US3268133A

US3268133A - Food trays for automobiles

Info

Publication number: US3268133A
Application number: US453362A
Authority: US
Inventors: Le Roy A Mcanallen
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1965-05-05
Filing date: 1965-05-05
Publication date: 1966-08-23
Anticipated expiration: 1983-08-23

Description

Aug. 23, 1966 Filed May 5. 1965 L. A. M ANALLEN 3,268,133

FOOD TRAYS FOR AUTOMOBILES 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

ZERO) ,4. MCA/VALLE/V ATTORNEYS- 3, 1966 L. A. MCANALLEN 3,268,133

FOOD TRAYS FOR AUTOMOBILES Filed May 5. 1965 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR ZEQOV ,4. Mel/V41 LE/V 1477' OR/VE V5 Aug. 23, 1966 L. A. MGANALLEN 3,268,133

FOOD TRAYS FOR AUTOMOBILES Filed May 5, 1965 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 IN VENTOR. AEQOY 14. MCA/VALLE/V Patented August 23, 19656 3,268,133 FOOD TRAYS FGR AUTQMOBHLES Le Roy A. McAnallen, 222 Acre Ave., Butler, Pa. Filed May 5, 1965, Ser. No. 453,362 7 Claims. (Cl. 224-42.42)

This invention relates to trays for supporting food or refreshments in an automobile, and more particularly to trays that can be hung over the back of the front seat of an automobile.

It often is desirable to eat a lunch or snack inside of an automobile. One place where this occurs most frequently is at drive-in movies, which are almost invariably provided with a refreshment stand where beverages and sandwiches and the like can be bought and taken back to the cars. There always is a problem of safely and corn veniently holding such food while it is being consumed in the cars. This is especially true when the automobile is full of people, especially children.

His among the objects of this invention to provide a tray assembly for supporting food in an automobile, in which two trays are supported by the back of the front seat of the automobile, in which one tray is suspended over the front seat and the other tray in back of it, in which the trays include holders for cups and other liquid containers that can be swung out of the way when desired, and in which the assembly can be collapsed and folded into a compact package for storing in the ca when not in use.

In accordance with this invention, a pair of longitudinally spaced trays with adjacent inner ends are supported by a pair of parallel straps that can rest on top of the back of the front seat of an automobile, with one of the trays against the front of said back and the other tray against the back of it. A bail for each tray has a substantially straight top member that extends transversely of the tray and is provided with downwardly extending side members that are hinged at their lower ends to the tray near its inner end. The ends of the straps are secured to these top members. Pivotally connected to the opposite sides of each tray near its outer end is a pair of inclined suspension links, the upper ends of which are provided with loops surrounding the top member of the adjoining bail between the straps to hold the top member above a point spaced from the inner end of the tray toward the outer end of that tray. These loops are large enough to permit them to move toward each other along the bail and swing the adjoining links toward each other to allow the bail to be folded down toward the outer end of the tray after the assembly has been removed from the seat back. Preferably, each tray includes at least one cup holder that normally rests on it, but which is hinged to the tray on an axis that allows the holder to be swung up and out away from the top of the tray when desired.

The preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which FIG. 1 is a side view of the trays in use;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the trays in use, but with the automobile seat not shown;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged front end view of the front seat tray;

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the front seat tray in collapsed condition; and

FIG. 5 is a somewhat diagrammatic view of both trays collapsed and folded together into a compact bundle.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawings, my tray assembly includes two trays 1 and 2, a pair of straps 3 for supporting them, and means for connecting the ends of the straps to the trays. The straps are parallel and are intended to be hung over the top of the back 4 of the front seat 5 of an automobile so that one tray can be suspended over the front seat and the other tray can be hung behind it for the use of those occupying the back seat. The adjacent inner ends of the two trays will engage the opposite sides of the back of the front seat.

The trays may be made in various ways, but a very suitable and inexpensive way to make them is from stiff wire mesh that has been coated with plastic to improve its appearance, prevent it from rusting and provide it with a more nonskid surface. The marginal portions of a rectangular piece of this mesh can be bent upwardly to form four side walls 7 for the tray. Each tray is supported by the straps through the medium of a bail pivotally attached to the tray. Thus, as shown in FIG. 3, the bail for the front tray has a substantially straight top member 8 that extends transversely of the tray for nearly its entire width. Joined to the opposite ends of this member are downwardly extending side members 9 that are hinged at their lower ends to the tray at or near its rear or inner end. Most suitably, the bail is made from a single length of stiff wire that is bent to the desired shape and that has its ends looped around a cross wire of the inner end of the tray so that the bail can swing or fold down into the tray. The front ends of straps 3 are secured in any suitable manner to the opposite ends of the top member of the bail. A similar bail 10 is connected to the front or inner end portion of the back tray, and the rear ends of the straps are secured to the opposite ends of the top member of this bail.

To hold the front tray level while it is being used, there is a pair of suspension links 12 connected to the bail and tray. Each of these links, which preferably are formed from stiff wire, has its lower end looped around the top wire of the tray at one side of it near the front of the tray. From this point the link is inclined upwardly and backwardly to the top of the bail, where the upper end of of the link is provided with a large loop 13 surrounding the top member of the bail. As shown in FIG. 1, the length of the links is such that the bail will have to incline forward and locate its top member above a point spaced an inch or two in front of the rear end of the tray so that the weight of the tray and its contents will press its rear end against the back of the front seat. This action and the suspension links will hold the tray level. The link loops 13 are large enough to permit them to move toward each other along the bail without binding on it, thereby swinging the links toward each other so that the bail can be folded down into the tray when it is not in use. Since the loops are between the ends of the straps, it is desirable to bend the upper portions of the links so that the loops are offset inwardly relative to the remaining portions of the links in order to prevent the links from interfering with placing food on the tray or removing it from them.

The back tray is provided with suspension links 15 like those just described and for the same purpose. It is desirable, however, that the distance from the top of the rear bail 10 to the front or inner end of the rear tray be greater than the distance between the rear end of the front tray and the top 8 of its bail. The reason for this is that the back of the front seat of an automobile slants backwardly, so that in order to space the rear ends of the straps from the back of the seat the top of the bail must be farther back on the tray. This means that if the bail is pivoted to the inner end of the tray, the side members of the bail must be longer than the corresponding side members 9 of the front bail. A smaller bail can be used if its ends are pivoted to the back tray some distance behind the front end of the tray as shown. Since moving the bail backward on the rear tray interferes to some extent with the use of the front end portion of that tray, it is desirable to compensate for this by making the rear tray somewhat longer than the front tray. The addi- 3 tional length should be about two inches, which will take care of the inclination of the usual seat back.

In order to hold the trays at a fixed elevation and to prevent the straps from possibly slipping lengthwise on the seat back, U-shape clamps 17 can be attached to the straps in any suitable manner. The clamps will fit down over the top of the seat back and thereby hold the straps. Preferably, the clamps have some spring to them so that they will grip the seat back tightly.

To help hold cups or the like on the trays, each of them may be provided with one or two cup holders. Preferably, there is one cup holder on each outer corner of the tray. Each of the cup holders may be formed from a U-shape loop 19 of the same wire mesh of which the trays are made. The upper wire of each of these loops 'has its ends 20 looped around the top wires of the adjoining side wall and outer wall of the tray. This not only holds the loop in place so that it can hold a cup on the corner of the tray, but it also permits the loop to be swung upward on a diagonal horizontal axis and outward and down past the corner of the tray so that the holder can be completely removed from the area of the tray within its side walls. This removal is desirable when no beverage is to be placed on the tray or when the cup happens to be larger than the holder will accommodate.

After this tray assembly has been used and it is desired to put it away, it is lifted off the seat back and then the bails and links are swung down into their respective trays as shown in FIG. 4. One tray is then inverted over the other tray as indicated in FIG. 5, with the straps folded into the space between the trays. The compact rectangular assemblythus formed can be inserted in a suitable bag or case or bound together by a strap. The package can be placed in the trunk of the car or on the shelf in front of the rear window until it is needed again.

According to the provisions of the patent statutes, I have explained the principle of my invention and have illustrated and described what I now consider to represent its best embodiment. However, I desire to have it understood that, within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically illustrated and described.

I claim:

1. A collapsible tray assembly for supporting food in an automobile, comprising a pair of longitudinally spaced trays having adjacent inner ends, a pair of parallel straps adapted to rest on top of the back of the front seat of an automobile and support one of the trays against the front of said back and the other tray against the back of said back, a bail for each tray having a substantially straight top member extending transversely of the tray and having downwardly extending side members hinged at their lower ends to the tray near its inner end, the ends of said straps being secured to the top members of the bails adjacent their ends, and a pair of inclined suspension links pivotally connected at their lower ends to the opposite sides of each tray near its outer end, the upper ends of each pair of links being provided with loops surrounding the top member of the adjoining bail between said straps to hold said member above a point spaced from said inner end toward the outer end of the tray, and said loops being large enough to permit them to move toward each other along the bail and swing the adjoining links toward each other to allow the bail to be folded down toward the outer end of the tray after the tray assembly has been removed from a seat back.

2. A collapsible tray assembly according to claim 1, in which each of said bails slants toward the outer end of the underlying tray.

3. A collapsible tray assembly according to claim 1, in which the tray that is to engage the back of the seat back is longer than the other tray, and the distance from the top member of the bail on the longer tray to the inner end of that tray is greater than the distance from the inner end of the other tray to the top member of the bail thereon.

4. A collapsible tray assembly according to claim 1, in which said trays and bails and links are made of stiff wires, and the lower ends of the bails and links are looped around some of the tray wires for rotation thereon.

5. A collapsible tray assembly according to claim 1, including a cup holder normally resting on each tray and hinged thereto on an axis allowing the holder to be swung up and out away from the top of the tray when desired.

6. A collapsible tray assembly according to claim 1, in which the trays are rectangular and have upwardly extending peripheral walls, and a cup holder normally rests on each tray in one corner thereof, said holder being pivotally connected to the adjoining outer end wall and side wall of the tray on a horizontal diagonal axis to permit the holder to be swung up and out over the corner of the tray to remove it from the area of the tray enclosed by the four Walls.

7. A collapsible tray assembly according to claim 6, in which each of said cup holders is a stiff loop with the ends of the loop pivotally connected to said adjoining walls.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 3/1959 Speir. 9/1960 Peterson 22442.46

Claims

1. A COLLAPSIBLE TRAY ASSEMBLY FOR SUPPORTING FOOD IN AN AUTOMOBILE, COMPRISING A PAIR OF LONGITUDINALLY SPACED TRAYS HAVING ADJACENT INNER ENDS, A PAIR OF PARALLEL STRAPS ADAPTED TO REST ON TOP OF THE BACK OF THE FRONT SEAT OF AN AUTOMOBILE AND SUPPORT ONE OF THE TRAYS AGAINST THE FRONT OF SAID BACK AND THE OTHER TRAY AGAINST THE BACK OF SAID BACK, A BAIL FOR EACH TRAY HAVING A SUBSTANTIALLY STRAIGHT TOP MEMBER EXTENDING TRANSVERSELY OF THE TRAY AND HAVING DOWNWARDLY EXTENDING SIDE MEMBERS HINGED AT THEIR LOWER ENDS TO THE TRAY NEAR ITS INNER END, THE ENDS OF SAID STRAPS BEING SECURED TO THE TOP MEMBERS OF THE BAILS ADJACENT THEIR ENDS, AND A PAIR OF INCLINED SUSPENSION LINKS PIVOTALLY CONNECTED AT THEIR LOWER ENDS TO THE OPPOSITE SIDES OF EACH TRAY NEAR ITS OUTER END, THE UPPER ENDS OF EACH PAIR OF LINKS BEING PROVIDED WITH LOOPS SURROUNDING THE TOP MEMBER OF THE ADJOINING BAIL BETWEEN SAID STRAPS TO HOLD SAID MEMBER ABOVE A POINT SPACED FROM SAID INNER END TOWARD THE OUTER ENDOF THE TRAY, AND SAID LOOPS BEING LARGE ENOUGH TO PERMIT THEM TO MOVE TOWARD EACH OTHER ALONG THE BAIL AND SWING THE ADJOINING LINKS TOWARD EACH OTHER TO ALLOW THE BAIL TO BE FOLDED DOWN TOWARD THE OUTER END OF THE TRAY AFTER THE TRAY ASSEMBLY HAS BEEN REMOVED FROM A SEAT BACK.