Collapsible utility tray with flexible mounting feature

• US 9,072,362 B2
• Filed: 05/25/2012
• Issued: 07/07/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/25/2011
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Gallup, Eric
• Original Assignee: Gallup, Eric
• Inventors: Gallup, Eric
• Primary Examiner(s): NOVOSAD, JENNIFER ELEANORE
• Application Number:
  US13/481,468
• Publication Number:
  US 20130048587A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,138 Days
• Field of Search: 550/31, 550/71, 565/8, 24/305.T, 362/382, 108/47, 108/49, 108/23, 108/135, 211/90.02, 211/90.01, 211/90.03, 211/133.6, 211/133.5, 211/133.2, 211/133.3, 211/126.9, 211/181.1, 211/126.1, 211/193, 211/86.01, 211/87.01, 211/132.1, 211/195, 211/85.31, 211/85.29, 211/85.26, 211/104, 211/119.006, 211/70.6, 211/26.2, 211/113, 211/119, 211/119.004, 211/119.009, 211/126.5, 211/119.007, 248/235
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A45F 2200/0516 Portable handheld communication devices, e.g. mobile phone, pager, beeper, PDA, smart phone
• CPC Class Codes: A45F 5/00 Holders or carriers for hand articles; Holders or carriers for use while travelling or camping
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 23/02 releasably mounted on the bedstead or another item of furniture
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 43/00 Cabinets, racks or shelf units, characterised by features enabling folding of the cabinet or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 43/003 Suspended shelves, e.g. by means of supple elements
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 43/02 made of cardboard or the like travelling wardrobes A47B61/06; hand-folded from sheet material and specially adapted for display A47F5/116
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 55/02 made of wire
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 55/06 made of cardboard, paper, or the like travelling wardrobes A47B61/06
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 96/027 Cantilever shelves
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 3/147 made of tubes or wire
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 5/01 made of tubes or wire A47F5/0807 takes precedence foldable or adjustable A47F5/13
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 5/112 hand-folded from sheet material
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 5/13 made of tubes or wire assemblies of elements of the same kind, e.g. stackable, A47B87/00
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 25/0614 for mounting to a door top
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 29/00 Supports, holders, or containers for household use, not provided for in groups A47G1/00-A47G27/00 or A47G33/00 for fastening kitchen utensils A47J45/00; for drying towels A47K10/04; stands, racks or the like for airing beds, garments or the like, clothes, drying devices D06F57/00

Abstract

A collapsible utility tray device with a flexible mounting feature. The device includes a main tray portion for holding various items as desired by a user. A combined back/top piece is hinged to the main tray portion, such that the back/top can be folded closed to serve as a lid for the tray, or can be folded open to serve as a back structure for mounting the device and holding the tray portion horizontal. The back/top piece is fitted with a large rubberized twist tie for flexibly attaching the device to an object. The large rubberized twist tie can also be used to keep the device closed when the back/top piece is folded down. The device further includes smaller rubberized twist ties which can be used for hanging other small items from the tray or securing items to the tray. A small light can also be included in the device.

Claims

1. A utility tray comprising:

a tray body for holding items, the tray body including a base portion, opposing first and second portions extending transversely from the base portion, and opposing front and rear face portions extending transversely from the base portion between the first and second portions;

a moveable member hingedly coupled to the rear face portion of the tray body at a point spaced away from the base portion such that the moveable member can be folded down in a closed position to form an enclosure with the tray body, and said moveable member can be folded open generally perpendicular to the tray body in a use position to serve as a back for mounting the utility tray to a mounting structure; and

a first rubberized twist tie passing through holes in the moveable member, where the first rubberized twist tie is suitable to attach the utility tray to the mounting structure when the moveable member is in the use position, and to secure the moveable member to the tray body when the moveable member is in the closed position.

2. The utility tray of claim 1 further comprising a closure device for holding the moveable member in the fully closed position on the tray body.

3. The utility tray of claim 2 wherein the closure device is selected from the group consisting of a magnet, a snap and mating pieces of hook and loop fastener material.

4. The utility tray of claim 1 wherein the moveable member is coupled to the tray body with a hinge which prohibits rotation of the moveable member beyond the use position.

5. The utility tray of claim 1 wherein the tray body and the moveable member are constructed of welded wire.

6. The utility tray of claim 5 further comprising a hinge loop extending from said moveable member for hingedly coupling with said tray body.

7. The utility tray of claim 1 wherein the tray body and the moveable member are constructed of molded plastic.

8. The utility tray of claim 1 further comprising

a light supported by one of said tray body and said moveable member and operable to illuminate the utility tray when said moveable member is folded open.

9. The utility tray of claim 1 further comprising a tension member attached to the moveable member and the tray body, said tension member restricting the moveable member to a maximum opening angle of 90 degrees from the fully closed position.

10. The utility tray of claim 1 further comprising one or more of a second rubberized twist tie passing through holes in the tray body, where the second rubberized twist tie can be used to secure items inside or outside of the tray body, and the second rubberized twist tie can be removed from the holes in the tray body.

11. A utility tray comprising:

a tray body for holding items the tray body including a base portion and a rear face portions extending transversely from the base portion;

a moveable member hingedly coupled to the rear face portion of the tray body at a point spaced above the base portion such that the moveable member is positionable between a closed position on top of the tray body to form an enclosure and a use position in which the moveable member is generally perpendicular to the tray body and serves as a back for the utility tray; and

a bendable rubberized element releasably coupled to the moveable member, wherein the bendable rubberized element is configured to attach the utility tray to an adjacent support when the moveable member is in the use position.

12. The utility tray of claim 11 further comprising a closure device for holding the moveable member in the fully closed position on the tray body.

13. The utility tray of claim 12 wherein the closure device comprises the bendable rubberized element which secures the moveable member to the tray body when the moveable member is in the closed position.

14. The utility tray of claim 12 wherein the closure device is selected from the group consisting of a magnet, a snap and mating pieces of hook and loop fastener material.

15. The utility tray of claim 11 wherein the moveable member is coupled to the tray body with a hinge which prohibits rotation of the moveable member beyond the use position.

16. The utility tray of claim 11 further comprising a light supported by one of said tray body and said moveable member and operable to illuminate the utility tray when said moveable member is in the use position.

17. The utility tray of claim 11 wherein the tray body and the moveable member are constructed of welded wire.

18. The utility tray of claim 17 further comprising a hinge loop extending from said moveable member for hingedly coupling with said tray body.

19. The utility tray of claim 11 wherein the tray body and the moveable member are constructed of molded plastic.

20. The utility tray of claim 11 further comprising a tension member attached to the moveable member and the tray body, said tension member restricting the moveable member to a maximum opening angle of 90 degrees from the fully closed position.