Patent Publication Number: US-9421684-B1

Title: Tire attachable tray

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     This invention relates generally to maintenance accessories and, more particularly, to a tray attachment adapted for placement on a tire with a spring loaded locking mechanism. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     A well known issue for automobile mechanics and others who work on vehicles, particularly under the hood (generally referred to herein as “mechanics”), is that there is generally no place to keep tools during the course of such work. When tools are attempted to be kept within arms reach, it is not uncommon for them to fall into the engine block or other hard to reach area in the vehicle. On the other hand, if the tools are kept in a tool box positioned nearby on a floor or shelf, the mechanic may end up wasting time by being forced to repeated stop work and walk over to the nearby tool box to retrieve desired. 
     As such, there remains a need for a tire attachable tool tray would provide a selectively deployable shelf suitable to hold tools within arms reach of one working under a vehicle&#39;s hood. It would be helpful if such a tire attachable tool tray included a spring loaded locking mechanism which enables the tray to be selectively set in a fixed position so as to prevent tools from sliding off. It would be additionally desirable for such a tire attachable tool tray to include a handle which was integrated with the locking mechanism to allow a user to easily set and release the lock. 
     The Applicant&#39;s invention described herein provides for a tire attachable tool tray adapted to allow a user to selectively deploy a fixed tool shelf on the tire of a vehicle. The primary components in Applicant&#39;s tire attachable tool tray are a shelf section, a locking plate, a support plate, and a locking mechanism. When in operation, the tire attachable tool tray enables a user to store tools desired to be used while working under a vehicle hood on a sold, flat surface that is generally within arms reach. As a result, many of the limitations imposed by prior art structures are removed. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A tire attachable tool tray for providing a selectively deployable shelf surface within arms reach of the hood of a vehicle. The tire attachable tool tray includes a rigid, generally planar surface shelf section attached to a locking plate and a support plate, each of which define rigid planar bodies which extend perpendicularly from the bottom of the shelf section. Integral with the locking plate is a locking mechanism which is defined by two spring loaded locking legs which pass the locking plate, being attached to a single handle on one side and having a padded end on the other side. In this regard, a user can move the locking assembly from a disengaged, resting position to an engaged position in which it is primed to lock onto a tire through the application of manual force on the handle. Furthermore, a user can lock the assembly on a tire by placing a tire between the locking plate and support plate with the locking mechanism in the engaged position and removing the manual force keeping the locking mechanism in the engaged position. 
     It is an object of this invention to provide a tire attachable tool tray which provides a selectively deployable shelf suitable to hold tools within arms reach of one working under a vehicle&#39;s hood. 
     It is another object of this invention to provide a tire attachable tool tray which includes a spring loaded locking mechanism which enables the tray to be selectively set in a fixed position so as to prevent tools from sliding off. 
     It is yet another object of this invention to provide a tire attachable tool tray which includes a handle which was integrated with the locking mechanism to allow a user to easily set and release the lock. 
     These and other objects will be apparent to one of skill in the art. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a right side elevational view of a tire attachable tool tray built in accordance with the present invention having its locking mechanism in a disengaged position. 
         FIG. 2  is a right side elevational view of a tire attachable tool tray built in accordance with the present invention having its locking mechanism in an engaged position. 
         FIG. 3  is a front side elevational view of a tire attachable tool tray built in accordance with the present invention. 
         FIG. 4  is a partial back side elevational view of a locking plate of the tire attachable tool tray built in accordance with the present. 
         FIG. 5  is a right side elevational view of a tire attachable tool tray built in accordance with the present invention in place on a tire. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring now to the drawings and in particular  FIGS. 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 , a tire attachable tool tray  10  is shown having a shelf section  11  attached to a locking plate  12  and a support plate  13 . In the preferred embodiment, the shelf section  11  defines a rigid plate measuring 24″×18″×2″ and which provides a generally planar surface on which tools or other items can be placed. In some embodiments, the top surface of the shelf section  11  is completely flat while in other embodiments, the top surface of the shelf section  11  defines a shallow basin shape which includes a depressed central holding area which is lower than the edges of the shelf section  11 , thereby creating a wide flat bottom with relatively tall raised edges that to act as an elevated rim which can prevent items from inadvertently sliding off the shelf section  11 . 
     The locking plate  12  and the support plate  13  each define rigid planar bodies which extend perpendicularly from the bottom of the shelf section  11 . In one embodiment, the locking plate  12  and the support plate  13  extend  12 ″ down from the shelf section  11 . Integral with the locking plate  12  is a locking mechanism which is defined by two spring loaded locking legs  14  which pass through apertures in the locking plate  12 , each having a padded end  15  and spring  16  on one side of the locking plate and being attached to a single handle  17  on the other side of the locking plate  12 . In the absence of manual pressure or a tire, the locking mechanism remains in a disengaged position with the handle  17  adjacent to the locking plate, the padded ends  15  of the respective locking legs  14  full extended away from the locking plate  12 , and the springs  16  uncoiled (as illustrated in  FIG. 1 ). 
     To prepare the tire attachable tool tray  10  to be locked on a tire  20 , a user would apply manual force in an opening direction  18  on the handle  17 , forcing the locking mechanism into an engaged position with handle  17  pulled away from the locking plate  12 , the padded ends  15  adjacent to the locking plate  12  and springs  16  coiled (as illustrated in  FIG. 2 ). 
     To lock the tire attachable tool tray  10  onto a tire  20 , the tire attachable tool tray  10  is placed over a tire with the locking mechanism in the engaged position (through the continued application of manual force in the opening direction  18 ) and the tire  20  positioned between the locking plate  12  and the support plate  13 . The manual force in the opening direction  18  is then removed and the springs  16  force the handle  17 , locking legs  14  and padded ends  15  assembly in a locking direction  19  until the tire  20  is wedged between the padded ends  15  and the support plate  13  (as illustrated in  FIG. 5 . 
     To remove the tire attachable tool tray  10  from a tire  20 , the handle is pulled in the opening direction  18  to un-wedge the tire  20  from between the padded ends  15  and the support plate  13 , allowing the tire attachable tool tray  10  to be lifted off the tire  20 . 
     The instant invention has been shown and described herein in what is considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiment. It is recognized, however, that departures may be made therefrom within the scope of the invention and that obvious modifications will occur to a person skilled in the art.