Abstract: A lunch box including a tray and a removable lid with a rear, separable hinge assembly and a forward manually releasable latch assembly. The latch assembly includes a front panel on the tray with longitudinally spaced pressure pads and forwardly projecting detents which engage with corresponding detents on the depending front wall of the lid. Simultaneous rearward pressure on the two pressure pads rearwardly release the tray detents from the lid detents and free the lid for removal.

Abstract: A food and beverage tray for holding food and drink which is designed to be grasped in one hand of a user, wherein the user's thumb is placed on a thumb placement region on the upper surface of the tray and the user's remaining fingers grasp the tray along the bottom surface, which comprises a tray having a bottom comprising a beverage container recess and a continuous sidewall having a height which is lower adjacent to a beverage container recess located next to the thumb placement region.

Abstract: A food serving device and method for keeping different food items separated prior to their consumption. The device harnesses gravitational flow to allow desirable or undesirable liquids to flow to a receiving compartment (20). In a preferred embodiment, a cereal bowl (10) maintains the crispness of cereal by keeping the cereal in a separate compartment (12) away from milk or other liquid which is kept in liquid reservoir compartment (26). Liquid from reservoir compartment (26) gravitates through channel (38) to the receiving compartment (20). Cereal is pulled toward the user from the cereal compartment (12) and falls into the awaiting liquid in the receiving compartment (20). Additionally, the cereal in the receiving compartment (20) is geographically confined to limit its dispersement so a spoon can be used to easily scoop out a portion of the cereal and the liquid.

Abstract: Known trays for carrying beverage cups have three or four pressure panels spaced apart around the perimeter of each cell in a manner to hold the cup upright. In the tray of this invention each cell has only two opposing pressure panels, each directed downwardly and inwardly toward the central area of the cell, and each panel having two projections on its inwardly directed face appropriately spaced apart to provide four pressure contacts around the perimeter of the contained article. The pairs of pressure contacts are thus displaced outwardly in diametrically opposite directions by the contained article, so that round, oval or rectangular shapes can be contacted by each of the four pressure contacts.

Abstract: The present invention is a tray for supporting food plates and beverage vessels. It comprises a substantially flat base structure with an orifice through the top of the base which is circular in shape and located to one end of the tray. This orifice is adapted to receive a beverage vessel. There is a second orifice through the top of the base which is circular in shape located at the opposite end of the tray from the first orifice. The second orifice is adapted to receive a food plate. There is a first notch located at the front of the base, adapted to receive an area between a thumb and a first finger when being held with the thumb on top and fingers on the bottom of the base. There is another notch located to the back of the base, adapted to receive an area between a thumb and a first finger when being held with the thumb on top and fingers on the bottom of the base. In a preferred embodiment, the second orifice has a surrounding recess tapered to receive an outer rim of a plate.

Abstract: A stackable combination party tray for food, drink, utensils and napkins has a flat rectangular platform with two or more recessed food compartments, surrounded by an upturned peripheral retaining lip, one recessed compartment for holding a plurality of sizes of beverage containers, one recessed compartment for holding utensils and one recessed compartment for holding a napkin. These three compartments are each of the same depth and have flat bottom surfaces to provide three points of support for permitting the tray to be supported on a support surface. The beverage container compartment extends a distance below the bottom surface of the rectangular platform a distance sufficient to allow a person's hand to grip the tray. Thus, one's tray and drink can be held in one hand.

Abstract: A paper plate (1) is provided which is pressure formed from a substantially rectangularly contoured paper board blank having corner sections. The corner sections include a plurality of fanned indentations (2) with the paper board blank being fabricated into the paper plate (1) through pressure formation. The fanned indentations (2) form corner creases after the paper plate (1) is pressure formed. Additionally, the pressure plate (1) defines rib members (5) which divide the paper plate (1) into individual compartments. A plurality of crescent contoured indentations (3) are provided on the paper board blank with the crescent contoured indentations (3) forming a stiffening fold member (6) which lies adjacent to and spans a top surface of a respective pressure formed rib member (5) to provide a double layer of paper board adjacent the respective rib member (5) for resisting deformation of the paper plate (1) when loads are applied.

Abstract: A food plate has one or more openings formed through a central portion thereof for receiving a container, such as for holding beverages, food, or other items. A raised ridge is formed about the opening to prevent food from spilling off. In a first embodiment, the container has an outer surface which tapers from a smaller diameter lower end to a larger diameter upper end. In a second embodiment, a flange portion is provided on the outer surface of the container having a diameter which is greater than the diameter of the first opening. A slot may be formed from the outer peripheral edge of the food plate to the first opening to accommodate stemware styled containers. A raised ridge may be formed on or in the central portion of the food plate, extending completely about the slot to prevent food from spilling off. A second opening may be formed through the central portion of the food plate for receiving the end of a thumb therein.

Abstract: Disclosed is a lap tray 10 particularly suited to be used by a person who has a lap belt 32 strapped around the lower torso. The lap tray 10 includes a flat panel 12 having an opening 26 in the panel adapted to receive a cup. A guard member 22 attached by a hinge 24 to the panel 12 may be folded inward towards the panel during storage, and unfolded outward towards the user during use. The underside 22a of the unfolded guard 22 rest against the user's lower torso with the tray 10 on the user's lap, and a clip 30 on the underside 22a of the guard 22 is attached to the lap belt 32 worn by the user. The perimeter of the panel 12 and the opening 26 are raised to provide walls sections 18 through 21 and wall section 28, respectively.

Abstract: A cereal bowl having separate cereal and milk compartments, with a valve permitting emptying the contents of the milk container into the cereal container. Separate lids are provided for the milk and cereal compartments. The cereal bowl enables young children to serve their own breakfast meals without spilling milk and cereal.

Abstract: A plate for serving food or holding other materials which contains a hole (35) at its center. The sides of the hole (30) are configured to hold a specific generic drinking vessel or specific generic liquid containing vessel, but will also hold other similarly shaped vessels. A recess (25), which surrounds the hole from beneath the plate, is shaped to allow the thumb and fingers of one hand to firmly grasp and hold the plate with or without the drinking vessel (40), (45) in place. The sides of the plate (15a) and (15b) are curved and sloped to allow the plate to be stacked with itself. The top of the recess (20) extends to the top level of the plate to prevent food from prematurely spilling over the plate's edge.

Abstract: A party dish includes a generally circular food receiving section and a cup supporting member comprising an extension from the food receiving section. The dish can be held in one hand thereby freeing the other hand for eating off the dish or drinking from the cup. The dish is made from a generally square stock of material having a side substantially equal to the diameter of the food receiving section.

Abstract: A dinner plate for serving, consuming and storing greasy foods, such as bacon, sausages or steaks. The plate has a central surface and a food-supporting plane raised above a portion of the central surface and having a plurality of channels for receiving greasy juices released from the food. The central surface is preferably inclined to facilitate drainage of such greasy juices to a lower side of the plate.

Abstract: A food bowl has a depression in its bottom for collecting the last of foods in the bowl. The depression is sloped and tapered, with a semicircular, concave end. Tipping of the bowls, to spoon out the last of the foods, is eliminated.

Abstract: A tray-like carrier for plates and glasses essentially consists of a plane, rigid platform. Several clearances or recesses allow receiving a plate and where called for a stemmed drinking glass. A grip clearance allows holding and transporting the carrier with one hand.

Abstract: An interlocking plate and cup set for use in casual dining so that one can hold a plate and cup with one hand. The plate and cup mate together so that the cup will be securely held to the plate and so that the mated combination can be placed on and removed from a flat surface without separation. The plate is generally flat and has an upper surface with a raised circumferential edge (12) for restraining food. The upper surface of the plate also has a cup-holding support (20) comprising a slot (24) extending in from the edge of the plate. The slot terminates in a concave cup-support area (22). The cup has a relatively broad base (30), a relatively narrow stem (32) extending up from the base, and a relatively broad liquid-holding body portion (34) extending up fro the stem. The body portion has a convex bottom surface (42) facing downward which is shaped to mate with the cup-support area in the plate.

Abstract: An interlocking plate and cup set for use in casual dining so that one can hold a plate and cup with one hand. The plate and cup mate together so that the cup will be securely held to the plate and so that the mated combination can be placed on and removed from a flat surface without separation. The plate is generally flat and has an upper surface with a raised circumferential edge (12) for restraining food. The upper surface of the plate also has a cup-holding support (20) comprising a slot (24) extending in from the edge of the plate. The slot terminates in a concave cup-support area (22). The cup has a relatively broad base (30), a relatively narrow stem (32) extending up from the base, and a relatively broad liquid-holding body portion (34) extending up fro the stem. The body portion has a convex bottom surface (42) facing downward which is shaped to mate with the cup-support area in the plate.