Adjustable serving tray

[0002] The invention relates to a stroller and particularly to an adjustable serving tray for a double-seat stroller.

[0003] Strollers are mostly made in a single seat fashion. However, parents who have two small children generally choose a double-seated stroller when taking the children outdoors together. There are generally two types of double-seated strollers now available on the market. One type has two seats arranged abreast such as U.S. Pat. No. DES. 418,780. It has a greater width than the single seat stroller and thus has many constraints while moving—for example, it is not easy to pass a door—therefore it is not widely accepted. Another type has two seats arranged in a front and a rear manner such as the one disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,241,273. Its width is the same as the single seat stroller, thus is more convenient to use and more popular. To support two seats in the front and rear manner, it has a top tube to connect the frame and also to serve as the armrest to confine the children. In addition, in order to increase the usefulness of the stroller, the double-seated stroller generally has a serving tray located on the front seat for holding food and drinks for the children. However, due to the limited length of the frame, the rear seat has a constraint space. When the serving tray is installed on the rear seat, it is difficult to seat the child. Hence the serving tray must be removed before seating the child, and installed after the child is seated. This is inconvenient.

[0004] In view of the aforesaid disadvantages, the primary object of the invention is to provide an adjustable serving tray that mainly includes an anchor apparatus on the armrests at two sides of the stroller. The inner side of the armrests has a retaining flute, and two sides of the serving tray each have a coupling section, which includes an anchor trough and a latch lug. When used in normal conditions, the anchor trough of the serving tray is latched on the anchor apparatus of the armrest and the latch lug is wedged in the flute on the inner side of the armrest to form an anchoring condition. When adjusting the serving tray, the anchor apparatus may be released, and the serving tray may be slid forwards to form a larger entrance space to seat the child. Thus the invention enables a child to be seated on the rear seat by adjusting the position of the serving tray without removing the serving tray. It is thus more convenient to use.

[0005] Another object of the invention is to couple the serving tray with the armrest on a corresponding pivotal point located on the armrest. When seating a child on the second seat in the rear, the serving tray may be swung upward to form a larger entrance space to make seating the child easier.

[0006] The foregoing, as well as additional objects, features and advantages of the invention will be more readily apparent from the following detailed description, which proceeds with reference to the accompanying which are given by way of illustration only, and thus are not limitative of the present invention.

[0007] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the invention.

[0008] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the invention with the serving tray detached.

[0009] FIG. 3 is a front view and a side view of the serving tray of the invention.

[0010] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the serving tray coupled with the armrests according to the invention.

[0011] FIG. 5 is a schematic view of moving the serving tray on the armrest according to the invention.

[0012] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the invention with the frame in a folded condition.

[0013] FIG. 7 is a schematic view of another embodiment of the invention in a moving condition.

[0014] Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the adjustable serving tray according to the invention is mounted onto a frame 1 of a double-seated stroller that has a first seat section 3 and a second seat section 4. The frame 1 includes at least a handle tube 11, a pair of armrests 5, a front wheel tube 12, a rear wheel tube 13, a release mechanism 14 and a seat linkage bar 20 that are pivotally engaged with one another. There is a backrest tube 15 to segment the first seat section 3 in the front and the second seat section 4 in the rear. When the release mechanism 14 is released and latched, the frame 1 may be extended to a usage condition and a folding condition (as shown in FIG. 6).

[0015] The armrests 5 each have a top surface 51 at the second seat section with a housing hole 52 formed thereon. The housing hole 52 holds an anchor apparatus 53. The armrests 5 further have an inner side with a through retaining flute 54 formed thereon.

[0016] The anchor apparatus 53 includes a compression spring 531 and a pushbutton 532. The compression spring 531 is housed in the housing hole 52 of the armrest 5 and the pushbutton 532 is movable in the housing hole 52. After installation, the compression spring 531 pushes the pushbutton 532 to extend outside the top surface 51 of the armrest 5. The pushbutton 532 has a hook 533 to prevent the pushbutton 532 from being pushed out.

[0017] There is a serving tray 6 (also referring to FIGS. 3 and 4) that has a body with a holding area 61 formed thereon and two sides each with a coupling section 62 with a notch 621 for coupling with the armrest 5. The coupling section 62 has a through anchor trough 63 and a latch lug 64 located on an inner side thereof.

[0018] Referring to FIG. 5, when the serving tray 6 is mounted onto the armrests 5 of the second seat section, the coupling section 62 couples with the armrest 5, and the latch lug 64 is wedged in the retaining flute 54 on the inner side of the armrest 5. In addition, the anchor trough 63 of the coupling section 62 is coupled with the anchor apparatus 53 of the armrest 5 to enable the serving tray 6 be held and anchored on the armrest 5 securely. When adjusting the serving tray 6, depress the pushbutton 532 to enable the pushbutton 532 to escape from the anchor trough 63. The serving tray may then be moved forwards. Meanwhile, the latch lug 64 is moving in the retaining flute 54 without being separated. Thus the serving tray 6 may be moved in a parallel manner without separating from the armrests 5. By means of such an adjustment, a desired space may be formed in the second seat section 3 to seat a child.

[0019] Refer to FIG. 7 for another embodiment of the invention. The serving tray 7 is pivotally engaged with the armrest 5 through a pivotal point 71 without the anchor apparatus 53 and the latch lug 64. When in use, the serving tray 7 is directly coupled with the armrest 5. When seating a child, turn the serving tray 7 about the pivotal point 71 to enlarge the entrance space for seating the child on the second seat section 4. After the child is seated, the serving tray 7 may be turned back to the original position.

[0020] While the preferred embodiments of the invention have been set forth for the purpose of disclosure, modifications of the disclosed embodiments of the invention as well as other embodiments thereof may occur to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, the appended claims are intended to cover all embodiments which do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention.