This description relates generally to a tray apparatus, for example, to a reversible tray apparatus including a marking board and a padded surface.
A parent or care provider who is caring for a disabled adult or child at home may be required to perform a task while the disabled adult or child is sitting on a chair, bench, or bed. Moreover, families with young children often travel on vacation using automobiles. Children may therefore be required to be engaged and entertained while a parent or care provider is performing a task or driving. A child who is sitting for a period of time may become bored, cranky, or emotional.
A reversible tray apparatus is disclosed. In some embodiments, the apparatus includes a reversible tray including a first surface including a marking board. The reversible tray is configured to be used in a first configuration in which the first surface faces in a particular direction. A second surface is on a reverse side of the reversible tray and includes a padding. The reversible tray is further configured to be used in a second configuration in which the second surface faces in the particular direction. A pouch is attached to the reversible tray. The pouch is configured to receive and secure an object to the reversible tray.
In some embodiments, the apparatus includes a tray including a first surface on one side of the tray and a second surface on a reverse side of the tray. The tray is configured to be used in a first configuration in which the first surface faces in a particular direction and a second configuration in which the second surface faces in the particular direction. A pouch is attached to the tray and configured to receive and secure a device to the tray.
These and other aspects, features, and implementations can be expressed as methods, apparatus, systems, components, means, or steps for performing a function, and in other ways.
These and other aspects, features, and implementations will become apparent from the following descriptions, including the claims.
A tray apparatus is disclosed. The apparatus may be placed on a lap of a user or fastened around a torso or a waist of a user who is sitting on a chair, a car seat, a seat in an airplane, a bench, a bed, or any other furniture that can support a seated user. The apparatus includes a tray having a first surface and a second surface. The apparatus can be used in a first configuration in which the first surface faces the user. The first surface includes a marking board that can be marked by the user using markers. The tray can be reversed, such that the second surface faces the user in a second configuration. In the second configuration, the user can eat or drink using the second surface. The second surface includes a padding that the user can eat or drink on. The apparatus includes a pouch or bags to store electronic or other devices, toys, food, stationery, etc., for the use of the user.
Among other benefits and advantages of the embodiments disclosed, the apparatus engages a user with useful and creative activities. The padding of the second surface provides physical comfort to a user when the apparatus is placed on a lap of the user. The second surface may include an antimicrobial coating that prevents spread and growth of germs, bacteria, fungus, or mold. The antimicrobial coating can also prevent staining, odors, or degradation of the material of the apparatus. The pouch can hold an electronic device to provide entertainment to the user when the user is eating or drinking. A transparent or translucent side of the pouch permits haptic input from a user to pass through the side of the pouch to a touch-sensitive screen of the electronic device such that the user can control the electronic device through the pouch. When the apparatus is used in the first configuration, markers can be used to mark the marking board to provide an educational activity for the user to engage in. The apparatus reduces boredom for the user at home or on long journeys by car, airplane, or public transit. The apparatus also provides benefits to a parent or caregiver of a child using the apparatus when the parent is engaging in a task or driving, by engaging the child or providing a play opportunity to the child. In this manner, the apparatus provides the user with comfort, entertainment, a learning opportunity, and a place to eat and play, while preventing boredom.
Perspective View of Tray Apparatus
The apparatus 100 includes the tray 104, as illustrated in
The tray 104 is sized to be placed on a lap of the user and fit around a torso or a waist of the user. In some embodiments, the tray 104 is sized to be attached to a car seat or airplane seat while the user is sitting in the car seat or airplane seat. The tray 104 is sized such that an area of the first surface 108 of the tray 104 is large enough to accommodate the marking board 112. In some embodiments, the tray 104 is wide enough to allow the user to rest his or her arms on the tray 104. In some embodiments, the tray 104 is rectangular in shape with rounded corners. In some embodiments, the tray 104 is square or quadrilateral in shape. In some embodiments, an edge (e.g., edge 136) of the tray 104 is curved. The edge 148 of the tray 104 facing the user is curved to accommodate a shape of the waist or torso of the user.
The first surface 108 of the tray 104 includes the marking board 112. The marking board 112 may be embedded on or attached to the first surface 108. The marking board 112 includes a surface configured to be marked by crayons, pencils, pens, markers or similar devices used to imprint markings onto a surface. In some embodiments, the marking board 112 is a whiteboard embedded onto the first surface 108. In some embodiments, the marking board 112 can be a piece of cardboard or a writing pad that can be written on by pens, pencils, or markers. In some embodiments, the marking board 112 is a chalkboard that can be written on using chalk. In some embodiments, the first surface 108 is sized to accommodate sheets of paper that can be written on or marked by the user. In some embodiments, the marking board 112 includes multiple portions, each portion having a different writing or marking surface such as those described here.
The apparatus 100 includes three collapsible walls: a first collapsible wall 116, a second collapsible wall 120, and a third collapsible wall 124. The three collapsible walls form a border of the tray 104. Each collapsible wall can be made of plastic, cotton, a fabric, or a synthetic material such as polyester. In some embodiments, the collapsible walls and the tray 104 can be made of the same material. The first collapsible wall 116 faces the second collapsible wall 120 and is on an opposite side of the tray 104 from the second collapsible wall 120 as shown in
The tray has four edges (including edge 148 and edge 136). Each collapsible wall of the three collapsible walls is attached to the tray 104 at a corresponding edge of the four edges. For example, the second collapsible wall 120 is attached to the tray 104 at the edge 136. Each collapsible wall may be permanently attached to the tray 104 or attached to the tray 104 using hook-and-loop fasteners, a zipper, or buttons. In either the first configuration or the second configuration, each collapsible wall can be locked to be at an angle (for example, a right angle or an angle ranging between 90° and less than 180°) with a respective edge of the tray 104.
With each collapsible wall (e.g., the second collapsible wall 120) locked at an angle relative to the corresponding edge (e.g., the edge 136) of the tray 104, objects or food placed on a surface of the tray 104 are secured or prevented from sliding off the tray 104. Each collapsible wall can be made of plastic, cotton, a fabric, or a synthetic material such as polyester.
In some embodiments, the apparatus 100 includes the strap 140. The strap 140 is configured to secure the tray 104 or the apparatus 100 to an object. For example, the strap 140 may be used to secure the tray 104 to a torso or a waist of a user using the apparatus 100 in the first or second configuration. The strap 140 can be made of plastic, cotton, fabric, a synthetic material such as polyester, or any other material capable of securing the tray to an object. A first end 152 of the strap 140 is attached to the first collapsible wall 116 of the tray 104. A second end 156 of the strap 140 is attached to the second collapsible wall 120 of the tray 104. Each of the first end 152 and the second end 156 of the strap 140 can be attached to a collapsible wall of the tray 104 using a buckle (e.g., the buckle 144), hook-and-loop fasteners, or hook-and-loop tape. When the apparatus 100 is not in use, the strap 140 may be used to secure the tray 104 to a back of a chair or another object for storage.
Perspective View of Tray Apparatus
The apparatus 100 can be reversed or flipped from the first configuration (illustrated and described above with reference to
The tray 104 includes the second surface 208 (on a reverse side of the first surface 108), as illustrated in
The second surface 208 includes the padding 212, which may be embedded in or attached to the second surface 208. The padding 212 may include cotton, a fabric, a synthetic material such as polyester, or any other material capable of being used to pad the second surface 208. In some embodiments, the padding 212 is made of a waterproof material such as plastic or a synthetic to protect the second surface 208 and the apparatus 100 from spilled food or liquids. In the second configuration, the user can eat or drink on the second surface 208 while watching a program on or interacting with (e.g., playing a game on) an electronic device such as object 220. In some embodiments, the user can eat or drink on the second surface 208 while reading a book or magazine or listening to music. In some embodiments, the second surface 208 is covered with an antimicrobial coating to prevent the spread or growth of germs, bacteria, fungus, or mold. The antimicrobial coating can also prevent staining, odors, or degradation of the material of the second surface 208. The antimicrobial coating can be made of a polymer or a peptide. In the first configuration (illustrated and described above with reference to
The pouch 216 is attached to the tray 104 to receive and secure the object 220 or a device to the tray 104. The pouch 216 may be made of plastic, cotton, a fabric, a synthetic material such as polyester, or any other material capable of being fashioned into the pouch 216. In some embodiments, the pouch 216 is made of a waterproof material, such as plastic to prevent food or liquids from contacting or falling on the object 220 secured by the pouch 216. In some embodiments, a portion of the pouch 216 is made of a material that can be stretched to accommodate larger objects. The pouch 216 can be permanently sewn on to the tray 104 or attached to the tray 104 using hook-and-loop fasteners, a zipper, buttons, or hook-and-loop tape.
The pouch 216 is configured to receive and secure the object 220. In some embodiments, the object 220 is an electronic device, such as a tablet computer, a smartphone, or any other device having an electronic display. In some embodiments, the object 220 is a magazine, a book, or a toy. The pouch 216 has at least one transparent or translucent side 224 facing the user in the direction 160. In some embodiments, the transparent or translucent side 224 of the pouch 216 faces away from a collapsible wall (e.g., the third collapsible wall 124) of the tray 104. The transparent or translucent side 224 faces away from the collapsible wall and towards the user to allow the user to view an electronic display screen of the object 220 within the pouch 216. In this manner, the user can watch a program or video on the electronic display screen of the object 220.
In some embodiments, the pouch 216 is configured to transmit a haptic input to a device or the object 220 through the transparent or translucent side 224 of the pouch 216. For example, if the object 220 secured by the pouch 216 is a tablet computer, gaming device or smartphone, a user or parent may provide touch input or haptic input to a touchscreen of the object 220 through the transparent or translucent side 224 of the pouch 216. In some embodiments, the pouch 216 includes one or more pockets to secure small objects or toys.
In some embodiments, the apparatus 100 includes one or more bags 232 attached to one or more collapsible walls of the tray 104 using hook-and-loop fasteners, a zipper, or buttons. For example, the bags 232 can be attached to the second collapsible wall 120 as illustrated in
The strap 140 (illustrated and described above with reference to
Process for Operating the Tray Apparatus
In
In
In
In
In
In
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Entry |
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Number | Date | Country | |
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20200353772 A1 | Nov 2020 | US |