Horizontally supported planar surfaces – With structural installation – Vehicle supported
Reexamination Certificate
2000-02-28
2002-02-19
Chen, Jose V. (Department: 3636)
Horizontally supported planar surfaces
With structural installation
Vehicle supported
C297S145000, C297S188150, C312S235200, C108S025000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06347590
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to vehicle mounted trays.
BACKGROUND ART
Vehicles including cars, minivans and sport utility vehicles are used for a wide variety of purposes by consumers. On occasion it may be desirable for a tray table to be placed in front of a passenger in a vehicle for eating, writing or working on a laptop computer. Trays or table surfaces would normally be objectionable in a vehicle interior because they tend to crowd or clutter the interior space. Detachable trays tend to clutter a vehicle interior and may not be used because they may end up being stored in the trunk or in a person's garage where they will not be available for use in the car. It would be most desirable to provide a storage compartment that will readily conceal the tray table when not in use.
The space available in vehicle interiors is limited and it is desirable to minimize the size of consoles. Interior cavities of consoles are limited in capacity. It has not generally been thought to be possible to store trays inside a center console of a vehicle.
Center consoles for the rear seat of a vehicle are generally located between the rear seats of the vehicle and do not extend forward of the front edge of the rear seats. If a tray is to be supported by the console insufficient clearance is available between the tray and the body of a person seated in the rear seat in many instances.
These and other problems are addressed by the present invention as summarized below.
DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION
According to the present invention, a tray table for a center console of a vehicle is provided. The center console has at least one lateral wall that is longitudinally shiftable. The lateral wall has an elongated pocket that is open on its upper end. A tray support extends generally upwardly from the lower portion of the lateral wall and terminates at an upper end. A tray is secured by a hinge to the upright end of the tray support. The tray is pivotable between a stowed position and which is parallel and adjacent to the tray support and received within the pocket and a deployed position in which it is supported by the tray support in a substantially horizontal position.
The lateral wall is preferably shiftable along a track. The tray support may include a cup holder that is pivotally secured to the tray support arm. The cup holder is movable between a storage position in which it is flush with the tray support arm and a use position in which it is perpendicular to the tray support arm and extends from the tray support arm in the opposite direction relative to the tray. A pivot lock is provided to connect the lateral wall to the tray support arm. The pivot lock has a button including an elongated shaft that is connected to a spring and a mechanism for locking the tray support arm in either a deployed position or a storage position. The pivot lock button includes keys formed on one end that engage a keyway formed in the tray support arm when the button is not depressed. The keys disengage the keyways when the button is released.
The above objects and other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention are readily apparent from the following detailed description of the best mode for carrying out the invention when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: 1803947 (1931-05-01), Runkles et al.
patent: 3575466 (1971-04-01), Thomas
patent: 3632161 (1972-01-01), Arfaras
patent: 4834449 (1989-05-01), Engleman
patent: 5516191 (1996-05-01), McKee
patent: 5542360 (1996-08-01), Fleming
patent: 5588697 (1996-12-01), Yoshida et al.
Baldas Jason P.
D'Annunzio Gary
Kempf Jeff A.
Murray Patrick M.
Mysliwiec Todd A.
Brooks & Kushman P.C.
Chen José V.
Fisher Michael J.
Lear Corporation
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