Easel for supporting a flip chart or other display device with collapsible foldable legs
View Patent ↗A collapsible easel with foldable legs adapted to support a display device comprising a combination display panel and folded legs. In one embodiment, a three-leg assembly is pivotally connected to the display panel. The portions of each leg are connected by a linearly flexible strap. The linearly flexible strap allows the upper and lower portion of each leg to be pulled in opposite directions relative to each upper and lower portion of each leg, enabling one portion of each leg to be folded over the other portion. In another embodiment of the easel, a channel is connected to each of at least three legs and the channels allow the legs to be individually nested in contact with the rear side of the display panel. Each front leg is connected to the rear leg by a hinge assembly that comprises two struts pivotally connected near a center of the hinge assembly.
1. A collapsible easel with foldable legs for supporting a flip chart or other display device comprising:
a display panel;
at least three legs connected to the display panel, the at least three legs including a rear leg and two front legs, each leg adapted to be engaged with the display panel and maintained in a folded position, each leg positioned against the display panel when each leg is in said folded position;
each leg having a portion that pivots about a pivot point when said leg is moved to said folded position;
said pivot point located adjacent a lower end of said display panel.
2. The collapsible easel of claim 1 wherein said display panel includes an extension structure located at a bottom edge of said display panel, said extension structure protruding outward from said display panel.
3. The collapsible easel of claim 1 wherein the display panel includes at least one aperture through a front side and a rear side, the at least one aperture adapted to removably mount the easel to a cart or other presentation aid for transportation and storage.
4. The collapsible easel of claim 1 wherein at least one of the legs has a hollow portion, the hollow portion containing a material reducing noise and vibration through the legs of the easel.
5. A collapsible easel with foldable legs for supporting a flip chart or other display device comprising:
a display panel
at least three legs connected to the display panel, the at least three legs including a rear leg and two front legs, each leg adapted to be engaged with the display panel and maintained in a folded position, each leg positioned against the display panel when each leg is in said folded position,
wherein the at least three legs further comprise a three-leg assembly pivotally connected to the display panel, each leg having an upper leg portion and a separate lower leg portion, each upper leg portion and each lower leg portion having a first end and a second end;
wherein each leg further comprises a flexible strap extending between and resiliently connecting each upper leg portion with each lower leg portion of each respective leg, the flexible strap being linearly flexible and allowing the upper and lower leg portion of each leg to be pulled in opposite linear directions relative to each other to selectively disconnect each upper leg portion from a respective lower leg portion, and further to allow each upper leg portion to be folded adjacent a respective lower leg portion.
6. The collapsible easel of claim 5 further comprising at least one clasp attached to the display panel to engage each leg with the display panel and maintain each leg in the folded position.
7. The collapsible easel of claim 6 wherein the at least one clasp is associated with a rear side of said display panel, said at least one clasp engaging at least one of said upper and lower leg portions when said leg portions are folded over each other.
8. The collapsible easel of claim 5 wherein each flexible strap has a first end and a second end, each end connected to an interior wall of an upper leg portion and a corresponding lower leg portion of each leg.
9. The collapsible easel of claim 5 wherein each of said upper and lower leg portions includes a hollow channel, each flexible strap extending between the hollow channel in an upper leg portion and the hollow channel in a corresponding lower leg portion.
10. The collapsible easel of claim 5 wherein each flexible strap applies a compression force on corresponding upper and lower leg portions, biasing said upper and lower leg portions into contact with each other.
11. The collapsible easel of claim 5 wherein one of each upper and lower leg portions includes a receptacle at an end thereof, said receptacle removably receiving an end of the other of said upper and lower leg portions, said receptacle removably holding said other leg portion in engagement with said one leg portion under the force applied by said flexible strap.
12. The collapsible easel of claim 11 wherein said other leg portion has an indented end that removably fits securely inside the receptacle to hold the upper and lower leg portions together in an assembled position.
13. A collapsible easel with foldable legs for supporting a flip chart or other display device comprising:
a display panel,
at least three legs connected to the display panel, the at least three legs including a rear leg and two front legs, each leg adapted to be engaged with the display panel and maintained in a folded position,
the at least three legs further comprising a three-leg assembly pivotally connected to the display panel, each leg having an upper leg portion and a separate lower leg portion, each upper leg portion and each lower leg portion having a first end and a second end,
wherein the leg assembly is pivotally connected to the display panel by a cushioned bracket that applies a cushioned friction force to the front legs when said front legs pivot relative to said display panel.
14. A collapsible easel with foldable legs for supporting a flip chart or other display device comprising:
a display panel,
at least three legs connected to the display panel, the at least three legs including a rear leg and two front legs, each leg adapted to be engaged with the display panel and maintained in a folded position,
the at least three legs further comprising a three-leg assembly pivotally connected to the display panel, each leg having an upper leg portion and a separate lower leg portion, each upper leg portion and each lower leg portion having a first end and a second end,
a spring locking assembly having extensions extending from the locking assembly, a horizontal bar mounted to at least one leg in the leg assembly, the extensions engaging the remaining at least one leg to hold the leg assembly in a tripod position.
15. The collapsible easel of claim 14 wherein the spring locking assembly has a generally V-shaped design.
16. The collapsible easel of claim 14 wherein the extensions of the spring locking assembly are oriented at a forty-five degree angle relative to the plane of the spring locking assembly.
17. A collapsible easel with foldable legs for supporting a flip chart or other display device comprising:
a display panel,
at least three legs connected to the display panel, the at least three legs including a rear leg and two front legs, each leg adapted to be engaged with the display panel and maintained in a folded position,
a channel connected to at least a portion of each of the at least three legs respectively, each channel comprising a back side, a first side, and a second side, each channel adapted to allow the at least three legs to be individually nested in contact with the rear side of the display panel.
18. The collapsible easel of claim 17 wherein the channel for each of the two front legs is securely fastened to the rear side of the display panel.
19. The collapsible easel of claim 17 wherein the channel for the rear leg is connected to a pivoting flange on the rear side of the display panel, the channel for the rear leg pivoting away from the rear side of the display panel at an approximate angle to the display panel and adapted to allow the easel to be supported in an open tripod position.
20. The collapsible easel of claim 19 wherein the pivoting flange is further adapted to allow each leg to nest on the pivoting flange in a second folded position of the easel.
21. The collapsible easel of claim 17 wherein the at least three legs are connected by a first hinge assembly and a second hinge assembly, the first hinge assembly extending between and connecting an inside of the channel for one front leg and the channel for the rear leg, and the second hinge assembly extending between and connecting an inside of the channel for the other front leg and the channel for the rear leg, the first and second hinge assemblies connected to the channel for the rear leg at the first side and second side of the channel.
22. The collapsible easel of claim 21 wherein the first and second hinge assembly each further comprise at least two struts pivotally connected near a center of the hinge assembly, each hinge assembly adapted to be rotated in a downward direction at said pivoting connection to support the easel in a first open tripod position and rotated in an upward direction to collapse the easel to a second folded position with the legs nested against the rear side of the display panel.
23. The collapsible easel of claim 22 wherein each leg rests along the back side of each channel when the collapsible easel is in a second folded position.