DETACHABLE TRAY WITH ENCLOSURE FOR WALKING FRAMES

Abstract: A detachable tray, for attachment on a walking frame for the disabled, comprises an enclosed box of D-shaped horizontal section wherein the top of the box serves as a tray which has a peripheral rim to retain placements and an enclosed part, which is accessed via a front door on hinges with spring loaded retaining catches, and which serves to accomodate plates or bowls of food in a non-slip fashion and further where a drinking glass or tumbler can be carried externally to the box, in a sliding shelf, which is attached within runners in the base of the box so that the glass, and its contents, can be accessed at any time irrespective of meal time schedules.

Description: DETACHABLE TRAY WITH ENCLOSURE FOR WALKING FRAMES This invention relates to a detachable tray,with an openable enclosure, for use with a walking frame where the user intends to transport a meal from one area of a house or building to another without the risk or danger of causing a plate, or other utensil, to fall or its contents to spill. A prior art search reveals that many innovations have been described invol¬ ving the attachment of trays and baskets to walking aids such as frames, wheel chairs and crutches and these range from that in U.S.4.,830,2 3 where the device takes the form of a simple tray which is attached to the walking T frame with "Terry" clips and telescopic brace to allow desired inclinat¬ ions of the tray's surface, to U.S.4-,4-91,257 where a box-shaped basket is hooked onto an H-shaped mounting bracket on a frame, crutch or wheel chair for carrying all articles which might be described as "dry-goods" or fur¬ ther to U.S. , 184,618 where a deep open tray or caddy is attached to a walking frame with two or more hangers or hooks and where the base of the caddy has circular recesses of selected diameters to prevent a plate from slipping across the floor of the caddy. All the above cited inventions involve open receptibles and only the U.S. 4,18^,618 has made any type of provision to prevent a plated meal from sliding across the floor of the tray or caddy with resultant spillage of liquid or dislodge ent of the components of the meal. In addition to this defect the circular recess intended to support and retain plates are not capaole of engaging plate bottoms with short stand-off bottom ridges or modern plates with oval contours. In the case of the latter,and other non-circular plates, the presence of the described recesses make the danger of plate movement more likely due to the small contact between the bottom of the plate and the non-coincident recesses in the caddy. There is a need therefore for a detachable tray,with an enclosure compart¬ ment,for fitting to a walking frame so that articles of convienent dimen¬ sions can be enclosed and transported during the undulating use of the frame without the upset of the articles or the spillage of liquids, such as sauces, from the article if it happens to be a plated meal. such a need is fulfilled in the present invention where there is provided a detachable tray,with enclosure, for use on walking frames comprising a box of curved or D-shaped hori2iontal section whose top part constitutes a tray-top with peripheral rim and whose main body is a total enclosure except for a hinged door which faces directly to the user of the walking frame and which can be pulled open by downward pressure on spring loaded catches and where detachable attachment to the walking frame is accomplished by the use of a quadrant shaped section which fits over the horizontal top rail of the frame and which is locked in place by the use of two lever operated spring clips which engage a pair of keepers on the upright rails of the frame. A specific embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of ex¬ ample with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:- Figure.1. shows in perspective the detachable tray with its enclosure door open and held in the horizontal position by two flat stops on the bottom of the box. Figure.2. shows in perspective the detachable tray,with its enclosure door closed,and the whole unit slung over the top rail of a walking frame and locked in position by two lever operated spring clips which engage keepers on the upright rails of the frame. Figure.3. shows in perspective the detachable tray,with enclosure,of the Figure 2 with a further embodiment of a slide-in shelf on runners fixed to the bottom of the device and exhibiting a circular recess which can accom- odate and retain a drinking utensil or glass. Figure. -. shows a front elevation of the detachable tray,with enclosure, with the slide-in shelf in position and containing a drinking glass. Figure.5. shows a side elevation of the detachable tray, ith enclosure, with the slide-in shelf in position and a drinking glass in position and of the type which can be supplied with a plastic press-over cap. Referring to the drawings the detachable tray with its enclosure part com¬ prises a box 1 of curved or D-shaped horizontal section which has a top tray part 2 with a peripheral rim 3 and where the enclosure is accessed by means of a front door 4 which when opened rests on flat stops 5 and its hinges 6 and where, when closed, is retained in the upright position by the use of spring catches 7 and where detachable fixing to the walking frame is accomplished by the quadrant section 8 and the pair of lever operated spring clips 9. When in use on a walking frame the box 1 is slung over the top rail 10 of the frame and locked firmly into position by engaging the spring clips 9 in keepers 11 which are fixed to the upright rails 12 of the walking frame. A further embodiment permits the user to transport a drinking glass 17,with or without a cover 18, in the cut-out 16 of the shelf 13 which has horizontal flanges 14- which are in sliding retentive fit with a pair of grooves 15 which are fixed to the outside of the base of the body 1. Although it is not quoted here as part of the present invention it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that it is possible to further adopt the detachable tray,with enclosure, to suit various situations. For example, depending upon what is being carried in the enclosure its internal base can be lined, if required, ith a non-slip polymer sheeting whose friction characteristics will allow a plate or multi-plate unit to be safely stowed up into the curve of the D-shaped enclosure which further adds to safety during the undulating use of the walking frame. In further experimental use of the device of this invention it has further been found that a D- shaped soft polymer mat cut from sheet to fit the "D" of the top tray part is also useful as an anti-slip, anti-roll,measure so long as the mat is thin enough to allow the part 3 to still function as a tray rim.

Claims: CLAIMS 1. A detachable tray,with enclosure, or use on walking frames and comprising a box of curved or D-shaped hori2;ontal section whose top part con¬ stitutes a tray top with a peripheral rim and whose main body is a total enclosure except for a hinged door which faces directly to the user of the walking frame and which can be pulled open by downward pressure on spring loaded catches and where detachable attachment to the walking frame is accomplished by the use of a quadrant shaped section which fits over the horizontal top rail of the frame and which is locked in place by the use of two lever operated spring clips which engage a pair of keepers on the up¬ right rails of the frame. 2. A detachable tray,with enclosure,for use on walking frames as in Claim 1 wherein a slide-in shelf on runners,which are fixed to the bottom of the body, can accomodate and retain a drinking glass or other utensil in a circular recess or cut-out in the shelf. 3. A detachable tray, ith enclosure, for use on walking frames substant¬ ially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings. . A detachable tray,with enclosure, for use on walking frames substant¬ ially as hereinbe f ore described with reference to Figures 3,4- and 5 of the drawings.

Inventors: CAVEN GEORGE, CAVEN, GEORGE
Applicants: CAVEN GEORGE, CAVEN, GEORGE
Application year: 1999
Main classification: A61H3
IPC codes: A61H3