Portable customizable swiveling concession tray
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Concessions and beverages often lack a stable place in stadiums and theaters, leading to accidental spills or restricted hand use due to being placed on laps or arms, as existing concession holders are either fixed, lap-based, or require hands to hold.
Innovation Solution
A removably securable concession tray with a swiveling cylindrical connecting portion that attaches to pre-existing armrest cup holders, allowing adjustable height and 360-degree rotation for flexible positioning without obstructing hand use.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If concessions are placed on the user's lap or on the arm of a seat, then a place to rest concessions is provided, but the concessions are accidentally knocked over or spilled and hand use is restricted
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a tray as an intermediary object between the user's lap/arm and the concessions. The tray rests on the lap or arm while providing a stable surface for concessions, preventing direct contact that causes spills. The tray acts as a mediator that separates the unstable placement surface from the concessions, solving both the stability and hand-free operation requirements.
2Reliability
If a fixed concession holder is mounted to a seat, then concession stability is improved, but adaptability to different seating configurations is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a dynamic design where the tray can be positioned at different locations and angles relative to the seat. Rather than being fixed to specific points, the tray can rest on various parts of the seat (lap, arm, different arm positions) and can be rotated or adjusted to accommodate different seating configurations, maintaining stability while providing adaptability.
Solution Approach 2:
The tray is designed as a universal solution that can function with various seating arrangements. It can be placed on different surfaces (lap, armrest, different arm positions) and serves multiple purposes - holding concessions, allowing hand-free operation, and adapting to different user positions and seat types, making it versatile across different configurations.
3Ease of operation
If a tray with fixed position is used, then ease of operation is improved, but adaptability to different user positions is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The tray is designed with dynamic positioning capabilities, allowing it to be moved to different locations relative to the seat and user. It can be positioned at various distances from the seat, at different angles, and can be rotated to face different directions, enabling easy operation for users in different positions while maintaining tray accessibility.
Data Source
AI summary
A concession tray and container holder removably securable to a pre-existing container holder and which is connected to the container holder such that the tray and container holder can swivel or otherwise be movable about the connection of the tray to the seat. The connection comprises a customizable insert which can be of different heights such that the same tray can be connected to various different pre-existing container holders such as those of different seating configurations. The connecting insert is a generally cylindrical connecting portion having a first end configured for connection to the tray and a second end for inserting into the pre-existing container holder.