Car seat tables

• US 4,359,004 A
• Filed: 08/24/1981
• Issued: 11/16/1982
• Est. Priority Date: 09/02/1980
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Austin Chappell
• Original Assignee: Austin Chappell
• Inventors: Chappell, Austin
• Primary Examiner(s): McCall, James T.
• Application Number:
  US06/295,789
• Time in Patent Office: 449 Days
• Field of Search: 108/44, 108/45, 108/46, 108/112, 224/275, 224/42.11, 224/273, 224/277, 312/235 A, 5/507, 5/503, 297/162, 297/192, 297/188, 297/174
• US Class Current: 108/44
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 7/70 of foldable type
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/767 Angle adjustment
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 3/002 of trays

Abstract

Foldable car seat tables are disclosed. One embodiment is a hide-a-way model capable of being stored and removed from under a car seat. Another embodiment is capable of being removably installed without the use of penetrating fastening devices, such as screws, bolts, rivets, or the like. The table unit of either embodiment consists of multi-sections divided from one another by hinges. In the hide-a-way version, the table is held in an upsidedown storage position by guide runners which are centrally positioned in alignment on each table section and which slides along a track mounted on the bottom of the car seat for storage. To erect the table for use, the first or tray section, pulls out and bends up at a hinge, followed by the second section which is divided into a riser and cup portion. The second section is folded to a vertical position causing the tray section to become horizontally extended over the car seat. The riser is connected to a third section which remains on the track and the cup section is rotated to and supported in a forwardly extending portion in the same plane as the tray section. In the removable version, a front cup portion of the foldable table is supported through a telescopic support member to a base plate which is positioned on the car floor. The base plate is anchored in position with suitable weights. A rear tray section is supported above the car seat at a desired heighth through a lateral support member fastened underneath the rear tray section.

Claims

1. A foldable car seat table assembly comprising

a front support section, including

(a) a base portion,

(b) anchoring means for frictionally holding said base portion against a floor forward of a car seat,

and

(c) a first support member perpendicularly attached to said base portion, whereby said first support member protrudes up in front of said seat in a substantially vertical orientation whenever said base portion is frictionally held against the floor of said car by said anchoring means;

and

a table unit having a plurality of sections, each section of which is foldable with respect to an adjacent section and is attached to an adjacent section by hinge means, with each section being in the same plane when unfolded, said sections of said table unit including;

(a) a front cup section having a plurality of apertures therein for receiving cups and the like, and

(b) a rear tray section having support means along an underneath back edge thereof for supporting said tray section in an elevated position; and

a second support member perpendicularly attached to an underneath side of said front cup section, said second support member being adapted to be adjustably and detachably secured to said first support member.

2. A foldable car seat table as defined in claim 1 wherein said first support member comprises a first rigid tube and said second support member comprises a second rigid tube adapted to be telescopingly inserted into said first rigid tube.

3. A foldable car seat table as defined in claim 2 wherein said base portion is a planar member and said anchoring means comprises a pair of flexible bags filled with a dense pliable substance, one bag of said pair of bags being attached to a respective side of said planar base portion, whereby said planar base portion may be placed at a desired location on the car floor, including a floor location that is on top of a curved surface, such as the drive-shaft hub that is present in many car floors, and the weight of said bags, which bags extend outwardly from respective sides of the planar base, anchors said planar base portion in its desired position against the car floor.

4. A foldable car seat table as defined in claim 3 wherein said dense pliable substance is a granular material, such as sand.

5. A foldable car seat table as defined in claim 2 wherein said table unit further includes an intermediate tray section that is foldably attached through hinge means to respective edges of said front cup section and said rear tray section.

6. A foldable car seat table as defined in claim 5 further including a rim around the outer perimeter of said intermediate and rear tray sections.

7. A foldable car seat table as defined in claim 2 wherein said front cup section of said table unit further includes means for detachably holding a writing implement, such as a pen or pencil, in a protruding position, whereby the writing implement may be readily located and removed when desired.

8. A foldable car seat table as defined in claim 2 wherein said base portion is a non-planar member having a flat bottom and having horizontal dimensions substantially larger than the horizontal dimensions of said first support member, and further wherein said anchoring means includes a dense substance placed inside of said non-planar member.