Support stand for structures that hold pages and methods of using the same

Abstract

A stand for supporting a structure for holding one or more loose leaf pages, such as a notebook, has a mounting member for securing the stand to the structure. A support member is secured to the mounting member and is moveable between a stowed position and a support position. The support member is disposed at a relatively larger angle relative to a mounting surface of the mounting member in the support position and at a relatively smaller angle relative to the mounting surface in the stowed position. The support member comprising at least one leg moveable between a stowed position and a support position. The leg defining in part a base of the support member. The base has a relatively wider width when the leg is in the support position and a relatively narrower width when the leg is in the stowed position.

1 . A stand for supporting a structure for holding one or more pages, the stand comprising:
 a mounting member for securing the stand to said structure, the mounting member having a mounting surface adapted to engage said structure; and   a support member secured to the mounting member, the support member being moveable relative to the mounting member between a stowed position and a support position, the support member being disposed at a relatively larger angle relative to the mounting surface in the support position and at a relatively smaller angle relative to the mounting surface in the stowed position, the support member comprising at least one leg moveable between a stowed position and a support position, the leg defining in part a base of the support member, the base having a relatively wider width when the leg is in the support position and a relatively narrower width when the leg is in the stowed position.   
   
   
       2 . A stand as set forth in  claim 1  wherein the support member further comprises a bracket, the leg being secured to the bracket for pivotal movement of the legs relative to the bracket between the stowed position and support position. 
   
   
       3 . A stand as set forth in  claim 2 , wherein the support member is moveable relative to the mounting member between its stowed and support positions on a first pivot axis, the leg being moveable relative to the bracket about a second pivot axis that is substantially perpendicular to the first pivot axis. 
   
   
       4 . A stand as set forth in  claim 1  further comprising a biasing member positioned to urge the leg to move toward its support position. 
   
   
       5 . A stand as set forth in  claim 1  wherein the mounting member comprises a retaining system engageable with the leg to releasably hold the leg and the support member in their stowed positions. 
   
   
       6 . A stand as set forth in  claim 5  wherein the stand is adapted to allow a user to release the leg and the support member from the retaining system using only one hand. 
   
   
       7 . A stand as set forth in  claim 1  further comprising a biasing member positioned to urge the support member to move toward its support position. 
   
   
       8 . A stand as set forth in  claim 1  wherein the mounting member is adapted to be releasably secured to the structure for nondestructive removal from the structure. 
   
   
       9 . A stand as set forth in  claim 8  wherein the mounting member has opposing longitudinal ends and clips at the ends for securing the mounting member to said structure, the mounting member defining a longitudinally extending rail adjacent at least one of the longitudinal ends, at least one clip being slidably mounted on the rail for sliding movement of the at least one clip longitudinally along the rail to thereby adjust the length of the mounting member. 
   
   
       10 . A stand as set forth in  claim 1  in combination with said structure, wherein the structure comprises a notebook having a spine joining front and back covers, the mounting member being secured to one of the spine, the front cover, and the back cover. 
   
   
       11 . A stand and notebook combination as set forth in  claim 10 , wherein the mounting member and the spine each have a longitudinal axis, the mounting member being secured to the notebook so that the longitudinal axis of the mounting member is substantially parallel with the longitudinal axis of the spine. 
   
   
       12 . A stand and notebook combination as set forth in  claim 11 , wherein the support member is pivotal relative to the mounting member on a pivot axis that is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the spine. 
   
   
       13 . A stand and notebook combination as set forth in  claim 10 , wherein the mounting member is selectively moveable relative to the notebook by a user between a first position in which the mounting surface engages a spine of the notebook and a second position in which the mounting surface engages a cover of the notebook. 
   
   
       14 . A stand and notebook combination as set forth in  claim 10 , wherein the mounting member is fixedly secured to the notebook. 
   
   
       15 . A stand and notebook combination as set forth in  claim 14 , wherein the notebook further comprises a ring metal constructed for holding loose-leaf pages and a set of fasteners securing the ring metal to one of the spine, the front cover and the back cover, the mounting member being secured to the notebook said set of fasteners. 
   
   
       16 . A stand as set forth in  claim 1  comprising two legs, one of the two legs being moveable from its stowed position outward in a first direction to its support position, the other of the two legs being moveable from its stowed position outward in a second direction opposite the first direction to its support position. 
   
   
       17 . A stand as set forth in  claim 16 , further comprising at least one biasing member positioned to urge the two legs to their support positions and a retaining system engageable with the legs to releasably hold the legs in their stowed positions. 
   
   
       18 . A stand as set forth in  claim 17 , further comprising a biasing member positioned to urge the support member to move toward its support position, the retaining system being engageable with the support member to releasably hold it in its stowed position. 
   
   
       19 . A stand as set forth in  claim 1  wherein the mounting member has a longitudinal axis, the support member being pivotal relative to the mounting member on a pivot axis that is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the mounting member. 
   
   
       20 . A stand as set forth in  claim 1  in combination with said structure, wherein the mounting member is adapted to remain fixed relative to said structure during movement of the support member and the leg between their stowed and support positions. 
   
   
       21 . A stand for supporting a structure for holding one or more pages, the stand comprising:
 a mounting member for securing the stand to said structure, the mounting member having mounting surface for engaging said structure;   a support member secured to the mounting member by a pivot connection allowing pivoting movement of the support member relative to the mounting member between a stowed position and a support position, the support member being disposed at a relatively larger angle relative to the mounting surface in the support position and at a relatively smaller angle relative to the mounting surface in the stowed position;   a biasing member urging the support member to move toward its support position; and   a retaining system comprising one or more retainers operable to engage the support member to releasably hold the support member in its stowed position against the bias of the biasing member, the one or more retainers being adapted to allow a user to release the support member from the retaining system with a single hand.   
   
   
       22 . A stand for supporting a structure for holding one or more pages, the stand comprising:
 a mounting member for securing the stand to said structure, the mounting member having a mounting surface for engaging said structure, the mounting member having opposing longitudinal ends and clips at the ends for securing the mounting member to said structure, the mounting member defining a longitudinally extending rail adjacent at least one of the longitudinal ends, at least one clip being slidably mounted on the rail for longitudinal movement of the clip along the rail; and   a support member secured to the mounting member by a pivot connection allowing pivoting movement of the support member relative to the mounting member between a stowed position and a support position, the support member being disposed at a relatively larger angle relative to the mounting surface in the support position and at a relatively smaller angle relative to the mounting surface in the stowed position.   
   
   
       23 . A self-supporting structure for holding one or more pages, the structure comprising:
 a notebook comprising front and back covers, and a spine joining the front and back covers; and   a support member secured to a surface of the notebook at or adjacent the spine thereof, the support member being moveable relative to the notebook between a stowed position and a support position, the support member being disposed at a relatively larger angle relative to said surface in the support position and at a relatively smaller angle relative to said surface in the stowed position, the support member comprising one or more legs moveable between a stowed position and a support position, the one or more legs defining at least in part a base of the support member, the base of the support member having a relatively wider width when the one or more legs are in the support position and a relatively narrower width when the one or more legs are in the stowed position.   
   
   
       24 . A stand for supporting a structure for holding one or more loose leaf pages, the stand comprising:
 a mounting member including a connector portion adapted to connect the mounting member to the structure; and   a support member secured to the mounting member and movable relative to the support member between a stowed position and a support position for supporting the structure in a generally upright configuration, the support member comprising a bracket pivotally mounted on the mounting member, the bracket being pivoted away from the mounting member in the support position, the support member further including two legs each pivotally mounted on the bracket so that free ends of the legs are closer together in the stowed position of the support member and farther apart in the support position, and   a retaining system releasably engageable with the support member for holding the support member in the stowed position.   
   
   
       25 . A stand as set forth in  claim 24  wherein the bracket is pivotally moveable relative to the notebook on a first pivot axis and the legs are pivotal relative to the bracket on pivot axes that are substantially perpendicular to the first pivot axis.