U.S. patent number 3,795,020 [Application Number 05/256,067] was granted by the patent office on 1974-03-05 for portable, folding tray retainer and stand (multipurpose).
This patent grant is currently assigned to The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Air. Invention is credited to Hans B. Bartholomew, Maureen A. Hunt.
United States Patent |
3,795,020 |
Bartholomew , et
al. |
March 5, 1974 |
PORTABLE, FOLDING TRAY RETAINER AND STAND (MULTIPURPOSE)
Abstract
A portable litter tray holder and stand including a central
discoid member, a mounting arm having a horizontal portion rigidly
attached to the central member and a vertical-stand portion
attached in upright relation to one side of the litter; and a pair
of extension arms each having a horizontal portion pivotally
attached to the central member and extending over the litter to
terminate in a vertical-stand portion attached in upright relation
to the opposite side of the litter.
Inventors: |
Bartholomew; Hans B. (San
Antonio, TX), Hunt; Maureen A. (San Antonio, TX) |
Assignee: |
The United States of America as
represented by the Secretary of the Air (Washington,
DC)
|
Family
ID: |
22970987 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/256,067 |
Filed: |
May 23, 1972 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
108/49 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47B
23/02 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
A47B
23/00 (20060101); A47B 23/02 (20060101); A47b
023/00 () |
Field of
Search: |
;5/332 ;248/167
;108/49 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Gilliam; Paul R.
Claims
We claim:
1. A portable, collapsible and compact service tray holder and
stand device for mounting a food and/or medicine tray or the like
on and over a litter and/or other supporting structure in close
proximity to a patient, or other occupant or user, and comprising;
a central, discoid and tray-supporting member; a main, mounting arm
member having a horizontal arm portion providing further support
for the tray and being fixedly attached to said central member, and
a vertical arm portion integrally formed to said horizontal arm
portion and equipped with first, releasable means on the lower end
thereof for supporting and attaching one side of said central
member in vertically-upright relation to a side or portion of, and
over the litter, or other supporting structure; and a pair of
extension arm members each having a horizontal arm portion
providing still further support for the tray when in a second,
extended position of adjustment relative to each other and being
pivotally attached to said central member for adjustment between
both a first, inward, folded, closed and collapsed position in
stored relation against, adjacent and parallel to opposite sides of
said mounting arm member, and the said second, extended
tray-supporting position in substantially oppositely-disposed
relation to said mounting arm member; each of said extension arm
members incorporating a vertical arm portion integrally formed with
the horizontal arm portions thereof and oriented in and extending
over the litter, or other supporting structure to a
vertically-upright relation on the side of said central member
remote from said mounting arm member, and with second, releasable
means incorporated on the lower end of each thereof and attached to
the opposite side of said litter, or other supporting structure;
said central, discoid member consisting of jointed means for
interconnecting said main mounting and extension arm members in
respective rigid and adjustable relation thereto, and comprising; a
first, lower housing joint portion having a horizontal opening and
at least one arcuate-shaped slot for respectively receiving therein
in rigid, and adjustable and pivotal relation the horizontal arm
portions of said main mounting arm and extension arm members; and a
second, upper tension-applying means positioned over and in
indirect, and resilient contact with the upper surface of said
first, lower housing joint portion; said tension-applying means
having a peripheral portion extending downwardly in overlapping
relation relative to the circumference of said lower housing joint
portion, and incorporating first and second, resilient stop means
in periodic engagement with, and releasably and respectively
retaining the horizontal arm portions of each of said extension arm
members in a relatively taut relation in their substantially
oppositely-disposed first, closed and second, extended positions of
adjustment.
2. A portable, collapsible and compact service tray holder and
stand device as in claim 1, wherein said tension-applying means
comprises a discoid-shaped upper tension plate member adjustably
positioned to, and on top of said housing joint portion; and said
first and second, resilient stop means each comprises an extension
arm-receiving and downward-facing notch formed in
appropriately-spaced relation along a depending periphery of said
tension plate member.
3. A portable, collapsible and compact service tray holder and
stand device as in claim 1, wherein said tension applying means
comprises a discoid-shaped upper tension plate member having
resilient means adjustably attached to said housing joint
portion.
4. A portable, collapsible and compact service tray holder and
stand device as in claim 3, wherein the resilient attachment means
between said upper plate member and lower housing portion comprises
a tension spring element intermediately disposed between the
underside of said tension plate member and a centrally-disposed
recess formed in said housing portion; and a screw element attached
through said tension plate member from the upper side thereof for
engagement within and thereby simultaneously providing a guide
means for said tension spring, and adjustment of the tension being
impressed by said tension plate on said extension arm members.
5. A portable, collapsible and compact service tray holder and
stand device as in claim 4, wherein said central, discoid
member-jointed means further comprises a relatively short pivot pin
interconnected between and engaged in tight-fitting relation within
a first opening formed in the ends of, and thereby rotating in
simultaneous relation with, the pivotal adjustment of the
horizontal arm portions of each of said extension arm members and a
second opening incorporated in the upper surface of said lower
housing joint portion in alignment with each of said first-named
openings; said jointed means still further comprising an attachment
pin rigidly interconnecting the horizontal arm portion of said
mounting arm member in the said horizontal opening of said central,
discoid member-housing joint portion; said attachment pin and said
pivot pins extending further upwardly through the top surface of
said lower housing joint portion in resiliently-disposed contact
with the underside of, and thereby providing a floating-type
support for, and with said upper tension plate member through the
inherent action thereagainst of the said tension spring
element.
6. A portable, collapsible and compact service tray holder and
stand device as in claim 5, wherein the variable adjustment of said
screw element, relative to the tension spring element, is
automatically responsive to vary the tension being applied to said
extension arm members, through the said peripheral-resilient stop
means of said tension plate member, and said pivot pins in direct
proportion to said adjustment.
7. A portable, collapsible and compact service tray holder and
stand device as in claim 6, wherein the releasable means of said
vertical arm portions of each of the mounting and extension arm
members each comprise a flexible clamping device.
8. A portable, collapsible and compact service tray holder and
stand device as in claim 7, wherein said flexible clamping device
comprises a resilient tray clip contoured to precisely accommodate
each pole of a litter.
9. A portable, collapsible and compact tray holder and stand device
as in claim 8, wherein said horizontally-disposed arm portions of
said mounting, and extension arm members collectively incorporate
tray-bracketed restraint means in supporting relation thereto for
positively holding a selected tray thereon, said bracketed
restraint means being adjustable to thereby accommodate trays of
various sizes.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates generally to the field of service tray
supports and, in particular, to an improved combined portable tray
support and stand especially adaptable for use with a litter-borne
patient.
In the medical evacuation of litter or stretcher-borne patients by
air, heretofore, foods, medicines, dressings, instruments and the
like have been generally dispensed from and/or supported on service
trays either placed on the patient's chest or abdomen, on the cabin
floor next to the litter, or, in some instances, held by an air
crew member. It is readily apparent that such methods are
manifestly unsatisfactory for use with litter-borne patients both
from the standpoints of inconvenience and comfort, and from the
potentially unsafe conditions resulting therefrom. Thus, it is
obvious that a clear and present need exists for some means of
providing improved support for such service trays in the close
proximity to the litter patient that would be required for
convenience, comfort and safety.
Previously-used or proposed tray supporting means have generally
included either the upright stand frequently found in hospital
rooms and which is manually movable to a position adjacent to the
patient, or, alternatively, table-like members pivoted to the
hospital or patient bed itself have been employed. The relative
size, weight and obvious bulkiness of the former, and the need for
the substantial support of the hospital bed structure of the latter
clearly makes either method impractical for utilization with a
litter-borne patient, particularly when being transported by air.
Therefore, it is self-evident that an improved portable-type of
tray support is required, such as the tray support and stand
structure of the present invention, to be hereinafter described in
the following summary and detailed description, which combines
positive means for retaining the tray being supported thereby, with
an integral stand portion that is releasably supported on opposite
sides of the litter.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention consists briefly in a portable tray holder
and stand that includes a central, discoid member; a main mounting
arm having a horizontal portion fixedly interconnected with the
central member and a vertical portion having contoured clip means
for engagement with the pole on one side of a litter; and a pair of
extension arms each having a horizontal portion interconnected with
the central member and adapted to extend over the litter, and a
vertical portion having contoured clip means for engagement with
the other pole of the litter. The central member is uniquely
jointed in configuration to thereby specifically provide for the
pivotal attachment thereto and thus the adjustment of the extension
arms between an extended position disposed over the litter and a
stow-away or folded position adjacent to the mounting arm. The top
surface of the central member, and the horizontal portions of the
mounting and extension arms provide support for a service tray.
Resilient restraint means, to be described hereinafter in more
detail, are incorporated on the upper surface of each of the
mounting and extension arms to provide a positive hold on the
tray.
Inherent objects and advantages of the present invention will
appear hereinafter in the following disclosure, taken in connection
with the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a top/side perspective view, illustrating the novel
litter tray holder and stand of the present invention in its stow
away, or folded position;
FIGS. 2 and 3 respectively represent additional perspective views,
showing step Nos. 1 and 2 involved in the mounting of the inventive
tray holder and stand of FIG. 1 in supporting position on, and over
a litter;
FIG. 4 is another perspective view, somewhat similar to that of
FIG. 3, but showing a patient resting in the litter and with a food
tray being supported by the inventive tray holder and stand;
and
FIG. 5 is an exploded view, in perspective, depicting further
details of the inventive litter tray holder and stand.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring generally to the drawings and, in particular, to FIGS. 1
and 2 thereof, the new and improved combined litter tray holder and
stand of the present invention is indicated generally at 10 as
including principally a main, single mounting arm member 12, that
is supportable on one side of a litter, seen at 15 in FIG. 2; a
pair of identical extension arm members 13 and 14 that may be
mounted to the opposite side of the litter 15; and a centrally
and/or intermediately-disposed, discoid member 11 that
interconnects the mounting arm member 12 with the extension arm
members 13 and 14 in a unique and yet simplified manner to be
described in detail hereinafter with specific reference to FIG.
5.
The aforementioned interconnection between said mounting arm member
12, and extension arm members 13 and 14 is provided by the said
central, discoid member 11 being made jointed in configuration
through its inclusion of a lower, discoidal-shaped housing joint
portion, indicated generally at 22 and which has connected flat
upper and lower surfaces, at 23 and 24 respectively, between which
is combined in unique relation to each other, first, a
horizontally-oriented peripheral or circumferential and circular
opening 26 into which is rigidly attached the end of a
horizontally-disposed arm portion 12a of the mounting arm member
12, and, secondly, a pair of horizontally-oriented, identical and
oppositely-positioned peripheral or circumferential and
arcuate-shaped slots, one of which is indicated at 25, into which
may be attached for pivotal movement the respective ends of a
horizontally-disposed arm portion 13a and 14a of each of the
extension arm members 13 and 14.
The previously-described rigid attachment between the
horizontally-disposed arm portion 12a of the mounting arm member 12
and the housing portion-opening 26 is actually effected by the
engagement of a combined housing pin and pivot at 27 that is
interconnected within, and between the said opening 26, and aligned
openings formed in, or adjacent to, the end of arm portion 12a and
within the housing portion-upper surface 23. The pivotal attachment
of each extension arm member-horizontally-disposed arm portion 13a
and 14a within the circumferential housing portion-slots, as at 25,
may be respectively accomplished by means of similar, combined
housing pins and pivots, at 28 and 29, which likewise engage within
aligned openings disposed in, or adjacent to the end of each arm
portion 13a, 14a and within the appropriate location in the said
housing portion-upper surface 23. With this unique and yet
simplified use of the jointed housing portion 22 and, in
particular, with the horizontally-disposed arm portions 13a and 14a
being pivotally attached to, and disposed within the
oppositely-disposed arcuate and circumferential slots, as at 25,
the quick and easy adjustment of the extension arm members 13 and
14 within the said arcuate-shaped slots, as at 25, and between the
extended position of FIG. 2 and the stow away or folded position of
FIG. 1 is thereby facilitated and promoted.
The above-noted mounting arm member 12 further incorporates an
integral, vertically-disposed arm portion 12b to the lower end of
which may be incorporated a resilient litter or mounting and
clamping clip 16 that, in accordance with the unique teachings of
the present invention, has been especially contoured and therefore
made particularly adapted for the mounting of the said
vertically-disposed arm portion 12b in releasable, upright relation
on the pole formed on one side of the litter, at 15, as is
illustrated in FIG. 2, for example, which figure constitutes a
depiction of the first step or step No. 1 in the assembling of the
inventive tray holder and stand to a selected litter. In this
regard, FIG. 1 represents a showing of the stow away or folded
position of the invention, as noted hereinbefore, in which the
extension arm members 13 and 14 have been pivoted to their
collapsed positions adjacent to, and on opposite sides of the
mounting arm member 12. Thus, it is obvious that one key feature of
the tray holder and stand 10 of the present invention resides in
its inherent capability of being quickly removed from the litter
15, when not in use, and thereafter the extension arm members 13
and 14 being easily adjusted to their folded position of FIG. 2,
through means of the specially jointed discoid member 11, as
described hereinbefore. Until its further use is required, the
folded and obviously compact condition of the inventive tray
support and stand 10 may be located in a relatively out-of-the-way
position in the aircraft.
When it is desired to utilize the inventive tray holder and stand
10, the latter may be very easily brought to the litter location,
the extension arm members 13 and 14 manually pivoted in the arcuate
slots, as at 25, to the extended position of FIG. 2, and thereafter
the vertically-disposed arm portion 12b of the mounting arm member
12 may be initially supported in upright relation to one pole of
the litter 15, by the releasable engagement therewith of its
resilient and contoured litter or mounting and clamping clip 16.
Then, the extension arm members 13 and 14 which, at this time (FIG.
2), have already been adjusted outwardly to their extended
position, may now be mounted to the opposite pole of the litter 15,
through the releasable engagement therewith of the litter or
mounting and clamping clips, indicated at 17 and 18 as being
respectively formed on and adjacent to the lower end of each of a
vertically-disposed arm portion 13b and 14b formed on said
extension arm members 13 and 14. This constitutes the final step or
step No. 2 involved in mounting the invention to, and in supporting
upright relation on, a litter, as at 15. As in the case of the clip
16, clips 17 and 18 have been specifically contoured to exactly
conform with, and thus precisely accommodate the particular size of
the appropriate pole of the litter 15 in a relatively and
sufficiently tight-fitting relation thereto to thus provide an
appropriate support for a selected service tray, such as the food
tray, indicated at 19 in FIG. 4 as being thereby disposed in close
proximity to a patient 20 shown resting on a pillow 21.
To retain the above-described housing pins and pivots 27, 28 and 29
in their respective interconnecting openings provided in the
horizontally-disposed ends of the arms 12, 13 and 14 and within the
housing portion 22, the central member 11 also incorporates a
unique, upper tension plate portion, indicated generally at 30.
Tension plate portion 30 is resiliently attached to, and generally
maintained on top of, said lower housing portion 22, with its inner
surface therefore in resilient, contacting and supporting relation
on the top or upper ends of the aforementioned housing pins and
pivots 27, 28 and 29, through the use of a tension spring 31 that
is retained in contacting relation with the underside of the
tension plate portion 30 and is further positioned within an
appropriately-sized, recessed opening 32, formed in the lower
housing portion-upper surface 23, by means of a housing screw at
33. Additional pivot pins, at 34, are utilized to complete and
provide for the adequate resilient mount of the tension plate
portion 30 to the housing portion 22.
With the foregoing use of the novel tension plate portion 30 and,
in particular, by the selective adjustment of the housing screw 33,
the degree of tension being applied by the said tension plate
portion 30 to the housing pins and pivots 27, 28, 29 and 34, as
well as that being impressed thereby upon the horizontally-disposed
arm portions 13a and 14a, may be uniquely and easily controlled and
adjusted to that required for providing a desired degree of
restraint to the said extension arm members 13 and 14, both while
located in either stow away or supporting positions and
particularly during their pivotal movement therebetween. In this
connection, further restraint is provided by the use of peripheral
slots or notches, as depicted at 36, 37 and 38 as being
incorporated in a depending skirt portion 35 formed on the
circumference of the tension plate portion 30, as is clearly
illustrated in FIG. 5. Depending skirt portion 35 is designed to
overlap the periphery of the upper housing portion 23, when the
tension plate portion 30 is assembled thereto, and thereby
resiliently contact the upper surfaces of each of the extension arm
member-horizontally-disposed arm portions 13a and 14a, under the
action of the tension spring 31. With the use of the notched and
depending skirt portion 35, when the extension arm members 13 and
14 are pivoted to their stow-away or folded position of FIG. 1, for
example, their horizontally-disposed arm portions 13a and 14a
respectively snapped upwardly into, and positively engage within
the pair of closely spaced notches at 37 and 38 which are located
nearly adjacent to the horizontal end of the mounting arm member
12. In this manner, the notches 37 and 38 act both as a positive
restraint to the extension arm members 13 and 14, when in their
folded position, and as a positive guide means for quickly and
easily directing and automatically providing a definite indication
as to exactly when the appropriate stow away position has been
reached.
When it is desired to pivot the folded extension arm members 13 and
14 outwardly to their properly extended position of FIG. 2, for
example, a similar set of slots or notches, as at 36, which are
incorporated along the circumference of the skirt portion 35 at the
same relative and oppositely-disposed position, become operative to
engage with and provide a positive restraint to the
horizontally-disposed-extension arm portions 13a and 14a. Again,
the notches, as at 36, are so located as to provide for both the
previously referred to positive restraint on, and to further act as
a quick means of precisely indicating the correct extended
positions of the extension arm members 13 and 14, at which time,
the vertically-disposed arm portions 13b and 14b thereof have been
accurately positioned for the resilient attachment of the mounting
clips 17 and 18 thereof with the appropriate pole of the litter
15.
The combined tray holder and stand 10 also uniquely incorporates
means for positively and releasably retaining a selected service
tray, as at 19 in FIG. 4, on top of the previously-described
central discoid member 11 in simultaneous supporting contact on the
upper surfaces of the horizontally-disposed arm portions 12a, 13a
and 14a. For this express purpose, the said tray-retaining means
includes a resilient retainer clip, indicated generally at 39 as
being positioned on top of the horizontally-disposed arm portion
12a of the mounting arm 12, and a pair of identical resilient tray
clips, indicated generally at 40 and 41 as being respectively
affixed on top of the said horizontally-disposed arm portions 13a
and 14a of the extension arm members 13 and 14. Each of said tray
clips 40, 41 incorporates a base supporting clip-portion, at 42 and
43 respectively, that are directly supported to the arm portions
13a and 14a, and a resilient, direct tray-engaging clip-portion, at
44 and 45, respectively. With this simplified and yet novel tray
retaining structure, after mounting the combined tray holder and
stand 10 to the litter 15, as explained hereinbefore, the positive
emplacement and retention of a food tray, for example, as at 19 in
FIG. 4, in supporting relation on top of the discoid central member
11 and the horizontal portions of the mounting and extension arm
members 12, 13 and 14 may be quickly accomplished simply by resting
the tray 19 on the surfaces mentioned above with one side edge
thereof being centered on, and resting or resiliently engaged
against and within the retainer clip 39, and, thereafter, snapping
the oppositely-disposed corners disposed on the opposite side edge
of the tray 19 downwardly until they have been resiliently engaged
within the resilient, direct, tray-engaging clip-portions 44 and 45
respectively forming part of the tray clips 40 and 41. Of course,
at this point, the bottom surface of each of the above-referred to
corners of the tray 19 will be resting in supporting relation on
the base supporting clip-portions, indicated respectively at 42 and
43 in FIG. 5.
The above-noted retainer clip 39 may be further uniquely and
adjustably mounted for movement to various positions relative to
the horizontally-disposed arm portion 12a of the mounting arm
member 12 to thereby provide for the easier removal of the tray 19
and to accommodate trays of different sizes. To this end, the
retainer clip 39 incorporates an integral pair of spaced-apart,
elongated and parallel retainer clip-supporting arm members,
indicated at 46 and 47. The latter are slidably engaged within
relatively elongated cylindrical-supporting portions 48 and 49 that
are affixed, as clearly depicted in FIG. 5, on opposite sides of
the horizontally-disposed arm portion 12a. To positively retain
said elongated retainer clip-supporting arm members 46 and 47 in a
selectively adjustable position relative to, and within, said
cylindrical portions 48 and 49 and thereby provide for the
aforementioned variable adjustment of the retainer clip 39, a
retainer spring, such as that indicated at 50, is positioned within
each of the cylindrical portions 48 and 49 in surrounding and
resiliently-contacting and substantially gripping relation to each
of the retainer clip-supporting arm members 46 and 47 that are
extending therewithin. A screw and washer element, as at 51 and 52,
and at 53 and 54, respectively, may be utilized to retain said
retainer springs, as at 50, within the particular cylindrical
portion, as at 48 and 49. Thus, when it is desired to readjust the
spacing between the tray clips 40 and 41, and the retainer clip 39,
the latter may be rather easily slidably adjusted to the desired
position to thereby accommodate the particular tray to be supported
thereto.
Thus, a new and improved portable and combined tray holder and
stand device has been developed by the present invention and which
is both readily installed on a litter, and further both
incorporates a center discoid joint facilitating folding of the
device for storage, in unique combination with a positive,
bracketed restraint means for the supported tray. Moreover,
although the inventive device includes specially contoured spring
clamps for attachment to the opposite poles of a litter, it can be
easily modified for use in other applications, such as buses,
cafes, drive-ins, ships and trailers, without departing from the
true spirit or scope of the invention. Furthermore, the present
tray holder and stand, which is usable for suspending service
trays, such as that used for food, instruments and medications, in
a functional position, may be easily used in a similar manner to
elevate a patient's arm in a stable position and/or to serve as a
convenient and safe work area for supporting certain equipment
required to perform aseptic medical procedures, as for example,
catheterization or tracheostomy suctioning.
* * * * *