TECHNICAL FIELD
The present disclosure relates generally to a party or picnic plate. More particularly, the disclosure relates to a party or picnic plate formed of a paper or plastic material. Specifically, the disclosure relates to a plate including interlocking members that allow a plurality of identical plates to be stacked so that they will not rotate or slide sideways relative to each other and which, with a second identical plate can be transformed to a portable storage container for left-over food.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Conventional disposable plates cannot be used to transport left-overs unless a length of aluminum foil or plastic wrap is used to cover the food. If such foil or plastic wrap is not available then any food remaining on a plate after a party, picnic, or reception must either be thrown away or transferred into a different separate food container so that it made be saved and transported. This means that unless foil, plastic wrap or separate food storage containers are taken to an event, all left-overs must be thrown out. Furthermore, one of more problematic things about conventional food storage containers is that a user must move his/her food from their plate and into the food storage container. This can be a messy operation.
SUMMARY
The present disclosure relates to an improved disposable or reusable plate that may be conveniently and safely transformed into a food storage container by using another identical plate and without the use of additional tools or materials such as aluminum foil or plastic wrap.
In accordance with an aspect of the invention, a plate having a top wall, a bottom wall, and a side wall that extends between the top wall and the bottom wall is disclosed herein. The top wall defines at least one bendable area that includes a bendable wire loop. The bendable area is bent upwardly or downwardly about a fold line relative to the top wall of the plate to lock a pair of plates together. Two identical plates can be engaged with each other to form a food storage container that allows a user to carry left-over food therein. The plate may include one or more interlocking members on the bottom wall. These interlocking members can be used to secure a stack of plates together such that the plates will not rotate or slip sideways relative to each other. The interlocking members may also be used to secure a stack of storage containers made from the plates together so that the storage containers will not rotate or slide laterally relative to each other.
In one aspect, the present disclosure may provide a plate comprising a top wall; a bottom wall; a side wall extending between the top wall and the bottom wall; wherein the bottom wall and side wall bound and define a food containing area adapted to receive food therein; and at least one bendable area defined by the top wall, wherein the at least one bendable area is selectively bendable upwardly or downwardly relative to the top wall about a fold line.
In another aspect, the present disclosure may provide a plate comprising a top wall; a bottom wall; a side wall that extends between the top wall and the bottom wall; wherein the bottom wall and side wall bound and define a food containing area adapted to receive food therein; and at least one interlocking member provided on the bottom wall.
In another aspect, the present disclosure may provide a method comprising steps of providing a first plate comprising a top wall, a bottom wall, a side wall extending between the top wall and the bottom wall, wherein the bottom wall and side wall bound and define a food containing area; and at least one bendable area is defined in the top wall, where the at least one bendable area is selectively bendable upwardly or downwardly relative to the top wall about a fold line; providing a second plate comprising a top wall, a bottom wall, a side wall extending between the top wall and the bottom wall, wherein the bottom wall and side wall of the second plate bound and define a food containing area; and at least one bendable area is defined in the top wall of the second plate, where the at least one bendable area of the second plate is selectively bendable upwardly or downwardly relative to the top wall of the second plate about a fold line; placing the top wall of the first plate in contact with the top wall of the second plate; folding the at least one bendable area of the first plate upwardly to contact the second plate; folding the at least one bendable area of the second plate downwardly to contact the first plate; and securing the first and second plates together with bendable areas of the first and second plates to form a first storage container.
The method may further comprise a step of rotating the first plate relative to the second plate about a vertical axis passing through the bottom wall of the first plate and bottom wall of the second plate; and moving the at one least bendable area of the first plate out of alignment with the at least one bendable area of the second plate.
The method may further comprise rotating the first plate rotates until the at least of one bendable area of the first plate is orientated at about 45 relative to the at least on bendable area of the second plate.
The step of providing the first plate may include providing a wire loop on the at least one bendable area of the first plate and wherein the method further includes deforming the wire loop when folding the at least one bendable area upwardly.
The step of providing the second plate includes providing a wire loop on the at least one bendable area of the second plate and wherein the method further includes deforming the wire loop on the second plate when folding the at least one bendable area downwardly.
The step of providing the first plate further comprises providing at least one interlocking member on the bottom wall of the first plate; and he step of providing the second plate comprises providing at least on interlocking member on the bottom wall of the second plate, wherein the at least one interlocking member on the second plate is complementary to the at least one interlocking member of the first plate.
The method may further comprise providing a second storage container identical to the first storage container and stacking the second storage container on a top of the first storage container and interlocking the at least one interlocking member on the bottom wall of the second plate of the second storage container with the at least one interlocking member on the bottom wall of the first plate of the first storage container.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS
A sample embodiment of the invention is set forth in the following description, is shown in the drawings and is particularly and distinctly pointed out and set forth in the appended claims.
FIG. 1 is a top perspective view of a first embodiment of a plate having a plurality of interlocking members on its bottom surface;
FIG. 2 is a side elevation view of the plate having a plurality of interlocking members on its bottom surface;
FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the first embodiment of the plate;
FIG. 4 is a bottom plan view of the first embodiment of the plate
FIG. 5 is a cross-section of the plate taken along line 5-5 in FIG. 4;
FIG. 6 is a side elevation view of a pair of the plates, wherein a bottom plate faces upwardly and a top plate faces downwardly;
FIG. 7 is a side elevation view of the pair of the plates, wherein the top and bottom plates are in contact each other;
FIG. 8 is a top plan view of the pair of the plates of FIG. 7, wherein the top plate is rotated through 45° with respect to the bottom plate;
FIG. 9 is a side elevation view of the pair of plates of FIG. 8, the corners of two plates are bent to interlock together to form a storage container;
FIG. 10 is a side elevation view of a pair of the storage containers securely stacked on top of each other;
FIG. 11 is top perspective view of a plurality of the plates stacked in a nested arrangement;
FIG. 12 is a top perspective view of a second embodiment of a plate without a plurality of grooves and ridges on its bottom surface; and
FIG. 13 is a side elevation view of the second embodiment of the plate.
Similar numbers refer to similar parts throughout the drawings.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
With primary reference to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, a first embodiment of a plate is shown generally at 10. The plate 10 may be a disposable or reusable plate made from paper, plastic, or any other suitable material. The plate 10 has four edges 11, four corners 12, a top wall 13, a bottom wall 14, and a side wall 15. The top wall 13 and the bottom wall 14 are parallel and spaced apart. The side wall 15 extends between the top wall 13 and the bottom wall 14. The side wall 15 may be concave, curved, or shaped in any other manner. A plurality of interlocking members 16, 17 are defined in the bottom wall 14. The interlocking members 16, 17 are discussed in greater detail below.
As depicted in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, an upper circular edge 18 of the side wall 15 may be circumferentially integrated with the top wall 13, and a lower circular edge 19 of the side wall 15 may be circumferentially integrated with the bottom wall 14. The side wall 15 may be generally oriented at an angle α with respect to a flat surface G so that the plate 10 may have an inversely trapezoidal shape when seen from one side as shown in FIG. 2. The radius of curvature of the upper circular edge 18 may be larger than the radius of curvature of the lower circular edge 19. If this is the case then the plate 10 may be configured in the shape of a bowl when seen from one side (shown in FIG. 2). The bottom wall 14 and side wall 15 bound and define a food containing area 20 for holding food or other articles therein.
As indicated above, the bottom wall 14 may include at least one interlocking member. The at least one interlocking member may be formed in the material of the bottom wall 14 when plate 10 is fabricated. In other instances, the one or more interlocking members may be applied to one or both of an interior surface and an exterior surface of the bottom wall 14. As shown in the attached figures a plurality of first interlocking members 16 and second interlocking members 17 may be provided on bottom wall 14. First interlocking members 16 may be convexly grooved and second interlocking members 17 may be concavely grooved. First and second interlocking members 16, 17 may be substantially identical in size and shape and be configured to be complementary to each other. The purpose for the complementary nature of interlocking members 16, 17 will be discussed later herein.
FIG. 1 shows that each interlocking member 16 forms a depression in the interior surface of the bottom wall 14 and that each interlocking member 17 forms a ridge in the interior surface of the bottom wall. FIG. 4 shows each of the interlocking members 16 forms a ridge in the exterior surface of the bottom wall 14 and that the interlocking members 17 each form a depression in the exterior surface of the bottom wall 14.
As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, each interlocking member 16 includes a first oval-shaped portion 16A and a second oval-shaped portion 16B. The first oval-shaped portion 16A is stepped relative to the second oval-shaped portion 16B. Additionally, the size of the second oval-shaped portion 16B is smaller than that of the first oval-shaped portion 16A so that the interlocking member 16 has an inverse trapezoidal shape when it is seen in cross-section. Similarly, each interlocking member 17 includes a first oval-shaped portion 17A and a second oval-shaped portion 17B. The first oval-shaped portion 17A is stepped relative to the second oval-shaped portion 17B. The size of the first oval-shaped portion 17A is smaller than that of the second oval-shaped portion 17B so that the interlocking member 17 has a trapezoidal shape when it is seen in cross-section. It will be understood that interlocking members 16, 17 may be differently shaped; for example, interlocking members 16, 17 may be square or rectangular or sinusoidal.
The interlocking member 16 is complementary to the interlocking member 17. Consequently, when one plate 10 is stacked on another plate 10, the interlocking member 16 on the exterior surface of the bottom wall 14 of the top plate 10 receives the interlocking member 17 provided on the interior surface of the bottom wall 14 of the bottom plate 10 therein. A plurality of plates 10 may thus be nested with each other and the interlocking arrangement between interlocking members 16 and interlocking members 17 keeps the plurality of plates 10 in contact with each other. The interlocking members 16, 17 also prevent relative rotation between the plates 10 in the stack and also aids in preventing individual plates from sliding off the nested stack. The later feature will be of greater importance when the plates 10 are of a shallower depth than the bowl-like shape of the plates in the attached figures.
The interlocking members 16 and 17 are arranged in an annular ring interiorly of the lower circular edge 19 of the bottom wall 14. As depicted in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, each interlocking member 16 is located between two interlocking members 17 and vice versa. However, in another configuration, the arrangement of the interlocking members 16, 17 may be of any desired pattern. For example, two interlocking members 16 may be consecutively located side by side and two concavely curved interlocking members 17 may be consecutively located side by side.
Furthermore, as depicted in FIG. 3, the interlocking members 16, 17 are circumferentially aligned around the lower circular edge 19 of the bottom wall 14. However, interlocking members 16, 17 may be arranged in any desired different configuration other than the annual ring shown in the attached figures. Furthermore, the orientation, size, shape, and number of interlocking members 16, 17 may be a different from what is shown when interlocking members 16, 17 are provided on a different diameter plate. The number of configuration of interlocking members may be varied depending on the actual size of the plate 10.
The top wall 13 extends radially outwardly from the upper circular edge 18 of the side wall 15 to the edge 11. The edge 11 may terminate in a flange member 21, where the flange member 21 extends outwardly and downwardly from top wall 13 so that a terminal edge of the flange member 21 is located a distance below the top wall 13. This is shown in FIG. 2.
As shown in FIG. 1, the top wall 13 further includes a fold line 22 near each of the corners 12. The fold lines 22 may be pre-formed in top wall 13; may comprise a line of weakness, a line of perforations, a marking or may take any other suitable form that will indicate to a user where to fold regions of the top wall 13. Each fold line 22 and a portion of two adjacent edges 11 on top wall 13 defines a triangular bending area 24 that incorporates one of the corners 12. Particularly, the fold lines 22 are press-formed so that areas 24 around the corners 12 can be bent either upwardly or downwardly along the fold lines 22 (as shown in FIG. 9).
As depicted in FIG. 4, a bottom perspective view of the first embodiment of the plate 10 is shown in detail. A plurality of bendable wire loop members 23 are provided on top wall 13 of the plate 10 in the regions of bendable areas 24. Each individual loop member 23 may comprise an L-shaped structure such that the apex of the L-shape is seated in the corner 12 and the separate “legs” of the L-shaped wire loop member 23 each extend along a region of one of the edges 11 that intersect at corner 12. Loop members 23 may be positioned adjacent flange member 21.
The wire 23C used in loop members 23 may be a flexible steel, a memory alloy, a flexible plastic, or any other suitable material. However, in another instance, the wire loop member 23 may form part of one continuous wire loop that is provided around the entire outer perimeter of the plate 10. The loop member 23 may be embedded into the material used to form top wall 13 or may be a separate component that is placed in contact with the exterior surface of the top wall 13 and is secured thereto by any suitable means. Although not shown herein, it will be understood that loop members 23 may, alternatively be provided on an interior or upper surface of each bendable area 24 instead of being provided on an exterior or lower surface of each bendable area 24.
As depicted in FIG. 5, the wire loop member 23 may comprise a wire loop cover 23A, a wire loop base 23B, a wire 23C, and an adhesive strip 23D. Wire 23C may be laminated between the wire loop cover 23A and the wire loop base 23B. The adhesive strip 23D may be used to attach the wire loop member 23 to the exterior surface of the bendable area 24. Wire loop member 23 may be attached to the underside or the top side of the bendable area 24. In another instance, the wire loop member 23 may be embedded in the material that forms bendable area 24 of plate 10.
Plate 10 may be used in the conventional manner to hold a quantity of food in the food containing area thereof, for example. In other instances, however, two substantially plates 10 may be combined with each other to form a storage container 25 as is illustrated in FIG. 9. The storage container 25 is assembled in the following manner. FIG. 6 shows a lower plate 10A which may be placed on a flat surface in such a way that the interlocking members 16, 17 engage the flat surface and the food containing area 20a facing upwardly. An upper plate 10B may be positioned directly over lower plate 10A and be positioned to be facing downwardly so that a top wall 13A of the lower plate 10A and a top wall 13B of the upper plate 10B are positioned directly opposite each other. The lower plate 10A and upper plate may be aligned with respect to a vertical axis Y and may be spaced a distance apart and offset parallel to a horizontal axis X.
As shown in FIG. 7, the upper plate 10B is moved downwardly (as indicated by the arrows) so that the top wall 13B is brought into contact with the top wall 13A. Either before or after the upper plate 10B is moved downwardly, one of the lower plate 10A or upper plate 10B may be rotated about vertical axis Y and through an angle θ. As depicted in FIG. 8, either the lower plate 10A or the upper plate 10B may be rotated about vertical axis Y through the angle θ. The angle θ is measured from a first transversal axis Z1 to a second transversal axis Z2. The first transversal axis Z1 passes through the vertical axis Y and an edge 11A of the lower plate 10A. Particularly, the first transversal axis Z1 passes through the vertical axis Y and a central region of the edge 11A. Similarly, the second transversal axis Z2 passes through the vertical axis Y and an edge 11B of the upper plate 10B. Particularly, the second transversal axis Z2 passes through vertical axis Y and a central region of the edge 11B of the upper plate 10B. Preferably, the edge 11B of the upper plate 10B may be rotated around the vertical axis Y through an angle θ so that the edge 11B of the upper plate 10B is aligned with a fold line 22A on the lower plate 10A. The angle θ may be greater than 0° and less than 90°, but it is preferably 45°. The four bending areas 24A on lower plate 10A are offset relative to the four bending areas 24B on upper plate 10B. Thus, at least one bending area 24A on the lower plate 10A is out of alignment with at least one bending area 24B of the upper plate 10B. The offset may be between 0 degrees and 90 degrees but preferably is about 45 degrees.
Then, as depicted in FIGS. 8 and 9, four bending areas 24A of the lower plate 10A are bent upwardly as indicated by an arrow U along the fold lines 22A. Similarly, four bending areas 24B of the upper plate 10B are bent inwardly towards the underside of the top wall of the lower plate in the direction of arrow D. The inward bending of bending areas 24A, 24B in the directions U and D, causes the associated loop member 23 (not shown) to become deformed, thereby clamping regions of the top walls of the lower and upper plates 10A, 10B together. The folded bending areas 24A, 24B are pressed inwardly toward the underside of top wall of the opposite plate and thus plates 10A and 10B are securely connected together to form a storage container 25 (FIG. 9). The food containing area 20 of each of the plates 10A, 10B creates an enclosed space in which to store and carry food. If it is desired to access the food within storage container 25, the user will grasp the folded bendable areas 24A, 24B and will move each bendable area in the opposite direction to release upper plate 10B from lower plate 10A. If it is subsequently desired to close storage container 25 once again, the bendable areas 24A, 24B are again folded in the directions U and D to lock the plates 10A, 10B together once again. If plates 10A, 10B are fabricated from paper, when storage container 25 is no longer needed it may be thrown away. If plates 10A, 10B are fabricated from plastic and the user so desires, the plates 10A, 10B may be washed and reused. In this latter instance the bendable areas 24A, 24B may be moved back to the neutral position shown in FIG. 2 so that the plates 10A, 10B may be nested together for storage or transportation purposes.
A plurality of storage containers may be stacked one on top of the other. For example, FIG. 10 shows two storage containers 25A, 25B stacked together. The illustrated storage containers 25A, 25B each includes interlocking members 16, 17 that may be used as guides to interlock the containers together. The interlocking members that project downwardly from the exterior surface of the bottom wall of the upper storage container 25A are received into the recessed interlocking members provided on the bottom wall that forms the top of the lower storage container 25B. When a plurality of storage containers 25 are stacked on a top of the other in this manner the interlocking members 16, 17 prevent the storage containers 25 from rotating or moving laterally relative to each other. This interlocking arrangement makes for a more stable stack of storage containers that can be carried with less concern that individual containers may slide laterally out of the stack.
As depicted in FIG. 11, a plurality of the plates 10 may be stacked together in a nested arrangement. Because of the interlocking members 16, 17, the stacked plates 10 can firmly engage each other. This engagement has been previously described herein.
As depicted in FIG. 12 and FIG. 13, a second embodiment of a plate in accordance with an aspect of the present invention is shown generally at 100. The plate 100 may be a paper plate or plastic plate that is substantially identical to the plate 10 and includes four edges 110, four corners 120, a top wall 130, a bottom wall 140, and a curved side wall 150 that extends between the top and bottom walls 130, 140. An upper circular edge 180 of the side wall 150 is circumferentially integrated with the top wall 130 and a lower circular edge 190 of the side wall 150 is circumferentially integrated with the bottom wall 140. The side wall 150 may be generally oriented at an angle α with respect to a flat surface G so that the plate 100 may have an inverse trapezoidal shape as seen from one side. The radius of curvature of the upper circular edge 180 may be larger than the radius of curvature of the lower circular edge 190. Consequently, the plate 100 may have a shape of a bowl when seen from a side as in FIG. 13. The bottom wall 140 and side wall 150 bound and define a food containing area 200. Unlike the first embodiment of the plate 10, the second embodiment of the plate 100 does not include the interlocking members 16, 17 on the bottom wall 140. Instead, interior and exterior surfaces of the bottom wall 14 are substantially flat.
The top wall 130 extends radially outwardly from the upper circular edge 180 of the side wall 150 to the edge 110. A flange member 210 may extend outwardly and downwardly from edge 110 so that a terminal edge of the flange member 210 is located a distance below the top wall 130 of the plate 100. This is shown in FIG. 13.
FIG. 12 shows the top wall 130 further defines a fold line 220 proximate each of corner 120. The fold line 220 and a portion of two adjacent edges 110 define a triangular bending area 240. The fold lines 220 may be press-formed or otherwise provided so that the bending areas 240 may be folded upwardly or downwardly along the fold lines 220 in a similar fashion to the bending areas 24 on plate 10 and as shown in FIG. 9.
Two plates 100 may be used in a similar manner to plates 10 to form a storage container. However, because there are no interlocking members 16, 17 on plate 100, there is nothing to stop storage containers formed from plates 100 to slide or rotate relative to each other when stacked.
It is readily understood that the plates 10, 100 may be made from a paper product, plastic, metal or any suitable bio-degradable eco-friendly material. Furthermore, plates 10, 100 may be fabricated in any number of ways including but not limited to using a molding machine or a press machine.
While plates 10, 100 have been described as being useful for holding food and for being combined to form a food storage container 25 it will be understood that the plate and storage container may be used for any number of other purposes.
In the foregoing description, certain terms have been used for brevity, clearness, and understanding. No unnecessary limitations are to be implied therefrom beyond the requirement of the prior art because such terms are used for descriptive purposes and are intended to be broadly construed.
Moreover, the description and illustration set out herein are an example and the invention is not limited to the exact details shown or described.
Patent Application
20180037365
