Abstract:
A tray unit is mounted on a rail adjacent to a bed and includes a motor driven tray that can move along the rail. A remote control unit controls operation of the tray so the tray can be moved by a bedridden person into a position convenient for the person.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to the general art of beds, and to the particular field of accessories for beds. 
     2. Discussion of the Related Art 
     Many people become bedridden for various times. These times can vary from a day or two to permanent. Such bedridden people often eat in bed as well as watch television, read, work or the like while they remain bedridden. The art contains many examples of trays and supports that can be used for these purposes. 
     Most of the known trays and supports require a person to place the tray or support in position adjacent to the bedridden person so that person can use the tray or support. After use, the tray or support must be removed which, again, requires the assistance of someone other than the bedridden person. Thus, the person is dependent on someone else to carry out such a basic task. This requires the bedridden person to wait for meals, and/or for cleanup after meals until someone can assist them. This is inconvenient and poor for morale. 
     Still further, once a tray is positioned, a bedridden person may shift his or her position. This may place the person in an awkward position relative to the tray. The person may then have to request further assistance in re-positioning the tray. 
     Furthermore, as mentioned above, bed trays are often multi-use items which support books, work, and the like, in addition to food trays and items associated with eating. Each use may have an ideal position relative to the bedridden person, and each of these positions may be different from other positions. Thus, each time a bedridden person desires to change a use of the tray, he may be forced to request assistance. 
     Therefore, there is a need for a support tray for use by a bedridden person which can be moved into the most effective location without assistance. 
     Presently, bed trays are often stored away from a bed in order to keep them out of the way when they are not in use. This requires assistance and produces the above-discussed drawbacks. This also may be wasteful of valuable space. 
     Therefore, there is a need for a support tray for use by a bedridden person which can be stored in a location that is readily accessible when needed so no assistance is required to move the tray into a use position. 
     PRINCIPAL OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION 
     It is a main object of the present invention to provide a support tray adjacent to a bed. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide a support tray for use by a bedridden person which can be moved into the most effective location without assistance. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide a support tray for use by a bedridden person and which can be stored in a location that is readily accessible when needed so no assistance is required to move the tray into a use position. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     These, and other, objects are achieved by a bed tray unit which comprises a bed having a head section, a foot section, two sides, a longitudinal axis extending between the head section and the foot section, and a transverse axis extending between the two sides; a tray-mounting rail connected at one end thereof to the foot section of the bed and at a second end thereof to the head section of the bed and extending in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the bed, the tray-mounting rail being located adjacent to one side of the bed; a tray unit movably mounted on the tray-mounting rail to move between adjacent to the foot section of the bed and adjacent to the head section of the bed; a motor unit mounted on the tray unit and having a rotatable output shaft; a roller mounted on the output shaft of the motor unit for rotation therewith and engaging the tray-mounting rail; and a control unit connecting the motor unit to a power source when the control unit is in an “on” condition. 
     The bedridden person can move the tray out of the way when the tray is not in use, but can also move the tray into the most effective position when desired without requiring any assistance from someone else. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a bed tray unit embodying the present invention. 
     FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of a bed with the bed tray unit of the present invention mounted thereon. 
     FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a remote control unit used to control the bed tray unit of the present invention. 
     FIG. 4 is a schematic indicating a motor unit that is used in the bed tray unit embodying the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from a consideration of the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings. 
     Referring to the Figures, it can be understood that the present invention is embodied in a bed tray unit  10  that can be used to locate a bed tray in either a stored location when not in use or in a position that is most convenient for a person in a bed. Bed unit  10  can be positioned as desired by the person in the bed without requiring assistance from anyone else. 
     As shown in the figures, bed unit  10  comprises a bed unit  12  which includes a foot section  14 , a head section  16 , and a longitudinal axis  18  extending between foot section  14  and head section  16 . First and second sides, such as side  20  shown in FIG. 2, are both identical and are on opposite sides of a centerline of the bed unit. A transverse axis, indicated in FIG. 2 by indicator  22 , extends into the plane of the paper with FIG. 2 thereon, and extends between the first and second sides  20  of the bed unit  12 . 
     A tray-mounting rail  30  is located adjacent to side  20  of the bed unit and includes a foot portion  32  which includes a J-shaped mounting plate supporting section  34 . The J-shaped mounting plate supporting section  34  includes a first end  36  and a second end  38  as well as a curved portion  40 . A linear portion  42  is located in a horizontal plane and extends in the direction of transverse axis  22  of the bed unit  12 . A foot end mounting plate  44  on second end  38  of the foot portion  32  is fixed to foot section  14  of the bed unit when the tray-mounting rail  30  is mounted on the bed unit  12  as shown in FIG.  2 . 
     A curvilinear central section  48  of tray-mounting rail  30  has a curved section  50  which has a first end  52  connected to the first end  36  of the foot portion  32  of the tray-mounting rail  30  and is contained in a vertical plane and is spaced apart from the plane containing curved portion  40  of the J-shaped mounting plate supporting section  34 . Curved section  50  is spaced apart from first end  36  of the foot portion  32  of the tray-mounting rail  30 . A linear section  54  is connected to curved section  50  of the curvilinear central section  48  and extends in the direction of the longitudinal axis  18  of the bed unit  12 . Linear section  54  has a second end  56  located near head section  16  of the bed unit  12 . 
     Tray-mounting rail  30  further includes a head section  60  which includes a first curved portion  62  connected to second end  56  of the linear section  54  of the curvilinear central section  48  and is contained in the vertical plane. Head section  60  further includes a linear portion  64  having a first end  66  connected to first curved portion  62  of head section  60  and is contained in the vertical plane. Linear portion  64  of the head section  60  further including a second end  68 . 
     A second curved portion  70  of the head section  60  has a first end  72  connected to second end  68  of linear portion  64  of the head section  60  and is contained in the vertical plane. Second curved portion  70  includes a second end  76  and a linear section  78  which has a first end  80  connected to second end  76  of the second curved portion  70  of the head section  60  and extends in the direction of the transverse axis  22  of the bed unit  12 . Second curved portion  70  further includes a second end  82 . A head end mounting plate  86  is mounted on the second end  82  of the linear section  78  of the head section  60  and is fixed to head section  16  of the bed unit  12  when the tray-mounting rail  30  is mounted on the bed unit  12 . 
     A tray unit  90  is movably mounted on the tray-mounting rail  30  to move on the central section of the tray-mounting rail  30  between adjacent to the foot portion  32  of the tray-mounting rail  30  and adjacent to the head section  60  of the tray-mounting rail  30 . This movement is indicated in FIG. 2 by double-headed arrow  92  with the tray  90  being shown in a use position  94  in FIG. 2 with a stored position being indicated in dotted lines at position  96  in FIG.  2 . 
     The tray unit  90  includes a connecting arm  100  slidably mounted on the tray mounting rail  30 . The connecting arm  100  includes a rail-encircling portion  102  and a hollow arm  104 . The connecting arm  100  of the tray unit  90  extends in the direction of the transverse axis  22  of the bed unit  12  and has a distal end  106  spaced apart from the rail-encircling portion  102 . 
     A food-supporting tray  108  is connected to the distal end  106  of the connecting arm  100  and includes a first end  110  connected to the distal end  106  of the connecting arm  100 , a second end  112  spaced apart from the first end  110  of the tray  108  in the direction of the transverse axis  22  of the bed unit  12 , a tray longitudinal axis  114  which extends between the first end  110  of the tray  108  and the second end  112  of the tray  108  and which extends in the direction of the transverse axis  22  of the bed unit  12 , a first side  116 , a second side  118 , a tray transverse axis  120  which extends between the first side  116  of the tray  108  and the second side  118  of the tray  108  and extends in the direction of the longitudinal axis  18  of the bed unit  12 , a tray bottom surface  122 , and a tray top surface  124 . A plurality of indentations, such as cup holder indentation  126 , bowl holder indentation  128  and utensil holder indentation  130  are defined in the tray top surface  124 . Other indentations can be used without departing from the scope of the present disclosure, and the indentations shown are considered as examples of the many different types of indentation that can be used as will occur to those skilled in the art based on the teaching of the present disclosure. 
     A motor unit  140  is shown in FIG.  4  and is mounted on the tray unit  90  and includes a motor  142  mounted on tray bottom surface  122 . Motor  142  can be any suitable motor, including an electric motor, or the like, as will occur to those skilled in the art. A drive shaft  144  is connected to the motor  142  for rotation and extends through the hollow arm  104  of the connecting arm  100  of the tray unit  90 . A drive roller  146  is mounted on the drive shaft  144  of the motor unit  140  for rotation therewith. Drive roller  146  is located in rail-encircling portion  102  of the connecting arm  100  of the tray unit  90 . The drive roller  146  engages the central section of the tray mounting rail as by friction or by a gear on the drive roller and a rack in the central section, or the like. 
     A power source  150 , such as a battery pack or the like, is associated with the motor  142 . A control unit  152  connects the power source  150  to the motor  142  when the control unit  152  is in an “on” configuration and disconnects the motor  142  from the power source  150  when the control unit  152  is in an “off” configuration. 
     A remote control unit  160  is shown in FIG.  3  and includes a transmitter  162  for transmitting a control signal  164  to the control unit  152  of the motor unit  140 . 
     A person merely operates the remote control unit  160  to move the tray  108  into the desired location. The remote control unit  160  can have a forward button which connects the motor  142  to the power source  150  in one direction to move the tray from the dotted line position  96  shown in FIG. 2 toward the solid line position  94  shown in FIG. 2, a reverse button which connects the motor  142  to the power source  150  in a manner to move the tray  108  in a direction from the solid line position  94  shown in FIG. 2 to the dotted line position  96  shown in FIG. 2, and an “off” button which disconnects the motor  142  from the power source  150  and thus turns the motor  142  off, and an “on” button which connects the motor  142  to the power source  150  to turn the motor  142  on (with the motor  142  disconnected from the drive shaft  144  and thus “idles” the motor  142 ) to simply turn the motor  142  on. Other configurations can be envisioned by those skilled in the art based on the teaching of the present disclosure and such other configurations are intended to be included in the scope of the present disclosure. 
     It is understood that while certain forms of the present invention have been illustrated and described herein, it is not to be limited to the specific forms or arrangements of parts described and shown.