Supports – Easel; book – copy or music score holder – Inverted book-type holder
Reexamination Certificate
1999-06-01
2001-04-24
King, Anita M. (Department: 3632)
Supports
Easel; book, copy or music score holder
Inverted book-type holder
C248S450000, C248S451000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06220559
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF INVENTION
This invention relates to a device that holds reading materials, such as magazines, books and journals above a reclining or supine user. More specifically, the invention allows the previously described reading materials to be suspended above a user who has minimal arm function, enabling the disabled individual to effectively communicate with the reading material pages using a device such as a mouthstick.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Many people, through disease or injury, may become bed ridden for greater or lesser periods of time. While confined to bed, the person's options for keeping occupied are severely limited. Many people so confined prefer to read as one means for passing the time during their convalescence. However, holding a book up above while laying on one's back for any length of time is tedious and exhausting. In fact, there is a significant subset of individuals who have suffered such debilitating injuries that they have lost use of their upper extremities and no longer have the ability to hold up a book, magazine, and the like.
Devices exist that enable reclining or supine individuals to read with minimal manual interaction. One example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,351,927, issued to Howell, is a book holder that sandwiches the reading material between a clear acrylic sheet and a solid backing. For this design, the reading material rests on a transparent flat plane and the pages are read through the clear material. While this type of invention permits the reclining user the ability to read without holding the book, page turning is difficult. The user must first loosen the transparent plate, reach behind the acrylic, turn the page, and then return the acrylic to its original position.
Other book holder designs sacrifice visibility for easier page interaction. These types of inventions use vertical or horizontal straps that run across a page and secure the book. U.S. Pat. No. 5,690,309, issued to Blum, illustrates a book that communicates with a solid panel by straps that vertically traverse the pages being read. With this type of device, the user loosens the straps and then turns the page.
Although the previously mentioned products allow an individual to read in a nonsitting position, page turning is cumbersome. More importantly, the various devices do not address the needs of disabled individuals with limited arm motion and strength. For individuals using a sandwiched book device, page turning is difficult, as the individual's arm must first manipulate a plate to turn a page. Inventions using elastic straps also provide a great challenge to individuals with limited arm function. If not properly released, the strap could tear the turning page. Additionally, the tucking of a page is extremely difficult. If the elastic straps run vertically across the page, for instance, the entire edge of the fibrous paper must always be parallel to the cord, otherwise the paper will crease and tear when it maneuvers past a strap. Additionally, individuals with limited arm motion and strength have difficulty interacting with devices that require strap manipulation.
There is, however, a design that permits reclining patients with limited arm motion to read and interact with books and magazines. U.S. Pat. No. 4,294,425, issued to Weber, provides an example of a device created for individuals who interact with other objects using a mouthstick. In this example, the reading material is fastened to a solid panel with an elastic strap wrapped along the binding of the read item. Clips attached to the panel secure the pages of the reading material. To turn a page, the rubber tip of the user's mouthstick presses against the paper, and the friction between the mouthstick and the page slides the paper out of the clip. Unfortunately, this device is clumsy in actual use, as the pages are difficult and troublesome to secure after the page is turned. For the device that clips the corners of the paper, only one page corner can be secured at a time, which is difficult with a single mouthstick. Additionally, the paper is easily torn when it is underneath the clip. Another problem is that as the pages accumulate, there is an increasing chance that the additional weight will cause the pages to be released by the clip. Even if tightly binding clips are used, they are very difficult to pry open using mouthstick-like devices. Regardless of the clip type, any type of paper interaction with a clip often results in the paper being creased or even torn.
What is needed is a device that provides for a user, even one of limited strength or agility, to secure reading material in a viewable position that will not have a tendency to bend or tear the pages. Such a device would be useful while the user is in a reclined or recumbent position.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention comprises a reading assistive device for use by person in a recumbent or reclined position to suspend a reading material above the person in a readable position. The reading assistive device comprises a page support and a securing subassembly. The page support includes a base plate with an upper surface, a lower surface facing toward the person, a front edge, a back edge, a central window, and lateral wing folds that bend back toward the lower surface of the base plate, each wing fold having a slot oriented in a direction parallel to the front and back edges and forming a plane surface that is tilted toward the lower surface and forms an acute angle with the plane of the lower surface medially.
The securing subassembly comprises a first endcap, a second endcap and a rigid rod connecting the first and second endcaps, the first and second endcaps being operably coupled to the base plate toward respective front edge and back edge, bisecting the base plate at its midpoint with the rigid rod oriented perpendicular to the front and back edges, the first endcap having an elastic cord affixed to the first endcap, the elastic cord having a clip at its free end, the clip being operably and releasably attachable to the second endcap.
The page support and securing subassembly interact so that the reading material may be draped over the rigid rod through the central window with the elastic cord securing the reading material to the rigid rod by clipping the clip to the second endcap and then placing opposing pages of the reading material in the spaces between the respective wing folds and the lower surface of the base plate, exposing the reading pages, in sequence, through the slots of the respective wing folds.
Accordingly, the present invention permits a supine individual, and specifically, those handicapped with minimal arm function, to read a magazine or other material overhead. The wing fold and slot design of the reading assistive device provide the user maximum control over the page securing and interacting process. An advantage of this design is that the location where the page inserts into the wing fold is the same region where the mouthstick communicates with the paper. Additionally, the clear page support permits clear visibility of the reading material while it is suspended by the page support of the reading assistive device.
While the set-up of a reading assistive device requires the help of another individual, the design of the present invention permits the user independent communication with the reading material. Additionally, the variable positioning of a reading assistive device provides the invention to accommodate the different reclining positions of a user. This invention is also inexpensive and portable, as there are a minimum number of parts, and the parts themselves can be hand carried.
Several objects and advantages of the present invention are to provide an easy method that allows mouthstick-using individuals to easily secure a turned page. To provide a reading device that enables individuals to read while reclined or supine. To provide a minimally interfering method for the binding and supporting of the reading material.
Further objects and advantages are to provide a device that will not dama
Cotterell Gregory F.
King Anita M.
Morrison N.
LandOfFree
Reading assistive device for individuals does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Reading assistive device for individuals, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Reading assistive device for individuals will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2540163