SERVING TRAY AND METHOD FOR ITS MANUFACTURE
A serving tray. The tray includes an elongate flexible handle mounted adjacent a reverse surface, the elongate flexible handle sized and shaped for securely receiving a server's hand.
The present application is a non-provisional application based on (1) U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/602,265, entitled “Serving Tray”, filed on Aug. 16, 2004; and (2) U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/656,701, entitled “Serving Tray”, filed on Feb. 25, 2005. The present application claims priority from each of said provisional patent applications, and incorporates each in their entirety by this reference.
TECHNICAL FIELDThis invention relates to manually held serving trays.
BACKGROUNDServing trays have been used for many years. Various serving tray versions have long provided their unique attributes for various tasks where it was desired to provide a carryable base on which objects such as food or beverage could be carried to a table or other location. In serving tray designs, the use of various concepts have been adapted to assure that serving trays are nestable and stackable, and that they are easily cleaned and disinfected. However, learning to correctly balance and use a serving tray, particularly when loading and unloading objects from the tray, is a skill which must quickly be mastered by servants such as waiters and waitresses.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGSThe present invention will be described by way of exemplary embodiments, illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which like references denote similar elements, and in which:
foregoing figures, being merely exemplary, contain various elements that may be present or omitted from actual implementations depending upon the circumstances. An attempt has been made to draw the figures in a way that illustrates at least those elements that are significant for an understanding of the various embodiments and aspects of the invention. However, various other elements of the serving tray, especially as various handle configurations may be adapted and included or affixed to the base of the serving tray, as well as different embodiments of artistic elements such as handle designs, may be utilized, in order to provide a robust serving tray with handle for securing a user's hand between the handle and the lower side of the base of the serving tray.
DETAILED DESCRIPTIONIn the following description, for purposes of explanation, numerous details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the disclosed embodiments of the present invention. However, certain of these specific details may not be required in order to practice the certain or other disclosed embodiments of the present invention.
The following description may include terms such as on, onto, on top, underneath, underlying, downward, lateral, and the like, that are used for descriptive purposes only and are not to be construed as limiting. That is, these terms are terms that are relative only to a point of reference and are not meant to be interpreted as limitations, but are instead included in the following description to facilitate understanding of the various aspects of the disclosed embodiments of the present invention.
The phrase “in one embodiment” is used repeatedly. The phrase generally does not refer to the same embodiment; however, it may.
The terms “comprising”, “having” and “including” are synonymous, unless the context dictates otherwise.
Turning now to
It may be advantageous in many situations to have provided a serving tray which makes it easier to balance and secure objects loaded thereon. As illustrated in
As shown in
The serving tray 20 has a peripheral edge portion 44, which in some embodiments may slope upwardly and outwardly. As better seen in
Shown in
Turning now to
As can be appreciated from
Further, as illustrated in
It is to be appreciated that the various aspects and embodiments of a serving tray as described herein are an important improvement in the state of the art. The resilient, flexible handle which in part defines an entry zone for securely receiving a server's hand, is simple, robust, and reliable configuration for a serving tray. Although only a few exemplary embodiments have been described in detail, various details are sufficiently set forth in the drawings and in the specification provided herein to enable one of ordinary skill in the art to make and use the invention(s), which need not be further described by additional writing in this detailed description.
Importantly, the aspects and embodiments described and claimed herein may be modified from those shown without materially departing from the novel teachings and advantages provided by this invention, and may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. Therefore, the embodiments presented herein are to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive or limiting. As such, this disclosure is intended to cover the structures described herein and not only structural equivalents thereof, but also equivalent structures. Numerous modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachings. Therefore, it is manifestly intended that this invention be limited only by the claims.
Claims
1. A serving tray, comprising:
- a planar member having an obverse surface, a reverse surface, a body there between;
- a peripheral edge portion extending outward from said planar member;
- first and second pedestal mounts, said pedestal mounts extending outwardly by a height H1 from said reverse surface; and
- a flexible handle secured to and between said first and second pedestal mounts.
2. The serving tray as set forth in claim 1, further comprising a plurality of feet extending downwardly from said reverse surface.
3. The serving tray as set forth in claim 2, wherein said feet comprise tubular cylindrical structures.
4. The serving tray as set forth in claim 3, wherein said feet are integrally molded in one piece with said planar member.
5. The serving tray as set forth in claim 4, wherein said feet further comprise one or more stiffeners.
6. The serving tray as set forth in claim 5, wherein said stiffeners have a shape comprising, in vertical cross-section, a rectangle.
7. The serving tray as set forth in claim 1 wherein said first and second pedestal mounts each comprise a cylindrical shaped object.
8. The serving tray as set forth in claim 1, wherein a fastener secures said flexible handle to each of said first and second pedestal mounts.
9. The serving tray as set forth in claim 8, wherein said fastener comprises a screw.
10. The serving tray as set forth in claim 1, wherein each of said first and second pedestal mounts have a fastener receiving aperture defined by sidewalls, further wherein said flexible handle is secured to said serving tray by a fastener affixed to each of said fastener receiving apertures.
11. The serving tray as set forth in claim 1, wherein said flexible handle comprises a thin, resilient strap.
12. The serving tray as set forth in claim 1 1, wherein said thin, resilient strap is secured to said first and second pedestal mounts by first and second fasteners, respectively.
13. The serving tray as set forth in claim 12, wherein said first and second fasteners are spaced apart approximately six inches.
14. The serving tray as set forth in claim 1 1, wherein said thin, resilient strap has a width W of about one inch.
15. The serving tray as set forth in claim 1, wherein said first and second pedestal mounts are arranged along a common centerline, and wherein said flexible handle has a longitudinal centerline, and wherein said longitudinal centerline of the flexible handle is co-linear with the common centerline of the first and second pedestal mounts.
16. The serving tray as set forth in claim 1, wherein said first and second pedestal mounts comprise tubular cylindrical structures.
17. The serving tray as set forth in claim 1, wherein said height H1 is approximately one-half inch.
18. The serving tray as set forth in claim 1, wherein said planar member obverse or reverse surface comprises a color.
19. The serving tray as set forth in claim 1 8, wherein the color is selected from the group comprising neon green, neon orange, neon purple, neon blue, neon blue-purple, brown, tan, or black.
20. The serving tray as set forth in claim 1, further comprising a liner on the obverse surface.
21. The serving tray as set forth in claim 20, wherein said liner comprises a colored liner, further wherein said colored liner is selected from the group comprising neon green, neon orange, shiny blue, shiny purple, or shiny brown.
22. The serving tray as set forth in claim 20, wherein said liner comprises indicia.
23. The serving tray as set forth in claim 22, wherein said indicia comprises advertisements or logos.
24. A serving tray, comprising:
- a planar member having an obverse surface, a reverse surface, a body there between;
- a peripheral edge portion extending outward from said planar member;
- first and second pedestal mounts, said pedestal mounts extending outwardly by a height H1 from said reverse surface; and
- an elongate handle secured to, and between, said first and second pedestal mounts, said elongate handle comprising a central portion having a loop portion of height H2 extending outwardly from said reverse surface, said reverse surface, said pedestal mounts, and said elongate handle defining an entry zone for receiving and securing a hand of a user against said reverse surface.
25. The serving tray as set forth in claim 24, wherein said reverse surface comprises a center point, and wherein said loop portion of the elongate handle is proximate said center point.
26. A method comprising:
- providing a planar member having an obverse surface, a reverse surface, a body there between, a peripheral edge portion extending outward from said planar member, a first and a second pedestal mount, said pedestal mounts extending outwardly by a height H1 from said reverse surface, a flexible handle secured to and between said first and second pedestal mounts, said flexible handle and said first and second pedestal mounts sized and shaped to secure a hand of a user against the reverse surface; and
- transporting items on said obverse surface from a first location to a second location while a user's hand is secured against the reverse surface.
27. A method for making a serving tray, comprising:
- forming a planar member having an obverse surface, a reverse surface, a body there between, a peripheral edge portion extending outward from said planar member, a first and a second pedestal mount, said pedestal mounts extending outwardly by a height H1 from said reverse surface, a plurality of feet extending downwardly from said reverse surface; and
- providing a flexible handle secured to and between said first and second pedestal mounts.
28. The method as set forth in claim 27, wherein said plurality of feet are integrally molded in one piece with said planar member.
Type: Application
Filed: Aug 16, 2005
Publication Date: Feb 16, 2006
Inventor: Ronda Heyn (Auburn, WA)
Application Number: 11/161,782
International Classification: B65D 1/34 (20060101); A47G 21/00 (20060101); B65D 25/10 (20060101);