초록 ▼

A reading tray for mounting on an aircraft seat includes: (a) a substantially planar top side and bottom side; the top side being substantially parallel to the opposite, bottom side; (b) a space in the center of the top side extending partially through the tray; (c) a support panel that is removably

A reading tray for mounting on an aircraft seat includes: (a) a substantially planar top side and bottom side; the top side being substantially parallel to the opposite, bottom side; (b) a space in the center of the top side extending partially through the tray; (c) a support panel that is removably insertable in the space; and (d) an arm support assembly connected to the support panel for supporting the support panel in an open, inclined position, or in an alternate, closed position wherein the support panel fits closely within the space with an upper face of the support panel flush with the top side of the tray.

대표청구항 ▼

What is claimed is: 1. A reading tray for mounting on a seat, the tray comprising: (a) a substantially planar top side and bottom side; the top side being substantially parallel to the opposite, bottom side; (b) a space in the center of the top side extending partially through the tray; the space b

What is claimed is: 1. A reading tray for mounting on a seat, the tray comprising: (a) a substantially planar top side and bottom side; the top side being substantially parallel to the opposite, bottom side; (b) a space in the center of the top side extending partially through the tray; the space being bounded by at least four walls; (c) a support panel that is removably insertable in the space; the support panel comprising at least four panel walls; (d) an arm support assembly connected to the support panel for supporting the support panel in an open, inclined position, or in an alternate, closed position wherein the support panel fits closely within the space with an upper face of the support panel flush with the top side of the tray; and e) a track mechanism comprising at least one recessed, panel track on a wall of the space, and a panel-moving mechanism for moving a lower end of the support panel back and forth along the at least one track; wherein each of the at least four panel walls is adjacent at least one of the walls of the space when the support panel is in the closed position within the space. 2. A reading tray for mounting on a seat, the tray comprising: (a) a substantially planar top side and bottom side; the top side being substantially parallel to the opposite, bottom side; (b) a space in the center of the top side extending partially through the tray; (c) a support panel that is removably insertable in the space; and (d) an arm support assembly connected to the support panel for supporting the support panel in an open, inclined position, or in an alternate, closed position wherein the support panel fits closely within the space with an upper face of the support panel flush with the top side of the tray; and further comprising at least one recessed track in the tray, and a mechanism for moving the support panel along the track; wherein the support panel further comprises at least one support panel pin projecting from a side of the support panel, the support panel pin being slidable in the track. 3. The tray according to claim 2, further comprising: a substantially planar front side, rear side, left side, and right side; the front side being substantially perpendicular to the top side; the rear side being opposite the front side and substantially perpendicular to the top side; the left side being substantially perpendicularly oriented to the front side; the right side being opposite the left side and substantially perpendicular to the front side; the bottom side being substantially perpendicular to the front side, rear side, left side, and right side. 4. The tray according to claim 3, wherein the space is substantially rectangular in shape and bordered by: (a) a substantially planar first wall; (b) a substantially planar second wall substantially perpendicularly oriented to the first wall; (c) a substantially planar third wall opposite the first wall and substantially perpendicularly oriented to the second wall; (d) a substantially planar fourth wall opposite the second wall and substantially perpendicularly oriented to the third wall; and (e) a substantially planar fifth wall substantially perpendicularly oriented to the first wall, second wall, third wall, and fourth wall. 5. The tray according to claim 4, further comprising a support lever mechanism comprising a movable support lever, the support lever comprising two opposite, upturned ends, a first one of the support lever upturned ends being hingedly attached to the fifth wall. 6. The tray according to claim 5, wherein the support lever is adjacent and parallel to the fifth wall, and the support panel covers the support lever when the support panel is in the closed position. 7. The tray according to claim 6, wherein the arm support assembly comprises a left arm pivotally attached to the first wall at about a mid-point of the first wall behind the left track, and a right arm pivotally attached to the third wall at about a mid-point of the third wall behind the right track. 8. The tray according to claim 7, wherein an end of the left arm opposite the first wall is pivotally attached to a support panel rod and an end of the right arm opposite the third wall is pivotally attached to the support panel rod, the support panel rod extending transversely through the support panel. 9. The tray according to claim 8, wherein the support panel is generally rectangular in shape and comprises: a substantially planar support panel bottom side, left side, top side, and right side; the support panel left side being substantially perpendicular to the support panel bottom side; the support panel right side being opposite the support panel left side and substantially perpendicular to the support panel top side. 10. The tray according to claim 9, wherein the support panel further comprises: a substantially planar support panel upper face and lower face; the support panel bottom side being substantially perpendicular to the support panel upper face; and the support panel lower face being substantially perpendicular to the support panel bottom side, the support panel left side, and the support panel right side. 11. The tray according to claim 10, wherein an edge between the support panel lower face and the support panel bottom side contacts one upturned end of the support lever as the support panel approaches the inclined position, which moves the opposite end of the support lever up. 12. The tray according to claim 11, wherein the first wall comprises at least one recessed, left track and the third wall comprises a matching, recessed right track, each of the tracks comprising a detent at an end of each of the tracks. 13. The tray according to claim 12, wherein a first one of the support panel pins protrudes from the support panel left side, and a corresponding, second one of the support panel pins protrudes from the support panel right side, and the support panel removably locks into the open, inclined position when the first support panel pin enters the first track detent and the second support panel pin enters the second track detent. 14. The tray according to claim 7, further comprising a finger well in the top side of the tray, the finger well being adjacent to an upper end of the support panel when the support panel is within the space. 15. The tray according to claim 8, further comprising substantially parallel ridges on the top side of the tray adjacent to the front side and the rear side of the tray. 16. The tray according to claim 2, further comprising a generally rectangular-shaped page holder flap attached to the support front face by a page holder spring. 17. The tray according to claim 2, further comprising a slidable extension slidable into and out of the left side or the right side of the tray. 18. The tray according to claim 17, further comprising a pen recess in the top side of the tray between the space and the rear side. 19. A reading tray for mounting on a seat, the tray comprising: (a) a substantially planar top side and bottom side; the top side being substantially parallel to the opposite, bottom side; (b) a space in the center of the top side extending partially through the tray; (c) a support panel that is removably insertable in the space; and (d) an arm support assembly connected to the support panel for supporting the support panel in an open, inclined position, or in an alternate, closed position wherein the support panel fits closely within the space with an upper face of the support panel flush with the top side of the tray; wherein the arm support assembly comprises at least two telescoping arms and each telescoping arm comprises: (a) a lower arm section; (b) an upper arm section slidable into the lower arm section; and (c) an arm locking mechanism for locking the upper arm section into a position within the lower arm section.