US 5,390,798 AGranted

Food and beverage support tray with beverage vessel cutout

AssigneeG'-Ka International, Inc.

InventorGerard Yanuzzi

Life of this patent

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Abstract

The present tray has a base with an imaginary center line running from front to back and evenly distanced from the left and right sides. There is a first orifice through the top of the base biased to one side of the center line. This orifice is adapted to receive a beverage vessel and includes a cutout running from the side of the base to the first orifice to permit lateral insertion of a beverage vessel into the first orifice. There is a second orifice through the top of the base which is circular in shape and biased toward one side of the center line opposite the first orifice. The second orifice is adapted to receive a food plate. There is a first notch located on the top of the base on the front of the base near the center line. This notch is adapted to receive an area between a thumb and a first finger of a user. There is a second notch which is similar and located on the top of the base on the back of the base near the center line. The first and second notches are located opposite one another along the center line.

Claims15

Dependent claims

A tray for supporting food plates and beverage vessels, which comprises:

(a) a base structure being substantially flat and having a front and a back, a left side and a right side, and having a top and a bottom, and having an imaginary center line running from front to back and evenly distanced from said left side and right side;
(b) a first orifice through the top of said base being circular in shape and being biased to one side of said center line, said orifice adapted to receive a beverage vessel, said base also including a beverage vessel cutout, extending from the side of said base structure into said first orifice so as to permit lateral insertion of a beverage vessel into said first orifice;
(c) a second orifice through the top of said base and being circular in shape and being biased toward one side of said center line opposite said first orifice, said second orifice being adapted to receive a food plate;
(d) a first notch located on the top of said base on the front of said base near said center line, said notch being adapted to receive an area of a hand of a user between a thumb and a first finger when being held with the thumb on the top of said base and fingers on the bottom of said base;
and,
(e) a second notch located on the top of said base on the back of said base near said center line, said notch being adapted to receive an area of a hand of a user between a thumb and a first finger when being held with the thumb on the top of said base and fingers on the bottom of said base;
wherein said first notch and said second notch are located opposite one another along said center line.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 08/176,083Filed 30 Dec 1993 · continuation in part
Priority: 7 Nov 1991
Granted: 21 Feb 1995
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification4 codes

A47G 19/065
Plates with integral holders for spoons, glasses, or the like: with thumb holes, handles or the like enabling the user to support the plate from below
Y10S 220/914
Receptacles: container contoured to fit a body part
A47G
Household or table equipment
Y10S
Technical subjects covered by former uspc cross-reference art collections [xracs] and digests