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Seat or armrest attachmentSeat or armrest attachment description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20060220423, Seat or armrest attachment. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
This application is a continuation in part of application Ser. No. 11/092,244 filed Mar. 29, 2005 entitled "WRITING PLATFORM SUPPORTABLE BY A CUPHOLDER AND METHOD OF USE". BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0001] The present invention relates to a portable and/or removable tablet arm or attachment for an armrest or seat. More particularly, the present invention relates to a tablet arm or attachment for use with a seat or armrest cupholder. [0002] Most modem theaters or large auditoriums provide seat or armrest cupholders to hold a beverage container or cup. In many theaters or auditoriums, the seat cupholder is located on an armrest of the seating structure. Many educational classes and seminars are now held in auditoriums and facilities having seat or armrest cupholders. The cupholders provide a place for an attendee or student to put a drink or cup. However, the cupholders do not provide a place to support a book, notepad, a laptop computer or other items. Embodiments of the present invention address these and other problems and provide advantages over the prior art. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0003] The present invention relates to a seat attachment for an armrest or seat cupholder. In embodiments disclosed, the seat attachment includes a cupholder sized and/or configured to fit into the armrest or seat cupholder. The seat attachment is secured to the armrest by the cupholder. In embodiments described, the seat attachment includes a tablet arm that can be used to support a book, a laptop computer, a notepad or other items. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0004] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a seat attachment of the present invention. [0005] FIG. 2 is a top view of the seat attachment of FIG. 1. [0006] FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the seat attachment of FIG. 2 taken along section line 3-3 in FIG. 2. [0007] FIG. 4 is a side view of the seat attachment of FIG. 1. [0008] FIG. 5 is a perspective illustration of a seat attachment including a tablet arm and tablet arm cupholder shown with the tablet arm cupholder exploded from the tablet arm. [0009] FIG. 5A is a bottom view of the tablet arm of the seat attachment of FIG. 5. [0010] FIG. 6 is a side view of the tablet arm and tablet arm cupholder of FIG. 5. [0011] FIG. 7 is a sectional view of the tablet arm and tablet arm cupholder of FIG. 5 inserted into an armrest cupholder. [0012] FIG. 8 schematically illustrates a tablet arm attachment having a standard sized receptacle and different size or shaped cupholders for attachment to different sized or shaped armrest or seat cupholders. [0013] FIG. 9 is a sectional view of an embodiment of a tablet arm taken through latches connecting the tablet arm cupholder to the tablet arm. [0014] FIG. 9A is a diagrammatic view of the tablet arm cupholder latched relative to an undersurface of the tablet arm. [0015] FIG. 10 is a flow chart illustrating steps for providing a cupholder sized or shaped for a seat arm cupholder. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS [0016] An embodiment of seat or armrest attachment is generally illustrated at 10 in FIG. 1. As shown, the attachment 10 of FIG. 1 includes a tablet arm 12 having a utility or work surface 14 for writing, reading, working on a computer or other activities. The tablet arm 12 is removably secured to a seat armrest having an armrest cupholder (not shown in FIG. 1) by a tablet arm cupholder 16 which as shown extends from the tablet arm 12. [0017] In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1, the tablet arm 12 includes a tablet body 18 having a first end 20, second end 21 and opposed sides 22, 23. Utility surface 14 is formed between the first and second ends 20, 21 and opposed sides 22, 23 of the body 18. The body of the tablet arm 12 is formed in an illustrative embodiment of a molded plastic unit. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the tablet arm cupholder 16 and tablet arm 12 are formed as an integral one piece, molded plastic unit, which is capable of nesting or stacking in a nesting manner with a plurality of similarly configured tablet arms. Alternatively, the tablet arm can be fabricated of other materials such as composite particle material, paper pulp material or other formable particular material such as wood, flour or starch pulp molding materials. [0018] As shown, the utility or work surface 14 of the tablet arm 12 is a substantially flat surface onto which a tablet, loose leaf paper, a book or a laptop computer can be supported. The tablet arm 12 includes a lip 24 that extends generally around a perimeter portion of the work or utility surface 14. The lip 24 forms a raised surface which aids in retaining material, such as a book and/or laptop computer on the work surface 14. In the embodiment shown, the tablet arm 12 includes rounded edges. [0019] In the embodiment shown, the tablet arm 12 is generally "L" shaped to form a generally rectangular shaped main body and an arm portion or extension. In the embodiment shown, the tablet arm 12 includes an arcuate or contoured surface 26 between the main body and the arm portion on a back side of the tablet arm. Although an "L" shaped tablet arm 12 is shown, the shape of the tablet arm 12 is not limited the particular shape shown and the tablet arm 12 can have other shapes such as a rectangular shape. The lip 24 extends about the perimeter of the tablet arm 12 to ends 27, 28. As shown, lip 24 does not extend along a back side 30 of the arm portion of the tablet arm so that there is a generally smooth flat end surface upon which a forearm of the user or student can be placed. Continue reading about Seat or armrest attachment... Full patent description for Seat or armrest attachment Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Seat or armrest attachment patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. Start now! - Receive info on patent apps like Seat or armrest attachment or other areas of interest. ### Previous Patent Application: Display frame for a seat cover Next Patent Application: Tent chair Industry Class: Chairs and seats ### FreshPatents.com Support Thank you for viewing the Seat or armrest attachment patent info. IP-related news and info Results in 0.14264 seconds Other interesting Feshpatents.com categories: Accenture , Agouron Pharmaceuticals , Amgen , AT&T , Bausch & Lomb , Callaway Golf 174 |
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