GB2266448A

GB2266448A - Tray assembly

Info

Publication number: GB2266448A
Application number: GB9308910A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Leslie Brownlie; Colin Sidney Howard
Original assignee: Baveystock & Co Ltd A
Current assignee: Baveystock & Co Ltd A
Priority date: 1992-04-29
Filing date: 1993-04-29
Publication date: 1993-11-03
Also published as: GB9209245D0; GB9308910D0

Abstract

A tray assembly suitable for use on a high chair or other support structure, for example, includes a tray (56) preferably mounted on a plate (12) of which is pivotally mounted a detent plate (24) which can be tilted, against the action of torsion spring (28), between a position in which notches (26) engage an attachment loop (36) and a release position disengaged therefrom. The position of the tray can be adjusted by engagement of different pairs of notches. <IMAGE>

Description

TRAY ASSEMBLY The present invention relates to a tray assembly, particularly, although not exclusively, one which may be used in cooperation with a high chair.

Conventional high chairs have a tray portion which is pivotally mounted, usually to the back of the seat portion of the chair and which is capable of being folded from an out of the way position behind the chair to an operating position in which the tray is mounted above and in front of the seat portion. Such a structure is rather cumbersome and expensive and provides for no adjustment to suit the size of the child using the high chair.

Other arrangements involve a structure in which the tray is pivotally mounted with respect to one of the arms so that it can be pivoted to an out of the way position to assist in placing a child in, or removing the child from the chair. The problem with such a structure is that the tray tends to be in the way when it is not in use.

It is now proposed, according to the present invention, to provide a tray assembly mountable on a support structure, said assembly comprising a tray, an attachment loop and locking means, one of the attachment loop and locking means being attached to the tray and the other being attachable to the support structure, the locking means comprising first and second relatively movable clamp members for clamping the attachment loop therebetween to prevent relative movement between the attachment loop and the locking means.

With such a structure the attachment loop may be connected to the tray or, preferably, connectable to a support structure which may, for example, be a high chair. It is also contemplated, however, that the tray assembly of the present invention could find other uses, for example as a table for use with a bed ridden patient, or in transport such as in a bus, train or aeroplane.

Preferably the first member includes at least one notch for clamping a point on the attachment loop against the second member. This enables one to define accurately the position of the tray relative to the support structure.

Advantageously, the first member has at least two notches spaced along its length, clamping two points at opposite sides of the attachment loop against the second member, thereby giving a greater rigidity to the mounting.

Desirably the first member has at least six notches spaced along its length for allowing the attachment loop to be clamped in any one of at least four positions along the length of the first member. This feature provides for adjustment to suit the particular user.

In a preferred structure, the first member comprises a rotatable detent and the second member comprises a housing, e.g. a plate, secured to the tray. The detent may be rotatable manually away from the housing to release the attachment loop and is preferably biased e.g. by a spring, towards the housing.

For further rigidity, the second member, e.g. the housing may be indented to receive the attachment loop.

While the attachment loop may be permanently secured to the support structure, it is preferably removably attachable thereto.

The invention also contemplates a high chair comprising a seat portion and an arm portion, wherein the attachment loop of the tray assembly of the invention is attached to an arm portion of the high chair, whereby the tray may be removably positioned above and in front of the seat portion.

In order that the present invention may more readily be understood, the following description is given, merely by way of example, reference being made to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a schematic perspective view of one embodiment of the attachment portion of a tray assembly according tQ the present invention; and Figure 2 is a perspective view of a tray assembly according to the present invention and a support to which the assembly can be attached.

The assembly illustrated in Figure 1 comprises a housing (18), which may be of any suitable material such as a plastic, in the form of a housing plate (12) having two downwardly extending lugs (14) at its ends, and a front wall (16) extending between the two lugs (14) downwardly from the frontedge of the plate (12) and backwards towards the middle of the plate (12). A gap exists between the front wall (16) and plate (12), except at the front edge of the plate (12). The plate itself is attached to the underside of a tray at one end of the tray using attachment holes (17).

The two lugs (14) are provided with aligned apertures (20) in each of which is engaged a pivot end (22) of a pivot core (21). The core (21) has a detent plate (24) along its length between the two pivot ends (22), the detent plate being provided with longitudinally and equally spaced notches (26).

Figure 1 shows six notches along the length of the detent plate (24), including one half notch at each end, close to the pivot ends.

A torsion spring (28) is replacably mounted in the middle of the core (21) about an axle (23) and has two tails, one engaging a handle portion (30), also part of the core, and the other, when the pivot ends (22) are engaged in the lugs (14), engaging the housing plate (12) thereby to bias the core (21) substantially to the orientation illustrated. Pressing the handle portion (30) against the bias of the spring will pivot the detent plate, for example through up to 90 , about the pivot ends (22) so that the tray can be positioned as desired.

The pivot core may also be of any suitable material, preferably a plastic, whilst the tray to which the housing is attached may preferably be wood based, plastic based, or metal based or a combination of such materials.

Figure 1 also illustrates a metal attachment loop indicated by the general reference numeral (36). This loop will normally be attached to the arm of a high chair, or some other support structure. It has a longer arm (38), a generally U-shaped portion having a web (46) and two legs (48, 50) respectively connected to the longer arm (38) and a shorter arm (52). The longer arm is at least partially threaded (40).

In use, the core (21) is rotated, by means of the handle (30) to a position about 90" anti-clockwise from that shown in Figure 1. The loop (44) may then easily pass above the detent plate (24) between the core (21) and housing plate (12), with the web portion (46) passing into the gap (18).

With the handle still pressed down the tray may then be moved parallel to the length of the core to a desired position where the handle (30) is released so that the spring (28) will bias the detent plate (24) to the orientation illustrated, whereby the arms (48, 50) of the loop portion will engage in two of the notches (26) on the detent plate spaced by a further notch therebetween. The arms of the loop portion are therefore clamped in notches between the detent plate (24) and housing plate (12) and together with the web portion (46), engaged in the slot, give the whole structure rigidity.

It will be appreciated that one can select a number of different positions for the tray by engaging the legs (48, 50) in appropriate notches (26).

As can be seen from Figure 2, for attachment purposes, the longer arm (38) of the loop passes downwardly through a bore (42) in an arm (32) of the high chair. The shorter arm (52) may be engaged in a further bore (54) in the arm of the chair which bore may pass only partially or all the way through the arm of the chair. When the longer arm (38) is engaged in its bore (42) with a nut (34) tightened on the threaded portion (40), the attachment loop will be rigidly secured to the chair arm (32).

Further, in Figure 2, the other arm of the chair also has a loop secured to it. This may serve as a support for the other end of the tray (56) from that to which the housing is attached, and also allows the tray to be attached to the chair either way round.

In this specification reference has been made to a loop.

This should not be construed solely as an item such as a wire loop as shown, but should be construed broadly to include any suitable element of any suitable material which may be clamped in notches between two locking members which are carried by the tray. An example would be a plate or two separate rod-like members.

Further, the notches may be provided on the housing plate as an alternative to providing them on the pivot core or to complement those on the pivot core.

It is also contemplated that the attachment loop, of whatever form, could be carried either fixedly or removably by the tray and that the housing, for example, could be carried on the arm of the chair or other support structure.

Claims

1. A tray assembly mountable on a support structure, said assembly comprising a tray, an attachment loop and locking means, one of the attachment loop and locking means being attached to the tray and the other being attachable to the support structure, the locking means comprising first and second relatively movable clamp members for clamping the attachment loop therebetween to prevent relative movement between the attachment loop and the locking means.

2. An assembly according to claim 1, wherein said first member includes at least one notch for clamping a point on the attachment loop against the second member.

3. An assembly according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the first member has at least two notches spaced along its length for clamping two points on opposite sides of the attachment loop against the second member.

4. An assembly according to claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the first member has at least six notches spaced along its length for allowing the attachment loop to be clamped in any one of at least four position along the length of the first member.

5. An assembly according to any one of claims 2, 3 or 4, wherein the attachment loop is in the form of a wire loop the cross section of the wire being such as to be engageable in said notch or notches.

6. An assembly according to any preceding claim wherein the first member comprises a rotatable detent and the second member comprises a housing secured to the tray.

7. An assembly according to claim 6, wherein the detent may be rotated manually away from the housing to release the attachment loop.

8. An assembly according to any preceding claim, wherein the first member is biased towards the second member.

9. An assembly according to any preceding claim, wherein the second member is indented to receive the attachment loop.

10. An assembly according to any preceding claim, wherein the attachment loop is removably attachable to the support structure.

11. A tray assembly substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

12. A high chair comprising a seat portion and an arm portion, wherein the attachment loop of a tray assembly according to any preceding claim is attached to the arm portion of the high chair, whereby the tray may be removably positioned above and in front of the seat portion.