Swiveling Chair-Mounted Tray With Locking Support for Outdoor Stability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Individuals face difficulties in eating or drinking while sitting outside or away from a stable surface, often resulting in spills and messes due to the need to balance food and beverages, which is inconvenient and embarrassing.
Innovation Solution
A removable tray device secured to a folding chair via a pinned hinge that allows vertical rotation and a swivel component for horizontal movement, featuring a lock mechanism and a support leg for additional stability, providing a flat surface for eating and drinking and convenient storage when not in use.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a traditional table is used for eating and drinking, then stability and comfort are improved, but portability and ease of transport deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The table is divided into a tray component and a chair component, allowing the tray to be detached and attached to portable folding chairs. This segmentation enables the stable surface functionality to be separated from the heavy table structure, improving portability while maintaining stability during use.
Solution Approach 2:
The tray component merges the functions of a traditional table surface with a portable chair system. By combining the stable eating surface with attachable chair legs and support structures, the invention creates a complete portable dining solution that provides table-like stability without requiring a separate heavy table.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a portable tray is attached to a chair, then adaptability and portability are improved, but structural stability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The tray component features localized reinforcement at critical attachment points including strengthened edges for hinge mounting, reinforced corners for bracket attachment, and a support leg structure that concentrates structural strength where needed. This allows the tray to maintain overall portability while having specific local areas of enhanced stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The attachment system incorporates movable components including hinges that allow the tray to rotate between storage and use positions, and adjustable support legs that can be extended or retracted. These dynamic elements allow the structure to adapt its stability characteristics based on whether it is in transport or use mode.
3Reliability
If the tray is made securely attached to the chair, then reliability is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The attachment system is pre-configured with alignment features including guide slots, positioning pins, and pre-oriented brackets that automatically align the tray with the chair structure during attachment. This preliminary arrangement of components simplifies the user action required while ensuring secure and correct attachment.
Solution Approach 2:
The attachment mechanism incorporates self-locking features where the act of attaching the tray automatically engages locks, clips, or friction-fit connections without requiring separate tightening or securing actions. The design allows the tray to self-secure to the chair structure through its own weight and the mechanical engagement of the attachment components.
Data Source
AI summary
A removable tray device is disclosed that offers a simple and easy way to eat or drink when sitting outside. The removable tray device comprises a tray component secured to a folding chair via a pinned hinge that allows the tray component to rotate vertically and a swivel component that allows the tray component to swivel horizontally. The tray component further comprises a catch or lock bracket on a leg of the chair which corresponds with a mating lock pin secured to a back edge of the tray component. Specifically, the lock pin of the tray component mates to and is secured within the catch or lock bracket to further secure the tray component to the folding chair when the tray component is in front of the folding chair or is to the side of the folding chair.