Patent Publication Number: US-6659545-B1

Title: Foam tray assembly with security strap

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a foam tray assembly with a security strap which may be anchored around a child&#39;s booster seat while traveling in an automobile. The tray assembly provides a safe, convenient, and inexpensive area upon which the child can place toys, coloring books, drinks, and other similar objects. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     Small children who are passengers in cars often will want to play with or hold various toys, drinks, or other objects while the automobile is in motion. It is often inconvenient for a child to simply place these objects on his/her lap as the objects may slip off of the lap and would then be difficult for the child to retrieve. Furthermore, when children lose their grip on these objects, they can become flying missiles in the event of an automobile accident. 
     In recent years, legislation has been enacted which requires children up to a certain age and/or weight to be seated in a “booster” or “safety” seat whenever traveling within an automobile. Such constraints further inhibit children from entertaining themselves while in the automobile. 
     Various devices have been created which attempt to solve some of the objects of the present invention. U.S. Pat. No. 6,135,546 to Demtchouk appears to show a table attachable to the passenger seat of a vehicle secured by a belt around the backrest. However, Demtchouk has a hard tabletop surface which may injure a child, and has legs which make it incompatible with most child seats which generally closely accommodate the child and do not provide sufficient clearance to support such legs. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 4,707,107 to Miller appears to show a portable travel tray for use with a child&#39;s safety seat. However, Miller appears to balance the tray precariously between the front seat and the front portion of the child&#39;s seat. Movement of the front seat forward even slightly may result in dumping the contents of the tray onto the child. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,893,331 to Diletto appears to show a tray attachment which attaches onto the arm of a beach chair, lounge chair, or chaise. However, Diletto would generally be incompatible with the structure of most child seats, which have solid sides, providing no place for Diletto to “clamp on”. 
     While these units may be suitable for the particular purpose employed, or for general use, they would not be as suitable for the purposes of the present invention as disclosed hereafter. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is an object of this invention to provide a tray which can be used by a small child to hold various objects while riding in a booster seat of a car. Accordingly, this tray is shaped in a way that facilitates its support upon a child&#39;s lap and legs and the perimeter of a booster seat. 
     It is a further object of this invention to provide a tray which can be used by a small child which minimizes any risk of injury due to the tray itself, even in the event of an automobile accident. Accordingly, the tray is made from foam and cloth and it is held in place by a flexible strap which is anchored around the back of the booster seat. 
     It is a further object of this invention to provide a tray which makes it easier for a child to hold onto objects with which he/she is playing, and thereby avoid having to stop the car in order that the objects may be retrieved from the floor of the car or other areas. Accordingly, this tray provides a large surface upon which objects may be placed in a way that minimizes the possibility that the child looses his/her grip on the objects. 
     It is a further object of this invention to provide a tray which is inexpensive and easy to maintain. Accordingly, due to the foam and cloth construction, the tray is inexpensive to manufacture and can be easily cleaned by the user. 
    
    
     To the accomplishment of the above and related objects the invention may be embodied in the form illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Attention is called to the fact, however, that the drawings are illustrative only. Variations are contemplated as being part of the invention, limited only by the scope of the claims. 
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     In the drawings, like elements are depicted by like reference numerals. The drawings are briefly described as follows. 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the cloth-covered foam tray with the associated strap which fits into anchoring holes of the tray. 
     FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the cloth-covered foam tray, mounted to a booster seat, and in use wherein a child is seated in the booster seat and is using the tray. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     FIG. 1 illustrates a tray assembly  9 , including a cloth-covered foam tray  10  and the anchoring strap  26 . The foam tray  10  is generally made of a continuous piece of foam rubber or the like, having a top surface  10 T. Referring momentarily to FIG. 2, the foam tray  10  is used in conjunction with a booster seat  30  having a back  30 B, and a pair of sides  30 S, each having a side top  30 ST. Shown in FIG. 2, a child  35  is seated within the booster seat  30  between the sides  30 S. 
     The anchoring strap  26  has a pair of anchoring pins  18  and an elastic cord  16  which is connected to and extends between the anchoring pins  18 . The foam tray  10  is mated with the anchoring strap  26  using a pair of anchoring pins  18 . In particular, the foam tray  10  has a pair of anchoring holes  14  which extend vertically into the top surface  10 T and are sized to accommodate the anchoring pins  18 . The anchoring pins  18  have a horizontal portion  18 H which is connected to and coextensive with the elastic cord  16 , and a vertical portion  18 V extending perpendicular to the horizontal portion  18 H which extends into the anchoring holes  14 . To help maintain the anchoring pins  18  within the anchoring holes  14 , the anchoring pins have a bottom catch  18 B which extends at a 45 degree angle to the vertical portion  18 V of the anchoring strap  18  and thereby prevents the anchoring strap  26  from slipping out of the anchoring holes  14  unless the rigid portion of the anchoring strap  18  is deliberately removed from the anchoring holes  14  by an upward motion by an adult. 
     The anchoring holes  14  are each given added stability, rigidity and durability by the presence of an o-ring  12 , made of a rigid material, which overlays the top surface  10 T of the foam tray  10 , around the anchoring holes  14 , to prevent the anchoring pins  18  from tearing the foam. In this regard, the o-ring  12  may be substituted with a sleeve which fully encloses the anchoring pin  18  so that it does not come into contact with the foam. 
     The foam tray  10  has a bottle holder  20  which is a bore extending downward from the foam tray top  10 T, which is hollowed-out so as to accommodate and securely hold bottles which contain liquid. The bottle holder  20  has radial slits  22  cut into its circumference so that the bottle holder may easily expand, using the natural properties of the foam to accommodate bottles of varying circumference. 
     The foam tray has a pair of sides  10 S, a forward portion  10 F, and a curved cutout  11  for allowing the tray to conform as closely to the child  35  as possible. The curved cutout  11  defines a pair of wings  13  which extend on opposite sides of the child  35 . The anchoring holes  14  are located in the wings  13  near the forward portion  10 F of the foam tray  10 . 
     FIG. 2 illustrates the foam tray  10  while it is being used, with the child  35  seated therein. The upper surface of the foam tray  10 T is being used to support a coloring book  24  that the child is using. The bottom portion of the foam tray  10 B rests on and is supported by the sides  30 S of the booster seat, and rests partially upon the child&#39;s lap and legs. A baby bottle  32  has been pushed into and is being held by the bottle holder  20 . The elastic cord  16  of the anchoring strap  26  is wrapped around the back of the booster seat  30 B and the anchoring pins  18  have been placed into the anchoring holes  14 , thereby causing the foam tray  10  to rest securely on the child&#39;s lap. 
     In conclusion, herein is presented a cloth-covered foam tray with associated anchoring strap to be used by a child in an automobile. The invention is illustrated by example in the drawing figures, and throughout the written description. It should be understood that numerous variations are possible, while adhering to the inventive concept. Such variations are contemplated as being a part of the present invention.