PLATE WITH HOLDER FOR A BEVERAGE CONTAINER

Abstract

A plate with a holder for a beverage container includes an upper plate member having an upper food surface, and a lower plate member attached to the upper plate member. The lower plate member has a notch formed therein for receiving and engaging a beverage container. The beverage container is held in a position below the upper plate member, and an upper lip of the beverage container can support the upper plate member. The notch in the lower plate member can include a substantially circular section having a diameter slightly less than the upper lip of the beverage container such that the upper lip of the beverage container rests on an upper surface of the lower plate member when positioned within the substantially circular section of the notch.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD AND BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to an apparatus providing a plate for placing food thereon, and a holder for holding a liquid container. One embodiment of the invention comprises a plate with a holder adapted to hold a plastic cup or other beverage container.

It is common at picnics, parties and other large social gatherings for guests to consume food and beverages while standing up, without a table or counter nearby on which to place plates and beverage containers. This can present difficulty for the guests as they have a plate in one hand and a beverage in the other, but no convenient place on which to set the beverage down in order to free up a hand to use for eating food from the plate being held with the opposite hand. Furthermore, food and beverages at such large gatherings are generally served in a buffet style, in which all of the food items are provided on one or more large tables. The guests stand in a single line and serve themselves by placing a desired portion of each food item onto their plate. Guests often have a beverage in one hand and a plate in other. Therefore, in order to place food on their plates, they must put the beverage down, but there often is not a convenient place for them to do so. Setting the beverage on the buffet table often results in another guest mistakenly picking up the beverage as their own, or the guest forgetting about his beverage entirely as he proceeds down the buffet line preparing his plate of food.

In an effort to overcome and eliminate the aforementioned problems, the present invention was conceived.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a plate with a beverage holder that allows the user to hold a plate and beverage with one hand.

It is another object of the invention to provide a plate with a beverage holder, in which the beverage is carried in a position that does not occupy any space on the upper surface of the plate where food is placed.

These and other objectives of the present invention are achieved in the preferred embodiments disclosed in detail below by providing a plate with a holder for a beverage container having an upper plate member having an upper food surface, and a lower plate member attached to the upper plate member and defining a space therebetween. The lower plate member has a notch formed therein for receiving and engaging a beverage container. The beverage container is held in a position below the upper plate member, and a rim of the beverage container supports the upper plate member.

According to another preferred embodiment of the invention, the upper and lower plate members are substantially circular and have substantially equal circumferences.

According to another preferred embodiment of the invention, the lower plate member includes a raised outer edge attached to the upper plate member.

According to another preferred embodiment of the invention, the upper plate member includes a raised outer edge attached to the raised outer edge of the lower plate member.

According to another preferred embodiment of the invention, the rim of the beverage container includes an upper lip extending outwardly from a top edge of the container, and the notch in the lower plate member includes a substantially circular section having a diameter slightly less than the upper lip of the beverage container so that the upper lip of the beverage container rests on an upper surface of the lower plate member when positioned within the substantially circular section of the notch.

According to another preferred embodiment of the invention, the notch also includes a substantially straight section in communication with the substantially circular section for receiving the beverage container.

According to another preferred embodiment of the invention, the upper and lower plate members are paper, plastic and/or cardboard.

According to another preferred embodiment of the invention, the notch is shaped and sized to receive and engage a conventional plastic cup.

According to another preferred embodiment of the invention, the notch in the lower plate member holds the beverage container at the center of the upper plate member.

According to another preferred embodiment of the invention, the rim of the beverage container includes an upper lip extending outwardly from a top edge of the container, and the notch in the lower plate member includes a substantially circular section having a diameter about equal to the top edge of the beverage container and slightly less than the upper lip of the beverage container, so that the upper lip of the beverage container rests on an upper surface of the lower plate member when positioned within the substantially circular section of the notch.

According to another preferred embodiment of the invention, the substantially circular section of the notch has a diameter approximately ninety-three percent of the diameter of an outermost extent of the upper lip of the beverage container.

According to another preferred embodiment of the invention, the substantially circular section of the notch and the top edge of the main body of the beverage container has a diameter of about 3.50 inches, and the upper lip of the beverage container has a diameter of about 3.75 inches.

According to another preferred embodiment of the invention, the notch also includes a substantially straight section in communication with the substantially circular section that has a width of about 3.25 inches at the point of communication with the substantially circular section.

According to another preferred embodiment of the invention, a plate and beverage container assembly includes a beverage container such as a plastic disposable cup, and a plate with a holder for the cup. The plate includes an upper plate member having an upper surface for supporting food thereon, and a lower plate member attached to the upper plate member with the upper plate member. The upper and lower plate members define a space therebetween, and the lower plate member has a notch that receives and engages the plastic cup, such that the cup is held in a position below the upper plate member.

According to another preferred embodiment of the invention, the upper and lower plate members are made of paper, plastic and/or cardboard, and are attached to each other by staples, nails and/or an adhesive such as glue.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Some of the objects of the invention have been set forth above. Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear as the invention proceeds when taken in conjunction with the following drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a plate with a beverage holder according to a preferred embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view of the plate of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is another perspective view of the plate of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is another perspective view of the plate of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is another perspective view of the plate of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 6 is another perspective view of the plate of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT AND BEST MODE

Referring now specifically to the drawings, a plate beverage with a holder for a beverage container according to a preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in FIG. 1, and shown generally at reference numeral 10. As shown in FIG. 2, the plate 10 includes an upper plate member 12 for placing food thereon, and a lower plate member 22 attached to the upper plate member 12. The lower plate member holds a beverage container, such as a conventional plastic cup 30, as shown in FIG. 1.

The upper plate member 12 can be a conventional plate made of paper, plastic, cardboard, ceramic, china and/or other material suitable for plates. The lower plate member 22 can also be a conventional plate, with an attachment mechanism such as a notch 24 formed in the plate member 22 for receiving and holding the cup 30, as shown in FIG. 3. The cup 30 can be a conventional plastic cup having a main cylindrical or frusto-conical body with a top edge 32, and an upper lip 34 extending outwardly from the top edge 32. The lower plate member 22 can be made of paper, plastic, cardboard, ceramic, china and/or other material suitable for plates, and preferably is made of paper. The upper plate member 12 and lower plate member 22 can be attached to each other by any suitable attachment means, such as staples, glue, nails, clips, and/or welding. Preferably, the upper and lower plate members 12, 22 each have upwardly extending outer edges 13, 23, respectively, and the plate members 12, 22 are attached to each other at the respective outer edges 13, 23. While the drawings show lower plate member 22 as being generally circular and having the same circumference as and being in general alignment with the upper plate member 12, it should be noted that the invention is not so limited. The lower plate member 22 can be various shapes other than circular, such as a U-shaped member, so long as it is capable of engaging the cup 30. Nor is it required that the lower plate member 22 have the same circumference as the upper plate member 12.

Preferably, the notch 24 is substantially keyhole shaped, and includes a substantially straight portion 26 communicating with the edge and a substantially circular interior portion 28. As shown in FIG. 3, the top of the cup 30 is aligned with the notch 24, and received by the substantially straight portion 26 of the notch 24. The cup 30 slides through the substantially straight portion 26 into the substantially circular portion 28, as illustrated in FIGS. 3-6.

The notch 24 is shaped and sized to hold the cup 30. The substantially straight portion 26 of the notch 24 has an entrance slightly wider than the diameter of the upper top edge 32 of the cup 30, and gradually narrows to engage the top edge 32 of the cup 30, and terminates at an exit communicating with the substantially circular portion 28 of the notch 24. The width of the exit “E” (shown in FIG. 4) is slightly less than the diameter of the top edge of the cup 30, however the plastic cup 30 and/or the lower plate member 22 can bend slightly in order to pass through the exit of the substantially straight portion 26 of the notch 24 and into the substantially circular portion 28.

As shown in FIG. 4, the substantially circular portion 28 of the notch 24 has a diameter “X” approximately equal to the diameter of the top edge 32 of the main body of the cup 30, and less than the diameter “Y” of the upper lip 34 extending outwardly from the top edge 32 of the cup 30. As such, the top edge 32 of the cup 30 frictionally engages the circular portion 28 of the lower plate member notch 24, and the upper lip 34 of the cup 30 rests on the upper surface of the lower plate member 22, as shown in FIG. 3.

In this configuration, shown in FIGS. 1, 3 and 6, the cup 30 is securely held to the plate 10, and a user can hold both the plate 10 and the cup 30 in one hand by grasping the plate 10 or the cup 30. The upper and lower plate members 12, 22 define a space therebetween such that the upper lip 34 can contact and support the upper plate member 12. In addition, the cup 30 does not occupy any space on the upper surface of the upper plate member 12, and therefore the entire upper surface of the upper plate member 12 can be dedicated to carrying food. Also, because the cup 30 is positioned approximately at the center of the plate 10, the cup 30 can be used to independently support the plate 10. That is, the cup 30 can be attached to the plate 10 and set down on a table or other surface and thereby maintain the plate 10 in elevated position. Furthermore, the plate 10, which completely covers the top of the cup 30, can serve as a cover preventing insects and other unwanted contaminants from entering the cup 30 and contacting the beverage contained within.

Preferably, the substantially circular portion 28 of the notch 24 has a diameter “X” approximately ninety-three percent of the diameter “Y” of the outermost extent of the upper lip 34 of the cup. In this preferred embodiment, the diameter of the circular section 28 of the notch 24 and of the top edge 32 of the main body of the cup 30 can be about 3.50 inches, and the diameter of the upper lip 34 can be about 3.75 inches. It should be noted that while the drawings show the notch 24 being substantially keyhole shaped, the invention is not so limited. Other shapes capable of engaging a beverage container can be utilized.

A plate with a beverage holder and a method of using same are disclosed above. Various embodiments of the invention can be made without departing from its scope. Furthermore, the foregoing description of the preferred embodiment of the invention and the best mode for practicing the invention are provided for the purpose of illustration only and not for the purpose of limitation—the invention being defined by the claims.

Claims

1. A plate with a holder for a beverage container, comprising:

(a) an upper plate member having an upper food surface and an under surface opposite the upper surface; and

(b) attachment means positioned on the under surface of the upper plate member for holding the beverage container, wherein the beverage container is held in a position below the upper plate.

2. A plate according to claim 1, wherein the attachment means comprises a lower plate member attached to the upper plate member and defining a space therebetween, the lower plate member having a notch formed therein for receiving and engaging a beverage container, wherein the beverage container does not occupy space on the upper food surface of the upper plate and a rim of the beverage container supports the under surface of the upper plate member.

3. A plate according to claim 2, wherein the upper and lower plate members are substantially circular and have substantially equal circumferences.

4. A plate according to claim 2, wherein the lower plate member includes a raised outer edge attached to raised outer edge of the upper plate member.

5. A plate according to claim 2, wherein the rim of the beverage container comprises an upper lip extending outwardly from a top edge of the container, and further wherein the notch in the lower plate member comprises a substantially circular section having a diameter slightly less than the upper lip of the beverage container whereby the upper lip of the beverage container rests on an upper surface of the lower plate member when positioned within the substantially circular section of the notch.

6. A plate according to claim 5, wherein the notch further comprises a substantially straight section in communication with the substantially circular section for receiving the beverage container.

7. A plate according to claim 2, wherein the upper and lower plate members are selected from one or more of the group consisting of paper, plastic and cardboard.

8. A plate according to claim 2, wherein the notch is shaped and sized to receive and engage a conventional plastic cup.

9. A plate according to claim 2, wherein the notch of the lower plate member holds the beverage container at an approximate center of the upper plate member.

10. A plate according to claim 2, wherein the rim of the beverage container comprises an upper lip extending outwardly from a top edge of the container, and further wherein the notch in the lower plate member comprises a substantially circular section having a diameter about equal to the top edge of the beverage container and slightly less than the upper lip of the beverage container, whereby the upper lip of the beverage container rests on an upper surface of the lower plate member when positioned within the substantially circular section of the notch.

11. A plate according to claim 10, wherein the substantially circular section of the notch has a diameter approximately ninety-three percent of the diameter of an outermost extent of the upper lip of the beverage container.

12. A plate according to claim 10, wherein the substantially circular section of the notch and the top edge of the beverage container has a diameter of about 3.50 inches, and the upper lip of the beverage container has a diameter of about 3.75 inches.

13. A plate according to claim 12, wherein the notch further comprises a substantially straight section in communication with the substantially circular section, and having a width of about 3.25 inches at the point of communication with the substantially circular section.

14. A plate and beverage container assembly comprising:

(a) a beverage container comprising a plastic disposable cup; and

(b) a plate with a holder for the cup comprising: (i) an upper plate member having an upper surface for supporting food thereon, and (ii) a lower plate member attached to the upper plate member with the upper plate member and defining a space therebetween, the lower plate member having a notch formed therein for receiving and engaging the plastic cup, wherein the cup is held in a position below the upper plate member.

15. A plate according to claim 14, wherein the upper and lower plate members are substantially circular and have substantially equal circumferences.

16. A plate according to claim 15, wherein the lower plate member includes a raised outer edge attached to a raised outer edge of the upper plate member.

17. A plate according to claim 14, wherein the cup includes an upper lip extending outwardly from a top edge of the cup, and further wherein the notch in the lower plate member comprises a substantially circular section having a diameter slightly less than the upper lip of the cup whereby the upper lip of the cup rests on an upper surface of the lower plate member when positioned within the substantially circular section of the notch.

18. A plate according to claim 17, wherein the notch further comprises a substantially straight section in communication with the substantially circular section for receiving the cup.

19. A plate according to claim 13, wherein the upper and lower plate members comprise one or more selected from the group consisting of paper, plastic and cardboard, and are attached by one or more selected from the group consisting of staples, nails and adhesive.

20. A plate according to claim 13, wherein the notch in the lower plate member comprises a substantially circular section having a diameter about equal to a top edge of the beverage container and slightly less than an upper lip extending outwardly from the top edge of the beverage container, whereby the upper lip of the beverage container rests on an upper surface of the lower plate member when positioned within the substantially circular section of the notch.