TRAY TABLE WITH ROTATABLE INNER TRAY FOR ELECTRONIC DEVICE DOCKING

• US 20130093220A1
• Filed: 12/07/2011
• Published: 04/18/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/13/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Smarttray International, LLC
• Original Assignee: Smarttray International, LLC
• Inventors: Pajic, Nick
• Granted Patent: US 8,826,830 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 297/163
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 3/004 of foldable trays mounted on the back-rest
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 11/0015 Arrangements for entertainment or communications, e.g. radio, television
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 11/00152 Seat back fixtures for removable monitors, e.g. tablet computers
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 11/06 Arrangements of seats, or adaptations or details specially adapted for aircraft seats crew seat constructions for emergency purposes B64D25/04
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 11/0605 including tables or desks
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 11/0624 Arrangements of electrical connectors, e.g. for earphone, internet or electric supply
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 11/0638 with foldable tables, trays or cup holders
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/325 using wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/02 for charging batteries from ac mains by converters
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/40 Weight reduction

Abstract

A tray table that provides in-flight entertainment in various forms of media as well as interactivity while being lightweight is disclosed herein. The tray table may provide a removable battery to power an electronic device. This eliminates the need for costly and heavy wiring. The tray table may provide an inner tray that allows the electronic device to be removed for handheld operation. An alert system may be used to prevent theft or unauthorized used by detecting when the electronic device is outside or disconnected from the inner tray.

Claims

1. A tray table for a passenger seat comprising:

a body having a compartment for a battery;

an inner tray configured to receive and hold a portable electronic device, the portable electronic device having a display screen;

a port attached to the inner tray configured to connect to the portable electronic device, wherein the battery is in electrical communication with the portable electronic device via the port;

an opening in the body configured to accept the inner tray, the inner tray rotatably mounted in the opening; and

one or more mounts configured to attach the body to a back portion of the passenger seat.

2. The tray table for a passenger seat of claim 1 further comprising a sensor configured to detect the presence or absence of the portable electronic device in the inner tray.

3. The tray table for a passenger seat of claim 2, wherein the tray table emits an alert if the sensor detects that the portable electronic device is absent from the inner tray.

4. The tray table for a passenger seat of claim 1, wherein the battery is rechargeable.

5. The tray table for a passenger seat of claim 1, wherein the battery is removable from the body.

6. The tray table for a passenger seat of claim 1, wherein the inner tray includes a transparent cover to protect the display screen.

7. The tray table for a passenger seat of claim 1, wherein the body is rotatably mounted to the passenger seat.

8. A tray table for a passenger seat comprising:

a body having a an opening therein;

one or more mounts configured to rotatably attach the body to a back portion of the passenger seat, wherein the body may be moved between a stowed position and a service position relative to the passenger seat; and

an inner tray configured to hold a portable electronic device, the inner tray rotatably mounted in the opening, wherein the inner tray may be rotated to between an open position and a closed position when the body is in the service position.

9. The tray table for a passenger seat of claim 8, wherein a back panel of the inner tray is coplanar with a top surface of the body when the inner tray is in the closed position.

10. The tray table for a passenger seat of claim 8, wherein a display screen of the portable electronic device is visible through one end of the opening in the body when the inner tray is in the closed position.

11. The tray table for a passenger seat of claim 8 further comprising a power source in electrical communication with a port of the inner tray to provide power to the portable electronic device, the power source selected from the group consisting of a solar panel, thermoelectric generator, and kinetic energy electrical generator.

12. The tray table for a passenger seat of claim 8 further comprising a battery compartment in the body in electrical communication with a port of the inner tray to provide power to the portable electronic device, wherein the battery compartment releasably holds one or more batteries.

13. The tray table for a passenger seat of claim 12 further comprising an indicator supported by the body, the indicator configured to indicate a charge level of one or more batteries in the battery compartment.

14. The tray table for a passenger seat of claim 8 further comprising a sensor configured to detect when the portable electronic device is absent from the inner tray.

15. The tray table for a passenger seat of claim 14 further comprising communication device configured to transmit a notification when the sensor detects the portable electronic device is absent from the inner tray.

16. A method for providing in-flight entertainment with a tray table comprising:

securing a tray table to a passenger seat with one or more mounts, the tray table comprising an opening having a rotatable inner tray secured therein;

receiving a portable electronic device with the inner tray, the portable electronic device comprising a display screen for providing the in-flight entertainment;

securing the portable electronic device to the tray table with the inner tray, wherein the portable electronic device is rotatable when held by the inner tray; and

providing power to the portable electronic device through one or more batteries in a compartment of the tray table when the portable electronic device is held by the inner tray.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising providing a media server configured to provide in-flight entertainment material via electronic communication with the portable electronic device.

18. The method of claim 16 further comprising transmitting a notification from the tray table when the portable electronic device is not being held by the inner tray.

19. The method of claim 16 further comprising ejecting the one or more batteries from the compartment with a release mechanism of the compartment to replace the batteries.

20. The method of claim 16 further comprising providing a power level indicator configured to indicate the power level of the one or more batteries in the compartment.