Tray, in particular for catering purposes onboard aircrafts

A tray, in particular for catering purposes onboard aircrafts, including a tray body defining a receiving surface for receiving thereon items to be carried by use of the tray. The tray body includes an interlocking device for releasably engaging an interlocking device of the tray body of a similar tray, when at least two trays are positioned such that the receiving surfaces of the tray bodies are overlapping each other partially. The interlocking device of the trays interacting such that when one of the trays is drawn in a drawing direction, the other tray is moved along in the drawing direction.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a tray, for catering purposes onboard aircrafts. In particular, the invention relates to a tray including a tray body defining a receiving surface for receiving thereon items to be carried by the tray for catering purposes onboard aircrafts.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Trays of this kind are well known, for example from EP 0 987 972 B1, and include a tray body defining a receiving surface for receiving thereon items to be carried by use of the tray. Usually, catering articles, for example dishes, cups, cutlery and foodstuff items are received on the receiving surface. If a hot meal is to be served to a passenger, the tray is drawn out of a storing trolley. Then a separate container containing the hot meal is placed on the tray which then is served to a passenger. It is a disadvantage of the known trays that they require a substantial amount of space when stored in a trolley. This disadvantage is even more important since the storing space in a trolley onboard aircrafts is very limited.

OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide a tray which may be stored in a more space-saving manner in a trolley.

This object is achieved by the invention which includes a tray for catering purposes onboard aircrafts, the tray including a tray body defining a receiving surface for receiving thereon items to be carried by the tray. The tray body includes an interlocking device configured for releasably engaging an interlocking device of the tray body of a similar tray, when at least two trays are positioned such that the receiving surfaces of the tray bodies are overlapping each other partially, and the interlocking devices of the at least two trays interact such that when one of the at least two trays is drawn in a drawing direction, the other one of the at least two trays is moved along in the drawing direction.

It is a basic idea of the invention to construct the tray such that similar trays may be stored in a trolley with their receiving surfaces overlapping each other partially. In order to simplify the handling of the trays, the tray according to the invention includes an interlocking device for releasably engaging an interlocking device of the tray body of a similar tray, wherein at least two trays are positioned such that the receiving surfaces of the tray bodies are overlapping each other. The interlocking devices of the trays are interacting such that when one of the trays is drawn in a drawing direction, the other tray is moved along in the drawing direction. In this way, drawing the trays for example out of a trolley is simplified. After drawing a tray out of the trolley, a container containing a hot meal may be placed on the receiving surface, namely in an area, in which the trays were overlapping in their storing position. Consequently, the trays according to the invention may be stored in a highly space-saving manner without restricting the size of the receiving surface. That is, the first interlocking device is configured for releasably engaging the second interlocking device of the second tray body of the second tray, when at least the first tray and the second tray are positioned such that the first receiving surface of the first tray body is partially overlapping the second receiving surface of the second tray body, and the first and second interlocking devices of the first and second trays interacting such that when one of the first tray and the second tray is drawn in a drawing direction, the other one of the first tray and second tray is moved along in the drawing direction. The first interlocking device includes a first substantially form-locking element, and the second interlocking device includes a second substantially form-locking element, the second interlocking device including at least a second protrusion located on an upper surface of the second tray body and a further second protrusion defining at least a second recess located on a lower surface of the second tray body. The first interlocking device includes at least a first protrusion located on an upper surface of the first tray body and a further first protrusion defining at least a first recess located on a lower surface of the first tray body, and the at least a first protrusion engaging the at least a second recess of the second, similar tray, when the first and second tray bodies of the first and second trays are overlapping each other. The overlapping part of the first receiving surface of the first tray body extends between the at least a first protrusion and the further protrusion defining the first recess. The overlapping part of the second receiving surface of the second tray body extends between an upwardly extending free end of the second body and the further protrusion defining the at least a second recess located on the lower surface of the second tray body.

The tray according to the invention is particularly useful for catering purposes onboard aircrafts.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the interlocking device includes a substantially form-locking device.

In order to keep the tray body as simple as possible in order to have it manufactured at low costs, it is preferred that the interlocking device includes at least one protrusion located on the upper surface of the tray body and at least one recess located on the lower surface of the tray body, the protrusion engaging the recess of a similar tray, when the tray bodies of two similar trays are overlapping each other. Basically, according to the invention, one protrusion and one recess are sufficient. However, according to the respective requirements a plurality of protrusions and corresponding recesses may be provided. Furthermore, preferably the protrusion is integral with the tray body.

In order to keep the tray body particularly simple and lightweight, it is preferred that the tray body has a shaped-cross section, the shaped-cross section forming the protrusion and the recess.

According to a further preferred embodiment, the protrusion and the recess at least sectionally are shaped substantially complementary to the each other. Basically, the protrusion and the recess may be shaped in an arbitrary way as long as the interlocking function is maintained. However, according to a further preferred embodiment the protrusion and the recess have a substantially triangular cross section.

In order to render the tray body particularly lightweight, it is preferred that the protrusion and the recess are formed by hollow sections of the shaped cross-section.

According to the respective requirements the tray body may be manufactured from arbitrary materials. In order to have the tray manufactured at particularly low costs, it is preferred that the tray body is manufactured from plastics.

According to another preferred embodiment, the invention includes at least two trays being configured for being releasably interlocked when received on a tray storing trolley for catering purposes onboard aircrafts, comprising that:

a) the at least two trays includes a first tray and a second, similar tray;

b) the first tray includes a first tray body defining a first receiving surface for receiving thereon items to be carried by the first tray;

c) the second tray includes a second tray body defining a second receiving surface for receiving thereon items to be carried by the second tray;

d) the second tray includes a second interlocking device configured for releasably engaging a first interlocking device of the first tray body of the first tray;

e) the first tray body includes a first interlocking device configured for releasably engaging the second interlocking device of the second tray body of the second tray, when at least the first tray and the second tray are positioned such that the first receiving surface of the first tray body is partially overlapping the second receiving surface of the second tray body, and the first and second interlocking devices of the first and second trays interacting such that when one of the first tray and the second tray is drawn in a drawing direction, the other one of the first tray and second tray is moved along in the drawing direction;

f) the first interlocking device includes a first substantially form-locking element;

g) the second interlocking device includes a second substantially form-locking element, the second interlocking device including at least a second protrusion located on an upper surface of the second tray body and at least a second recess located on a lower surface of the second tray body;

h) the first interlocking device includes at least a first protrusion located on an upper surface of the first tray body and at least a first recess located on a lower surface of the first tray body, and the at least a first protrusion engaging the at least a second recess of the second, similar tray, when the first and second tray bodies of the first and second trays are overlapping each other;

i) the first and second tray bodies being manufactured from plastics; and

j) the first and second tray bodies being a one-piece structure.

The invention will now be explained in greater detail with reference to the attached drawings, wherein all features described, shown in the drawings and claimed in the claims constitute the subject matter of the invention, either taken alone or in arbitrary combination with each other, regardless of their particular description and particular illustration in the drawings as well as regardless of their combination in the claims and the dependencies of the claims.

Relative terms, such as left, right, up, and down are not intended to be limiting.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1shows a tray2according to the invention, in particular for catering purposes onboard aircrafts including a tray body4for defining a receiving surface6for receiving thereon items to be carried by use of the tray, e.g. dishes, cups, food container, cutlery or foodstuff items. In the illustrated embodiment, the tray body4is substantially flat and is manufactured from plastics. The tray body4is a one-piece structure, as shown, and as will be readily understood by a person having ordinary skill in the art.

FIG. 2shows a cross-section along a line I-I inFIG. 1, wherein the tray2is shown together with a similar tray2′. For parts of the tray2′ corresponding to parts of the tray2corresponding reference numerals are used.

The trays2,2′, which may be designated first tray2and second tray2′, respectively, are shown in a position in which the receiving surfaces6,6′ of the tray bodies4,4′ are overlapping each other partially.

The receiving surfaces6,6′ may likewise be designated first receiving surface6and second receiving surface6′, respectively. Tray bodies4,4′, may be designated first tray body4and second tray body4′, respectively.

As can be seen inFIG. 1, the receiving surface6of the tray2is divided into two sections8,10. In the position shown inFIG. 2, the section8′ of the receiving surface6′ of the tray2′ is overlapping the section10of the receiving surface6of the tray2such that the section10of the receiving surface6of the tray2is covered.

Since both trays2,2′ have an identical structure, in the following only the tray2will be explained in greater detail.

According to the invention the tray body4includes a first interlocking device for releasably engaging an interlocking device, which may be termed a second interlocking device, of the tray body4′ of a similar tray2′, when at least two trays2,2′ are positioned such that the first and second respective receiving surfaces6,6′ are overlapping each other partially, as shown inFIG. 1. Furthermore, according to the invention the interlocking devices of the trays2,2′ are interacting such that when one of the trays, e.g. the tray2′, is drawn in a drawing direction symbolized by an arrow12inFIG. 2, the other tray2is moved along in the drawing direction12.

In the illustrated embodiment the interlocking device includes substantially a form locking device. In particular, in the illustrated embodiment the interlocking device includes a protrusion14located on the other surface of the tray body4and a recess16located on the lower surface of the tray body4, the protrusion14engaging the recess16′ of the tray2′, when the tray bodies4,4′ of the two trays2,2′ are overlapping each other, is shown inFIG. 2.

As can be seen fromFIG. 2, in the illustrated embodiment the tray body4has a shaped cross-section, the shaped cross-section forming the protrusion14and the recess16, wherein the protrusion14and the recess16at least sectionally are shaped substantially complementary to each other. In particular, in the illustrated embodiment, the protrusion14and the recess16have a substantially triangular cross section and are formed by hollow sections of the shaped cross-section.

In use, the trays2,2′ are stored in a trolley onboard aircrafts in the position shown inFIG. 2, in which the receiving surfaces6,6′ of the trays2,2′ are overlapping each other. In this storing position, catering articles and/or foodstuff items may be received on the sections8,8′ of the receiving surfaces6,6′. In order to serve the tray2,2′ to a passenger, the tray2′ is drawn in the drawing direction12. Since the trays2,2′ are releasably interlocked by the interlocking device, the tray2is moved along with the tray2′ in the drawing direction12.

In order to separate the tray2′ from the tray2, the recess16′ may be lifted over the protrusion14such that the trays2,2′ are disengaged from each other. In this position, the section10of the receiving surface6of the tray2is no longer covered by the tray2′. Therefore, e.g. a container containing a hot meal may be placed on the section10, and the tray2may then be served to the passenger.

According to the invention, the trays2,2′ may be stored in a highly space-saving manner in a trolley without restricting the size of the receiving surface6.

FromFIG. 3showing a section along the line II-II inFIG. 1, it can be seen that spaced from their rims the trays2,2′ have the same cross-section along their width.