Portable easel

Abstract

The portable easel includes a viewable storage compartment for enclosing and transporting artist supplies and drawing materials. The portable easel includes an upper housing portion hingedly attached to a lower housing portion so as to be movable between an opened position and a closed position. The storage compartment is formed into the lower housing portion. In the opened position, the upper housing portion is positioned at an inclined angle with respect to the lower housing portion thereby providing an inclined drawing surface. In the closed position, the upper housing portion overlays the lower housing portion so as to enclose the storage compartment formed therein. To facilitate viewing of the storage compartment when the upper housing portion is in the closed position, the upper housing portion or a section thereof is formed from transparent or translucent plastic.

1 . A multi-purpose easel comprising: 
 a lower housing portion including a storage compartment,    a upper housing portion hingedly connected to the lower housing portion for movement between a multiplicity of positions including a closed position and an inclined position,    in the closed position, the upper and lower housing portions form a carrying case in which supplies may be stored and transported,    in the inclined position, the upper housing portion is an inclined support surface upon which material may be supported and displayed,    a portion of the easel is made of a material that permits viewing the storage compartment when the upper housing portion is in the closed position.    
   
   
       2 . The easel of  claim 1 , wherein a portion of the upper housing portion is made of a transparent or translucent material.  
   
   
       3 . The easel of  claim 2 , wherein a portion of the lower housing portion is made of an opaque material.  
   
   
       4 . The easel of  claim 1 , wherein a portion of the lower housing portion is made of a transparent or translucent material.  
   
   
       5 . The easel of  claim 1  further comprising a stand to hold the upper housing portion in the inclined position.  
   
   
       6 . The easel of  claim 5 , wherein the stand is hingedly attached to the upper housing portion, the stand movable between a stored position adjacent to the upper housing portion in the closed position and a support position supporting the upper housing portion in the inclined position.  
   
   
       7 . The easel of  claim 6 , wherein the stand is made of translucent material.  
   
   
       8 . The easel of  claim 1 , wherein the lower housing portion includes a bottom panel, a front wall and an opposing rear wall projecting upward from the bottom panel, and a first side wall and an opposing second side wall projecting upward from the bottom panel, the first and second side walls orthogonal to the front and rear walls, the storage compartment located within the front, rear, and side walls.  
   
   
       9 . The easel of  claim 8 , wherein the upper housing portion includes a downward extending peripheral wall which overlaps a portion of the front and two sidewalls when the upper housing is in the closed position.  
   
   
       10 . The easel of  claim 1 , further comprising a stand for supporting the upper housing portion in the inclined position, the stand being hingedly attached to the upper housing portion at a first end and being unattached at a second end.  
   
   
       11 . The easel of  claim 10 , wherein the stand includes spaced apart first and second side members extending between the first and second ends, each side member including a lug formed at the second end, the stand further includes a support member extending between the first and second side members.  
   
   
       12 . The easel of  claim 1 , wherein the upper housing portion includes an outer surface and a inner surface, the inner surface opposing the lower housing portion when the upper housing portion is in the closed position.  
   
   
       13 . The easel of  claim 12 , wherein the upper housing portion includes a clip adapted to hold a drawing sheet to the upper surface.  
   
   
       14 . The easel of  claim 10 , wherein the stand includes a lug formed at the second end.  
   
   
       15 . The easel of  claim 14 , wherein the lower housing portion includes an indentation for receiving the lug when the stand supports the upper housing portion in the inclined position.  
   
   
       16 . The easel of  claim 15 , wherein the indentation is formed with a flexible holding portion to receive the lug in a snap-fit relation.  
   
   
       17 . A multiple purpose easel comprising; 
 a lower housing portion including a storage compartment;    a upper housing portion hingedly connected to the lower housing portion for movement between a multiplicity of positions including a closed position and an inclined position, the upper housing including a pane made of a material that permits viewing the storage compartment when the upper housing portion is in the closed position.    
   
   
       18 . The easel of  claim 17 , wherein the pane material is transparent.  
   
   
       19 . The easel of  claim 17 , wherein the pane material is translucent.  
   
   
       20 . A multi-purpose easel comprising: 
 a lower housing portion including a storage compartment,    a upper housing portion hingedly connected to the lower housing portion for movement between a multiplicity of positions including a closed position and an inclined position,    a stand hingedly connected to the upper housing for movement between a multiplicity of positions including a stored position and a support position;    in the closed position, the upper and lower housing portions form a carrying case in which supplies may be stored and transported, and the stand is in the stored position adjacent the upper housing, and    in the inclined position, the upper housing portion is an inclined support surface upon which material may be supported and displayed, and the stand is in the support position supporting the upper housing in the inclined position, and    the upper housing and the stand comprise a material that permits viewing of the storage compartment when the upper housing is in the closed position and the stand is in the stored position.    
   
   
       21 . The easel of  claim 20 , wherein the upper housing and stand comprise a material which is transparent.  
   
   
       22 . The easel of  claim 20 , wherein the upper housing and stand comprise a material which is translucent.