Tray apparatus
OwnerEarl A. Powellinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Tray apparatus includes a base tray having two compartments separated from each other by a hand hold portion. The two compartments each receive additional tray elements. One compartment is small, and is used to receive a beverage container of some type, and the other compartment is large and may be used for receiving food elements directly or for receiving alternate types of tray elements, depending on the type of food being served. The tray elements include cooperative locking structures.
Claims30
Tray apparatus, comprising, in combination:
- a base tray, including
- a first portion having
- a bottom,
- a side wall secured to the bottom and extending generally upwardly therefrom,
- a rim secured to the side wall and extending generally outwardly therefrom remote from the bottom, and
- tab means extending inwardly from the side wall at the rim and comprising cooperative locking means for securing a plate insert to the base tray;
- a cup portion, including
- a bottom,
- a side wall secured to the bottom and extending generally upwardly therefrom,
- a rim secured to the side wall and extending generally outwardly therefrom remote from the bottom, and
- tab means extending inwardly from the side wall at the rim and comprising cooperative locking means for securing a cup insert to the cup portion of the base tray;
- connecting means for spacing apart and connecting together the first plate portion and the cup portion and comprising a hand hold portion adapted to be grasped by a user's hand for holding the tray apparatus;
- and
- insert means securable to the base tray, including
- first plate insert means securable to the first plate portion, including
- a bottom,
- side wall means extending generally upwardly from the bottom for defining, with the bottom, a food enclosing area, and
- groove means in the side wall means for receiving the tab means of the base tray to lock the first plate insert means to the base tray as the first plate insert means is rotated relative to the base tray.
Tray apparatus for selectively receiving material, including food, or insert elements, comprising, in combination:
- plate means for selectively receiving material, including food, or an insert element;
- locking means for securing an insert element to the plate means;
- cup means for selectively receiving food or a container element spaced apart from the plate means;
- insert element means including an insert element selectively securable to the plate means for receiving material;
- and
- connecting means for connecting together the plate means and the cup means and adapted to be grasped by a user's hand for holding the tray apparatus.
Tray apparatus, comprising, in combination:
- plate means for receiving material, including
- a first portion for receiving food items,
- a second portion for selectively receiving food items or a cup,
- first locking means for securing the cup to the second portion, and
- a connecting portion for spacing apart and connecting the first and second portions and comprising a holding portion for a user's hand;
- and
- cup means securable to the second portion of the plate means, including
- a cup, and
- second locking means for engaging the first locking means for securing the cup to the second portion.
Tray apparatus, comprising, in combination:
- plate means for receiving material, including
- a first portion for receiving food items,
- a second portion for receiving a cup element,
- means for securing the cup element to the second portion, and
- a connecting portion for spacing apart and connecting the first and second portions and comprising a holding portion for a user's hand;
- and
- cup element means securable to the second portion of the plate means, including
- a cup element, and
- locking means on the cup element for engaging the means for securing the cup to the second portion.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.