Abstract:
A tray is supported by a tubular frame residing between a mattress and box spring. The frame is a single continuous loop of tubing having a substantially horizontally residing supported portion, a vertical center portion, and a substantially horizontal tray support portion. The tray is rectangular with a raised edge and includes clips residing on a tray bottom to snap onto the frame.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention relates to a support frame and tray and in particular to a mattress supported tubular support frame and snap-on tray. 
   There is often a need for a tray adjacent to a bed to hold various articles such as books, lamps, food, drinks, and the like. One solution is a tray with legs which support the tray above the floor. Unfortunately, such floor supported trays are often cumbersome and easily knocked over. Other solutions comprise trays supported by a frame residing between a mattress and box spring. Such frames generally comprise a flat plate residing horizontally when in use, and vertical members rising from the flat plate to support the tray. Unfortunately, such flat plates may slip between the mattress and box spring, and comprise several members raising production costs. Therefore, a need remains for a simple and stable mattress supported frame and tray. 
   BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention addresses the above and other needs by providing a tray supported by a tubular frame residing between a mattress and box spring. The frame is a single continuous loop of tubing having a substantially horizontally residing supported portion, a vertical center portion, and a substantially horizontal tray support portion. The tray is rectangular with a raised edge and includes clips residing on a tray bottom to snap onto the frame. 
   In accordance with one aspect of the invention, there is provided a mattress supported frame and tray. The frame is a substantially round tubular frame having a supported portion, a center portion, and a tray support portion. The supported portion is substantially planar (i.e., may include some vertical variation, but not enough to affect the mattress) and has an inward end insertable under a mattress and an outward end opposite the inward end. The center portion is approximately orthogonal to the supported portion and has a lower end extending vertically from the outward end of the supported portion and a higher end opposite the lower end. The tray support portion is approximately parallel to the supported portion and extends horizontally from the higher end of the center portion, extending opposite the supported portion. The tray includes pairs of downwardly extending opposed clips configured to grasp the frame. 
   In accordance with another aspect of the invention, there is provided a mattress supported frame and tray having a continuous tube frame. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING 
     The above and other aspects, features and advantages of the present invention will be more apparent from the following more particular description thereof, presented in conjunction with the following drawings wherein: 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a bed with a mattress supportable frame and tray according to the present invention. 
       FIG. 2  is detailed perspective view of the mattress supportable frame and tray alone. 
       FIG. 3  is a detailed perspective view of the frame. 
       FIG. 4A  is a side view of the frame. 
       FIG. 4B  is a front view of the frame. 
       FIG. 4C  is a top view of the frame. 
       FIG. 5  is a detailed perspective view of the tray. 
       FIG. 6A  is a front view of the tray. 
       FIG. 6B  is a side view of the tray. 
       FIG. 6C  is a top view of the tray. 
       FIG. 6D  is a bottom view of the tray. 
       FIG. 7  show fingers with concave inner opposing surfaces. 
   

   Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding components throughout the several views of the drawings. 
   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
   The following description is of the best mode presently contemplated for carrying out the invention. This description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merely for the purpose of describing one or more preferred embodiments of the invention. The scope of the invention should be determined with reference to the claims. 
   A perspective view of a bed  10  with a mattress supportable frame and tray  22  according to the present invention is shown in  FIG. 1 . The bed includes a bed frame  16  supporting a mattress  12  and usually a box spring  14 . A frame  20  of the frame and tray  22  is inserted between the mattress  12  and the box spring  14  to support and secure the frame  20 . A tray  18  is attached to the frame  20  for convenient use. 
   A detailed perspective view of the mattress supportable frame and tray  22  is shown in  FIG. 2 , The frame includes a supported portion  24  which is inserted between the mattress  12  and the box spring  14 . 
   A detailed perspective view of the frame  20  is shown in  FIG. 3 , a side view of the frame  20  is shown in  FIG. 4A , a front view of the frame  20  is shown in  FIG. 4B , and a top view of the frame is shown in  FIG. 4C . The frame  20  includes a substantially planar supported portion  24 , a center portion  26 , and a tray support portion  28 . The supported portion  24  has an inward end  24   a  insertable under the mattress  12  and an outward end  24   b  opposite the inward end  24   a . The center portion  26  is preferably approximately orthogonal to the supported portion  24  and has a lower end  26   a  extending from the outward end  24   b  of the supported portion  24  and a higher end  26   b  opposite the lower end  26   a . The center portion  26  is not necessarily orthogonal to the supported portion  24  but should have some vertical extent to raise the height of the tray  18  when in use. If the center portion  26  is sloped too much, the tray  18  may be displaced from the bed  10 , however, in an alternative embodiment, a center portion may slope away from the bed  10 , and the tray support portion  28  may be reversed and extend back towards the bed  10 . The tray support portion  28  is approximately parallel to the supported portion  24  and extends from the higher end  26   b  of the center portion  26 , extending opposite the supported portion  24 . The tray support portion  28  comprises longitudinal portions  28   a  and a lateral portion  28   b  running between the longitudinal portions  28   a , and the longitudinal portions  28   a  are preferably approximately parallel. 
   The frame  20  has a width W 1  which is preferably between approximately ten inches and approximately fourteen inches, and more preferably approximately twelve inches. The frame  20  has a height H 1  which is preferably between approximately ten inches and approximately eighteen inches, and more preferably between approximately twelve inches and approximately sixteen inches. The supported portion  24  has a length L 3  of preferably between approximately ten inches and approximately sixteen inches, and more preferably between approximately twelve inches and approximately fourteen inches. The tray support portion  28  has a length L 2  of preferably between approximately six inches and approximately ten inches, and more preferably approximately eight inches. 
   The frame  20  is preferably made from tubing and more preferably from round tubing. The frame  20  is also preferably a continuous loop and more preferably a continuous loop of tubing, for example, a continuous length of bent tubing, and most preferably joined at one or two points along the frame, and more preferably joined by welding at two points along the frame. The tubing preferably has an outside diameter between approximately ½ inches and ¾ inches and more preferably approximately ⅝ inches. 
   A detailed perspective view of the tray  18  is shown in  FIG. 5 , a front view of the tray  18  is shown in  FIG. 6A , a side view of the tray  18  is shown in  FIG. 6B , a top view of the tray  18  is shown in  FIG. 6C , and a bottom view of the tray  18  is shown in  FIG. 6D . The tray is approximately flat and has a top surface  18   a  which is preferably textured to reduce sliding. An edge  30  surrounds the tray  18  and provides stiffness. An upper edge portion  30   a  forms an edge around the top surface  18   a  to reduce the chance of items rolling or sliding off the tray top surface  18   a . The edge  30  preferably includes a lower edge portion  30   b  extending downward to add stiffness. 
   Attaching features  32  for attaching the tray  20  to the frame  18  are shown in  FIG. 7 . The attaching features reside on the a tray bottom surface  18   b . The attaching features  32  are preferably spaced apart opposing clips or fingers which the tray support portion  28  of the frame  18  snaps into. More preferably, attaching features  32  are pairs of downwardly extending fingers with concave inner opposing surfaces  32   a  to retain the tray  20  once snapped onto the frame  18 . Most preferably, the attaching features  32  comprise three pairs of spaced apart pairs (a total of six pairs of fingers) of downwardly extending fingers which snap onto the longitudinal portions  28   a  and the lateral portion  28   b  of the tray support portion  28 . Alternatively, the three pairs of spaced apart pairs of fingers may be replaced by 3 pairs of continuous clips, one pair of clips for each of the longitudinal portions  28   a  and one pair of clips for the lateral portion  28   b . In another instance, the attaching features may be screws or similar fasteners passing though holes in the tray support portion and into the tray, or adhesives to attach the tray to the frame. 
   The tray  20  has a tray width W 2 , a tray length L 4 , and a tray thickness T. The tray length L 4  is preferably approximately equal to the frame width W 1  to facilitate packaging the frame and tray  20 . 
   While the invention herein disclosed has been described by means of specific embodiments and applications thereof, numerous modifications and variations could be made thereto by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention set forth in the claims.