Holder for reading material

Abstract

The Invention is a holder for a book, computer screen or other reading material. A frame supports the reading material against the pull of gravity and defines an opening. The frame is supported above a person and the reading material is visible to the person through the opening. The person may reach through the opening to turn a page or otherwise manipulate the reading material.

1 - 21 . (canceled)  
   
   
       22 . An apparatus for holding a reading material, the apparatus comprising: 
 a. a frame, said frame having a first position and a second position,    b. a plate attached to said frame, said plate being composed of a transparent or substantially transparent material, said plate adapted to support the reading material against a pull of gravity when said frame is in said first position, said plate defining an opening, said opening adapted so that said person may manipulate the reading material through said opening when said frame is in said first position, said plate adapted so that said person may observe substantially all of the reading material through said opening when said frame is in said first position and said person is reclining on a surface;    b. a support member;    c. a first hinge connecting said frame and said support member, said first hinge adapted so that said frame may move between said first and said second positions.    
   
   
       23 . An apparatus for holding a reading material, the apparatus comprising: 
 a. an upper frame member and a lower frame member, said upper and said lower frame members being in a spaced-apart relation, one of said upper and said lower frame members being movable to define a user-selectable first distance between said upper and said lower frame members, said first distance defining an opening;    b. a support member, said support member being adapted to support said upper frame member above a person when said person is in a reclined position, said upper and said lower frame members being adapted to support the reading material against a pull of gravity such that said upper frame member and said lower frame member are interposed between the reading material and said person.    
   
   
       24 . The apparatus of  claim 23  wherein said upper frame member and said lower frame member are horizontally disposed.  
   
   
       25 . The apparatus of  claim 24  wherein said adaptation of said upper and said lower frame members to support the reading material comprises: 
 a. said upper and said lower frame members defining a plane, said plane being interposed between the reading material and said person when said person reclines upon a surface such that all or a portion of said reading material is visible to said person through said opening;    b. a lip engaging said frame and disposed generally normal to said plane, said lip defining a lower location of the reading material to hold the reading material in position on said plane defined by said upper and said lower frame members.    
   
   
       26 . The apparatus of  claim 25  wherein said adaptation of said support member to support said first and said second frame members comprises: a frame, said frame engaging said first and said second frame members, said frame foldably engaging said support member, said frame being foldable between a first position and a second position with respect to said support member.  
   
   
       27 . The apparatus of  claim 26  wherein said reading material has a text area on which a letter, a figure or an image appears, the reading material has an upper margin area and a lower margin area appearing on an upper and a lower periphery of said reading material, substantially none of said letters, figures or images appear in said margin area, said first distance and said opening being selected to interpose said upper and said lower frame members between said margin area of said reading material and said person, said first distance and said opening being selected so as not to interpose said upper or said lower frame member between said text area and said person.  
   
   
       28 . The apparatus of  claim 26  wherein said reading material has a first side, said first side has a plurality of letters, figures or images appearing thereon, said first side of said reading material defines a text area within which substantially all of said plurality of letters, figures or images appear, said first distance and said opening being selected so that said substantially all of said text area of said reading material is visible to said person through said opening.  
   
   
       29 . The apparatus of  claim 28  wherein said engagement between said upper frame member and said frame is a movable engagement.  
   
   
       30 . The apparatus of  claim 28  wherein said engagement of said lower frame member and said frame is a movable engagement.  
   
   
       31 . The apparatus of  claim 30 , said adaptation of said frame so that said person may select said first distance comprising: a screw, said screw engaging said frame and said lower frame member, said screw adapted so that a rotation of said screw in one of a clockwise and a counterclockwise direction causes said lower frame member to one of advance toward and retreat from said upper frame member, and rotation of said screw in the other of said clockwise and said counterclockwise directions causes said lower frame member to the other of advance toward and retreat from said upper frame member, thereby adjusting said first distance.  
   
   
       32 . The apparatus of  claim 26 , said foldable engagement of said frame and said support member comprising: a first hinge, said first hinge joining said frame and said support member.  
   
   
       33 . The apparatus of  claim 32 , said support member comprising: 
 a. an arm, said first hinge joining said arm and said frame;    b. a base;    c. a second hinge connecting said base and said arm; and    d. a first means to determine a first angle defined by said arm and said frame.    
   
   
       34 . The apparatus of  claim 26 , further comprising: 
 a. a floor plate;    b. a column attached to said floor plate, said column adapted to rotatably engage said frame, said rotatable engagement of said column to said frame allowing said frame to move between said first and said second positions.    
   
   
       35 . An apparatus for holding a reading material, the apparatus comprising: 
 a. an upper frame member and a lower frame member, said upper and said lower frame members being horizontally disposed in a spaced-apart relation, one of said upper and said lower frame members being movable to define a user-selectable first distance between said upper and said lower frame members, said first distance defining an opening;    
   
   
     
       6 
       b. a support member, said support member being adapted to support said upper frame member and said lower frame member above a person when said person is in a reclined position, the reading material having a first side, said first side having an upper and a lower margin on an upper and a lower periphery of said first side, said first side having a text area on which a plurality of letters, figures or images appear, said upper frame member being adapted to engage said upper margin of said first side, said lower frame member being adapted to engage said lower margin of said first side, said upper and said lower frame members thereby supporting said reading material against a pull of gravity, said upper and said lower frame members defining a plane, said plane defined by said upper and said lower frame members being interposed between the reading material and said person, said first distance of said opening being selected so that said substantially all of said text area of the reading material is visible to said person through said opening without obstruction.  
     
   
   
       36 . The apparatus of  claim 35  wherein said adaptation of said support member to support said first and said second frame members comprises: a frame, said frame engaging said first and said second frame members, said frame foldably engaging said support member, said frame being foldable between a first position and a second position with respect to said support member.  
   
   
       37 . The apparatus of  claim 36 , further comprising: 
 a lip engaging said frame and disposed generally normal to said plane, said lip defining a lower location of the reading material to hold the reading material in position on said plane defined by said upper and said lower frame members.    
   
   
       38 . The apparatus of  claim 37  wherein the other of said upper and said lower frame members is movable to define said first distance.  
   
   
       39 . An apparatus for holding a reading material, the apparatus comprising: 
 a frame having a lower frame member and an upper frame member, said upper and said lower frame members slidably engaging said frame, the reading material having a first side, said first side of the reading material having an upper and a lower periphery defining an upper and a lower margin area of said first side, said upper frame member adapted to engage said upper margin area of said first side of the reading material, said lower frame member adapted to engage said lower margin area of said first side of the reading material, said upper and said lower frame members thereby supporting the reading material against a pull of gravity, said lower side of said frame defining an opening, said opening adapted to exhibit substantially all of said first side of the reading material other than said upper and said lower margin area to a person observing the reading material through said opening when said frame is in said first position.