Patent Application
20240245245
The present invention relates generally to the field of storage devices for small items. More specifically, the present invention relates to a novel multifunctional lap storage tray configured to secure to a thigh and an upper leg of a user and for providing a solution for people who lack the space to store and organize items while sitting in a chair, while driving, or in numerous other situations. The device eliminates placing of phone, remote control, bowl, and more directly on the leg by a user. Accordingly, the present disclosure makes specific reference thereto. Nonetheless, it is to be appreciated that aspects of the present invention are also equally applicable to other like applications, devices, and methods of manufacture.
By way of background, people often resort to placing their belongings such as phones, remote controls, bottles, cans, and more on their legs while sitting on a chair, in car and the like. Items are generally placed on an upper portion of the legs while the hands of the users are busy in some other activities. Placing such items on the legs is not a secure or stable option and can lead to potential fall of items which may stain the clothes, damage the items, and more. Additionally, conventional storage solutions such as large television trays are bulky and prone to falling over, which can be both inconvenient and hazardous.
Many cars do not have a designated area for charging a phone and placing it on the seat or dashboard can be dangerous and result in damage to the device. As a result, people place their smartphones and other gadgets on their upper legs which is not only inconvenient but can cause distraction for the driver and other passengers.
From a medical perspective, placing a gadget on the upper legs or keeping a phone in pocket while sitting can cause health issues. Merely sitting on your phone can cause health issues such as sciatica or other back problems as well. The radiations emitting from the gadget can even weaken the pelvic bones and reduce bone density. In some scenarios, when a smartphone and other electronic gadgets are kept on the upper legs, inflammation of the skin can occur. Constantly keeping a mobile phone close to the skin can cause swelling, redness, itching or blistering. People desire a versatile, stable, and secure storage solution that provides a storage surface for accommodating various items, including phones and other small objects safely on their upper thighs for providing convenience while also offering safety and security.
Therefore, there exists a long felt need in the art for a storage device that solves the problem of lack of space to store and organize items while sitting in a chair, while driving, or in various other situations. There is also a long felt need in the art for a device that allows users to place items on a non-slip surface and maintain easy access to them. Additionally, there is a long felt need in the art for a novel device that can be secured to the thigh and upper leg area of a user and can be used in various settings, including while sitting in a chair or driving a vehicle for storing belongings of the user. Moreover, there is a long felt need in the art for a multifunctional lap storage device that eliminates slipping or falling of items from the lap of a user. Further, there is a long felt need in the art for a device that addresses the lack of a suitable place to store a phone while it is charging in a vehicle. Finally, there is a long felt need in the art for a lap storage device that provides a stable and secure storage space for items such as phones, remote controls, and other small items in a safe and secure manner.
The subject matter disclosed and claimed herein, in one embodiment thereof, comprises a multifunctional lap storage device. The device configured to secure to the thigh and upper leg of a user or to an armrest of a vehicle and for providing a solution for people who lack the space to store and organize items while sitting in a chair, while driving, or in numerous other situations. The device includes a substantially regular tray having a planar non-slip surface for accommodating small items, a tray cover with elevated and cushioned sides for surrounding the tray and for preventing the stored items from falling off, an adjustable tension mount for attaching the tray to the thigh or upper leg area via a strap, an additional piece of fabric or rubber for holding a phone at an angle while resting on the non-slip surface, and an attached carabiner clip for securing the tray to a user's belt/waist area, working in conjunction with the leg strap to keep the tray stable. The device has an LED for illumination and prevents direct contact of items from the leg of the user.
In this manner, the multifunctional lap storage device of the present invention accomplishes all of the forgoing objectives and provides users with an improved plastic lap tray with cushioned sides and a non-slip flat storage that can be secured to the thigh and the upper leg of a user for enabling the user to place items on the non-slip surface and maintain easy access to them, without worry of them slipping or falling and being lost or making a mess. The device can be used while sitting, driving, and more.
The following presents a simplified summary in order to provide a basic understanding of some aspects of the disclosed innovation. This summary is not an extensive overview, and it is not intended to identify key/critical elements or to delineate the scope thereof. Its sole purpose is to present some general concepts in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detailed description that is presented later.
The subject matter disclosed and claimed herein, in one embodiment thereof, comprises a multifunctional lap storage tray device. The device is comprised of a plastic lap tray with an integrated LED light with the top surface of the tray having anti-slip grooves, a mounting assembly integrated to a bottom surface of the tray, the mounting assembly has a rectangular surface for attaching the tray and C-shaped member for securing around thigh of a user, a tray cover encloses the tray and has a small channel at the bottom edge thereof, the tray cover has elevated sides, the tray is configured to accommodate a plurality of items including but not limited to smartphones, TV remotes, bowls, plates, and more, and the tray cover has a rubber bumper at the top side thereof, the rubber is elevated above the tray, wherein an accommodating item is positioned at an angle with one end of the item positioned on the rubber bumper and the other end positioned on the tray.
In yet another embodiment, a storage device configured to secure to the thigh and the upper leg of a user or to the armrest of a vehicle and for providing a solution for people who lack the space to store and organize items while sitting in a chair, while driving, or in numerous other situations is disclosed. The device includes a tray having a planar non-slip surface for accommodating items, a tray cover with elevated and cushioned sides for surrounding the tray and for preventing the stored items from falling off, an adjustable tension mount for attaching the tray to the thigh or the upper leg area via a strap, an additional piece of fabric, rubber tab, or rubber bumper for holding a phone at an angle while resting on the non-slip surface, and an attached carabiner clip for securing the tray to a user's belt/waist area, working in conjunction with the leg strap to keep the tray stable.
The subject matter disclosed and claimed herein, in one embodiment thereof, comprises a multifunctional lap storage tray device for providing a stable and secure storage space for various items, including smartphones, TV remotes, bowls, plates, and more. The tray device can be used while sitting, driving, and more, and comprises a plastic lap tray with an LED light, the tray is covered by a tray cover having cushioned and elevated cushioned edges. The device features an adjustable tension mount having a C-shaped member that detachably attaches to the thigh or upper leg area via a strap or fastener. The elevated cushioned edges prevent the accommodated items from slipping off the lap or legs of a user.
In yet another embodiment, a storage tray device is disclosed. The tray comprising a non-slip plastic lap tray covered by a tray cover having slightly elevated cushioned edges, the edges comprising a slip-resistant fabric; the tray is used for accommodating different items and items are protected by side edges; an adjustable tension mount for attaching the tray to the thigh or upper leg area via a strap; and an LED light, wherein the tray further comprises a small channel at the base for accommodating a charging cord for a phone placed on the tray.
In yet another embodiment, the storage device of the present invention is easily and efficiently manufactured, marketed and available to consumers in cost-effective manner.
Numerous benefits and advantages of this invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art to which it pertains upon reading and understanding of the following detailed specification.
To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, certain illustrative aspects of the disclosed innovation are described herein in connection with the following description and the annexed drawings. These aspects are indicative, however, of but a few of the various ways in which the principles disclosed herein can be employed and are intended to include all such aspects and their equivalents. Other advantages and novel features will become apparent from the following detailed description when considered in conjunction with the drawings.
The description refers to provided drawings in which similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the different views, and in which:
The innovation is now described with reference to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals are used to refer to like elements throughout. In the following description, for purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding thereof. It may be evident, however, that the innovation can be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known structures and devices are shown in block diagram form in order to facilitate a description thereof. Various embodiments are discussed hereinafter. It should be noted that the figures are described only to facilitate the description of the embodiments. They are not intended as an exhaustive description of the invention and do not limit the scope of the invention. Additionally, an illustrated embodiment need not have all the aspects or advantages shown. Thus, in other embodiments, any of the features described herein from different embodiments may be combined.
As noted above, there is a long felt need in the art for a storage device that solves the problem of lack of space to store and organize items while sitting in a chair, while driving, or in various other situations. There is also a long felt need in the art for a device that allows users to place items on a non-slip surface and maintain easy access to them. Additionally, there is a long felt need in the art for a novel device that can be secured to the thigh and the upper leg area of a user and can be used in various settings, including while sitting in a chair or driving a vehicle for storing belongings of the user. Moreover, there is a long felt need in the art for a multifunctional lap storage device that eliminates slipping or falling of items from the lap of a user. Further, there is a long felt need in the art for a device that addresses the lack of a suitable place to store a phone while it is charging in a vehicle. Finally, there is a long felt need in the art for a lap storage device that provides a stable and secure storage space for items such as phones, remote controls, and other small items in a safe and secure manner.
The present invention, in one exemplary embodiment, is a storage tray device. The tray comprising a non-slip plastic lap tray covered by a tray cover having slightly elevated cushioned edges, the edges comprising a slip-resistant fabric; the tray is used for accommodating different items and the items are further protected by side edges; an adjustable tension mount for attaching the tray to the thigh or upper leg area via a strap; and an LED light, wherein the tray further comprises a small channel at the base for accommodating a charging cord for a phone placed on the tray.
Referring initially to the drawings,
A substantially planar plastic lap tray 104 is used for accommodating numerous items like smartphones, TV remotes, bowls, plates, etc. The tray 104 is secured to the adjustable tension mount 102 and the top surface 106 of the tray 104 is used for receiving the items for storage. The top surface 106 has a plurality of grooves 108 disposed therethrough for making the surface 106 non-slip and stable. The top edge 110 of the tray 104 has an integrated LED 112 for providing illumination as illustrated in
The lap storage device 100 has an attached carabiner clip 116 for securing the device 100 to a user's belt/waist, thereby enabling the user to carry the device 100 easily and further, eliminates the inadvertent dropping of the device 100 during use when placed on the lap of the user. The carabiner clip 116 is attached to a hook 118 positioned on the mounting assembly 102 of the device 100. The device 100 has a tray cover 120 with elevated side edges 122a-d configured for covering the tray 104 and preventing the accommodated items from slipping off the lap or legs of the user. The side edges 122a-d have a height of about 1-3 inches in different embodiments, thereby providing stability to the accommodated items. It is to be appreciated that the tray 104 and the tray cover 120 are selectively removable for cleaning, replacing, or exchanging. Other swappable trays can include a variety of top surfaces selected from a group consisting of a chalkboard, a whiteboard, a paper and pen holding insert, an item organizing insert, and others.
A support member 124 is also positioned on the tray surface 106 for providing additional support to an item such as a smartphone and prevents slipping along the surface 106. The support member 124 can be made of any conventional non-slipping material and is particularly used when an item is placed at an angle using the rubber 114. The device 100 also includes a small channel 126 at the bottom edge 122d to accommodate a charging cord for a phone placed on the tray 104 as illustrated in
It should be appreciated that the lap storage device 100 is a versatile storage solution that can be used in various settings and is also lightweight and portable, making it easy to move from one location to another. The lap storage device 100 has dimensions, for example, of 8″ (L)×4″ (W)×3″ (H). It is contemplated that all other possible dimensions of the device 100 are under the scope of the present disclosure.
The C-shaped adjusting member 202 is integrally attached to the surface 212 of the rectangular base 210. The opposite surface 214 of the base 210 is used for housing the tray 104 of the device. The tray 104 and the surface 214 are also integrated and are substantially of same size. The bottom edge 216 of the base 210 of the assembly 102 has the hook 118 thereto for attaching the carabiner clip 116. It should be noted that the fastener strap 204 enables adjustment of the C-shaped adjusting member 202 to fit to the thigh and the upper leg of a user, thereby eliminating the risks of slipping of the lap storage device 100 from the lap or leg of the user.
The tray cover 120 has a continuous groove 310 along all the edges for accommodating and supporting the edges 110, 304, 306, 308 of the tray 104. It should be noted that the tray cover 120 is made of slip-resistant fabric, which helps keep items from sliding off the tray.
It should be appreciated that the tray 104 is easily accessible to a user enabling the user to securely access the items accommodated in the tray 104. The device 100 is oriented such that the top edge 110 of the tray 104 orients towards the knee of the user. The device 100 is secured and does not fall even when the user is standing or moving as the clip 116 can be secured to the loop 406 of the waist or belt of the user.
Certain terms are used throughout the following description and claims to refer to particular features or components. As one skilled in the art will appreciate, different persons may refer to the same feature or component by different names. This document does not intend to distinguish between components or features that differ in name but not structure or function. As used herein “lap storage device”, “multifunctional lap storage device”, “storage device”, “device”, and “tray device” are interchangeable and refer to the slip resistant multifunctional lap storage device 100 of the present invention.
Notwithstanding the forgoing, the slip resistant multifunctional lap storage device 100 of the present invention can be of any suitable size and configuration as is known in the art without affecting the overall concept of the invention, provided that it accomplishes the above stated objectives. One of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the slip resistant multifunctional lap storage device 100 as shown in the FIGS. are for illustrative purposes only, and that many other sizes and shapes of the slip resistant multifunctional lap storage device 100 are well within the scope of the present disclosure. Although the dimensions of the slip resistant multifunctional lap storage device 100 are important design parameters for user convenience, the slip resistant multifunctional lap storage device 100 may be of any size that ensures optimal performance during use and/or that suits the user's needs and/or preferences.
Various modifications and additions can be made to the exemplary embodiments discussed without departing from the scope of the present invention. While the embodiments described above refer to particular features, the scope of this invention also includes embodiments having different combinations of features and embodiments that do not include all of the described features. Accordingly, the scope of the present invention is intended to embrace all such alternatives, modifications, and variations as fall within the scope of the claims, together with all equivalents thereof.
What has been described above includes examples of the claimed subject matter. It is, of course, not possible to describe every conceivable combination of components or methodologies for purposes of describing the claimed subject matter, but one of ordinary skill in the art may recognize that many further combinations and permutations of the claimed subject matter are possible. Accordingly, the claimed subject matter is intended to embrace all such alterations, modifications and variations that fall within the spirit and scope of the appended claims. Furthermore, to the extent that the term “includes” is used in either the detailed description or the claims, such term is intended to be inclusive in a manner similar to the term “comprising” as “comprising” is interpreted when employed as a transitional word in a claim.
The present application claims priority to, and the benefit of, U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/440,579, which was filed on Jan. 23, 2023, and is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 63440579 | Jan 2023 | US |
