Collapsible one-handed support for a plate and a beverage container

Abstract

A collapsible one-handed support for a plate and a beverage container includes horizontally oriented upper and lower rigid supports having a vertical hand-grippable connecting member attached to the supports at upper and lower articulating joints. The upper and lower supports are supported parallel to one another in a first configuration, and can be folded into a substantially flat stacked arrangement with the vertical connecting member therebetween in a second configuration. The upper support has a front section sized to hold a plate and the rear section of the upper support has an aperture therein defining an annular grip sized to receive a beverage container. The rear section of the lower support has a recess adapted to hold the base of a beverage container which is in coaxial alignment with the annular grip, allowing a beverage container to be inserted through the annular grip and seated in the recess.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 11/218,703 filed Sep. 2, 2005, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a combined plate and beverage container holder, and more particularly to a one-handed support for a plate and various size beverage containers which can be collapsed for compact storage.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

It often happens that refreshments are served at gatherings where table seating is not available for all guests, and the guests are required to awkwardly juggle a plate, a beverage, eating utensils and a napkin while standing. At a cocktail party, for example, the guest has to hold a beverage container in one hand and a plate with hors d'oeuvres in the other hand and rest the utensils on the edge of the plate. In order to eat from the plate, the guest must first find a place to temporarily set down the beverage.

Various trays and plates have been devised in the prior art which provide a means for holding a plate and a beverage, especially in situations such as cocktail parties where the guest often stands and moves about while eating and drinking. Task, U.S. Pat. No. 4,867,331, discloses a combination hors d'oeuvres, drink and utensil holder in the form of an oval-shaped plastic platform having various recessed compartments, with the beverage holder compartment depending downwardly from the platform and forming a handle for the user to grasp.

Torkelson, U.S. Pat. No. 5,607,077, discloses a hand-held support plate for serving foods and beverages comprising a rigid plate with various shallow recesses to hold food and drink. The plate includes a thumb aperture so that a thumb of a user can be inserted up through the aperture from the bottom of the plate to provide additional stability.

Xu, U.S. Pat. No. 5,947,011, discloses a plate formed from a rigid material having a shallow recess for food, a central thumb aperture, and a larger aperture sized to allow the passage of a cup partially therethrough. The user is able to place their thumb through the thumb aperture and use their fingers to grasp the cup in order to hold the plate in one hand.

Cinque, U.S. Pat. No. 5,950,856, discloses a combination plate and cup holder formed from a rigid plastic web having a recessed portion sized to receive and hold a plate and a circular beverage holding aperture having a sufficient diameter to hold a glass. The device also includes utensil and napkin holder aperture.

Representative design patents in the prior art include Morgan (U.S. Pat. No. D130,770), Waltman (U.S. Pat. No. D159,454), Chadbourne (U.S. Pat. No. D185,911), Gilbert (U.S. Pat. No. D195,527), Stageberg (U.S. Pat. No. D214,459), Raines (U.S. Pat. No. D221,035), Robinson (U.S. Pat. No. D226,125), Cox (U.S. Pat. No. D265,154), Powers (U.S. Pat. No. D293,767) and Beute (U.S. Pat. No. D290,919).

While many of these prior art devices may adequately serve their intended purpose, many drawbacks are evident in most of the prior art devices. Many of the devices do not provide adequate upper support for a beverage container sitting in the tray, making it likely the container may topple over when the tray is held in one hand. It would be highly desirable to provide a sturdy one-handed support for a plate and beverage container which would securely support many types and sizes of beverage containers without spilling, and which could also be folded for compact storage and re-used.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, it is an objective of the present invention to provide a one-handed support for a plate and a beverage container which is suitable for use at parties and gatherings where limited table seating is available.

It is a further objective of the present invention to provide a one-handed support for a plate and a beverage container which includes a means to accommodate various size beverage containers, including stemware such as wine glasses and champagne flutes.

It is yet another objective of the present invention to provide a kit for assembling a one-handed support for a plate and a beverage container which can be collapsed for compact storage and quickly and easily assembled at the time of use.

It is a further objective of the present invention to provide a one-handed support for a plate and a beverage container which includes a beverage holder having a stabilizing member to prevent accidental spills.

It is yet another objective of the present invention to provide a one-handed support for a plate and a beverage container which is economical to manufacture.

In accordance with the above objectives, a collapsible one-handed support for a disposable plate and a beverage comprises horizontally oriented upper and lower rigid supports having a vertical hand-grippable connecting member positioned therebetween. The lower support is preferably adapted for placement on a support surface. The connecting member is attached to the supports at upper and lower articulating joints so that the upper and lower supports are supported parallel to one another in a first configuration, and can be folded into a substantially flat stacked arrangement with the vertical connecting member therebetween in a second configuration. The upper and lower supports each have front and rear sections which can be approximately circular. The vertical connecting member can be attached to the rear section of the upper support, with the front section of the upper support pivotally attached to the rear section at their respective edges so that the front section can be rotated into a stacked configuration with the rear section. The front section of the upper support is sized to hold a plate and the rear section of the upper support has an aperture therein defining an annular grip sized to receive a beverage container. The rear section of the lower support has a recess adapted to hold the base of a beverage container which is in coaxial alignment with the annular grip, allowing a beverage container to be inserted through the annular grip and seated in the recess.

The vertical connecting member includes a plate anchoring structure pivotally attached to an upper end thereof when includes a fastening means, such as a tension clip, to secure the edge of a plate. The plate anchoring structure is positionable between a first position folded downwardly against the vertical connecting member and a second position extending upwardly therefrom approximately normal to the rear section. The rear section of the upper support includes an opening therein positioned proximate the vertical connecting member so that the opening extends from the aperture and is sized to receive the plate anchoring structure when the plate anchoring structure is placed in the second position. The vertical connecting member preferably has an opening therein sized to receive the plate anchoring structure when the plate anchoring structure is in the first position, allowing the plate anchoring structure to be disposed within the vertical connecting member for compact storage.

The rear section of the upper support can include a means to hold accessories such as utensils therein. In the preferred embodiment, the rear section includes at least one aperture tangential to an outer edge of the rear section providing an opening in the outer edge. An auxiliary accessory holder can be rotatably mounted to the rear section proximate an opening in the outer edge which is substantially flat and has an aperture therein tangential to an outer edge of the accessory holder to providing an opening in the outer edge. The accessory holder is rotatable from a first position juxtaposed with the rear section with the respective apertures aligned and a second position extending outwardly from the rear section with the aperture is available as an accessory holder.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein are set forth, by way of illustration and example, certain embodiments of this invention. The drawings constitute a part of this specification and include exemplary embodiments of the present invention and illustrate various objects and features thereof.

DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1 is a perspective view taken from the top and right of the collapsible one-handed plate and beverage support according to a first embodiment of the invention, with the support being in a configuration set up for use;

FIG. 2 is a side view of the support depicted in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is front end view of the support depicted in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a top plan of the support depicted in FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the support depicted in FIG. 1 taken from the bottom right;

FIGS. 6A-D illustrate the steps used in collapsing the support shown in FIG. 1 for compact storage;

FIG. 7A is a top plan view of the support in a collapsed configuration; and

FIG. 7B is a side view of the support as shown in FIG. 7A.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Although the invention will be described in terms of a specific embodiment, it will be readily apparent to those skilled in this art that various modifications, rearrangements, and substitutions can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. The scope of the invention is defined by the claims appended hereto.

FIGS. 1-5 illustrate a collapsible one-handed support 10 for a disposable plate and a beverage according to a preferred embodiment of the invention. As show in FIGS. 1-5 in which the support is in a fully extended configuration for use thereof. In the preferred embodiment, the main components are plastic, however any suitably rigid materials can be used. The support 10 includes horizontally oriented upper and lower rigid supports 12 and 14 which have a vertical hand-grippable connecting member 16 attached therebetween. The upper and lower supports 12 and 14 are supported parallel to one another with the lower support 14 preferably having a lower surface adapted to rest on a planar support surface. The connecting member 16 is attached to the supports 12 and 14 at upper and lower articulating joints 20 and 21 so that the upper and lower supports are supported parallel to one another in a first configuration (as shown in FIGS. 1-5), and can be folded into a substantially flat stacked arrangement with the vertical connecting member therebetween in a second configuration (FIGS. 7A and 7B). The joints 20 and 21 have sufficient tension that the support 10 maintains its position for use, and can be collapsed with application of sufficient manual force. As shown in the illustrated embodiment, the vertical connecting member 16 has a somewhat flat configuration and is laterally oriented with respect to the longitudinal axis of the support 10. The vertical connecting member 16 can be ergonomically contoured to facilitate manual grasping.

The upper support 12 has front and rear sections 17 and 18, which can have any suitable configuration such as circular, square, polygonal, elliptical etc. In the illustrated embodiment, the front and rear sections 17 and 18 are approximately circular. The front and rear sections 17 and 18 are preferably formed as separate pieces having approximately the same diameter. In a preferred embodiment, the vertical connecting member 16 is attached to the rear section 18, with the front section 17 of the upper support 12 pivotally attached to the rear section at the approximate center of the upper support 12 so that the front section 17 can be rotated into a stacked configuration with the rear section 18 when the support 10 is to be collapsed for storage.

The front section 17 of the upper support 12 is sized to hold a plate, and the rear section 18 of the upper support has an aperture 19 therein defining an annular grip 20 which sized to receive a beverage container. The rear section 38 of the lower support 14 has a recess 22 adapted to hold the base of a typical beverage container, such as a disposable cup or canned beverage. The recess 22 is in coaxial alignment with the annular grip 28, allowing a beverage container to be inserted through the annular grip 28 and seated in the recess 22. The annular grip 28 advantageously serves to stabilize a beverage container held in the support 10 to prevent spills.

In use, a disposable plate can be placed on the front section 17 of upper support 12. To keep the plate from sliding off the front section 17, a plate anchoring structure 29 extends upwardly from said rear section which includes a fastening means, such as tension clip 25, to secure the edge of a plate. The plate anchoring structure 29 can be pivotally attached to the upper end 31 of the vertical connecting member 16 which allows the plate anchoring structure 29 is positionable between a first position folded downwardly against the vertical connecting member 16 and a second position extending upwardly approximately normal to the rear section 18. In the preferred embodiment, the plate anchoring structure 29 is attached to the vertical connecting member 16 using a series of interlocking gears 58 (shown in FIG. 5) which allow the plate anchoring structure 29 to be freely positionable between approximately 0-180°. The rear section 18 of the upper support 12 includes a slotted opening 42 positioned proximate the vertical connecting member 16 extending from the aperture 19 along the longitudinal axis of the support 10 which is sized to receive the plate anchoring structure 29 when it is extended to an upward position. The vertical connecting member 16 preferably has an opening or recess therein sized to receive the plate anchoring structure 29 when the plate anchoring structure is folded to the first, folded position. In the illustrated embodiment, the vertical connecting member 16 has a rectangular aperture 39 which allows the plate anchoring structure 29 to be disposed within the vertical connecting member 16 for compact storage.

The design of the support 10 advantageously allows the support 10 to be placed on a flat support surface, e.g. a table. The front section 48 of the lower support 14 is therefore configured to provide stability to the support 10. In the illustrated embodiment, the front section 48 of the lower support his approximately identical in configuration to the front section 17 of the upper support, in this case approximately circular. The front section 48 of the lower support 14 as shown in the illustrated embodiment also provides a surface for a user to place other items, such as a napkin.

FIGS. 6A-D illustrate the steps used in collapsing the support 10 for compact storage of the support 10. As shown in FIG. 6A, the plate anchoring structure 29 is pivoted downward through the opening 42 and aperture 19. In FIG. 6B, the plate anchoring structure is shown disposed within the vertical connecting member 16. As shown in FIG. 6C, the front section 17 of the upper support can now be rotated into coextensive alignment with the rear section 18 of the upper support. As shown in FIG. 6D, pressure can then be applied to the support to fold collapse the support at the articulating joints 20 and 21. FIGS. 7A and 7B illustrate the support 10 in a fully collapsed configuration. This flat, compact configuration advantageously allows numerous supports 10 to be stored in a stacked configuration. To set up the support 10 for use, the reverse of the illustrated steps is implemented.

In the illustrated embodiment, the rear section 18 of the upper support 12 includes a means to hold accessories such as utensils therein. The rear section 18 preferably include at least one aperture 44 positioned near the outer edge 46 which serves as an accessory holder. The apertures 44 can be tangential to the outer edge 46 of the rear section 18 (as shown) in order to provide an opening in the outer edge 46. Similar apertures can be located in the front section 17 of the upper support 12 and the front section 48 of the lower support 14.

In the preferred embodiment, the support 10 includes a means to hold stemmed glassware such as wineglasses and champagne flutes. As can be seen in FIG. 1, an auxiliary accessory holder 50 can be rotatably mounted to the rear section 18 proximate the aperture 44. The accessory holder 50 is substantially flat and somewhat larger than the aperture 44, and includes an aperture 52 having approximately the same diameter as the aperture 52. The aperture 52 is tangential to the outer edge 54 of the accessory holder 50 to provide an opening in the outer edge 54. The accessory holder 50 is positioned to be rotatable from a first position juxtaposed with the rear section 18 with the respective apertures 44 and 52 in alignment, and a second position extending outwardly from the rear section 18 with the aperture 52 available as an accessory holder. In the second position, a stemmed glass can be laterally inserted into the aperture 52 and suspended therein.

It is to be understood that while a certain form of the invention is illustrated, it is not to be limited to the specific form or arrangement of parts herein described and shown. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes may be made without departing from the scope of the invention and the invention is not to be considered limited to what is shown and described in the specification and drawings.

Claims

1. A collapsible one-handed support for a disposable plate and a beverage, comprising horizontally oriented upper and lower rigid supports having a vertical hand-grippable connecting member attached to said supports at upper and lower articulating joints so that said upper and lower supports are supported parallel to one another in a first configuration and can be folded into a substantially flat stacked arrangement with said vertical connecting member therebetween in a second configuration, said upper and lower supports each having front and rear sections, said front section of said upper support sized to hold a plate thereon and said rear section of said upper support having an aperture therein defining an annular grip sized to receive a beverage container, and said rear section of said lower support having a recess adapted to hold the base of a beverage container wherein said recess is in coaxial alignment with said annular grip.

2. The one-handed support of claim 1, wherein said vertical connecting member is attached to said rear section of said upper support, and front section of said upper support is pivotally attached to said rear section at respective edges thereof wherein said front section can be rotated into a stacked configuration with said rear section.

3. The one-handed support of claim 1, wherein said vertical connecting member includes a plate anchoring structure pivotally attached to an upper end thereof and positionable between a first position folded downwardly against said vertical connecting member and a second position extending upwardly therefrom approximately normal to said rear section, and said rear section of said upper support includes an opening therein positioned proximate said vertical connecting member wherein said opening extends from said aperture and is sized to receive said plate anchoring structure when said plate support structure is placed in said second position.

4. The one-handed support of claim 3, wherein said plate anchoring structure includes a fastening means adjacent said upper support operable to secure a plate on said upper support.

5. The one-handed support of claim 4, wherein said fastening means comprises a a manually distendable tension clip attached to said plate anchoring structure and positioned and configured to grasp the edge of a serving plate placed on the upper support.

6. The one-handed support of claim 5, wherein said vertical connecting member has a opening therein sized to receive said plate anchoring structure when said plate anchoring structure is in said first position whereby said plate anchoring structure is disposed within said vertical connecting member.

7. The one-handed support of claim 1, wherein said vertical hand-grippable connecting member is ergonomically contoured to facilitate manual gripping.

8. The one-handed support of claim 1, wherein said lower support is adapted for placement on a support surface.

9. The one-handed support of claim 9, wherein said front section of said lower support is equal in dimension to said front section of said upper support.

10. The one-handed support of claim 1, wherein said rear section of said upper support includes at least one aperture sized for insertion of eating utensils therein.

11. The one-handed support of claim 10, wherein said at least one aperture is tangential to an outer edge of said rear section providing an opening in said outer edge.

12. The one-handed support of claim 11, further comprising at least one accessory holder rotatably mounted to said rear section proximate said at least one opening in said outer edge, said accessory holder being substantially flat and having an aperture therein tangential to an outer edge of said accessory holder to provide an opening in said outer edge, said accessory holder rotatable from a first position juxtaposed with said rear section wherein said respective apertures align and a second position extending outwardly from said rear section wherein said aperture is available as an accessory holder.

13. The one-handed support of claim 12, wherein said front and rear sections of said upper support are equal in diameter.