Snack tray for automobile

#The present invention relates generally to a snack tray for mounting within the dashboard of an automobile.

#Heretofore, drink holders and snack trays adapted for use in automobiles have been designed to be supported removably on a window, a door wall, on the seat back of the front passenger seats, or in similar manners. As such, such drink holders and snack trays are accessible and handy for use by automobile passengers but not ordinarily by the driver. Other conventional snack trays are available for placement in the seat, console or floor space within the front area of the passenger compartment. However, such snack trays are also not handy and relatively inconvenient to the automobile driver in that the driver must ordinarily reach uncomfortably to obtain items from the snack tray and must similarly replace such items esentially by feel. Moreover, such snack trays present a greater disadvantage in that more often than not the driver's attention is distracted in reaching for or replacing snack items thereby creating a potential danger of unsafe driving.

#In contrast, the present invention provides a snack tray slidably mounted within an automobile dashboard for easy access by both driver and passengers to avoid the aforementioned problems.

#FIG. 1 is a perspective view in exploded fashion of one embodiment of the present snack tray in combination with an automobile dashboard;

#FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of the present snack tray in its use position;

#FIG. 3 is a left side view of the snack tray of FIG. 2;

#Referring now to the accompanying drawings, and initially to FIG. 1, an automobile dashboard and a compatible snack tray according to one embodiment of the present invention are respectively indicated generally at 10 and 12. As will be understood, the dashboard is positioned immediately forwardly of the front seating area of the passenger compartment of a conventional automobile to extend laterally thereacross from forwardly of the driver seating location to forwardly of the passenger seating location.

#As is conventional, the dashboard 10 is provided with normal accessory equipment, such as a radio 14 and an ashtray 16, positioned at the compartment-facing dashboard wall 18 within its central region intermediate the driver and passenger seating locations. According to the present invention, a substantially rectangular longitudinal slot is formed through the facing dashboard wall 18 horizontally thereacross and opens into a hollow cavity within the dashboard 10. Preferably, the slot 20 is formed in a convenient location in the central region of the radio 14 or ashtray 16 to be similarly within the convenient reach of both the driver and any front seat passengers. Of course, the particular positioning of the slot 20 and the adjacent internal cavity of the dashboard 10 should be considered in the initial stages of the design and layout of an automobile dashboard and its ordinary accessory equipment.

#The snack tray 12 is of a substantially flat rectangular configuration closely dimensioned to the rectangular configuration of the slot 20 to be fitted within the slot 20 for convenient sliding movement with respect to the dashboard wall 18. A retaining strip 22 is affixed to the flat top surface 24 of the snack tray 12 along its rear edge 25 within the hollow cavity area of the dashboard 10 to prevent complete withdrawal of the snack tray 12 form the dashboard 10 and to stabilize the snack tray 12 during use, as hereinafter explained. A handle portion such as the knob 26 is affixed to the front edge 28 of the snack tray 12 to facilitate sliding manipulation of the snack tray 12 within the slot 20 by either the driver or passengers of the automobile. A pair of circular holes 30 are formed through the snack tray 12 for receiving and holding any conventional can, bottle, cup or similar form of conventional drink container in upright disposition.