US20110114583A1

US20110114583A1 - Car Tray

Info

Publication number: US20110114583A1
Application number: US12/617,727
Authority: US
Inventors: Jay Lee Sunderland
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2009-11-13
Filing date: 2009-11-13
Publication date: 2011-05-19

Abstract

A food tray for automobiles adapted to be attached to the cigarette lighter of an automobile, comprising a tubular, flexible arm and holding tray to safely hold food and drink in place at many angles and without distracting from or blocking the use of existing permanently mounted automobile accessories.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in automobile accessories, and has particular reference to a food tray adapted to be temporarily mounted in an automobile, via the cigarette lighter.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in automobile accessories, and has particular reference to a food tray adapted to be mounted in an automobile through the use of a cigarette lighter.
The practice of eating in automobiles has become extremely common and widespread, in view of the virtually universal popularity of automobile travel. However, the problem of suitable tray area to support sandwiches, soft drinks, and other food and food containers remains, so far as is within my knowledge, without satisfactory solution. The old time practice of drive-in restaurants of detachably connecting a tray to the exterior of the vehicle, accessible only through an open window of the vehicle, is not satisfactory in inclement weather, both since the tray contents are not protected against rain, cold, and the like, and also since the vehicle occupants are deprived of protection if the window must remain open. Mounting such a tray inside of the vehicle is sometimes possible, but the tray then obstructs an inconveniently large proportion of the vehicle seating area.
The object of the present invention, accordingly, is the provision of an automobile food tray which may be temporarily installed in an automobile through the use of the cigarette lighter, which is completely removed rendering it inconspicuous when not in use, and which when in position for use does not obstruct or prevent normal usage of any of the seating area of the vehicle.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The car tray will work by plugging in to a car or truck's cigarette lighter which will provide the “base” necessary for the tray that will be attached via either a flexible, yet very sturdy “gooseneck” armor two lightweight but strong plastic arms connected by a “ratchetable” elbow in order to adjust to the different angles of the cigarette lighter (i.e. some cigarette lighters are straight down in the center console in which case the two arms would need to go straight up at a 180 degree angle but some come straight out of the dash which means it would have to adjust to a 90 degree angle so as to have the tray parallel to the ground in both cases). The gooseneck arm will be able to be maneuvered to different angles to adjust to the angle of the cigarette lighter as well as different heights to adjust to the interior features of the car such as cup holders, radio, navigation system, gear shifter, etc. The tray will contain “nipples” on each of the three outer edges that a “french fry cup” will have holes in it in which it will be able to slide onto in order to hold a large order of french fries from a restaurant
The Car_Tray will enable people to more safely eat food while driving in their cars. There is currently no good mechanism that allows people to safely eat in their cars while driving. The Car_Tray will more safely allow people to eat in their car while driving

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

Drawing Views
FIG. 1—Shows the particular details of the CarTray and its components

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Claims

1. A car tray for automobiles comprising:

a. a hollow, elongated flexible and extendable arm or two strong, plastic arms with an adjustable/ratchetable “elbow”

b. cigarette lighter mounting means operable to support said arm,

c. a set of nipples mounted on all three outer edges for stability of food items.

2. A car tray as recited in claim 1 wherein the tray is supported by a flexible, telescoping control arm or solid plastic adjustable arms.

3. A food tray as recited in claim 1 with the addition of cooperative horizontally engaging support members carried respectively by said control arm and each of said support members embody the tray elements.

4. A car tray for automobiles which embodies a horizontally adjustable, telescoping support arm which temporarily attaches to a cigarette lighter.

5. A cart tray for automobiles in accordance to claim 4 wherein the device embodies a male, non electrical adapting device to fit inside an automotive cigarette lighter.