Supported tray system

Abstract

A tray and tray support system which is suited for attachment to a portable folding chair enables the tray mechanism to be either left closely adjacent to the portable seating and unused, or pivoted to a position of deployment. Deployment is effected by causing a tray suspended from a fitting to be pivoted from a vertical hanging position and through an angle of about 270° to then be stably supported at a general horizontal position. The responsibility for pivoting support is divided and uses a pivot stop structure within a tray deployment fitting, and a set of tray supports which are also pivotally attached to the tray deployment fitting about an axis adjacent and parallel to the axis of the main horizontal extent of the main tray bearing member.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A tray system comprising:
 a tray system support fitting for attachment to a structure;   a main tray bearing member having a first end adjacent a vertical main extent and a second end adjacent a main horizontal extent, said main horizontal extent having an right angled with respect to said main vertical extent, said main vertical extent of said main tray bearing member selectably fixably supporting said main tray bearing member;   said tray system support for selectably enabling at least one of a height and a pivoting adjustment of said main tray bearing member;   a tray deployment fitting depending from said main horizontal extent of said main tray bearing member; and   a tray pivotally attached to said tray deployment fitting and enabled by said tray deployment fitting to be pivoted from a vertical hanging stowage position to a deployed horizontal support position and to remain in said deployed horizontal support position due to the influence of gravity.   
     
     
         2 . The tray system as recited in  claim 1  wherein the pivot from a vertical hanging stowage position to a deployed horizontal support position occurs at a pivot of about 270°. 
     
     
         3 . The tray system as recited in  claim 1  wherein the tray deployment fitting enables a first part of the pivot of said tray to occur about a first axis and a second part of the pivot of said tray to occur about a second axis. 
     
     
         4 . The tray system as recited in  claim 4  wherein said first axis is parallel to said second axis. 
     
     
         5 . The tray system as recited in  claim 1  wherein the tray deployment fitting includes a first aperture for enabling the tray deployment fitting to rotate about said main horizontal extent of said main tray bearing member, and a pivot pin bore spaced apart from said first aperture, said pivot pin bore for enabling said tray to pivot about said tray deployment fitting. 
     
     
         6 . The tray system as recited in  claim 5  wherein said tray deployment fitting rotation about said main horizontal extent of said main tray bearing member and wherein said angular displacement of said tray about said tray deployment fitting divide the angular displacement of said tray about said main horizontal extent of said main tray bearing member while still summing to about 270°. 
     
     
         7 . The tray system as recited in  claim 6  wherein said tray deployment fitting rotation about said main horizontal extent of said main tray bearing member is about 130° and wherein said angular displacement of said tray about said tray deployment fitting is about 140°. 
     
     
         8 . The tray system as recited in  claim 1  wherein said tray system support frictionally engages said vertical main extent. 
     
     
         9 . The tray system as recited in  claim 1  and further comprising at least one support having a first end attached to said tray and a second end attached to said tray deployment fitting and wherein said tray deployment fitting provides an angular displacement stop of a pivot of said tray from a vertical hanging stowage position to a deployed horizontal position.