US 4,666,118 AGranted

Tray assembly

OwnerThomas F. Buscheinventor

Life of this patent

Estimating the term…

Abstract

A portable tray assembly which is particularly adapted for use with furniture that is to be used on irregular surfaces. The assembly can be secured to the leg of the furniture at a selected radial position, the tray portion rotated to a selected position, leveled by way of a swivel joint, and secured by way of nut and screw locking means.

Claims7

Dependent claims

A portable support assembly for attachment to a base member comprising:

an elongated arm structure having first and second ends;
attachment menas for removably securing said first end of said arm to said base memeber at a selected radial disposition;
a generally flat support structure formed with a through aperture having a taperedly curved concave shape such that a first opening is located on a surface of said generally flat support structure and a second smaller opening is located on an opposing surface of said generally flat support structure;
a hemispheric member having its major flat cross section adjoiningly fixed to a surface of said tray including said smaller opening and also covering said smaller opening;
said hemispheric member having a tapered bore therethrough flaring outwardly from said second smaller opening of said tray,
said hemispherical member being pivotably rested on an correspondingly curved end portion of said arm opposing said end attached to said base member,
a fastener means for securing said joined generally flat support structure and hemispherical member to said curved end portion of said arm, inserted through said through aperture of said generally flat support structure and through said bore of said hemispherical member, having a head disposed at least partially within said through aperture of said generally flat support structure;
said head of said fastener means being of a taperedly curved concave shape and size corresponding to and in immediate abuttment to the taperedly curved concave surface of said tray aperture,
whereby said generally flat support structure is operative to pivotally rotate about said head, in full three dimensions including all planes to which a major axis of said fastener means is parallel, while said head remaining at all times in guiding contact with said tray, as said hemispherical member pivotally rotate about said curved end portion of said arm also in full three dimensions.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

patentgrep

Loading patent…

Abstract

A portable support assembly for attachment to a base member comprising:

an elongated arm structure having first and second ends;
attachment menas for removably securing said first end of said arm to said base memeber at a selected radial disposition;
a generally flat support structure formed with a through aperture having a taperedly curved concave shape such that a first opening is located on a surface of said generally flat support structure and a second smaller opening is located on an opposing surface of said generally flat support structure;
a hemispheric member having its major flat cross section adjoiningly fixed to a surface of said tray including said smaller opening and also covering said smaller opening;
said hemispheric member having a tapered bore therethrough flaring outwardly from said second smaller opening of said tray,
said hemispherical member being pivotably rested on an correspondingly curved end portion of said arm opposing said end attached to said base member,
a fastener means for securing said joined generally flat support structure and hemispherical member to said curved end portion of said arm, inserted through said through aperture of said generally flat support structure and through said bore of said hemispherical member, having a head disposed at least partially within said through aperture of said generally flat support structure;
said head of said fastener means being of a taperedly curved concave shape and size corresponding to and in immediate abuttment to the taperedly curved concave surface of said tray aperture,
whereby said generally flat support structure is operative to pivotally rotate about said head, in full three dimensions including all planes to which a major axis of said fastener means is parallel, while said head remaining at all times in guiding contact with said tray, as said hemispherical member pivotally rotate about said curved end portion of said arm also in full three dimensions.

6 more elements