Fold away service tray

Abstract

To pairs of elongated legs for supporting a tray and shiftable from a deployed position orienting the tray in a horizontal working orientation and including one or more connector lengths connecting the tray and legs for shifting to a vertical position when the legs are collapsed together to a self-supporting position.

1 . Foldable tray apparatus comprising: 
 first and second pairs of elongated legs having respective first and second pairs of upper and lower ends and medial sections crossed centrally and pivotally connected to be rotated to deployed positions with the upper end of the respective pairs spaced apart and the medial sections angling downwardly therefrom toward one another to cross one another in one direction and then angle downwardly away from one another and configured to, when rotated to collapsed positions, project parallel to one another, the legs formed on their bottom ends with respective knee portions angled to, when in the collapsed position, cross one another in the direction opposite the one direction;    a tray pivotally connected on one side to the first pair of upper ends;    at least one link pivotally connected between the side of the tray opposite the one side and constructed to, when the legs are in the deployed position, provide for the tray to nest on the connector ends, and when in the collapsed position, provide for the knees to cross one another in the opposite direction;    first and second pairs of roller on the bottom ends of the first and second legs and configured to clear one another as the legs are rotated from the deployed to the collapsed position.    
   
   
       2 . A foldable tray apparatus as set forth in  claim 1  wherein: 
 the link is constructed of rigid material.    
   
   
       3 . The foldable tray apparatus of  claim 1  that includes: 
 a latch for latching the tray and legs with the legs in their deployed positions.    
   
   
       4 . The foldable tray apparatus of  claim 1  that includes: 
 a latch device mounted on the tray for engaging the link to latch the legs in their deployed positions.    
   
   
       5 . The foldable tray apparatus of  claim 1  wherein: 
 the tray includes a pair of laterally spaced apart coextensive mounting ribs on the underside thereof;    the first pair of legs are connected at the respective second pair of upper ends to the respective one ends of the respective ribs; and    the apparatus includes a pair of links pivotally connected between the medial portion of the respective ribs and the respective second pair of upper ends.    
   
   
       6 . The foldable tray apparatus of  claim 1  wherein: 
 the rollers are spherically shaped rollers and are so configured and arranged as to, upon the rollers of the respective first and second pairs of legs passing one another during rotation of the pairs of legs from the deployed to the collapsed position, engaging one another and caming past one another as the collapse of such legs progresses.    
   
   
       7 . The tray apparatus of  claim 1  wherein: 
 the tray is formed on its bottom side with a latch mounting block disposed adjacent the path traveled by the link as the tray shifts from its collapsed position to its deployed position, the mounting block including an elongated downwardly opening and laterally outwardly opening latch channel, the latch mount further including a stop disposed at one end of the latch channel and a latch abutment surface at the opposite end of the latch channel;    an elongated latch bar disposed in the channel and pivotally mounted thereon and pivotable between a first position aligned with such channel and clear of the path of such link and to a position disposed in the path of the link to block travel of the link to preventing rotation thereof relative to the tray to maintain the tray in its deployed position; and    a spring biasing the latch bar to the latch position.    
   
   
       8 . The tray apparatus of  claim 1  that includes: 
 a pair of rigid links pivotally connected between the respective second ends and the intermediate underside of the tray.    
   
   
       9 . The tray apparatus of  claim 1  wherein: 
 the tray is of plastic molded construction.    
   
   
       10 . Foldable tray apparatus comprising: 
 first and second pairs of elongated legs pivotally connected together medially to pivot from a deployed to collapsed positions;    a rigid tray to be supported from the upper extremities of the respective pairs of legs, the tray having a first actuation side and an apparently disposed second side;    pivot pins pivotally mounting the first pair of legs to the bottom of the foldable side of the tray;    a pair of connector links having respective on ends connected pivotally to the medium under side of the tray and having the opposite ends pivotally connected to the upper extremities of the second pair of legs, the connector links being so configured and arranged as to, when the pairs of legs are in their deployed positions, provide for such legs to support the tray in its horizontal working position and being further so configured that as the actuation of the tray shifted from its working position and its stand position provide for rectilinear translation of the tray relative to the legs to cause the tray and legs to pivot a substantially coextensive positions; and    a latch mounted under the tray for latching the legs in their deployed positions.    
   
   
       11 . The foldable tray apparatus of  claim 10  wherein: 
 lifting the tray from its working position to its collapsed position serves to move at least one of the links through a predetermined path; and    the latch includes a latch bar pivotally mounted on the underside of the tray and configured to, in a latching position, be disposed in the path of the link and,    pivotable to an unlatching position clear of the path.    
   
   
       12 . The apparatus of  claim 11  wherein: 
 the latch includes a spring biasing the latch bar to its latching position.    
   
   
       13 . The tray apparatus of  claim 11  wherein: 
 the latching bar includes a handle.    
   
   
       14 . The tray apparatus of  claim 11  that includes: 
 a stop mounted on the underside of the tray and positioned in the path of the latch bar to limit rotation thereof in at least one direction.    
   
   
       15 . Foldable tray apparatus comprising: 
 first and second pairs of legs pivotably connected together medially to pivot from deployed to collapsed positions, the legs included upper ends respective first and second pairs of upper ends spaced apart when the pairs of legs are in the deployed positions;    a rigid tray to be supported from the first and second pairs of upper ends;    mounting means mounting the tray from the respective first and second pairs of upper ends and operative upon shifting of the legs from their deployed positions to orient the tray in a horizontal position and upon shifting of the legs to their collapsed position to orient the tray in a vertical position generally coextensive with the legs; and    the legs including stabilizing means operative when the legs are in the collapsed position to support the legs and tray in a generally vertical position.    
   
   
       16 . The foldable tray apparatus of  claim 15  that includes: 
 roller means on the lower extremities of the legs.    
   
   
       17 . The foldable tray apparatus of  claim 15  that includes: 
 latch means for latching the legs in their collapsed positions.