Abstract
A portable tray having a base, a rear wall, a front wall, a first sidewall, and a second sidewall. The rear wall is connected to the base. The front wall is connected to the base opposite the rear wall. The sidewalls connected to the base opposite of each other. The front wall and rear wall may each comprise a stretchable portion adjacent a hinge of the base. The front of each of the first sidewall and the second sidewall may be configured to releasably join to a sidewall of a second tray.
Claims
1. A portable tray, comprising: a base comprising a hinge, a tray first portion, and a tray second portion, the hinge connecting the first portion to the second portion, the first portion is moveable about an axis of rotation at the hinge between an expanded position and a compact position where the axis of rotation extends along a length of the base, the first portion extends a width of the base when in the expanded position; a rear wall connected to the base; a front wall connected to the base opposite the rear wall, the front wall and the rear wall each comprise a stretchable portion adjacent the hinge; a first sidewall connected to the base; and, a second sidewall connected to the base opposite the first sidewall.
2. The tray of claim 1, comprising a first side hinge, a second side hinge, a front hinge, and a rear hinge; the first side hinge connecting the first sidewall to the base, the second side hinge connecting the second sidewall to the base, the first sidewall is movable about the first side hinge between a raised position where the first sidewall extends above the base and a stored position where the first sidewall overlaps the base, the second sidewall is movable about the second side hinge between a raised position where the second sidewall extends above the base and a stored position where the second sidewall overlaps the base; the front hinge connecting the front wall to the base, the rear hinge connecting the rear wall to the base, the front wall is movable about the front hinge between a raised position where the front wall extends above the base and a stored position where the front wall is under the base, the rear wall is movable about the rear hinge between a raised position where the rear wall extends above the base and a stored position where the rear wall is under the base.
3. The tray of claim 1, wherein the first portion comprises a first cup holder, the second portion comprises a second cup holder, the front wall comprises a first recessed rim portion forming a first aperture and a second recessed rim portion forming a second aperture, when the front wall is in a compact configuration the front wall overlaps the base, the first aperture is aligned with the first cup holder, and the second aperture is aligned with the second cup holder.
4. The tray of claim 1, wherein the front wall comprises a plurality of recessed rim portions in a top edge of the front wall; and the back wall comprises a plurality of recesses rim portions in a top edge of the back wall configured to receive a neck of a bottle.
5. The tray of claim 1, wherein each stretchable portion is laterally aligned with the hinge.
6. The tray of claim 1, wherein each stretchable portion is in a stretched position when the base is in the compact position and each stretchable portion is in a retracted position when the base is in the expanded position.
7. The tray of claim 1, wherein a front of each sidewall comprises a clip for releasably joining the sidewall to the front wall.
8. The tray of claim 7, wherein the front wall comprises a post for releasably engaging the clip of the first sidewall or the second sidewall.
9. The tray of claim 1, wherein each sidewall comprises a first clip for releasably joining the sidewall to the front wall; each sidewall comprises a first post for releasably joining the sidewall to the rear wall; the rear wall comprises a second clip at each opposite end for releasably engaging the first post of each sidewall; and, the front wall comprises a second post at each opposite end for releasably engaging the first clip of each sidewall.
10. A portable tray, comprising: a base; a rear wall connected to the base; a front wall connected to the base at a hinge, the front wall opposite the rear wall; a first sidewall connected to the base; and, a second sidewall connected to the base opposite the first sidewall, a front of each of the first sidewall and the second sidewall are configured to releasably join to a sidewall of a second tray, the front wall moveable about an axis of rotation at the hinge between a raised position and a lowered position where the axis of rotation extends along a width of the base.
11. The tray of claim 10, wherein the front of each of the first sidewall and the second sidewall comprise a clip configured to releasably join the sidewall of the second tray.
12. The tray of claim 11, wherein each clip is further configured to releasably engage the front wall when the front wall is in the raised position.
13. The tray of claim 11, wherein the front of each of the first sidewall and the second sidewall comprises a post for receiving a clip of a second portable tray.
14. The tray of claim 11, wherein the front of each of the first sidewall and the second sidewall comprises a post, the clip of each sidewall extends from the post of the sidewall.
15. The tray of claim 14, wherein each of the first sidewall and the second sidewall comprise an aperture adjacent the post opposite of the clip of the sidewall.
16. The tray of claim 11, comprising a first side hinge, a second side hinge, a front hinge, and a rear hinge; the first side hinge connecting the first sidewall to the base, the second side hinge connecting the second sidewall to the base, the first sidewall is movable about the first side hinge between a raised position where the first sidewall extends above the base and a stored position where the first sidewall overlaps the base, the second sidewall is movable about the second side hinge between a raised position where the second sidewall extends above the base and a stored position where the second sidewall overlaps the base; the front hinge connecting the front wall to the base, the rear hinge connecting the rear wall to the base, the front wall is movable about the front hinge between a raised position where the front wall extends above the base and a stored position where the front wall is under the base, the rear wall is movable about the rear hinge between a raised position where the rear wall extends above the base and a stored position where the rear wall is under the base.
17. A method of forming an enlarged portable tray, comprising: releasably joining a first sidewall of a first tray to a second sidewall of a second tray; and, releasably joining a second sidewall of the first tray to a first sidewall of the second tray.
18. The method of claim 17, comprising, before the first releasably joining, lowering a front wall of the first tray from a connection with the first and second sidewalls of the first tray to a lowered position, and lowering a front wall of the second tray from a connection with the first and second sidewalls of the second tray to a lowered position.
19. The method of claim 17, comprising underlapping a base of the second tray with a front wall of the first tray and overlapping a base of the first tray with a front wall of the second tray.
20. The method of claim 19, comprising aligning apertures of the front wall of each tray with a corresponding plurality of cup holders in the base of the other of the first tray or the second tray.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0008] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a portable tray of the invention in a deployed configuration.
[0009] FIG. 2 is a top view of the tray of FIG. 1.
[0010] FIG. 3 is a bottom view of the tray of FIG. 1.
[0011] FIG. 4 is a front view of the tray of FIG. 1.
[0012] FIG. 5 is a rear view of the tray of FIG. 1.
[0013] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the tray of FIG. 1 in a released configuration.
[0014] FIG. 7 is a top view of the tray of FIG. 6.
[0015] FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the tray of FIG. 6 in a first intermediate compact configuration.
[0016] FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the tray of FIG. 6 in a second intermediate compact configuration.
[0017] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the tray of FIG. 6 in a compact configuration.
[0018] FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the tray of FIG. 1 joined to a second tray to form an enlarged tray.
[0019] FIG. 12 is a bottom view of the enlarged tray of FIG. 11.
[0020] FIG. 13 is a side view of a joint of the enlarged tray of FIG. 11.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0021] The following description is presented to enable any person skilled in the art to make and use the invention. For the purposes of explanation, specific nomenclature is set forth to provide a plural understanding of the present invention. While this invention is susceptible of embodiment in many different forms, this description describes and the drawings show specific embodiments of the invention with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered as an exemplification of the principles of the invention and is not intended to limit the invention to the specific embodiments illustrated.
[0022] FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of a portable tray 10. The tray comprises a base 12, a rear wall 14, a first sidewall 16, a second sidewall 18, and a front wall 19. The base 12 comprises a tray first portion 20 and a tray second portion 22. The tray comprises an expanded and deployed configuration shown in FIGS. 1 to 5, a released configuration shown in FIG. 6, and a compact configuration shown in FIG. 10.
[0023] The base 12, and correspondingly the first and second portions 20, 22, provide an upper tray or support surface 21, 23 for supporting items. Such items may include food, beverages, personal articles, and/or other articles. In some embodiments, base 12, rear wall 14, first sidewall 16, second sidewall 18, and front wall 19 are relatively thin plates as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, however other thicknesses can be used.
[0024] A hinge 24 connects the first and second portions 20, 22 of the base 12. In some embodiments, the hinge 24 is a living hinge or an integral hinge that is a flexible hinge made from the same material as the first and second portions it connects. In some embodiments, the living hinge can be thinned, scored, or cut to allow rigid first and second portions 20, 22 to bend along the line of the hinge.
[0025] The hinge 24 extends along a length 31 of the base 12 and of first and second portions 20, 22 and between the front and rear walls 14, 19, as labeled in FIG. 2. The hinge 24 extends transverse to a width 33 of the base 12 as labeled in FIG. 2. The hinge 24 is transverse to the front and rear walls 14, 19 and may be parallel to the sidewalls 16, 18 and a rear hinge 26 and front hinge 35. In some embodiments, the hinge 24 extends along substantially the entire length of the first and second portions 20, 22 as shown at least in FIG. 2.
[0026] The rear wall 14 is connected to the base 12 by the rear hinge 26. The first sidewall 16 is connected to the first portion 20 of the base 12 by a hinge 28. The second sidewall 18 is connected to the second portion 22 of the base by a hinge 30. The front wall 19 is connected to the base by a font hinge 35. In some embodiments, one or more or all of the hinges 26, 28, 30 and/or 35 is a living hinge or an integral hinge.
[0027] Each of hinges 24, 28, and 30 are transverse to hinges 26, 35. Hinge 24 provides an axis of rotation, about the hinge 24, to the first and second portion 20, 22 that is transverse to the front and rear walls 14, 19 and parallel to the sidewalls 16, 18 and hinges 28, 30. Hinge 26 provides an axis of rotation, about hinge 26, to the base 12 and the rear wall 14 that is transverse to the sidewalls 16, 18 and hinge 24 and parallel to the front and rear walls. Hinges 28 and 30 provide an axis of rotation for each of the respective sidewalls 16, 18 that is parallel to each other and hinge 24 and is transverse to the front and rear walls 14, 19 and hinges 26, 35. Hinge 35 provides an axis of rotation, about hinge 35, to the base 12 and the front wall 19 that is transverse to the sidewalls 16, 18 and hinge 24 and parallel to the front and rear walls. In some embodiments, hinges 24, 28, 30 are parallel to each other, and hinges 26 and 35 are parallel to each other.
[0028] In some embodiments, the base comprises a plurality of cup holders comprising cup holder walls 32, 34 defining corresponding cup holder openings 42, 44. In some embodiments, a bottom wall (not shown) is provided at the bottom of the cup holder walls to enclose a bottom of the cup holders. In some embodiments, the bottom of the cup holders are open. While 2 cup holders are shown in the drawings, in some embodiments, the base comprises 1, 3, 4, 5, or more cup holders and openings.
[0029] The first sidewall 16 extends up from the base on the first side. The first sidewall extends above the base and is transverse to the base when in the deployed configuration. The first sidewall 16 is connected to the base at the hinge 28 shown in at least FIGS. 1 and 6.
[0030] The second sidewall 18 is mirror identical to the first sidewall about a mid-plane 61 of the tray 10, shown in FIG. 2, that bi-sects a width 33 of the tray 10. In some embodiments, the base 12 and the tray 10 are symmetric about the mid-plane 61. The second sidewall 18 extends up from the base on the second side and is transverse to the base when in the deployed configuration. The second sidewall is connected to the base at the hinge 30. The rear wall and front wall each comprise a stretchable portion 50, 52 between and connected to adjacent rigid portions 54, 56, 58, 60 of the rear and front wall 14, 19, respectively.
[0031] Referring to FIGS. 1 and 6, opposite ends of the rear wall comprise one or more clips 62, 64, 66, 68, which may be in the form of a hook, configured to releasably connect to one of the sidewalls 16, 18. Each of the sidewalls 16, 18 comprise a post 70, 72 at a rear end of each sidewall. Adjacent the post opposite the terminal rear end of the sidewall is a slot 74, 76. The clips 62, 64 are configured to releasably engaged and grip post 70 to secure the rear wall 14 to the sidewall 16. The clips 66, 68 are configured to releasably engaged and grip post 72 to secure the rear wall 14 to the sidewall 18. When the clips are engaged with the respective post, the clips extend through the respective slot 74, 76, such as shown in FIG. 1.
[0032] Opposite ends of the front wall comprise posts 80, 82. Each of the sidewalls 16, 18 comprise one or more clips 84, 86, 88, 90, 92, 94, which may be in the form of a hook, at a front end of each sidewall. The one or more clips may be fixed to or extend from a post 96, 98 as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7. Adjacent the post opposite the terminal front end of the sidewall is a plurality of apertures 100, 102. The clips 84, 86, 88, are configured to releasably engaged and grip post 80 to secure the sidewall 16 to the front wall 19. The clips 90, 92, 94, are configured to releasably engaged and grip post 82 to secure the sidewall 18 to front wall 19.
[0033] The rear wall 14 is moveable/pivotable in an arcing path about hinge 26 and/or the base 12 is movable/pivotable in an arcing path about hinge 26. Sidewalls 16, 18 are moveable/pivotable in arcing paths about the respective hinges 28, 30. The first and second portions 20, 22 of the base are moveable/pivotable in an arcing path about hinge 24. The front wall 19 is moveable/pivotable in an arcing path about hinge 35 and/or the base 12 is movable/pivotable in an arcing path about hinge 35.
[0034] The tray 10 is movable to and from the expanded position of FIG. 1, the released configuration of FIG. 6, and the compact configuration of FIG. 10. To move the tray from the expanded position of FIG. 1 to and/or through the released configuration of FIG. 6 to the compact configuration of FIG. 10 a method of the following steps may be used. The walls 14, 16, 18, 19 are in a raised position shown in FIG. 1. The front of the sidewalls 16, 18 are pulled outward in the directions A and B respectively (FIG. 2). The sidewalls 16, 18 have sufficient flexibility to allow the front clips 84, 86, 88, 90, 92, 94 to disengage from the posts 80, 82 of the front wall 19, while the clips 62, 64, 66, 68 of the rear wall 14 are engaged with the posts 70, 72 of the sidewalls 16, 18, respectively. When the front clips 84, 86, 88, 90, 92, 94 are withdrawn sufficiently to be clear of the respective posts 80, 82, the front wall 19 is rotated down about hinge 35 in the direction D (FIG. 6).
[0035] When the front wall 19 is rotated down in the direction D to the extent that the front wall is in front of front clips 84, 86, 88, 90, 92, 94, then the sidewall 16 is rotated inward in the direction E (FIG. 4) about hinge 28 and the sidewall 18 is rotated inward in the direction G (FIG. 4) about hinge 30 to disconnect the posts 70, 72 from the respective clips 62, 64 and 66, 68 of the rear wall. When the posts 70, 72 are disconnected from the respective clips 62, 64, 66, 68, the rear wall 14 can be rotated back in the direction J (FIG. 6) about hinge 26. When the rear wall 14 is rotated back in the direction J to the extent that the clips 62, 64, 66, 68 are clear of the respective posts 70, 72, then the sidewall 16 can be rotated outward in the direction F (FIG. 4) about hinge 30 and the sidewall 18 can be rotated outward in the direction H toward the flat configuration of FIG. 6.
[0036] To move the tray further from the flat configuration to or toward the compact configuration of FIG. 10, a method of the following steps are performed. The rear wall is rotated about hinge 26 in the direction J (FIG. 6) until the rear wall is in a stored position under the base 12 as shown in FIG. 8. The front wall is rotated about hinge 25 in the direction D (FIG. 6) until the front wall is in a stored position under the base 12 as shown in FIG. 8. In some embodiments, the rear wall and the front wall are each parallel or substantially parallel to the base when in the stored position shown in FIG. 8. The front wall and rear wall may be co-planar when in the stored position shown in FIG. 8. The front and rear wall can be moved in any order or simultaneously with each other to the position shown in FIG. 8.
[0037] The sidewall 16 is rotated inward about hinge 28 in the direction E (FIG. 4) to a stored position on top of the base 12 as shown in FIG. 9. The sidewall 18 is rotated inward about hinge 30 in the direction G (FIG. 4) to a stored position on top of the base 12 as shown in FIG. 9. In some embodiments, the sidewalls 16, 18 are each parallel or substantially parallel to the base when in the position shown in FIG. 9. The sidewalls 16, 18 may be co-planar when in the position shown in FIG. 9. The sidewalls 16, 18 may be moved to the position shown in FIG. 9 before, after, or simultaneously with the moving the front and rear wall to the position shown in FIG. 8. The sidewalls 16, 18 can be moved in any order or simultaneously with each other to the position shown in FIG. 9.
[0038] The base is folded about hinge 24 in the directions K and/or L (FIG. 5) so that the first portion 20 and the second portion 22 of the base 12 overlap and face each other in the compact configuration, as shown in FIG. 10.
[0039] The stretchable portions 50, 52 of the rear wall 14, and front wall 19, respectively, may comprise a stretchable plastic, such as low density polyethylene. In some embodiments, stretchable portions 50, 52 comprise a material with a plurality of cuts or apertures that allow the material to stretch at the cuts or apertures, such as an acrylic comprising a plurality of cuts or apertures. The stretchable portions are stretchable and movable between a home position and a stretched position. In the home or retracted position the stretchable portions are unstretched or are stretched less than when in the stretched position. The stretchable portions are shown in the home position in FIG. 1 where the tray is in an expanded configuration and in the stretched position in FIG. 10 where the tray is in a compact configuration. The stretchable portion 50 allows portions 54, 56 of the rear wall 14 to move from an aligned and co-planar position shown in FIGS. 1, 2, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9 to a folded position shown in FIG. 10, where portions 54, 56 face away from each other and are arranged at an acute angle relative to each other. The stretchable portion 52 allows portions 58, 60 of the front wall 19 to move from an aligned and co-planar position shown in FIGS. 1, 2, 4, 6, 7, 8, and 9 to a folded position shown in FIG. 10. In some embodiments, the stretchable portions may stretch, in the stretched position, in the range of three percent to five percent beyond their width in the home position. The stretchable portions are laterally aligned with the hinge 24 relative to the width 33 of the base as shown at least in FIGS. 1 and 2
[0040] If the sidewalls 16, 18 are not folded inward in the directions E and G from FIG. 8 to FIG. 9, then when the base is folded at hinge 24, the portions 20, 22 may face each other and contact each other or be positioned parallel to each other in the compact position. In such case, portions 54, 56 may be parallel to each other in the compact position and portions 58, 60 may be parallel to each other in the compact position.
[0041] To move the tray from the compact configuration of FIG. 10 to or through the released configuration of FIG. 6 to the expanded configuration of FIG. 1, the above steps may be reversed, such as described as follows. The portions 20, 22 of the base are moved away from each other. In particular, the portion 20 of the base is moved in the direction M (FIG. 5) and/or portion 22 is moved in the direction N about hinge. The portions 20, 22 are moved away from each other until they reach a flat configuration of FIG. 9, where the portions 20, 22 are aligned co-planar. Then sidewall 16 is move upward in the direction E about hinge 28 and sidewall 18 is moved upward in direction G about hinge 30 to or through the released released/flat configuration of FIG. 8 where the sidewalls 16, 18 are aligned co-planar with the base. The rear wall 14 is moved upward in the direction I (FIG. 6) about hinge 26 and the front wall 19 is moved upward in the direction C (FIG. 6) about hinge 35 to or through the released/flat configuration of FIG. 6 where rear and front walls are aligned co-planar with the base.
[0042] To move the tray from the released/flat configuration of FIG. 6 to the expanded configuration of FIG. 1, sidewall 16 is moved upward in the direction E about hinge 28, preferably past a vertical position, sidewall 18 is moved upward in the direction G, preferably past a vertical position. Rear wall 14 is moved upward in the direction I (FIG. 6) about hinge 26 to a vertical or substantially vertical position. Then the sidewalls 16, 18 are moved outward in the directions F, H (FIG. 4) respectively until the posts 70, 72 are engaged with and seated in the respective clips 62, 64, 66, 68 to releasably secure the sidewalls to the rear wall.
[0043] The front wall 19 is moved upward in the direction C (FIG. 6) about hinge 35. The front of the sidewalls 16, 18 are pulled outward in the directions A and B (FIG. 2) respectively. The sidewalls 16, 18 have sufficient flexibility to allow the front clips 84, 86, 88, 90, 92, 94 to move outward sufficient to allow the posts 80, 82 to pass, inward in the direction C, the ends of the respective clips. When the posts 80, 82 are aligned with the respective front clips 84, 86, 88, 90, 92, 94 the sidewalls 16, 18 and/or the clips are release to allow the sidewalls 16, 18 to return to their home and unflexed position which will move the clips to engage the corresponding post 80, 82 to secure the sidewalls to the front wall. The sidewalls and or the clips may be assisted in moving toward and engaging the corresponding post 80, 82 by the user.
[0044] In some embodiments, the front wall is connected to the sidewalls 16, 18 first and then the rear wall is connected to the sidewalls second. In such case, the rear of each sidewall 16, 18 is flexed inward to allow the clips 62, 64, 66, 68 of the rear wall to clear the posts 70, 72 while the wall is moving upward about hinge 26 in the direction I, until the post are aligned with the clips and then the posts and clips are engaged with each other to releasably secure the rear wall to the sidewalls.
[0045] The rear wall 14 comprises one or more U-shaped rim recess portions 81, 83 along the top edge 85 of the rear wall forming apertures 87, 89 in the rear wall, as labeled in FIG. 7. The recessed portions 81, 83 may be on opposite sides of the stretchable portion 50. The recessed portions 81, 83 and apertures 87, 89 may be sized to receive the neck of a bottle, such as a water bottle. The recessed portions 81, 83 and apertures 87, 89 prevent or limit the movement of the bottle relative to the tray. The recessed portions 81, 83 and apertures 87, 89 may be sized to receive the neck of a bottle, but may be narrower than the mouth end and the main body of the bottle so that recessed portions 81, 83 trap and retain the bottle on the rear wall 14 between the mouth end and the main body of the bottle.
[0046] FIG. 11 shows that two trays 10, 110 can be engaged with each other to form an enlarged portable tray 112. Tray 110 is identical to tray 10. Tray 110 may be referred to as a second tray and tray 10 may be referred to as a first tray 10.
[0047] The front wall 19 of each tray 10, 110 is released from the respective sidewall 16, 18 as compared to the expanded position shown in FIG. 1. The front wall 19 of each tray is lowered. This allows the sidewalls 16, 18 of first tray 10 to be engaged with and secured to the sidewalls of the second tray 110. The front wall may be lowered to a position where it is co-planar with the base.
[0048] The front wall 19 of each tray has curved recessed rim portions 91, 93 forming apertures 95, 97 (FIG. 6) in each of the portions 58, 60. The rim portions and apertures extend from and interrupt the plane of a top edge 99 of the front wall as shown in FIG. 1. In some embodiments, the rim portions 91, 93 are circular in that each lies on a circle. In some embodiments, the rim portions are curved.
[0049] The apertures 95, 97 of the first tray 10 align with and are co-axial with the cup holder openings 42, 44 of the second tray 110 as shown in FIGS. 11 and 12, when the trays 10, 110 are joined. The apertures 95, 97 of the second tray 110 align with and are co-axial with the cup holder openings 42, 44 of the first tray 10 as shown in FIGS. 11 and 12, when the trays 10, 110 are joined. In some embodiments, the rim portions 91, 93 of the first tray 10 are aligned with the cup holder walls 32, 34 of the second tray 110 as shown in FIGS. 11 and 12, when the trays 10, 110 are joined. And, the rim portions 91, 93 of the second tray 110 are aligned with the cup holder walls 32, 34 of the first tray 10 as shown in FIGS. 11 and 12, when the trays 10, 110 are joined. The apertures 95, 97 prevent each front wall 19 from blocking or partially blocking or covering the cup holder opening 42, 44 of the other tray when the trays are joined.
[0050] When the first and second trays 10, 110 are joined, the front wall 19 of the first tray 10 underlaps a portion of the base of the second tray 110 as shown in FIGS. 11 and 12, and the front wall 19 of the second tray 110 overlaps a portion of the base 12 of the first tray 10. As labeled in FIGS. 4 and 12, the front wall of each tray 10, 110 comprises one or more connecting apertures 71, 73 each defined by a one or more perimeter walls 75, 77. The perimeter walls and apertures may be circular. The bottom of the base 20 comprises connecting posts 63, 65 that extend away and downward from a bottom surface 45, 47 of the base 20, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 12. FIG. 12, shows that connecting posts 63, 65 of the second tray 110 are received within the respective connecting aperture 71, 73 of the perimeter wall 75, 77 of the front wall 19 of the first tray 10. In some embodiments, the posts 63, 65 are configured to friction fit to the respective perimeter wall 75, 77 within the respective aperture 71, 73 to releasably secure the front wall 19 of the first tray 10 under and to the bottom side of the base 20 of the second tray 110.
[0051] FIG. 13 shows the first joint 114 of the second wall 18 of the first tray 10 with the first sidewall 16 of the second tray 110. The second joint 116 is mirror image identical to the first joint 114 about the mid-plane 61 so only joint 114 will be described in detail.
[0052] The clips 90, 92, 94 of the second wall 18 of the first tray 10 releasably engage the post 96 of the first wall 16 of the second tray 110. Also the clips 84, 86, 88 of the first sidewall 16 of the second tray 110 releasably engage the post 98 of the second wall 18 of the first tray 10. Clips 84, 86, 88 are received into apertures 102 and clips 90, 92, 94 are received into apertures 100, as shown in FIG. 13. Therefore, the second wall 18 of the first tray 10 can be releasably secured to the first sidewall 16 of the second tray 110 to secure the first and second trays 10, 110 together. And similarly, the first sidewall 16 of the first tray 10 can be releasably secured to the second wall 18 of the second tray 110 to secure the first and second trays 10, 110 together.
[0053] The clips 62, 64, 66, 68, 84, 86, 88, 90, 92, 94, and corresponding posts 70, 72, 80, 82, 96, 98 disclosed herein are sized so that the clips snap fit on and about the corresponding post. Therefore, the clips are biased to grip to the corresponding post and are releasable from the corresponding post when a predetermined amount of force is applied to cause the clip to expend a predefined amount to allow the corresponding post to removed from the clip. Therefore, the clips comprise a predefined amount of flexibility or resilience to grip to hold as well as flex to allow the release of the corresponding post.
[0054] The first and second trays 10, 110 can be engaged with each other by a method of the following steps. The front wall 19 of each tray 10, 110 is placed in the lowered position shown in FIG. 11. The front wall 19 of the tray 10 that will underlap the base 20 of the second tray 110 may be pivoted down about hinge 35 to at least the extent that the front wall clears the posts 63, 65 of the second tray 110. The sidewall 18 of the first tray 10 is aligned with the sidewall 16 of the second tray 10 such that the clips 90, 92, 94 are aligned with the lower three apertures 100 in the first sidewall 16 of the second tray, and therefore the clips 84, 86, 88 of the first sidewall 16 of the second tray 110 are aligned with the top three apertures 102, as shown in FIG. 13. Then the first sidewall 16 of the second tray 110 and/or the second sidewall of the first tray is/are moved toward the other, until the posts 96, 98 are seated in the respective clips 90, 92, 94, 84, 86, 88, as shown in FIG. 13. The same procedure is followed for joint 116 to join the first sidewall 16 of the first tray 10 with the second sidewall 18 of the second tray 110. In some embodiments, the first sidewall 16 of the first tray is joined to the second sidewall 18 of the second tray at the same time as the second sidewall 18 of the first tray 10 is joined to the first sidewall 16 of the second tray. The front wall 19 may be pivoted up about hinge 35 to engage the perimeter walls 75, 77 of the connecting apertures 71, 73 of the first tray 10 with the respective connecting post 63, 65 of the second tray 110 to secure the front wall 19 of the first tray 10 to the base 20 of the second tray 110.
[0055] The trays 10, 110, can be disconnected from each other by pulling the trays away from each other in the directions P/Q (FIG. 11). Before pulling, the front wall 19 may be pivoted down to release the perimeter walls 57, 77 of the connecting apertures 71, 73 of the first tray 10 from the posts 63, 65 of the second tray 110. Once a predefined amount of pulling force overcomes the bias of the clips 90, 92, 94, 84, 86, 88 about the respective posts 96, 98, the trays 10, 110 will disconnect. Specifically, the sidewalls 16, 18 of each tray can be pulled away from the corresponding sidewalls 16, 18 of the other tray, in the directions P/Q of FIG. 11, individually or simultaneously. Therefore, two trays 10, 110 can be deployed and used selectively as separate individual trays, such as shown in FIG. 1 or together as the enlarged tray 112 shown in FIG. 11.
[0056] In some embodiments, one or more or all of the hinges 24, 26, 28, 30, and 35 comprise two joints 24a, 24b (FIGS. 2), 26a, 26b (FIGS. 5), 28a, 28b (FIGS. 6), 30a, 30b (FIGS. 1), 35a, 35b (FIG. 4) respectively. When the hinges 24, 26, 28, 30, 35 comprise two joints, they comprise a bridging member 24c, 26c, 28c, 30c, and 35c between opposite joints, respectively. Joint 24a allows bridging member 24c and portion 20 of base 12 to move relative to each other. Joint 24b allows bridging member 24c and portion 22 of base 12 to move relative to each other. Joint 26a allows bridging member 26c and the rear wall 14 to move relative to each other. Joint 26b allows the bridging member 26c and the base 12 to move relative to each other. Joint 28a allows the bridging member 28c and sidewall 16 to move relative to each other. Joint 28b allows bridging member 28c and portion 20 of base 12 to move relative to each other. Joint 30a allows the sidewall wall 18 and bridging member 30c to move relative to each other. Joint 30b allows the bridging member 30c and the base to move relative to each other. Joint 35a allows the front wall 19 and bridging member 35c to move relative to each other. Joint 35b allows the bridging member 35c and the base to move relative to each other.
[0057] When the hinge(s) 24, 26, 28, 30, and 35 comprise two joints, the joints and bridging member allow a greater range of motion to one or more of the elements connected by the respective hinge. For example, where FIG. 1 shows front wall 19 positioned above the base, hinge 35 allows the front wall to be stowed under the base as shown in FIG. 8. The rear wall 14 has a similar range of motion and positioning allowed by hinge 26. FIG. 1 shows sidewall 16 positioned above the base, hinge 28 allows the sidewall to be stowed over the base as shown in FIG. 8. The second sidewall 18 has a similar range of motion and positioning allowed by hinge 30. Further, hinges 28, 30 accommodate the thickness of the clips 84, 86, 88, 90, 92, 94 when in the compact configuration of FIGS. 9 and 10. Moreover, hinge 24 allows sufficient space between the first portion 20 and the second portion 22 of the base when the tray is in the compact configuration of FIG. 10. In some embodiments, the joints 24a, 24b, 26a, 26b, 28a, 28b, 30a, 30b, 35a, 35b act as a living hinge or an integral hinge where the joint may comprise a thinned, scored, or cut to allow joined portions to bend along the line of the joint.
[0058] The tray 10, 110, 112 may be deployed on a user's lap, on a table, on the ground, or on another exterior surface. The base 12 may comprise a width 33 configured to span a user's lap. In some embodiments, the base comprises a width 33 in the range of 13 to 15 inches, and preferably 14 inches, and a length 31 in the range of 6 to 8 inches, and preferably 7 inches, but other widths and lengths could be used.
[0059] From the foregoing, it will be observed that numerous variations and modifications may be affected without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. It is to be understood that no limitation with respect to the specific apparatus illustrated herein is intended or should be inferred. For example, one or more component embodiments may be combined, modified, removed, or supplemented to form further embodiments within the scope of the invention. Further, steps could be added or removed from the processes described. Therefore, other embodiments and implementations are within the scope of the invention.
