PORTABLE TABLETOP LECTERN SUITABLE FOR MASS-MANUFACTURE

Abstract

A lightweight portable lectern consisting of four pieces designed to be assembled together without the use of tools provides a lecture or presentation aid suitable for traveling, but also provides a design suitable for mass-manufacturing processes such as injection molding. The four pieces consist of two side membersa left side member and a right side memberalong with a top member and a front member. The top member has two openings on the bottom surfaceone near the left edge, the other near the right edge. Each of the side members has a protrusion from the upper edge, designed to fit into the appropriate opening on the bottom surface of the top member. The front member has protrusions from the rear surface which are designed to fit into openings at the front edge of the two side members.

Claims

1. A portable lectern for use as a platform on a supporting surface comprising: a pair of side members each having an upper edge, a lower edge, a rear edge and a front edge; a top member having a top surface, a bottom surface, a left edge, a right edge and a back edge; a front member having a rear surface wherein a thickness of said front member is substantially less than a thickness of said front edge of said side members; first coupling means for releasably securing said bottom surface of said top member to said upper edges of said side members; and second coupling means for releasably securing said rear surface of said front member to each said side member said front edge, wherein said first coupling means and said second coupling means provide structural support for said portable lectern and said first coupling means provides angular orientation for said top member, wherein said first coupling means comprises protrusions extending from a central or middle portion of said upper edge of said side members, and corresponding openings in said bottom surface of said top member, wherein each side member protrusion is located between two exposed portions of said upper edge, said exposed portions extending between said protrusion and the respective rear or front edge of the side member; wherein a length of said protrusion taken along said upper edge is greater than a length of each unexposed portion, and wherein said side member protrusions fit into said top member openings, and said second coupling means comprises protrusions extending from said rear surface of said front member and said openings in said front edges of said side members, wherein said front member protrusions fit into said side member openings.

2. (canceled)

3. The portable lectern of claim 1, wherein said top member comprises a raised protrusion along said rear edge of said top member, wherein said top member protrusion is high enough to provide reasonable stability for items placed on said top surface of said top member, helping said items maintain positioning on said top surface of said top member.

4. (canceled)

5. The portable lectern of claim 3, wherein the length of each said side member said front edge is greater than the length of said side member said rear edge, whereby said top member and any materials or device supported thereby are inclined toward said rear edge of said top member.

6. (canceled)

7. (canceled)

8. The portable lectern of claim 5, wherein said top member, said side members and said front member are of a size sufficiently small such as to enable said portable lectern, when disassembled, to fit within a briefcase or carry-on suitcase.

9. The portable lectern of claim 8, wherein said first coupling means and said second coupling means require no additional connecting devices or aids such as screws, hinges, clips, tape or glue, and wherein assembly of said top member, said side members and said front member into said portable lectern requires the use of no tools.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0016] FIG. 1 shows the portable lectern of the present invention in assembled form from a top-rear-left-side perspective, with the side members shown on the left and right, the top member above and with bottom surface abutting the upper edge of the side members, and the front member only slightly visible but with rear surface abutting the front edge of the side members.

[0017] FIG. 2 is a view of the invention from the same upper-rear-left-side perspective as FIG. 1, showing an exploded, plan view of the four parts of the portable lectern, with the protrusions on the upper edge of the side members and the protrusions on the rear surface of the front member visibly indicated.

[0018] FIG. 3 shows the portable lectern of the present invention in assembled form from a lower-front-left-side perspective, with the left side member in the foreground and the right side member in the background, the top member above and with bottom surface abutting the upper edge of the side members, and the front member shown with rear surface abutting the front edge of the side members.

[0019] FIG. 4 is a view of the invention from the same lower-front-left-side perspective as FIG. 3, showing an exploded, plan view of the four parts of the portable lectern, visibly indicating the protrusions on the upper edge of the side members, the openings on the bottom surface of the top member into which the protrusions on the upper edge of the side members fit, the protrusions on the rear surface of the front member, and the openings on the front edge of the side members into which the protrusions on the rear surface of the front member fit.

[0020] FIG. 5 shows the portable lectern of the present invention in assembled form from a top-front-left-side perspective, with the left side member in the foreground and the right side member in the background, the top member above and with bottom surface abutting the upper edge of the side members, and the front member rear surface abutting the front edge of the side members.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0021] Referring to the drawings, FIG. 1 shows the lightweight portable lectern of the present invention in assembled form, as it would rest on a surface. When positioned on the top surface 1.1 of top member 1, materials or notes used for the presentation or lecture are prevented from sliding off the rear of the lectern by the raised protrusion 1.3 along the rear edge 1.7 of the top member.

[0022] As illustrated in FIG. 2, the lectern consists of four flat members that can be stacked and stored for transport: a top member 1, a front member 4, a left side member 2 and a right side member 3. The side members 2, 3 are designed so that the length of the side member front edges 2.3, 3.3 respectively is greater than the length of the side member rear edges 2.6, 3.6 respectively, causing the top member 1 to have an inclination in the assembled condition.

[0023] FIGS. 3 and 4 show the lectern from a more front-oriented and underneath-oriented view, with FIG. 3 showing the lectern in assembled state and FIG. 4 showing an exploded, plan view of the lectern. Additionally, FIG. 4 visibly indicates the protrusions 2.1, 3.1 from the upper edge 2.5, 3.5 respectively of the side members 2, 3 respectively, the openings 1.4 in the bottom surface 1.2 of the top member 1, the protrusions 4.2 on the rear surface 4.1 of the front member 4, and the openings 2.4, 3.4 in the front edge 2.3, 3.3 respectively of the side members 2, 3 respectively.

[0024] The members of the assembly are releasably secured to one another in the assembled condition by protrusions 4.2 on the rear surface 4.1 of front member 4 being placed into openings 2.4 in the front edge 2.3 of left member 2 and openings 3.4 in the front edge 3.3 of right member 3, and by protrusion 2.1 from the upper edge 2.5 of left member 2 being placed into opening 1.4 near the left edge 1.5 in the bottom surface 1.2 of top member 1, and protrusion 3.1 from the upper edge 3.5 of right member 3 being placed into opening 1.4 near the right edge 1.6 in the bottom surface 1.2 of top member 1. The protrusions indicated previously fit snugly into the corresponding openings, providing stability for the lectern when assembled.

[0025] The four parts of the lectern may be formed of any material such as would be appropriate for injection molding or 3D printing, but are not limited to such specific materials.

[0026] The lectern is assembled by pressing protrusion 2.1 of left side member 2 upper edge 2.5 into corresponding opening 1.4 in the bottom surface 1.2 near the left edge 1.5 of top member 1, and by pressing protrusion 3.1 of right side member 3 upper edge 3.5 into corresponding opening 1.4 in the bottom surface 1.2 near the right edge 1.6 of top member 1, and by pressing protrusions 4.2 of front member 4 rear edge 4.1 into openings 2.4 in left side member 2 front edge 2.3 and openings 3.4 in right side member 3 front edge 3.3.

[0027] Though the portable lectern of this invention is designed to be small enough in disassembled form to allow the four pieces to fit into a briefcase or carry-on suitcase, the height of the lectern is not specified, nor are the dimensions of the individual members. This portable lectern design could accommodate numerous heights or sizes of the individual members, and in assembled condition could be of multiple heights to accommodate persons of different height ranges.

[0028] This portable lectern is used as an aid to a standing person (a speaker) giving presentations, workshops or lectures in which the speaker uses notes. A lectern such as this invention is useful when the only available surface on which to place notes is of the approximate height of a tabletop. For a standing person of average height, notes placed on a tabletop can be difficult to see clearly. This invention enables the notes to be placed at a more appropriate height for viewing.

[0029] Once the lectern is fully assembled, the speaker would place notes for the presentation, workshop or lecture onto the top surface 1.1 of top member 1. The lectern of this invention is designed to cause the notes to be angled slightly downward toward the speaker to help the speaker see the notes more easily, and with raised protrusion 1.3 near the rear edge 1.7 of top member 1 providing positional stability of the speaker's notes. This portable lectern provides an acceptable support surface for notes in various forms, including loose pages, spiral notebook, sheets of paper contained in a binder, or notes stored on an electronic device such as a cell phone, notepad or laptop.

[0030] This invention designespecially when manufactured by a process such as injection moldingcan provide a lightweight but stable surface for notes as described above. It also provides a solution for speakers who travel for their presentations, workshops or lectures and need notes higher than would be available from a standard table heighta solution that can be easily packed for traveling into a small suitcase, briefcase, or computer carrying case. The speaker could bring this portable lectern, rather than depending on the venue to provide such a tabletop lectern.