Adjustable table podium

Abstract

A transportable, easily adjustable, readily assembled and collapsible podium for use in lectures. The podium comprises a solid front panel, against which the lecture material rests; a lip projecting outwardly from the substantial bottom of the front panel, upon which the lecture material sits; and a base, which may rest on a supporting surface. The podium further comprises a pivoting arm hingedly attached to the backside of the front panel providing stable, angularly adjustable prop means for the lecture material to be viewed at the angle most comfortable for the user. Once in its assembled form, the podium will not spontaneously collapse or disassemble when handled or if grabbed at the front panel because of the podium's interlocking means between the pivoting arm and base. The pivoting arm effortlessly slips into one of several openings in the base and interlocks with the rim of the opening, locking it into place.

1 . a transportable podium for propping up lecture materials or other materials such as reports, notes, books, or other visual stimuli or materials of similar manner at an angled position, utilizing interlocking means to secure the position of said podium's prop means such that said podium does not lose structural stability, nor its particular angled position though it were to be handled, the podium comprising: 
 a.) a front panel having a substantial front surface against which the lecture material may rest;    b.) a lip at the substantial bottom of said front panel projecting substantially outward upon which the bottom edge of the lecture inaterial may rest;    c.) a base hingedly attached to the substantial back side of said front panel, comprising a bottom surface which may rest on a supporting surface    d.) said prop means comprising a pivoting arm or elongated pivoting member disposed on the substantial backside of said front panel, having a proximal and distal end wherein it is pivotably attached at its proximal end to the said substantial backside of said front panel;    e.) said interlocking means connecting said prop means to said base, such that the tip of said distal end of said prop means is of a fixed, predetermined shape that facilitates latching and interlocking onto base.    
   
   
       2 . A podium as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said interlocking means further comprises one or more receptacles or receiving means disposed on the said base aligned with the trajectory of said prop means; said receptacle or receiving means comprising an opening such that the said tip of said distal end of said prop means is acceptable through said opening and may lock onto said base by latching onto and interlocking with the rim of said opening; the said tip being of a fixed, predetermined shape that facilitates latching onto and interlocking with said rim of said opening.  
   
   
       3 . A podium as claimed in  claim 2  further comprising an angularly adjustable said prop means; said interlocking means further comprising a plurality of said receptacles or receiving means disposed on the said base aligned with the trajectory of said prop means such that latching said tip of said prop means onto any particular one of the said plurality of receptacles or receiving means would form a different angle between said front panel and the plane on which the podium rests depending on which one of the said plurality of receptacles or receiving means the said tip is attached onto, whereby the user may choose a particular angle at which to view the material propped up on said podium.  
   
   
       4 . A podium as claimed in  claim 2  wherein said tip of said distal end of said prop means is curved such that it may latch onto said opening in said base.  
   
   
       5 . A podium as claimed in  claim 2  wherein said pivoting arm or pivoting member further comprises a hook and said receptacles comprise one or more eyes onto which said hook may latch.  
   
   
       6 . A podium as claimed in  claim 2  wherein said pivoting arm or pivoting member further comprises a “U”-shaped rod; said receptacles comprise a substantially partial circle of pliable material with two flanges at the substantial tips of the partial circle such that said pivoting arm or pivoting member may be pressed into said partial circle and become lodged in the said partial circle; and said pivoting arm or pivoting member may be dislodged from said partial circle by pressing down on said flange then lifting said pivoting arm or pivoting member out of said partial circle.  
   
   
       7 . A podium as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said base is hingedly attached to the substantial bottom of said front panel at substantial edge of said base that faces the viewer.  
   
   
       8 . A podium as claimed in  claim 2  wherein said base is hingedly attached to the substantial bottom of said front panel at substantial edge of said base that faces the viewer.  
   
   
       9 . A podium as claimed in  claim 3  wherein said base is hingedly attached to the substantial bottom of said front panel at substantial edge of said base that faces the viewer.  
   
   
       10 . A podium as claimed in  claim 4  wherein said base is hingedly attached to the substantial bottom of said front panel at substantial edge of said base that faces the viewer.  
   
   
       11 . A podium as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the podium is collapsible by dislodging said tip of said prop means from its interlocking relationship to said base, and positioning said prop means against said front panel then folding both said prop means and said front panel along the podium's hinged means until said panel, said prop means, and said base lie parallel and are substantially in contact or substantially nearly in contact with one another so that the podium may lie substantially flat.  
   
   
       12 . A podium as claimed in  claim 2  wherein the podium is collapsible by dislodging said tip of said prop means from its interlocking relationship to said base, and positioning said prop means against said front panel then folding both said prop means and said front panel along the podium's hinged means until said panel, said prop means, and said base lie parallel and are substantially in contact or substantially nearly in contact with one another so that the podium may lie substantially flat.  
   
   
       13 . A podium as claimed in  claim 3  wherein the podium is collapsible by dislodging said tip of said prop means from its interlocking relationship to said base, and positioning said prop means against said front panel then folding both said prop means and said front panel along the podium's hinged means until said panel, said prop means, and said base lie parallel and are substantially in contact or substantially nearly in contact with one another so that the podium may lie substantially flat.  
   
   
       14 . A podium as claimed in  claim 4  wherein the podium is collapsible by dislodging said tip of said prop means from its interlocking relationship to said base, and positioning said prop means against said front panel then folding both said prop means and said front panel along the podium's hinged means until said panel, said prop means, and said base lie parallel and are substantially in contact or substantially nearly in contact with one another so that the podium may lie substantially flat.  
   
   
       15 . A podium as claimed in  claim 5  wherein the podium is collapsible by dislodging said tip of said prop means from its interlocking relationship to said base, and positioning said prop means against said front panel then folding both said prop means and said front panel along the podium's hinged means until said panel, said prop means, and said base lie parallel and are substantially in contact or substantially nearly in contact with one another so that the podium may lie substantially flat.  
   
   
       16 . A podium as claimed in  claim 6  wherein the podium is collapsible by dislodging said tip of said prop means from its interlocking relationship to said base, and positioning said prop means against said front panel then folding both said prop means and said front panel along the podium's hinged means until said panel, said prop means, and said base lie parallel and are substantially in contact or substantially nearly in contact with one another so that the podium may lie substantially flat.  
   
   
       17 . A podium as claimed in  claim 7  wherein the podium is collapsible by dislodging said tip of said prop means from its interlocking relationship to said base, and positioning said prop means against said front panel then folding both said prop means and said front panel along the podium's hinged means until said panel, said prop means, and said base lie parallel and are substantially in contact or substantially nearly in contact with one another so that the podium may lie substantially flat.  
   
   
       18 . A podium as claimed in  claim 8  wherein the podium is collapsible by dislodging said tip of said prop means from its interlocking relationship to said base, and positioning said prop means against said front panel then folding both said prop means and said front panel along the podium's hinged means until said panel, said prop means, and said base lie parallel and are substantially in contact or substantially nearly in contact with one another so that the podium may lie substantially flat.  
   
   
       19 . A podium as claimed in  claim 9  wherein the podium is collapsible by dislodging said tip of said prop means from its interlocking relationship to said base, and positioning said prop means against said front panel then folding both said prop means and said front panel along the podium's hinged means until said panel, said prop means, and said base lie parallel and are substantially in contact or substantially nearly in contact with one another so that the podium may lie substantially flat.  
   
   
       20 . A podium as claimed in  claim 10  wherein the podium is collapsible by dislodging said tip of said prop means from its interlocking relationship to said base, and positioning said prop means against said front panel then folding both said prop means and said front panel along the podium's hinged means until said panel, said prop means, and said base lie parallel and are substantially in contact or substantially nearly in contact with one another so that the podium may lie substantially flat.