[0055] Advantageously the book-stand is adjustable in height.

[0056] Advantageously the central leg positions itself between the supine reader's legs, leaving him/her totally free to move the lower limbs, stretching them out or bending them as wished. Reading thus proves extremely comfortable and relaxing. [0057] Advantageously the three legs lie on the same substantially horizontal plane.

[0058] Advantageously · the book-stand is easy to move and is manually adjustable by a user.

· [0059] Advantageously the support structure creates a tray which the legs of the book-stand can be placed in after being folded back on themselves minimising the space occupied when not in use.

[0060] A person skilled in the art may make modifications to the embodiments of the book-stand described above or replace elements with others functionally equivalent so as to satisfy specific requirements.

[0061] In a further embodiment variation the central leg is also hinged to the support body.

[0062] In a further embodiment variation the three legs are the same.

[0063] In a further embodiment variation the support body and the central leg are joined in one piece.

[0064] Such variations also fall within the sphere of protection as defined by the following claims.

[0065] Moreover, each variation described as belonging to a possible embodiment may be realised independently of the other variations.