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Fold away laptop and keyboard table

Fold away laptop and keyboard table description/claims

This patent application is related to and claims priority from U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/884,314 filed Jan. 10, 2007.

The present invention relates, in general, to accessory tables for upholstered furniture and, more particularly, this invention relates to table trays for use while sitting in a chair, recliner, or couch, and stowable in a compartment inside or outside the furniture.

Prior to the conception and development of the present invention, it has been generally known in the prior art to provide foldable tray systems with certain furniture. Notable among these are tray tables for bulkhead airline seats such as one described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,944,552. These have typically been for holding food and beverages. Now that it is common to use laptop computers without a wired connection, and a desktop computer can have a wireless keyboard and mouse, users may wish to avail themselves of more comfortable seating while using their computers.

Folding tray assemblies that store under a chair or couch when not in use are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,717,375 and 5,035,464. These may interfere with the operation of a recliner chair. U.S. Pat. No. 5,352,013 discloses a removable table for a recliner chair that stores as part of the leg rest. It appears that it would be cumbersome to remove and reinstall besides adding considerably to the weight of the leg rest that must be manually raised.

U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,050,929 and 5,630,642 disclose tray assemblies which can be stored in the arm rest of an upholstered chair. Both of these designs would require being built into the chair at the time of manufacture. Neither these two nor much of the similar prior art are tailored to computer users and offer generally just a flat horizontal surface.

The present invention overcomes deficiencies of the prior art by providing a stowable tray assembly for upholstered sitting furniture which includes an elongated storage compartment adaptable to installation either inside or outside an arm rest of a chair and a vertical telescoping post anchored inside the storage compartment. In addition, there is a means for releasably locking members of the vertical telescoping post in a fully extended position. A short horizontal support member is attached substantially perpendicular to the unanchored end of the vertical telescoping arm, and a substantially horizontal tray support arm is pivotally attached to the free end of this horizontal support member. A tray table is rotatably attached substantially parallel to the axis of and along a portion of the tray support arm.

In an alternative embodiment, the tray table can be releasably locked at any desired tilt angle. In addition, a remote release mechanism is provided for collapsing the vertical telescoping post.

It is, therefore, one of the primary objects of the present invention to provide especially comfortable seating with a table accessory for those working with laptop computers and keyboards.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a convenient table accessory for upholstered armchairs or sofas that will not substantially detract from the appearance of the seating furniture when the table is not in use.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a chair tray system that is convenient to put into use but can also be easily repositioned for entering and exiting the chair without removing items on the tray.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a laptop or keyboard support tray for an upholstered chair that can tilt for ergonomic use.

An additional object of the present invention is to provide a tray accessory system which can be adapted to an existing chair or sofa.

In addition to the various objects and advantages of the present invention described with some degree of specificity above, it should be obvious that additional objects and advantages of the present invention will become more readily apparent to those persons who are skilled in the relevant art from the following more detailed description of the invention, particularly, when such description is taken in conjunction with the attached drawing figures and with the appended claims.

• Provisional Patent
• Utility Patent

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