DETACHABLE SUPPORT AND SERVING TRAY

Abstract

A serving apparatus includes a serving tray, a detachable support, and a support stem extending from the detachable support. The detachable support temporarily assembles to the serving tray, which may be configured as serving tray for serving food or drink, or as an elevated serving platter.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent application Ser. No. 61/401,023, filed Aug. 6, 2010, the entire content of which is incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention generally relates to apparatus for serving and presenting food or drinks, and more particularly, to a detachable support and serving tray apparatus.

Some serving apparatus may not provide a stable support for holding a plurality of drinks in a stable manner. Some serving apparatus may not provide a detachable support that may allow the apparatus to be used as both a serving tray and an elevated serving platter.

As can be seen, there is a need for an improved serving apparatus that may allow the apparatus to be used as a serving tray having a stable support for holding a plurality of drinks or as an elevated serving platter.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one aspect of the present invention, a serving apparatus is provided, the apparatus comprising a serving tray, a detachable support, and a support stem extending from a bottom side of the detachable support and configured to temporarily assemble to the serving tray.

In another aspect of the present invention, a serving apparatus is provided, the apparatus comprising a serving tray, a tray slot formed in the serving tray, a holding structure, a support stem, a support, wherein the holding structure forms a top surface of the support, and wherein the support stem connects the holding structure to the tray slot, and a detachable support tab, the detachable support tab on an end of the support stem and configured to twistingly engage the tray slot.

These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following drawings, description and claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an oblique perspective view of a detachable support and serving tray according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an exploded oblique perspective view of the detachable support and serving tray of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an oblique perspective view of the detachable support and serving tray of FIG. 1 in a second configuration;

FIG. 4 is a detail bottom view of the assembly of the detachable support and serving tray of FIG. 1 in an unlocked position;

FIG. 5 is a detail bottom view of the assembly of the detachable support and serving tray of FIG. 1 in a locked position;

FIG. 6 is a side perspective view of the detachable support shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 is a top plan view of the detachable support shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 8 is a bottom plan view of the detachable support shown in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 9 is a cross section view of a detachable support and serving tray according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The following detailed description is of the best currently contemplated modes of carrying out exemplary embodiments of the invention. The description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merely for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention, since the scope of the invention is best defined by the appended claims.

Various inventive features are described below that can each be used independently of one another or in combination with other features.

Broadly, embodiments of the present invention generally provide a support and serving tray apparatus that includes a support for holding drinks or food items, the support being detachably assembled to a serving tray by a support stem.

Referring now to FIG. 1, an oblique perspective view of a detachable support and serving tray 10 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is shown. Detachable support and serving tray 10 may have a detachable support 12 assembled to a top side of a slotted tray 14, which may be configured to hold or support a drinking glass 16, for example.

Referring now to FIG. 2, an exploded oblique perspective view of detachable support and serving tray 10 of FIG. 1 is shown. A dashed line illustrates a direction of assembly of detachable support 12 to slotted tray 14. Detachable support 12 may have a detachable support tab 18 formed or machined on an end thereof, which may be configured to engage a tray slot 20, which may be formed or machined in slotted tray 14. Detachable support tab 18 and tray slot 20 may be complementary and configured to have interconnecting or interlocking elements Two arrows illustrate a twisting or rotating of detachable support 12, which may secure or cause detachable support tab 18 to engage tray slot 20.

Referring now to FIG. 3, an oblique perspective view of detachable support and serving tray 10 of FIG. 1 is shown in a second configuration. Detachable support tab 18 may be assembled to a bottom side of slotted tray 14 and configured such that portions thereof may extend through tray slot 20 to a top side of slotted tray 14. In this second configuration, the top side of slotted tray 14 may be an elevated serving platter.

Referring now to FIGS. 4 and 5, detail bottom views of an assembly of detachable support 12 to slotted tray 14 are shown in an unlocked and locked configuration respectively. Detachable support tab 18 is shown assembled to, and extending through, tray slot 20. Arrows shown in FIG. 4 indicate a rotation or direction of assembly of detachable support tab 18, which may result in the locked configuration shown in FIG. 5. In the locked configuration, portions of detachable support tab 18 may twistingly engage slotted tray 14. According to an exemplary embodiment, detachable support tab 18 may be temporarily secured to tray slot 20 in the locked configuration by an interference fit, for example.

Referring now to FIGS. 6, 7 and 8, side perspective, top plan, and bottom plan views of detachable support 12 of FIG. 1 are shown respectively. Detachable support 12 may include a support stem 26 that may extend from a holding structure 34 and interconnect holding structure 34 to detachable support tab 18. Holding structure 34 may form a top surface of detachable support 12 and may have a drink opening 30, which may be configured to hold or grasp a drink, for example. A support vane 28 may extend from support stem 26 and may provide structural support or stiffness for holding structure 34. An identifier 36 may be formed or printed on a top surface of holding structure 34 and may be associated with drink opening 30. Identifier 36 may be used to label or identify a drink (e.g., drinking glass 16) placed in an associated drink opening 30. Holding structure 34 may have a cavity 32, formed therein, which may extend down a length of support stem 26. Cavity 32 may allow nesting or stacking of a plurality of detachable supports 12 for storage, whereby a support stem 26 of a first detachable support 12 assembles to cavity 32 of a second detachable support 12, for example. According to exemplary embodiments, detachable support 12 may include a plurality of drink openings 30 and a plurality of support vanes 28.

Referring now to FIG. 9, a cross section view of an assembly of a detachable support and serving tray 11 according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention is shown. Detachable support and serving tray 11 may include a round opening tray 24, which may have an aperture 38 formed therein, and may be configured to accept a friction detachable support 22 therein. Friction detachable support 22 may be assembled to an aperture 38 of round opening tray 24 and held therein by an interference fit, for example.

According to some exemplary embodiments, holding structure 34 may be a first material that may be configured to be flexible and permit elastic deformation thereof. Support stem 26, support vane 28, and detachable support tab 18 may be a second material that may provide structural rigidity or support. Identifier 36 may be a label that may be engraved, printed, embossed, etched, or stamped on a surface of holding structure 34.

It should be understood, of course, that the foregoing relates to exemplary embodiments of the invention and that modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims.

Claims

1. A serving apparatus, comprising:

a serving tray;

a detachable support; and

a support stem, the support stem extending from the detachable support and configured to temporarily assemble to the serving tray.

2. The serving apparatus of claim 1, the detachable support further comprising:

a holding structure, the holding structure forming a top surface of the detachable support; and

a plurality of drink openings, the plurality of drink openings formed on the holding structure.

3. The serving apparatus of claim 2, further comprising a plurality of identifiers, each of the plurality of identifiers formed on the holding structure and corresponding to at least one of each of the plurality of drink openings.

4. The serving apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a detachable support tab formed on an end of the support stem opposite the detachable support, and

a tray slot formed in the serving tray, the tray slot being complementary to the detachable support tab.

5. The serving apparatus of claim 4, wherein

the detachable support tab is configured to twistingly engage the tray slot from at least one of a top side of the serving tray or a bottom side of the serving tray.

6. The serving apparatus of claim 1, wherein

the support stem assembles to the serving tray by an interference fit.

7. A serving apparatus, comprising:

a serving tray;

a tray slot formed in the serving tray;

a holding structure;

a support stem;

a support, wherein the holding structure forms a top surface of the support, and wherein the support stem connects the holding structure to the tray slot; and

a detachable support tab, the detachable support tab on an end of the support stem and configured to twistingly engage the tray slot.

8. The serving apparatus of claim 7, further comprising a cavity formed on a top side of the detachable support, wherein a second support stem of a second detachable support is configured to stack into the cavity formed on the top side of the detachable support.

9. The serving apparatus of claim 7, further comprising a plurality of support vanes, the plurality of support vanes formed on a bottom side of the support, and configured to interconnect the bottom side of the holding structure to the support stem.

10. The serving apparatus of claim 9, wherein:

the support stem is a first material; and

the holding structure is a second material capable of elastic deformation.