US4643381A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Dashboard tray
Assignee: ROGERS MERCHANDISING Inc
•
Filing: 1985-01-28
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Granted: 1987-02-17
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Expires: 2005-01-28
Abstract
Abstract A removably mountable and selectively positionable dashboard tray for holding food, utensils, debris, spillage or the like having an aperture specially adapted for releasable retentive engagement to a footholder for a footed cup or cupholder. Continuous upraised rims extend from both the outer edge of the dashboard tray and that portion of the dashboard tray which is adjacent to the aperture. The aperture adaptations include centering lugs and co-located shoulders in which a circle may be circumscribed whose diameter is smaller than the footholder. The centering lugs project into the aperture so that when the footholder is engaged herewith, the lugs flex away from the axis of the footholder to provide a releasable snap fit of the tray to the footholder.
Inventors
- 👤 Leon M. Levy
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 15:14
CPC Classifications
A; A47; A47G; A47G23/00; A47G23/06; A47G19/00; A47G19/02; A47G19/06; B; B60; B60N; B60N3/00; B60N3/001; B60N3/002
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 23
Claim 1
Independent Claim
95 words
A removably mountable and selectively positionable tray device for use with a footholder for a footed beverage container, comprising in operative combination: a planar surface having an aperture therein; said aperture being adapted to engage said footholder in releasable retentive engagement and to permit selective positioning of said planar surface in a desired angular position with respect to the axis of the footholder while remaining substantially coplanar therewith; a continuous upraised rim extending from the outer edge of said planar surface; and a continuous upraised rim extending from the said planar surface adjacent said aperture.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
95 words
A removably mountable and selectively positionable tray device for use with a footholder for a footed beverage container, comprising in operative combination: a planar surface having an aperture therein; said aperture being adapted to engage said footholder in releasable retentive engagement and to permit selective positioning of said planar surface in a desired angular position with respect to the axis of the footholder while remaining substantially coplanar therewith; a continuous upraised rim extending from the outer edge of said planar surface; and a continuous upraised rim extending from the said planar surface adjacent said aperture.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
12 words
A tray device of claim 1 wherein said aperture is substantially circular.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
13 words
A tray device of claim 1 wherein said planar surface is substantially rectangular.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
17 words
A tray device of claim 1 wherein said aperture is positioned off center within said planar surface.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
12 words
A tray device of claim 4 wherein said aperture is substantially circular.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
13 words
A tray device of claim 5 wherein said planar surface is substantially rectangular.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
172 words
A removably mountable and selectively positionable tray device for use with a footholder for a footed beverage container for receiving foodstuffs, utensils, spillage or debris, comprising in operative combination: a. a planar surface having an aperture therein; b. said aperture being adapted to engage said footholder in releasable retentive engagement and to permit selective position of said planar surface in a desired angular position with respect to the axis of the footholder while remaining substantially coplanar therewith; c. a continuous upraised rim extending from the outer edge of said planar surface; d. a continuous upraised rim extending from the said planar surface adjacent said aperture; and e. said releasable retentive engagement and selective positioning of the planar surface is provided by a plurality of centering lugs in which a circle may be circumscribed whose diameter is smaller than the diameter of the footholder, said centering lugs projecting into said aperture whereby when said footholder is engaged with said planar surface said centering lugs will flex away from the axis of the footholder.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
172 words
A removably mountable and selectively positionable tray device for use with a footholder for a footed beverage container for receiving foodstuffs, utensils, spillage or debris, comprising in operative combination: a. a planar surface having an aperture therein; b. said aperture being adapted to engage said footholder in releasable retentive engagement and to permit selective position of said planar surface in a desired angular position with respect to the axis of the footholder while remaining substantially coplanar therewith; c. a continuous upraised rim extending from the outer edge of said planar surface; d. a continuous upraised rim extending from the said planar surface adjacent said aperture; and e. said releasable retentive engagement and selective positioning of the planar surface is provided by a plurality of centering lugs in which a circle may be circumscribed whose diameter is smaller than the diameter of the footholder, said centering lugs projecting into said aperture whereby when said footholder is engaged with said planar surface said centering lugs will flex away from the axis of the footholder.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
15 words
A tray device of claim 7 wherein said aperture further includes a plurality of shoulders.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
15 words
A tray device of claim 8 wherein said shoulders are co-located with said centering lugs.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
10 words
A tray device of claim 7 having three centering lugs.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
9 words
A tray device of claim 9 having three shoulders.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
175 words
A removably mountable and selectively positionable tray device for use with a footholder for a footed beverage container, comprising in operative combination: a. a substantially rectangular planar surface having a substantially circular aperture therein positioned off-center within said planar surface; b. said aperture being adapted to engage said footholder in releasable retentive engagement and to permit selective positioning of said planar surface in a desired angular position with respect to the axis of the footholder while remaining substantially coplanar therewith; c. a continuous upraised rim extending from the outer edge of said planar surface; d. a continuous upraised rim extending from the said planar surface adjacent said aperture; and e. said releasable retentive engagement and selective positioning of the planar surface is provided by a plurality of centering lugs in which a circle may be circumscribed whose diameter is smaller than the diameter of the footholder, said centering lugs projecting into said aperture whereby when said footholder is engaged with said planar surface said centering lugs will flex away from the axis of the footholder.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
175 words
A removably mountable and selectively positionable tray device for use with a footholder for a footed beverage container, comprising in operative combination: a. a substantially rectangular planar surface having a substantially circular aperture therein positioned off-center within said planar surface; b. said aperture being adapted to engage said footholder in releasable retentive engagement and to permit selective positioning of said planar surface in a desired angular position with respect to the axis of the footholder while remaining substantially coplanar therewith; c. a continuous upraised rim extending from the outer edge of said planar surface; d. a continuous upraised rim extending from the said planar surface adjacent said aperture; and e. said releasable retentive engagement and selective positioning of the planar surface is provided by a plurality of centering lugs in which a circle may be circumscribed whose diameter is smaller than the diameter of the footholder, said centering lugs projecting into said aperture whereby when said footholder is engaged with said planar surface said centering lugs will flex away from the axis of the footholder.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
15 words
A tray device of claim 12 wherein said aperture further includes a plurality of shoulders.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
15 words
A tray device of claim 13 wherein said shoulders are co-located with said centering lugs.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
138 words
A system for intermittently retaining a beverage container with respect to a surface in a vehicle, comprising in operative combination: a beverage container having a pedestal and a foot portion; a substantially disc-shaped footholder having means for removably frictionally engaging the foot portion of said beverage container on one side and means for affixing said footholder to the surface in a vehicle on the other side; a planar surface having an aperture therein; said aperture being adapted to engage said footholder in releasable retentive engagement, and to permit selective positioning of the planar surface in desired angular position with respect to the axis of the footholder while remaining substantially co-planar therewith; a continuous upraised rim extending from the outer edge of said planar surface; and a continuous upraised rim extending from the said planar surface adjacent said aperture.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
138 words
A system for intermittently retaining a beverage container with respect to a surface in a vehicle, comprising in operative combination: a beverage container having a pedestal and a foot portion; a substantially disc-shaped footholder having means for removably frictionally engaging the foot portion of said beverage container on one side and means for affixing said footholder to the surface in a vehicle on the other side; a planar surface having an aperture therein; said aperture being adapted to engage said footholder in releasable retentive engagement, and to permit selective positioning of the planar surface in desired angular position with respect to the axis of the footholder while remaining substantially co-planar therewith; a continuous upraised rim extending from the outer edge of said planar surface; and a continuous upraised rim extending from the said planar surface adjacent said aperture.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
11 words
A system of claim 15 wherein said aperture is substantially circular.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
16 words
The system of claim 15 wherein said aperture is positioned off center within said planar surface.
Claim 22
Independent Claim
210 words
A system for intermittently retaining a beverage container with respect to a surface in a vehicle, comprising in operative combination: a. a beverage container having a pedestal and a foot portion; b. a substantially disc-shaped footholder having means for removably frictionally engaging the foot portion of said beverage container on one side and means for affixing said footholder to the surface in a vehicle on the other side; c. a planar surface having an aperture therein; d. said aperture being adapted to engage said footholder in releasable retentive engagement, and to permit selective positioning of the planar surface in desired angular position with respect to the axis of the footholder while remaining substantially co-planar therewith; e. a continuous upraised rim extending from the outer edge of said planar surface; f. a continuous upraised rim extending from the said planar surface adjacent said aperture; and g. said releasable retentive engagement and selective positioning of the planar surface is provided by a plurality of centering lugs in which a circle may be circumscribed whose diameter is smaller than the diameter of the footholder, said centering lugs projecting into said aperture whereby when said footholder is engaged with said planar surface said centering lugs will flex away from the axis of the footholder.
Claim 23
Independent Claim
210 words
A system for intermittently retaining a beverage container with respect to a surface in a vehicle, comprising in operative combination: a. a beverage container having a pedestal and a foot portion; b. a substantially disc-shaped footholder having means for removably frictionally engaging the foot portion of said beverage container on one side and means for affixing said footholder to the surface in a vehicle on the other side; c. a planar surface having an aperture therein; d. said aperture being adapted to engage said footholder in releasable retentive engagement, and to permit selective positioning of the planar surface in desired angular position with respect to the axis of the footholder while remaining substantially co-planar therewith; e. a continuous upraised rim extending from the outer edge of said planar surface; f. a continuous upraised rim extending from the said planar surface adjacent said aperture; and g. said releasable retentive engagement and selective positioning of the planar surface is provided by a plurality of centering lugs in which a circle may be circumscribed whose diameter is smaller than the diameter of the footholder, said centering lugs projecting into said aperture whereby when said footholder is engaged with said planar surface said centering lugs will flex away from the axis of the footholder.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1990-02-16 | 1990-08-18 | 1991-02-17 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1994-02-16 | 1994-08-18 | 1995-02-17 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1998-02-16 | 1998-08-18 | 1999-02-17 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |