Patent ID: 9668600
Date: 2017-06-06
CPC Classifications: A47J

Claim:
1. A multi-level serving tray carrier comprising a base at least one locking adjustment frame, at least one tray carrier frame, a plurality of adjustment arms and fixation means wherein the base frame comprises two side members, each of which side members having a top surface, a bottom surface, two side surfaces, two termini located at opposite ends of each such side member, and a distance as measured between the two termini located at opposite ends of each side member defining a length of each of the side members, the length of both side members being equal, a point of reference being located midway between said two termini along the length of said side members defining a midpoint thereof, two additional points of reference being located midway between the midpoint of each side member and the two termini thereof defining two balance reference points of each side member, the side surfaces of each of the two side members also being formed and configured to include at least one sliding adjustment slot formed as an elongated opening therethrough and one pivot bore also formed therethrough; and two end members each of which end members having a top surface, a bottom surface, two side surfaces, two termini, each located at opposite ends of each such end members, the end members each demonstrating a length defined as a distance measured between said two termini, the length of both end members being equal, wherein said two end members and two side members are arranged and affixed together to form a rectangular shaped base frame wherein the two side members are positioned opposite to one another and the two end members are also positioned opposite one another so as to form opposite sides of said rectangular shaped base frame, wherein a reference line running from the midpoint of one side member to the midpoint of the opposite side member defines the midline of the rectangular base frame and two additional reference lines running from opposite balance reference points located upon opposite side members form two balance reference lines of the rectangular base frame, both reference lines and the midline all being disposed at a perpendicular relation with the side members; at least one locking adjustment frame comprised of two side members each of which said side members having a top surface, a bottom surface, two side surfaces, two termini, each located at opposite ends of each such side member, a distance measured between one termini to the termini located at the opposite end of the side member defining a length of each of said side member, the length of the two side members being equal, one to the other, a point of reference located midway between said two termini along the length of each side member defining a midpoint thereof, each of the two side surfaces of the at least one locking adjustment frame including a locking adjustment slot formed as an elongated opening formed therethrough, the locking adjustment slot including at least two branch lock slots originating and extending laterally therefrom and wherein said side surfaces of the locking adjustment frame each include one pivot bore also formed therewithin and therethrough; two end members, each of said end members having a top surface, a bottom surface, two side surfaces, two termini located at opposite ends of each such side member, the end members each demonstrating a length defined as a distance measured between said two termini, the length of both end members being equal to one another, wherein said two end members and two side members of the locking adjustment frame are arranged and affixed together to form a rectangular shaped frame with the two side members positioned opposite to one another and the two end members also being positioned opposite one another so as to form opposite sides of said rectangular shaped frame, wherein a reference line running from the midpoint of one side member to the midpoint of the opposite side member defines the midline of the rectangular locking adjustment frame, the midline being perpendicular to both side members; at least one tray carrier frame comprised of two side members, each having a top surface, a bottom surface and two side surfaces, two termini located at opposite ends of each such side member, a distance measured between one termini to the termini located at the opposite end of each side member defining a length of the side member, the length of the side members being equal to one another, a point of reference located midway between said two termini along the length of each side member defining a midpoint thereof, each of the two side members of the tray carrier frame including two adjustment slots formed as a lateral opening therethrough; two end members, each of said end members having a top surface, a bottom surface, two side surfaces, two termini located at opposite ends of each such side member, the end members each demonstrating a length defined as a distance measured between said two termini, the length of the two end members being equal to one another, wherein said two end members and two side members of the tray carrier frame are arranged and affixed together to form a rectangular shaped frame with the two side members positioned opposite to one another and the two end members also being positioned opposite one another so as to form opposite sides of said rectangular shaped frame, wherein a reference line running from the midpoint of one side member to the midpoint of the opposite midpoint defines the midline of the rectangular tray carrier, said midline being disposed in a perpendicular relation with each side member; a plurality of adjustment arms comprised of flattened, elongated struts having two termini located at opposite ends thereof, the length of each such strut being defined as the distance between the two termini located at opposite ends thereof, the midpoint of each strut being defined as a point located midway along the length of each adjustment arm, equidistant from the two termini thereof, each said adjustment arm including two terminal pivot bores formed as bores running therethrough adjacent to each termini thereof, each adjustment arm also including a central pivot bore formed as a bore running through the flattened elongated strut at the midpoint thereof, the adjustment arms being shaped and configured to adjustably affix the base frame, locking adjustment frame and tray carrier frame in such a manner as to enable adjustment of the position of each of said frames in relation to one another in regard to height and lateral position; fixation means for pivotal attachment of each adjustment arm to another adjustment arm via the central pivot bore formed therewithin so as to form pivotally joined adjustment arms, as well as pivoting and sliding affixation of the adjustment arms to the base frame, locking adjustment frame and tray carrier frame through affixation of the terminal pivot bore of said adjustment arms to the pivot bores and adjustment slots of said frames; wherein the base frame is affixed to the at least one locking adjustment frame positioned above the base frame by means of two pairs of the pivotally joined adjustment arms, the terminal bore of a first adjustment arm of each pair being pivotally affixed to a pivot bore formed in each of the side walls of the base frame while an opposite terminal bore of said adjustment arm is pivotally affixed to the pivot bore formed in both side walls of the locking adjustment frame and the terminal bore of a second adjustment arm of each pair being affixed to the sliding adjustment slot located in both of the side walls of the base frame while an opposite terminal bore of said second adjustment arm is slideably affixed to the locking adjustment slot formed in the side wall of the at least one locking adjustment frame; the at least one locking adjustment frame being affixed to the tray carrier frame positioned thereabove by means of two pairs the pivotally attached adjustment arms, the terminal bore of a first adjustment arm of each said pair being pivotally affixed, at one terminus thereof, to a pivot bore formed in each of the side walls of the locking adjustment frame and the opposite terminus of said first adjustment arm being affixed to a first sliding adjustment slot formed in each of the side walls of the tray carrier frame, the terminal bore of a second adjustment arm of each said pair of adjustment arms being slideably and pivotally affixed to the locking adjustment slot of the locking adjustment frame while the opposite terminal bore of the second adjustment arm of each pair being slideably and pivotally affixed to a second sliding adjustment slot of the tray carrier frame; wherein the adjustment slots, locking adjustment slots and pivot bores are so configured, shaped and positioned so that when the adjustment arms are both slideably and pivotally connected to the base frame, lateral movement of the locking adjustment frame and tray carrier frame in an alternating fore and aft direction and height adjustment is provided, the fore and aft movement being specifically limited so that neither the locking adjustment frame or tray carrier frame may be moved laterally to a position wherein the midline of either the locking adjustment or tray carrier frame can extend laterally beyond a position overlying the balance reference lines of the base frame, this limitation of lateral movement thereby preventing the center of gravity of either the locking adjustment frame or tray carrier frame to be displaced so far laterally as to cause the device to become unstable and tip.