Sliding tray assembly

A sliding tray assembly is disclosed comprising a pair of spaced support rails which are interconnected by means of a connecting bar and which can be easily secured to a pair of spaced, substantially upright legs of a walker or other like object. The tray assembly itself is attached to the legs so as to extend forwardly thereof in order to prevent the tray assembly form obstructing the use of the object. The tray assembly further includes a pair of guide rail members which are respectively secured to the spaced support rails. The guide rails define guide channels within which a tray is removably, slidably mounted. The tray can be selectively secure within the channels along the length of the guide rails to position the tray in various operating positions.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
The present invention pertains to a sliding tray assembly and, more 
particularly, a sliding tray assembly for attachment to and use with a 
walker or the like. 
2. Discussion of the Prior Art 
Many medical patients, elderly people, and the like need aid in moving 
about. Walkers are widely known aids for the aged, handicapped, injured or 
other individuals who require some stabilization while walking. When using 
a walker, both hands of the individual are needed in order to move the 
walker itself with each step taken. Therefore, it can be extremely 
difficult, if not impossible, for walker users to carry other items with 
them. 
In order to solve this problem, it has heretobefore been proposed to attach 
a shelf, basket or tray to a walker which can support the items to be 
transported. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,957,071 discloses a carrier 
attachment for a walker. The carrier is pivotally attached to the walker 
and includes a pocket for receiving articles to be transported. The 
carrier can be moved with respect to the walker so that it can be placed 
upon the top rails of the walker to act as a tray. Unfortunately, while in 
this position, the carrier covers the handles of the walker and is located 
rather high if the walker is to be used as a tray table, such as when 
placed in front of a chair. 
The tray arrangement for use with a walker, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 
4,074,683, is secured to and extends forward of the front of the walker. 
This position is beneficial when the walker is used as a tray table, but 
also limits the weight of the items it can support since, if heavy objects 
are placed therein, the walker may topple over. In addition, the tray must 
be displaced vertically with respect to the walker in order to detach the 
tray from the walker. This can be difficult for an injured or elderly 
person since it requires one to lean forward and lift up on the tray. 
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,708,274, a tray apparatus is disclosed which can be 
removably secured to a walker below the level of and between the handle 
portions of the walker. This position enables rather heavy objects to be 
transported on the tray due to its location with respect to the support 
legs of the walker, however, the positioning of a tray in this manner may 
interfere with the use of the walker since the movement of the user's legs 
can be obstructed by the tray. In addition, if the arrangement is used as 
a tray table, the vertically angled legs of the walker limits how close 
the tray can be positioned with respect to the user. 
Therefore, there exists a need in the art for a tray assembly that can be 
easily attached to a walker or the like and which can be selectively 
positioned relative to the walker so as to enable it to transport rather 
heavy objects and to be movable to a position forward of the walker so 
that the walker can be used as a tray table and to prevent potential 
obstruction with the use of the walker. In addition, there exists a need 
for a tray assembly that can be readily detached from a walker or the like 
in a convenient manner. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
It is an object of the present invention to provide a tray assembly that 
can be easily attached to a walker or the like without obstructing its 
use. It is a further object of the present invention to provide a tray 
assembly that includes a tray which may be selectively shifted with 
respect to and readily detached from a walker or the like. 
These and other objects of the present invention are realized by providing 
a tray assembly comprising a pair of spaced support rails which are 
interconnected by means of a connecting bar and which can be easily 
secured to a pair of spaced, substantially upright legs of a walker or 
other like object. The tray assembly itself is attached to the legs so as 
to extend forwardly thereof in order to prevent the tray assembly from 
obstructing the use of the object. The tray assembly further includes a 
pair of guide rail members which are respectively secured to the spaced 
support rails. The guide rails define guide channels within which a tray 
is removably, slidably mounted. In addition, means are provided to 
selectively secure the tray within the channels along the length of the 
guide rails. 
Additional objects, features and aspects of the invention will become more 
readily apparent from the following detailed description of a preferred 
embodiment of the invention when taken in conjunction with the drawings 
wherein like reference numbers refer to corresponding elements in the 
several views.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
With initial reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, the sliding tray assembly of the 
present invention is generally indicated at 1 and comprises a pair of 
spaced, substantially parallel support rails 4,6 which are interconnected 
by a connecting bar 10. In the preferred embodiment, support rails 4 and 6 
and connecting bar 10 are formed from metal, such as aluminum, but can be 
formed of any other material known in the art including plastic. As best 
shown in FIG. 2, connecting bar 10 is welded to support rails 4 and 6 at 
12 such that end portions 14 (only one of which is clearly depicted in 
these figures) extend laterally, outwardly beyond their respective support 
rails 4,6. Each end portion 14 of connecting bar 10 includes a 
longitudinally extending bore (not labeled) which is adapted to receive a 
connecting member 15 as will be more fully discussed below. 
Sliding tray assembly 1 further includes a pair of connecting brackets 18, 
each of which includes a base 20 from which extends a pair of clamping 
members 22. Clamping members 22 are generally spring-like and are adapted 
to extend about a support member (not shown in these figures) to which 
sliding tray assembly 1 is to be attached. Clamping members 22 terminate 
in a tab portion 25 which are adapted to be connected together by any 
means known in the art such as a bolt 28. Each connecting bracket 18 is 
secured to a respective end portion 14 of connecting bar 10 by connecting 
member 15. In the preferred embodiment, connecting member 15 comprises a 
bolt which is threaded into base 20 of its respective connecting bracket 
18. 
Fixedly mounted upon support rails 4 and 6 are a pair of guide rails 32,34 
respectively. In the preferred embodiment, guide rails 32,34 are also 
formed from metal and are welded at selected locations along the length of 
support rails 4,6. Each guide rail 32,34 includes an elongated top portion 
37, an elongated bottom portion 39 and a side wall portion 41. Each guide 
rail 32,34 is generally U-shaped in cross-section and defines an elongated 
channel 43. The elongated channels 43 of guide rails 32 and 34 are 
arranged such that they oppose one another as best shown in FIG. 1. 
Each of the guide rails 32 and 34 are provided with at least one threaded 
aperture 48 that extends substantially perpendicular through elongated top 
portion 37 and opens into channel 43. In the preferred embodiment, two 
longitudinally spaced threaded apertures 48 and 50 are provided in each of 
the guide rails 32,34. Each of the threaded apertures 48,50 are adapted to 
receive a respective selective locking member 53,55. Each of the locking 
members 53,55 includes a threaded shaft portion 57 which terminates in a 
manually engageable knob 59. 
Sliding tray assembly 1 further includes a tray 62 which, in the preferred 
embodiment, is formed from a plastic material. Tray 62 includes a support 
surface 65, angled side walls 67 and an outwardly extending, annular 
flange generally indicated at 69. Annular flange 69 includes a pair of 
opposing side sections 70 and 71 which are adapted to be slidably mounted 
within channels 43 of guide rails 32,34 such that tray 62 can be 
selectively positioned relative to support rails 4 and 6. The top surface 
72 of each side section 70,71 are adapted to be engaged by the selective 
locking members 53,55 in order to secure tray 62 relative to guide rails 
32 and 34 in various desired positions. 
In use, sliding tray assembly 1 can be secured by means of connecting 
brackets 18 to a pair of spaced, substantially parallel support members 
(not shown in these figures) and tray 62 can be slidably adjusted within 
channels 43 of guide rails 32 and 34 to various operating positions. In 
addition, tray 62 can be fixed in any desired position relative to guide 
rails 32 and 34 by threading at least one of the locking members 53 and 55 
within its respective aperture 48,50 so that the locking member(s) 53,55 
engages top portion 72 of at least one of the opposing side wall sections 
70 and 71. 
The sliding tray assembly 1 of the present invention is particularly 
adapted to be used in combination with a walker 80 as depicted in FIGS. 3 
and 4. Walker 80 includes a pair of spaced, substantially vertical front 
legs 83,85, a pair of spaced, substantially vertically extending rear legs 
87,89, a front cross bar 92 and a pair of support bars 95,96. In the 
walker shown in FIG. 3, rear legs 87,89, support bars 95,96 and front 
cross bar 92 are formed as an integral member. Front legs 83,85 are 
secured at the junction of front cross bar 92 and support bars 95,96 by 
any means known in the art such as a screw or rivet generally shown at 98. 
Support bars 95 and 96 are adapted to be grasped by the hands of a user 
during use of walker 80 and, for this purpose, include a pair of cushioned 
gripping members 100. In addition, walker 80 can include a lower 
stabilizing bar 103 which further extends between and is interconnected 
with legs 83,85,87 and 89. 
As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, sliding tray assembly 1 is fixedly secured to 
the front legs 83,85 of walker 80 with each clamping member 22 extending 
about a respective one of the front legs 83,85 such that both support 
rails 4 and 6 and tray 62 are located in a substantially horizontal plane. 
Furthermore, as best shown in FIG. 4, sliding tray assembly 1 is secured 
to walker 80 such that a portion of each support rail 4,6 extends rearward 
of the front legs 83,85 while the remainder of each support rail 4,6 
extends forward of the front legs 83,85. In the preferred embodiment, the 
portion of each support rail 4,6 that extends forward of the front legs 
83,85 is longer than the rearwardly extending portion. This arrangement 
enables the sliding tray assembly to remain out of the way of the legs or 
body of a user of walker 80 while still permitting tray 62 to carry rather 
heavy objects. Furthermore, since tray 62 can slide within channels 43 of 
guide rails 32 and 34, tray 62 can be positioned extremely close to a 
person sitting in a chair such that, with sliding tray assembly 1 attached 
thereto, walker 80 can substantially function as a tray table. 
Although described with respect to a preferred embodiment of the invention, 
it should be readily understood that various changes and/or modifications 
can be made to the invention without departing from the spirit thereof. 
For instance, it is possible to utilize the sliding tray assembly of the 
present invention in various other environments. In addition, it is 
further possible to integrate the guide channels with the support rails 
and utilize different types of connecting brackets, either carried by the 
connecting bar or the support rails, within the spirit of the invention. 
In general, the invention is only intended to be limited by the scope of 
the following claims.