Patent CA-2232224-A1 (CA)
Title: Tray assembly
Inventor: ROSSETTO PAUL
IPC: B60N3/00
Filed: 1998-03-17
Abstract: This invention is directed toward a tray assembly. The invention is also directed toward a vehicle incorporating the tray assembly. The invention is more particularly directed toward a tray assembly having a tray movable between an operable, horizontal, position and a vertical, storage, position. The invention is also more particularly directed toward a vehicle having a floor, a front seat on the floor for the vehicle operator, a passenger seat on the floor adjacent the front seat, and a tray assembly on the floor far enough in front of the passenger seat to provide leg room for a passenger. The tray assembly has a tray movable between an operable, horizontal position where the front of the tray rests on the front edge of the passenger seat, and a vertical storage position. The gray assembly of the present invention is particularly useful in delivery vehicles where space is at a premium. The tray assembly c:an be mounted on the floor beside the driver's seat and in front of the passenger seat, with the tray generally parallel to the front of the vehicle. When not needed, the tray of the tray assembly is stored in a vertical storage position. When the tray is needed,. such as to sort packages or mail, the tray is pulled up and pivoted to a horizontal, working position, where its front portion rests on the passenger seat, adjacent the driver. Once the driver has no more need for the tray, the tray is pivoted upwardly and slid downwardly in the tray assembly to its storage position. The invention is particularly directed toward a tray assembly having a pair of vertical, parallel, mounting posts and a horizontal base on which the posts are mounted. The posts each 1. have a vertical guide groove therein, the guide grooves in the posts facing each other. A tray is mounted on the posts between the posts, the tray having guide means on its sides, adjacent its rear corners, that fit in the grooves on the posts. Stop means are provided on the posts near the top of the posts for both retaining the tray in a horizontal position, when the tray is pulled between the posts and pivoted to a horizontal position, and in a vertical position, when the tray is pivoted vertically from its horizontal position and slid down between the posts to a storage position. The invention is also particularly directed toward a vehicle having a floor, a driver's seat on the floor of the vehicle at the front and to one side, a passenger seat on the floor of the vehicle at the front along side the driver's seat, and a tray assembly an the floor of the vehicle in front of the passenger seat leaving enough leg room for a passenger. The tray assembly has a pair of vertical, parallel, mounting posts and a horizontal base on which the posts are mounted. The posts each have a vertical guide groove therein, the guide grooves in the posts facing each other. A tray is mounted on the posts between the posts, the tray having guide means on its sides, adjacent its rear corners, that fit in the grooves on the posts. Stop means are provided an the posts near the top of the posts for both retaining the tray in a horizontal position, when the tray is pulled up between the posts and pivoted to a horizontal position where its front edge rests on the passenger seat, and in a vertical position, when the tray is pivoted vertically from its horizontal position and slid down the posts to a storage position. .2 The invention will now be described in detail having reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the tray assembly with the tray in an operative position; Fig. 2 is a cross-section view of the tray assembly with the tray in an operative position; Fig. 3 is a cross-section view of the tray assembly with the tray in its storage position; Fig. 4 is a top plan detail view of one corner of the tray with the tray in the storage position; Fig. 5 is a cross-section view taken along line 5-5 in Fig. 4; Fig. 6 is a plan view of the front of a vehicle having the tray assembly mounted therein; and Fig. 7 is a side view of the tray assembly in the vehicle with the tray in a horizontal, operative position. The tray assembly 1, as shown in Figs. 1 to 3, comprises a tray 3 mounted between two vertical, parallel, posts 5, 7. The posts 5, 7 are mounted on a horizontal base plate 9 to extend vertically upright from the base plate 9. The base plate 9 is adapted to mounted on the floor of the area where the tray 3 is to be used as will be described. The posts 5, 7 are the same so only one will be described in detail. Post 5 comprises an extruded member 13 having a rectangular cross-section. A T-shaped guide slot 15 extends inwardly from one side 17 of the member 13, the slot extending the length of the member 13 and located slightly closer to the front 3. 19 of the member 13 than to its back 21. The slot 15 is parallel to the front 19 and back 21 of the memb