Abstract:
An expandable tray device. The device is a portable working and eating surface. The device includes an expandable planar surface for eating, working and the like. The device further includes foldable leg portions. The device grips a user&#39;s legs while in use.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    Working, playing or eating activities often require a flat surface. Particularly when a child is drawing, eating, or doing some other activity that requires a flat working surface, it is often difficult to provide such a surface when away from a large household table. It is even more difficult to provide such a surface when away from the home, such as in an automobile. Moreover, the working or eating surface must not only be supportive enough to handle rigorous activities, it must also be stable and adaptable to both the environment and the person or child using the surface. If the surface is used by a child, there is a further requirement for stability that is not as critical when being used by an adult, although greater stability is always helpful for a portable eating or working surface regardless of the user. 
         [0002]    Whether it is watching television, having a meal outside, drawing, or eating in a location that is not equipped with a dinner table, such as the inside of an automobile, there is a need to have a portable and useable working surface and/or table. There is a further need to have a portable table that is sturdy and adaptable for different uses by different sized users. The portable tables in use today have a tendency to be unstable and are often susceptible to being knocked over. 
         [0003]    There is the further problem of having a table or working surface that is adjustable to both the task being accomplished as well as the individual using the table. One possible solution to the problem of having a portable, yet stable, working or eating surface involves utilizing an expandable table or work surface. 
         [0004]    While expandable tables are not novel, expandable tables that are portable and create inherent stability when utilized outside of the home are not known in the art. U.S. Pat. No. 137,516 issued to Wales on Apr. 1, 1873 teaches an expandable table with the use of elastic bands. The Wales patent however is not portable. The Wales patent also leaves open gaps in the table&#39;s surface while it is expanded, thus allowing for food or articles on the table to be susceptible to falling through the gaps and onto the floor. 
         [0005]    U.S. Pat. No. 659,624 issued to Myers on Oct. 9, 1900 and U.S. Pat. No. 925,370 issued on Jun. 15, 1909, also to Myers, teaches an expandable table with the use of a flexible material that maintains a continuous surface by using a soft, felt material that can be rolled as the table is expanded. The two Myers inventions, however, are not portable. 
         [0006]    U.S. Pat. No. 2,054,098 issued on Sep. 15, 1936 to Rich and U.S. Pat. No. 3,652,051 issued on Mar. 28, 1972 to McFarlane teaches a portable lap table that may be folded for storage. While the Rich and McFarlane patents are portable, they do not adjust and fit to different size users and therefore are unstable and susceptible to being knocked over during use. Further, the Rich and McFarlane patents are designed specifically as a platform for reading or writing, and are therefore limited in the uses that can be made of them outside of reading or writing. 
         [0007]    U.S. Pat. No. 5,513,576 issued May 7, 1996 to Ward teaches an adjustable lap table made of rolled polyethylene. The table recoils against a user&#39;s legs to hold the table in place on the user&#39;s lap. However, such a design has significant drawbacks. Because the entire tray is made of a flexible material and is designed to roll inwards when not in use as well as during use, the substantially planar tray surface may not stay flat. Such a design also does not adequately secure the leg portion of the table to the user&#39;s legs because of this tendency of the entire table to roll up. 
         [0008]    U.S. design patent no. 318,960 issued on Aug. 13, 1991 to Lilly discloses a portable foldable tray design. However, the Lilly invention does not provide an expandable surface, nor does that invention provide means for stabilizing or securing the device while in use. 
         [0009]    What is needed, therefore, is an expandable tray that will secure to a user&#39;s lap and allow the user to perform various activities, such as eating, reading, drawing, or any activity that may require the use of a horizontal surface. The present invention provides a unique solution to this problem, is portable and can be folded and stored almost anywhere. 
         [0010]    It will be understood by those skilled in the art that the invention as disclosed below is merely illustrative and that there are other embodiments that are not described herein that still fall within the scope and intent of the present invention. In particular, it will be obvious to one skilled in the art that, although the invention as disclosed herein has a connecting portions incorporated along the edges of the substantially planar surface of the expandable tray device, the present invention also encompasses placing the connecting portions around or within the substantially planar surface of the tray so as to accomplish the same function. Further, the present invention also predicts other embodiments that may use locking mechanisms to hold the legs of the tray device in an expanded position and may be released by a lever to return the legs to their normal position after use. 
       SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION 
       [0011]    The present invention is a tray that may be used as a platform in support of various activities. Some of these activities may include eating, drawing, reading, or anything that would necessitate a stable horizontal support. The present invention is an expandable tray device that rests in a user&#39;s lap. The tray is held in position by one or more leg portions that are hingedly attached whereby allowing the one or more leg portions to rotate and extend outward from the expandable tray device. Conversely, the rotating function enables the legs to be rotated in the opposite direction towards the center of the expandable tray device, folding flush and parallel with the horizontal surface whereby minimizing the space required for storage and allowing for efficient transport. The end portion of each of the legs has a curvature so as to allow the legs to gently rest against and underneath the user&#39;s legs and thighs. 
         [0012]    The tray further incorporates one or more connecting portions within the planar surface of the present invention, which attaches to the upper portion of each of the legs. The connecting portions will stretch or expand laterally as the tray&#39;s legs move outwards to meet the dimensions of the user&#39;s legs and thighs. The one or more connecting portions are preferentially comprised of material that is generally elastic in nature, such that the material resists lateral expansion and therefore has a tendency to remain in its normal or un-stretched position. This, in turn, causes an equal and opposite force to be applied to the user&#39;s legs while the device is positioned on a user&#39;s lap. In this manner the expandable tray device will stay secured to the user while the tray is being used. The one or more connecting portions are preferentially incorporated into the present invention in such a manner as to provide a continuous, unbroken planar surface whether the device is expanded or not. 
         [0013]    In a further embodiment, the one or more connecting portions comprise a plurality of laterally expandable ribs. The laterally expandable ribs are comprised of alternating generally elastic and rigid or semi-rigid materials whereby allowing the substantially planar tray surface to maintain rigidity and strength while expanding. This configuration would also allow the one or more leg portions to expand outwards as a user of the invention positions their legs and thighs under the substantially planar surface, expanding as required to fit firmly to the user&#39;s lap dimensions. 
         [0014]    The present invention comprises a curvature design along the front portion of the substantially planar surface of the tray, providing space to accommodate the waist of the user. The curved end portion will rest against the user&#39;s abdomen, which gives the user added comfort while at the same time preventing food or articles from falling onto the user&#39;s lap. 
         [0015]    The present invention also comprises a series of recesses that may be used to hold drinking glasses or cups, eating utensils, or other articles associated with the activity being performed on the substantially planar tray surface. 
         [0016]    The present invention also provides means for retention of items to be used upon the working surface of the device, such as clips, hooks, fasteners, clasps, clamps, Velcro fasteners, magnetic means, or a series of bands. 
         [0017]    The present invention also provides means of affixing the substantially planar tray surface to furniture and mobile seating fixtures. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0018]      FIGS. 1   a - 1   c  show a top view, front view, and side view of an embodiment of the present invention with the legs extended for use. 
           [0019]      FIGS. 2   a - 2   b  show a top view and front view, respectively, of an embodiment of the present invention in an expanded position. 
           [0020]      FIG. 3  shows a front view of an embodiment of the present invention with the legs folded. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0021]    Referring now to  FIG. 1   a ,  1   b  and  1   c , the expandable tray device comprises a substantially planar surface  100  that functions as a support and platform upon which the user may eat or perform activities and tasks. The substantially planar surface  100  comprises a central portion  101 , one or more edge portions  102 , and one or more connecting portions  104  which expandably connect the central portion  101  to the one or more edge portions  102 . The central portion  101  and the one or more edge portions  102  are preferentially comprised of a rigid or semi-rigid material so as to provide a substantially inflexible platform to support a user&#39;s activities upon the substantially planar tray surface  100 . The one or more connecting portions  104  are positioned between and fixedly connected to the central portion  101  and the one or more edge portions  102 . The one or more connecting portions  104  preferentially comprise solid material that is generally elastic in nature wherein the material generally resists lateral expansion and therefore has a propensity to remain in the unexpanded position and, as the material is stretched, has a propensity to return to the unexpanded position. As the one or more edge portions  102  are moved laterally away from the central portion  101 , the one or more connecting portions  104  expand while maintaining a continuous substantially planar surface  100 . The one or more connecting portions  104  are chosen from the group of materials such as rubber, springs, or any connecting portions that will allow the expandable tray device to function as described herein, and the material of the one or more connecting portions is preferentially comprised of a material chosen from the group of materials such as rubber, wherein the material comprising the connecting portions  104 , while expanded, maintains a continuous substantially planar surface  100 . It will be understood by those skilled in the art that there are numerous materials and means for constructing the one or more connecting portions  104  that are within the spirit and scope the of invention herein. 
         [0022]    The substantially planar surface  100  may further include a curved end portion  105  wherein the curved end portion  105  curves inward away from the user in such a manner so as to accommodate a user&#39;s abdomen and allow the sides of the present device to partially extend along the sides of the user&#39;s torso. The substantially planar tray surface  100  may further include one or more recesses  106  disposed within the substantially planar tray surface  100  wherein the said one or more recesses  106  are configured in such a manner so as to accommodate various uses of the present invention.  FIG. 1  shows a preferred embodiment of the present invention wherein the one or more recesses  106  are configured in such a manner as to retain cylindrical objects such as typical drinking glasses or cups. 
         [0023]    The one or more edge portions  102  further comprise one or more pivot joints  107  which connect the substantially planar tray surface  100  with one or more leg portions  103  wherein the one or more leg portions  103  are hingedly connected to the corresponding one or more pivot joints  107 .  FIG. 1  shows one embodiment of the present invention wherein the one or more leg portions  103  comprise four separate hingedly connected leg portions  103 . 
         [0024]    The one or more leg portions  103  may further comprise a inwardly-curved end portion  108  distal to the one or more pivot joints  107  such that the one or more leg portions  103  can fit around and conform to a user&#39;s legs while the tray device is in use. In one embodiment of the present invention, the inwardly-curved end portion  108  may further be comprised of an external material providing a non-slipping contact with the user&#39;s legs, wherein such material is chosen from a group comprising malleable materials such as rubber and the like. 
         [0025]    While in use, the one or more leg portions  103  are extended down and away from the substantially planar surface  100 . Outward force on the substantially planar surface  100  extends the one or more connecting portions  104  such that the one or more leg portions  103  may be placed against the outside of the user&#39;s legs, with the inwardly-curved portions  108  positioned partially upon the outside of and curving partially underneath the lower portions of the user&#39;s legs. The tendency of the connecting portions  104  to return to the unextended position serves to pull the one or more leg portions  103  in toward the center of the device, providing a force against the user&#39;s legs in direct contact with the one or more leg portions  103 . In this manner, the tray device may be adjusted and fit to any size user as well as remain fixedly in position while in use. 
         [0026]    Referring now to  FIG. 2 , the expandable tray device is shown in an expanded position. The one or more connecting portions  104  are shown in a stretched or expanded position, while the user&#39;s legs will be positioned on the inside of the one or more leg portions  103 , resisting the inward pull of the generally expandable material utilized to construct the one or more connecting portions  104 . 
         [0027]    Referring now to  FIG. 3 , the present invention is shown in a folded position. The one or more leg portions  103  rotate along the one or more pivot joints  107  inward towards the center of the central portion  101  whereby placing the one or more leg portions  103  flush and perpendicular to substantially planar surface  100  for efficient carrying, storage, mobility and the like. 
         [0028]    The invention herein has been described in a manner that is illustrative only, and it will be apparent to one skilled in the art that there are modifications and alterations to the present invention that will not deviate from the scope and spirit of the invention as disclosed herein.