WO1994006647A1

WO1994006647A1 - Tray, e.g. for vehicles

Info

Publication number: WO1994006647A1
Application number: PCT/GB1993/001998
Authority: WO
Inventors: James Stamper
Original assignee: James Stamper
Priority date: 1992-09-23
Filing date: 1993-09-23
Publication date: 1994-03-31
Also published as: AU5116693A

Abstract

A desk in the form of a board having releasable connection means adapted to connect the board with a fixture in a vehicle so that the board can move between a first out-of-use position in which it lies flat against the fixture and a second in-use position in which it extends outwardly of the fixture.

Description

Tray, e.g. for vehicles.

This invention relates to a desk. It is especially although not exclusively applicable to a folding desk provided within a vehicle.

Tables and work surfaces provided within trains are known, as are folding tables provided in commercial aircraft on the rear faces of the passengers' seats. Similarly, some cars include a small tray provided by the inside face of the glove compartment or, in some cases, by a drinks cabinet closure.

However, such trays and tables are generally fixed items which if they cannot be folded, must take up much of the available space in the vehicle. Furthermore, those trays which may fold are generally adapted to fold into a recess of the vehicle. Such trays are generally limited in size to be complementary to the recess and therefore cannot present extensive work surfaces for writing or for children to use as play surfaces.

UK Patent No. 2,234,494 discloses a desk for use in a car. The desk of GB 2,234,494 comprises a box-like container for holding files and papers, the container having a lid which may serve as a desk top and which may fold upwardly to allow access to the container. The desk of GB 2,234,494 is removable from the vehicle but owing to the bulky container, whilst in the vehicle, whether in use or not, it must rest on a seat of the car taking up most of the available space thereon. The desk of GB 2,234,494 is designed to be removed from the passenger compartment when not required and has no feature which allows its compact storage in the passenger compartment when not in use.

According to the present invention, there is provided a desk in the form of a board having a work surface, releasable connection means, engagement means on the board for receiving and retaining the connection means, the connection means being adapted to connect the board with a fixture in a vehicle so that the board can move between a first out-of-use position in which it lies flat against the fixture and a second in-use position in which it extends outwardly of the fixture.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a vehicle having a desk as hereinbefore defined.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of providing a desk in a vehicle, comprising installing a desk as hereinbefore defined on a fixture of the vehicle.

The releasable connection means are preferably adapted to facilitate rapid and/or repeated connection and disconnection of the board to and from the fixture. The connection means may comprise strap means such as woven fabric strips or moulded plastic strips. The connector means may substantially cover the back of the seat.

The connection means may be of rigid or semi-rigid material, which may be configured as hooks and/or clamps adapted to engage at least one fixture within the vehicle. The connection means may comprise resilient material.

The board is preferably maintained at a selectable angle relative to the fixture such that it may be supported in a substantially horizontal configuration when in use. The board may be selected for a particular purpose and may be provided with means to allow interchanging of boards, for example, clamp means to allow releasable attachment of the board to the fixture or to other components of the desk.

The fixture is preferably a seat of conventional design but may instead be a headrest, dashboard, or element of the chassis or body panels.

The desk may have various functions, and may incorporate a board having features appropriate to said functions. For example, a writing desk according to the invention may have indentations adapted to retain pens or cups; play desks may include rims to contain spilled liquids; desks adapted for use with computers may have appropriate apertures for printer cables and fitments for peripheral computer equipment; additional surfaces may be provided to retain paper or printers; straps may be provided on the desk to retain the computer in position; and a desk adapted for storage purposes may be of a size, strength and construction appropriate to the items to be stored.

A preferred material of construction of the desk is moulded plastics material but may instead or additionally be alloy or metal.

The support member may comprise a frame to which the board may be fixed by the connection means, the frame may in turn be attached to the fixture by the connection means. The frame may be, for example, of alloy metal, or moulded plastics material.

The desk may also include leg supports attached to the desk, or to the strap means, or both, and extending therefrom to rest upon a surface within the vehicle.

The desk of the invention has various advantages over previous designs. It may be stored, folded against a fixture within the passenger compartment of a conventional car without occupying the seating space for passengers. Indeed, certain embodiments may be left unfolded without occupying such seating space, and may be used by passengers whilst seated, even when the car is full. However, the desk of the present invention may also be rapidly and easily removed from the fixture and may be stored in, for example, the car boot without occupying an excessive amount of space therein.

The present invention also demonstrates advantages over trays etc which fold into a recess and remain as permanent fixtures within the vehicle. The desk of the present invention may allow rapid and repeated attachment and detachment of the board to and from unmodified fixtures in the vehicle thereby allowing flexibility without compromise in, for example, seat design. Furthermore, the size and shape of board presented by the desk of the invention is not limited by the dimensions of the fixtures in the vehicle. In addition, boards provided by the desk of the present invention may be selected for various purposes and may be interchanged if desired.

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a seat of a vehicle showing a desk according to a first embodiment of the invention for use in for example, a car, train or aircraft.

Fig. 2 is a side view of the seat and desk shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 shows the seat of Figs 1 and 2 with a second embodiment of the invention attached thereto.

Fig. 4 shows a side view of the embodiment shown in Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a desk according to a third embodiment of the invention, also for use in for example, a car, train or aircraft.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a desk according to a fourth embodiment of the invention for use in, for example, the front seat of a car. Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a desk according to a fifth embodiment of the invention for use, in for example, a van or other commercial vehicle.

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of a desk according to a sixth embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 1 shows a desk 1 comprising a flat worktop 2 fixed to an alloy frame 4 which is secured to the back of one of the front seats 6 of a car by means of quick release adjustable straps 8 formed of woven nylon. The worktop 2 is hingedly attached at 10 to the alloy frame 4 and is supported at a selected angle to the frame 6 by adjustable woven nylon straps 12 secured to a headrest 14. The length of the straps 12 may be adjusted to select the angle between the frame 6 and the worktop 2. The worktop 2 may be undipped from the frame 6 and interchanged with others for different purposes.

On releasing the straps 12, the worktop 2 may be easily folded to lie against the alloy frame 4 and the seat 6 thereby taking up a minimum of space; clips (not shown) may be incorporated in the frame 4 to secure the worktop 2 thereto. In addition, fasteners (not shown) in the quick release straps 8 can be opened and the entire desk 1 can be removed from the car.

The seat 6 is not impaired by its support of the desk and may be comfortably used when the straps 8, 12 are in place.

In Figs 3 and 4, the straps 8 are replaced by se i- rigid strap elements 30, 34 configured as flat hooks to releasably engage the same fixtures as the strap 8. The semi-rigid strap elements 30, 34 might suitably be formed from plastics material, metal strip or other suitable materials as will be apparent to those skilled in the art. The elements 30, 34 would preferably be somewhat resilient so as to releasably grip the fixture in question. A support strut 11 is also disposed between the frame 4 and the worktop 2 in place of straps 12.

Fig. 5 shows a desk comprising a worktop 2 adapted to be supported by the dashboard 16 of a car at the passenger's side, and by an optional supporting leg 18 which may fold to be parallel to the worktop 2. This embodiment is designed for use by the passenger in the front seat. The embodiment may be modified as shown to include rigid or flexible straps 32 which extend rearwardly from the work surface 2 to engage the seat- back 6 of the passenger seat. A further hook, strap or clamp 36 is also included, engaging the dashboard 16.

The optional legs 18 may be supplemented or replaced by legs 38 extending downwardly from the straps 32 rather than from the work surface 2.

An embodiment designed for use by the driver while the vehicle is stationary is shown in Fig. 6. In this embodiment, the worktop 2 is clamped at 36 to the dashboard and is supported by adjustable straps 20 (as straps 8 described previously) depending from the passenger seat headrest 14. The worktop 2 may instead be attached to the seat 6 by semi-rigid straps (as straps 30 previously described) . Further support for the worktop 2 may be provided by optional leg 40. An additional optional worktop 22 affixed to the steering wheel 24 may also be provided. Fig. 7 shows an embodiment for use in a van or lorry and providing a larger worktop 2 supported by front seats 6 and by two leg supports 26. This embodiment has the previously described features of an alloy frame 4 and quick release adjustable straps 8 shown in the embodiment of Figs. 1 and 2, although as described for the previous embodiment, the worktop 2 may instead be supported by semi-rigid straps 30 and/or clamping means. The worktop 2 may extend along the backs of both seats 6 or along the back of only one.

Fig. 8 shows a desk for use with two facing seats 6, 7 having a fixed table 28 between them. This embodiment also has an alloy frame 4 and quick release straps 8 which secure the frame 4 to a seat 6 as previously described. Alternatively, the frame 4 may be secured to the seat 6 by semi-rigid straps 30 as previously described. The worktop 2 is supported at one end 2a by semi-rigid or flexible straps 11 from the alloy frame 4, and at the other end 2b by the fixed table 28. Alternatively, the end 2b of the worktop 2 may be supported by a folding leg (not shown) .

Each embodiment of the invention herein described may be attached to and be supported by an existing unmodified fixture of a conventional vehicle and requires no specific or expensive modifications to the vehicle. These embodiments may be folded to lie against an existing surface, so that the desk need not be removed from the vehicle to allow use of the vehicle by passengers, and may be removed easily and stored within for example, a car boot. The invention is therefore unobtrusive and does not interfere with the normal functioning of the vehicle. The invention need not be restricted to use with a particular vehicle and may be instantly adaptable for use with, for example, differing sizes or shapes of seat.

Modifications and improvements may be incorporated without departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims

1 A desk in the form of a board having a work surface, releasable connection means, engagement means on the board for receiving and retaining the connection means, the connection means being adapted to connect the board with a fixture in a vehicle so that the board can move between a first out-of-use position in which it lies flat against the fixture and a second in-use position in which it extends outwardly of the fixture.

2 A desk as claimed in Claim 1, in which the connection means comprises strap means.

3 A desk as claimed in Claim 1 or 2, in which the connection means comprises a clamp or a hook.

4 A desk as claimed in Claim 1, 2 or 3, in which the connection means is flexible and/or resilient.

5 A desk as claimed in any one of the preceding Claims, in which the board is connected hingedly to a support member for lying flat against the fixture and for receiving the board in its out-of- use position.

6 A desk as claimed in any one of the preceding Claims, in which support means extends from the board or from the connection means to rest against a support surface in the vehicle.

7 A desk as claimed in any one of the preceding Claims, in which the connection means is adapted to connect the board with a vehicle seat. 8 A vehicle having a desk as claimed in any one of the preceding Claims.

9 A method of providing a desk in a vehicle, comprising installing a desk as claimed in any one of Claims 1-7 on a fixture of the vehicle.

10 A desk substantially as hereinbefore described, with reference to, and as shown in figs 1 and 2, figs 3 and 4, fig. 5, fig. 6, fig. 7, or fig. 8 of the accompanying drawings.

11 A vehicle as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as shown in figs 1 and 2, figs 3 and 4, fig. 5, fig. 6, fig. 7 or fig. 8 of the accompanying drawings.

12 A method of providing a desk in a vehicle as hereinbefore described, with reference to figs. 1 and 2, figs 3 and 4, fig. 5, fig. 6, fig. 7 or fig. 8 of the accompanying drawings.