Horizontally supported planar surfaces – Attached laterally of support
Reexamination Certificate
1999-02-25
2001-06-05
Wilkens, Janet M. (Department: 3636)
Horizontally supported planar surfaces
Attached laterally of support
C108S147170, C108S157130, C211S086010
Reexamination Certificate
active
06240857
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to removable shelves for use with portable tripods and easels.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
For artists interested in pursuing their art in the great outdoors, known in the industry as plein-air artists, transporting art gear to a desirable outdoor location has historically been a difficult task. In particular, for those desiring to employ artistic mediums requiring the use of an easel, carrying the easel and other required tools and supplies has usually been cumbersome and often impossible, requiring multiple trips to transport all of the gear, reduction of the materials taken along, or abandonment of the artistic session altogether.
For many years, a collapsible wooden easel that breaks down into a box with a handle has been the mainstay of the plein-air artist as the only available portable easel with a storage/work surface. However, this box easel is cumbersome to carry, and is difficult and time consuming to set up and take down.
Lightweight, portable, telescoping tripod easels have also been available for a number of years. However, these too have their drawbacks in that they do not provide a storage/work surface for the artist's materials and tools, making them of limited use to many artists. When working in the outdoors, level and clean surfaces for convenient placement of materials, tools and supplies are usually in short supply, indicating a need for an easel with a storage/work surface.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A removable shelf assembly is provided that is light weight, easily transportable, and quickly attachable and removable from a tripod or tripod-type easel with three legs. The removable shelf assembly includes a flat storage/work surface in the form of a shelf that preferably attaches to a tripod by two boot-shaped cutouts along the back edge of the shelf and two folding support arms that attach to two front legs of the tripod. The boot-shaped cutouts fit around the same two tripod legs. The shelf slides down with the legs in these cutouts to a desirable height, such that the shelf hangs off the tripod away from the center of the tripod. Each support arm clamps onto the same leg of the tripod as is used for the boot-shaped cutout on that side of the assembly, thus providing stable support for the shelf assembly. The clamps are quickly attachable and detachable without the need for additional tools or external devices.
Optionally included on the shelf are two hooks for hanging materials and tools, such as brush holders or containers of solution. As a further option, two additional holders are provided, hinged to the two side edges in order to fold over the work surface of the shelf, for holding paint tubes, brushes, rags, and other tools or materials. Two external clamps are a still further option that may be attached to the tripod legs under the shelf at the cutouts to supply additional support to the shelf assembly, or to allow the shelf to be adjusted to a higher position along the tripod legs, if desired.
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Faegre & Benson LLP
Wilkens Janet M.
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