Patent Publication Number: US-2007114143-A1

Title: Food tray and travel food tray with liner method and apparatus

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
      This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/739,888, filed Nov. 22, 2005. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND  
      This invention relates to backseat travel trays. More specifically a food tray with activity board cover and disposable plastic liners that can be used as a tray liner and a waste bag.  
      Several forms of backseat travel food trays exist including sectional trays. On many occasions, travel trays are used to provide food and drink to children in the backseat of a vehicle. Many times food or drink is spilled on the tray requiring it to be washed. It would be advantageous to have a tray with a plastic liner that could cover contours of the tray and reduce or eliminate the need to wash the travel tray after each use.  
      It would also be advantageous if the travel tray had a cover that could be used as an activity table on one or both sides of the tray cover.  
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      An object of the present invention is to provide a food and beverage tray and liner system with disposable liners.  
      Another object of the present invention is to provide a sectional travel tray and liner system with a disposable liners.  
      Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a sectional travel tray and liner system with disposable liners and a travel tray cover having a means of being used as an activity table on at least one side of the travel tray cover.  
      According to the present invention, a food tray system comprises a food tray and a tray liner, which is suitably sized to follow contours of the food tray. The tray liner is placed over the top portions of the food tray to provide a protective shield between the food tray and any food or beverage. The tray liner also includes an elastic member to tighten or secure the tray liner to the shape and size of the food tray. The elastic member, therefore, prevents the tray liner from being pulled or moved by a child to ensure that the food tray remains clean of any residue or food spills. The elastic member is also gatherable, from the food tray, to form an integral, closed waste bag for the clean removal of debris from the food tray. The food tray may be used as a backseat travel tray and may also be provided as a means for securing a child in the backseat for stability. The food tray system according to the present invention can be a section or non-sectional tray with a light system integrated therein for evening use.  
      The food tray system according to the present invention may also include at least one folding leg, which can be placed under the legs of a child in an infant automobile seat or standard automobile seat. It is also contemplated that at least one folding leg is configured to assume several adjustable positions, including angle and height adjustable positions, to assume stability and several support position of a child.  
      According to another embodiment of the present invention, a food tray system comprises a food tray and a tray liner, which is suitably sized to follow contours of the food tray. The tray liner is placed over the top portions of the food tray to provide a protective shield between the food tray and any food or beverage. The tray liner also includes an elastic member to tighten or secure the tray liner to the shape and size of the food tray. The elastic member, therefore, prevents the tray liner from being pulled or moved by a child to ensure that the food tray remains clean of any residue or food spills. The elastic member is also gatherable, from the food tray, to form an integral, closed waste bag for the clean removal of debris from the food tray. When the food tray system is not in use, a protective cover may be positioned over the top of the food tray so that the top side of the cover can be used as an activity table. The cover may have a light system integrated therein to allow for use of the cover as the activity table in the dark. A securing means integrated with the cover ensures that the cover is not pulled up or moved by a child away from the food tray. The food tray may also be used as a backseat travel tray and may also be provided as a means for securing a child in the backseat for stability. The food tray system according to the present invention can be a section or non-sectional tray.  
      These and other benefits of the present invention will become more readily apparent after a review of the detailed description and preferred embodiments. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       FIG. 1  shows a schematic perspective view of a food tray system according to the present invention;  
       FIG. 2  shows a side perspective view of a food tray system according to the present invention;  
       FIG. 3  shows a schematic perspective view of a tray liner, having a secondary function as a waste bag, according to the present invention;  
       FIG. 4  shows a schematic perspective view of a travel food tray system according to the present invention;  
       FIG. 5  shows another schematic perspective view of a travel food tray system with at least one horizontal support bar according to the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
      While this invention is susceptible of embodiment in many different forms, there is shown in the drawings and will be described in detail below, specific embodiments with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered as an exemplification of the principles of the invention and is not intended to limit the invention to the embodiments illustrated.  
      Now referring to  FIG. 1 , the food tray system  10  according to the present invention comprises a food tray  12  and a protective tray liner  16  that is placed over the top portions of the food tray  12 . The food tray  12  may have one or more individual compartments  14  for containing different food or beverage. As will be understood, the food tray  12  can be of any desired shape, size and material. Preferably, the tray  12  is constructed of a non-porous, stain resistant and rigid material such as plastic or the like. The food tray can also be made of flexible material. The food tray  12  can further be used as a sectional or a non-sectional tray. As such, various embodiments of the food tray  12  may include various configurations depending on the food items to be supported, as well as the specific shape and size to accommodate children&#39;s sizes. As will also be understood, the protective tray liner  16  is not limited to any particular food tray  12  configurations and may be used with a wide variety of such trays. Of course, the protective tray liner  16  may be form fitted to the food tray  12  or take shape according to the individual compartments  14 .  
      Again referring to  FIG. 1 , the protective tray liner  16  prevents the food tray  12  from needing to be washed as the protective tray liner  16  provides a protective layer between food and beverage and the top portions of the food tray  12 . Accordingly, in this embodiment, the protective tray liner  16  insures that the top portions of the food tray  12  remains clean of any residue or food spills.  
      The protective tray liner  16  may be composed of any suitable sheet material, such as plastic or the like or other recyclable materials provided with a liquid impermeable cover layer and have straps, mechanical fasteners, hook and loop fasteners, drawstrings, or elastic members, etc., around the outer edge or edges. This way, a child cannot pull up or dislodge the outer edge or edges of the protective tray liner  16  so that the top portions of the food tray  12  will be protected from food debris and any other residue.  
       FIG. 2  illustrates a side view of the food tray system  18  according to the present invention comprising the food tray  20  and the tray liner  22 . The tray liner  22  is suitably sized to follow the contours of the food tray  20  and is placed over the top portions and covers the food tray  20 . The tray liner  22  as illustrated in  FIG. 2  is also provided with elastic members  23  or the like materials around the outer edge or edges, such that a child cannot pull up or dislodge the outer edge or edges of the protective tray liner  22 .  
       FIG. 3  illustrates the tray liner  24  offering an additional functional element as a waste bag  24  to discard any waste  26  from food or beverage by loosening the elastic means  27  around the outer edges and turning the tray liner  24  inward to collect food debris and any other residue caught on the tray liner  24  after use. In this embodiment of  FIGS. 1 and 3 , therefore, the food tray  12  remains clean of any residue or food spills as the tray liner  16 ,  24  turns into a waste bag  24 , with self closure, for direct disposal of trapped food and debris as well as any other residual foods and items which are to be disposed of.  
       FIG. 4  illustrates a travel food tray system  28  according to the invention comprising a food tray  30  having a folding leg  32  that can be locked into a position with a securing means  34  placed somewhere in the travel food tray system  28 . The tray liner  36  is provided as part of the travel food tray system  28  and provides a means of keeping the tray clean from food and beverage as well as reducing the need to wash the food tray  30 . The tray liner  36  provides a secondary function as it can be used as a waste bag  36  to dispose of the food and beverage waste.  
       FIG. 5  shows another embodiment of the travel food tray system  38  having an adjustable leg  40 . The adjustable leg  40  is also angle and height adjustable to assume several support position of a child. The adjustable leg  40  has at least one horizontal support bar  42  that is placed under the legs of a child in an infant automobile seat or standard automobile seat when the tray system  38  is stable in use. The food tray  44  part of the system may have a food tray cover  46  so that when the cover  46  is placed on top of the travel food tray  44 , the travel food tray system  38  may be used as an activity table. The travel tray cover  46  may have at least one side that can be used for activity purposes including but not limited to a magnetic board side, a chalk board side or other activity table top type systems. The food tray  44  or the travel tray cover  46  may have a light system  48  integrated therein for evening use.  
      The foregoing description merely explains and illustrates the invention and the invention is not limited thereto except insofar as the appended claims are so limited, as those skilled in the art who have the disclosure before them will be able to make modifications without departing from the scope of the invention.