초록 ▼

The invention is a tripod easel in which the first, second and third legs are elastically deformable in the forward and rearward directions between a first position and a second position. In the second position, the first and third legs define arcs in the forward direction and the second leg defines

The invention is a tripod easel in which the first, second and third legs are elastically deformable in the forward and rearward directions between a first position and a second position. In the second position, the first and third legs define arcs in the forward direction and the second leg defines an arc in the rearward direction. In the second position, the three legs define a free-standing tripod. The first and third legs define rows of supporting holes that can support an artwork support apparatus, a cantilevered shelf, a palette holder, a paper towel holder or other accessories.

대표청구항 ▼

1. An easel apparatus for supporting an artwork, the apparatus having a forward direction and an opposing rearward direction, the apparatus comprising: a. a first leg, a second leg and a third leg, said first, second and third legs each having a top end and a length, said top ends of said first, sec

1. An easel apparatus for supporting an artwork, the apparatus having a forward direction and an opposing rearward direction, the apparatus comprising: a. a first leg, a second leg and a third leg, said first, second and third legs each having a top end and a length, said top ends of said first, second and third legs being substantially fixed in the forward and rearward directions, said legs being elastically deformable in flexure in the forward or rearward directions between a first position and a second position;b. said first and third legs each being curved in the forward direction when said legs are in said second position said first and said third legs not being curved in the forward direction when said legs are in said first position;c. said second leg being curved in the rearward direction when said legs are in said second position said second leg not being curved in the rearward direction when said legs are in said first position, said legs when in said second position defining a free-standing tripod;d. a spacer said spacer being disposed between said second leg and said first and third legs when said legs are in said second position, said spacer having a front side and a back side, said first and said third legs resiliently pressing against said front side of said spacer and said second leg resiliently pressing against said back side of said spacer when said legs are in said second positionwherein said spacer is a spacer shelf and defines a first, a second and a third spacer pin, said first, second and third spacer pins engaging corresponding first, second and third spacer holes on said first, second and third legs when said legs are in said second position, said first, second and third spacer pins and said first, second and third spacer holes being maintained in engagement when in said second position by said first, second and third legs resiliently pressing against said spacer. 2. The easel apparatus of claim 1 wherein each of said first, second and third legs has a thickness generally parallel to the forward and the rearward directions and a width generally normal to the forward and to the rearward directions, said width of each of said first, second and third legs being greater than said thickness, whereby each of said first, second and third legs is elastically deformable along said length in the forward and rearward directions. 3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said first and said third legs each defines a longitudinal axis, said longitudinal axes of said first and said third legs being generally straight when viewed in a side projection when said first, second and third legs are in said first position, said longitudinal axes of said first and said third legs each defining an arc when viewed in said side projection when said first, second and third legs are in said second position, said arc of said first leg corresponding to said arc of said third leg when said first, second and third legs are in the second position, said arc defining said curve of said first and said third legs in said second position. 4. The easel apparatus of claim 3, the apparatus further comprising: a top panel, said top ends of said first and said third legs being attached to said top panel in a spaced apart relation, said longitudinal axes of said first and said third legs being generally parallel when said first and said third legs are in said first position. 5. The easel apparatus of claim 4 wherein said top end of said second leg is attached to said panel between said first and said third legs. 6. The easel apparatus of claim 5 wherein said panel and said first, said second and said third legs are composed of a unitary piece of a material wherein said unitary piece of material is selected from a list consisting of a plywood, a fiber-reinforced resin and a polymer. 7. The easel apparatus of claim 1, the apparatus further comprising: a hinge, at least a one of said first, second and third legs being connected to the other of said legs by said hinge, said hinge being configured to allow said at least one leg to pivot in a direction generally normal to the forward and rearward directions, said hinge not allowing said at least one leg to pivot in the forward or rearward direction. 8. The apparatus of claim 1, the apparatus further comprising: a palette holder, said palette holder defining a palette holder body, said palette holder body defining a slot, said slot being configured for releasable engagement with said first leg or said third leg, said slot defining opposing first and second slot surfaces, said first and said second slot surfaces being configured for selectable engagement with said first or said third leg. 9. An easel apparatus for supporting an artwork, the apparatus having a forward direction and an opposing rearward direction, the apparatus comprising: a. a first leg, a second leg and a third leg, said first, second and third legs each having a top end and a length, said top ends of said first, second and third legs being substantially fixed in the forward and rearward directions, said legs being elastically deformable in flexure in the forward or rearward directions between a first position and a second position;b. said first and third legs each being curved in the forward direction when said legs are in said second position said first and said third legs not being curved in the forward direction when said legs are in said first position;c. said second leg being curved in the rearward direction when said legs are in said second position, said second leg not being curved in the rearward direction when said legs are in said first position, said legs when in said second position defining a free-standing tripodd. an artwork shelf, said artwork shelf being elongated and being configured to span said first and said third legs when said legs are in said second position, said artwork shelf defining an artwork supporting surface and a pair of artwork shelf pins attached to said artwork supporting surface in a spaced-apart relation, said first and third legs each having a front side, said artwork shelf pins being configured to engage a pair of supporting holes defined by said front side of said first and said third legs;e. a cam, said cam comprising an eccentric and a shaft attached to said eccentric, said shaft being configured to rotatably engage a mating cam shaft hole communicating through said second leg, said eccentric being configured for rotation and to selectably engage a top edge of an artwork supported on said artwork supporting surface, whereby said artwork may be selectably clamped to said artwork supporting surface by said cam. 10. The easel apparatus of claim 9 wherein a. each of said supporting holes defined by said front sides of said first and third legs is a one of a row of supporting holes in said first and said third legs, andb. said cam shaft hole communicating through said second leg is a one of a plurality of said cam shaft holes, andb. said shaft of said cam is resilient in flexure and protrudes from said cam shaft hole in the forward direction to define a user-selectable free length, whereby said user-selectable free length defines a location in said forward direction of said top edge of said artwork and whereby said free length of said shaft resiliently urges said eccentric and hence said top edge of said artwork against said artwork supporting surface. 11. The easel apparatus of claim 10, the apparatus further comprising: a rear support bar, said rear support bar defining a pair of rear support pegs and being configured to span said first and third legs, said rear support pegs being configured to selectably engage another of said row of supporting holes defined by said front sides of each of said first and third legs, said rear support bar being configured to be located on said front sides of said first and third legs between said artwork supporting surface and said cam. 12. An easel apparatus for supporting an artwork, the apparatus having a forward direction and an opposing rearward direction, the apparatus comprising: a. a first leg, a second leg and a third leg, said first, second and third legs each having a top end and a length, said top ends of said first, second and third legs being substantially fixed in the forward and rearward directions, said legs being elastically deformable in flexure in the forward or rearward directions between a first position and a second position;b. said first and third legs each being curved in the forward direction when said legs are in said second position said first and said third legs not being curved in the forward direction when said legs are in said first position;c. said second leg being curved in the rearward direction when said legs are in said second position said second le not being curved in the rearward direction when said legs are in said first position, said legs when in said second position defining a free-standing tripodd. a cantilevered shelf, said cantilevered shelf comprising: a top side;a first cantilevered shelf end;a first bearing surface located at said first cantilevered shelf end, each of said first and said second legs defining a leg front side and a leg back side, said first bearing surface being configured to engage said leg front side of said first or said third legs;a second bearing surface located at said first cantilevered shelf end, said second bearing surface being configured to engage said leg back side of said first or said third legs, said first and said second bearing surfaces being in a vertically spaced-apart relation with said second bearing surface being above said first bearing surface when said cantilevered shelf is supported by said leg. 13. The easel apparatus of claim 12, the apparatus further comprising: a spacer, said spacer being disposed between said second leg and said first and third legs when said legs are in said second position, said spacer having a front side and a back side, said first and said third legs resiliently pressing against said front side of said spacer and said second leg resiliently pressing against said back side of said spacer when said legs are in said second position. 14. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein said first and said second bearing surfaces have a separation distance, said separation distance defining said vertically spaced-apart relation of said first and second bearing surfaces, said separation distance being selected so that said cantilevered shelf is retained in a pre-determined position on said first or said third leg under a weight of said cantilevered shelf when said first and said second bearing surfaces engage said leg, said cantilevered shelf defining a lateral angle with respect to said first or said third leg when said cantilevered shelf is supported by said first or said third leg, the apparatus having an easel front side, said lateral angle being selected to avoid interference with a person located on said easel front side. 15. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein said first or said second bearing surfaces defines a cantilevered shelf peg, said cantilevered shelf peg being configured to engage a one of a row of supporting holes defined by said first or said third leg when said first and said second bearing surfaces are in engagement with said first or said third leg, said second bearing surface defining a cantilevered shelf hook protuberance, said cantilevered shelf hook protuberance being configured to engage an inside surface of said first or said third leg when said cantilevered shelf is in engagement with said first or said third leg. 16. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein said cantilevered shelf defines a second end opposite to said first end, said second end being configured to engage and to be supported by the other of said first and said third legs, said second end defining a second end first bearing surface and a second end second bearing surface, said second end first and second bearing surfaces being in said vertically spaced apart relation. 17. An easel apparatus for supporting an artwork, the apparatus having a forward direction and an opposing rearward direction, the apparatus comprising: a. a first leg, a second leg and a third leg, said first, second and third legs each having a top end and a length, said top ends of said first, second and third legs being substantially fixed in the forward and rearward directions, said legs being elastically deformable in flexure in the forward or rearward directions between a first position and a second position;b. said first and third legs each being curved in the forward direction when said legs are in said second position said first and said third legs not being curved in the forward direction when said legs are in said first position;c. said second leg being curved in the rearward direction when said legs are in said second position said second leg not being curved in the rearward direction when said legs are in said first position, said legs when in said second position defining a free-standing tripod;d. a palette holder, said palette holder defining a palette holder body, said palette holder body defining a slot, said slot being configured for releasable engagement with said first leg or said third leg said slot defining opposing first and second slot surfaces, said first and said second slot surfaces being configured for selectable engagement with said first or said third leg wherein said opposing first and second slot surfaces define a slot separation distance, said slot separation distance being selected to selectably clamp said palette holder body to said first or said third leg under a weight of said palette holder, the palette holder further comprising: a palette holder peg, said palette holder peg being defined by a one of said first and said second slot surfaces, said palette holder peg being configured to engage a mating hole in said first or said third legs when palette holder is in engagement with said first or said third leg, said first or said second slot surfaces defining a palette holder hook protuberance, said palette holder hook protuberance being configured to engage an inside surface of said first or said third legs when said palette holder is in engagement with said first or said third legs.