Foldable Sturdy Travel Tray

Abstract

A foldable tray includes first and second base sections (BSs), lateral side members (LSMs) and a locking device. Each BS comprises opposed lateral edges, an inboard edge and a rigid hard surface. They are adjacent along their inboard edges, and foldable along those edges between an extended position where the hard surfaces lay in a plane and a folded position where the surfaces are stacked. The LSMs are attached along the opposed lateral edges of each of the BSs and foldable along that attached edge between an upright position where the LSM is at a substantial angle to the hard surface of its attached BS and a portable position where it is either stacked with its attached BS or has a major surface lying in the same plane as the hard surface of its attached BS. The locking device retains the BSs in the extended position only when engaged.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A foldable tray comprising:
 a base comprising:
 first and second base sections each comprising opposed lateral edges, an inboard edge and a rigid hard surface; 
 said first and second base sections adjacent to one another along the respective inboard edges, and foldable along said adjacent inboard edges between an extended position in which the respective rigid hard surfaces lay substantially in a plane and a fully folded position in which the respective rigid hard surfaces are stacked relative to one another; 
   lateral side members attached along the opposed lateral edges of each of the base sections, wherein:
 each lateral side member is foldable, with respect to the base section to which it is attached and along its respectively attached lateral edge, between an upright position in which the respective lateral side member is at a substantial angle to the rigid hard surface of the base section to which it is attached and a portable position in which the respective lateral side member is either stacked relative to its respective base section or has a major surface lying in the same plane as the rigid hard surface of the base section to which it is attached; and 
   a locking device that retains the first and second base sections in the extended position only when said locking device is engaged.   
     
     
         2 . The foldable tray according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 each of the first and second base sections comprises a distal edge opposite the respective base section's inboard edge;   the foldable tray further comprises outboard side members attached along the distal edges of the first and second base sections; and   each of the outboard side members is foldable, with respect to the base section to which it is attached and along its respectively attached distal edge, between an upright position in which the respective outboard side member is at a substantial angle to the rigid hard surface of the base section to which it is attached and a portable position in which the respective outboard side member is either stacked relative to its respective base section or has a major surface lying in the same plane as the rigid hard surface of the base section to which it is attached.   
     
     
         3 . The foldable tray according to  claim 2 , wherein:
 each lateral side member comprises a distal edge;   each outboard side member comprises opposed lateral edges; and   the folding tray further comprises at least one corner lock that retains the distal edge of a given one of the lateral side members adjacent to one of the lateral edges of a given one of the outboard side members only when the corner lock is engaged while said given lateral and outboard side members are in the upright position.   
     
     
         4 . The foldable tray according to  claim 3 , wherein the at least one corner lock comprises a tab extension attached to and foldable along:
 the distal edge of the given lateral side member such that when the corner lock is engaged the tab is folded to extend alongside the given outboard side member, or   one of the lateral edges of the given outboard side member such that when the corner lock is engaged the tab is folded to extend alongside the given lateral side member.   
     
     
         5 . The foldable tray according to  claim 4 , wherein the corner lock comprises a male protrusion ( 504 ) and a mating female receptacle disposed on different ones of the tab and the given outboard or lateral side member alongside which the folded tab extends. 
     
     
         6 . The foldable tray according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 each of the lateral side members defines a lateral edge such that at least in the upright position lateral edges of lateral side members attached to different ones of the first and second base sections face one another;   the locking device spans the facing lateral edges of at least one pair of the lateral side members.   
     
     
         7 . The foldable tray according to  claim 6 , wherein the locking device comprises a flexible material fixedly attached to one of the lateral side members of the pair and removably attachable to another of the lateral side members of the pair. 
     
     
         8 . The foldable tray according to  claim 1 , wherein the locking device comprises a rigid bridge disposed on the first base section opposite the rigid surface, and movable between a disengaged position in which the rigid bridge completely underlies the first base section and an engaged position in which the rigid bridge spans the internal edges of the first and second base sections when the foldable tray is in the extended position. 
     
     
         9 . The foldable tray according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an arm defining a hinged end attached to one of the lateral side members that is attached to the second base section, and a free end; and   an arm lock disposed along one of the lateral side members that is attached to the first base section;   
       wherein the arm lock and the free end of the arm are removably engageable with one another such that when engaged they retain the first and second base sections in an A-frame orientation. 
     
     
         10 . The foldable tray according to  claim 9 , wherein:
 each of the first and second base sections comprises a distal edge opposite the respective base section's inboard edge; and   the foldable tray further comprises:
 outboard side members attached along the distal edges of the first and second base sections; and 
 a protruding ledge disposed on at least one of the outboard side members and spaced from the distal edge of the base section to which said outboard side member is attached. 
   
     
     
         11 . The foldable tray according to  claim 9 , wherein the arm lock is a first arm lock and the foldable tray further comprises a second arm lock disposed at a second position along the said lateral side member that is attached to the first base section different than a first position at which the first arm lock is disposed;
 wherein the second arm lock and the free end of the arm are removably engageable with one another such that when engaged they retain the first and second base sections in an A-frame orientation that is narrower or wider than the said A-frame orientation.   
     
     
         12 . The foldable tray according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 each of the first and second base sections comprises a distal edge opposite the respective base section's inboard edge;   the foldable tray further comprises:
 outboard side members attached along the distal edges of the first and second base sections; 
 a cup strap having a hinged end attached to the outboard side member attached to the first base section, and a free end; 
 a first lock disposed on one of the lateral side members that is attached to the first base section and adjacent to the said outboard side member attached to the first base section; 
 a stow lock disposed on the outboard side member attached to the first base section; 
   wherein the first lock and the stow lock are each removably engageable with the free end of the cup strap.   
     
     
         13 . The foldable tray according to  claim 12 , wherein the free end of the cup strap defines multiple parallel pins, each of which is removably engageable with the first lock. 
     
     
         14 . The foldable tray according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 each of the first and second base sections comprises a distal edge opposite the respective base section's inboard edge;   the foldable tray further comprises:
 outboard side members attached along the distal edges of the first and second base sections; 
 a seatbelt strap having opposed free ends that are removably attachable to the outboard side members. 
   
     
     
         15 . The foldable tray according to  claim 14 , wherein each of the free ends of the seatbelt strap define a hole by which said free ends are removably attachable to corner locks of the foldable tray when the tray is in the extended position.