TRAY INSERT WITH RETAINED FOOD SERVICE ITEMS

Abstract

A tray and tray insert with holes designed to prevent plates, bowls, or drinking cups from sliding or falling off the tray. The holes are cut or formed into the tray, allowing for the bowls and plates to sit in and locked in place by the dishwasher safe tray insert, preventing sliding and knock overs of the plates or bowls.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to food service trays and, more particularly, to food service trays for restraining movement of bowls or plates carried on a food service tray.

Years of observing small children spill the contents of their bowl or plate onto the dining table, their high chair tray, or worse yet, onto the floor led to the invention of this tray and tray insert.

There are numerous food service trays in the art that have raised plastic molds or material that only prevent items, such as bowls and plates, from sliding. None of these trays prevent a bowl or plate from being pushed or knocked off the tray.

As can be seen, there is a need for a food service tray that prevents bowls and plates from being knocked off the tray.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one aspect of the present invention, a food service tray, comprises a tray base having a plurality of spaced apart holes defined in a surface of the tray base, the plurality of spaced apart holes dimensioned to receive at least a lower portion of a food serving item therein. The food service tray may also include a tray cover having a plurality of spaced apart openings defined in a surface thereof, the openings disposed to be coaxially aligned with the spaced apart holes of the tray base.

In some embodiments, a diameter of the tray cover openings is smaller than a diameter of a corresponding hole of the tray base. The tray cover openings may further comprise a raised annular rim defined around the circumference of the tray cover opening. The raised annular rim may also define a ledge on a lower surface of the rim that is dimensioned to one or more of a width or a thickness of a lip surrounding the food serving item.

In other aspects of the invention the tray cover may lock to the tray base, via a slot defined in a peripheral edge of the tray base; and a cover grip tab defined in a peripheral edge of the tray cover, wherein the slot is adapted to receive a locking tab portion of the cover grip tab to secure the tray cover to the tray base. In some embodiments, the lip of the food serving item is retained in the hole of the tray base by the ledge of the tray cover, when the tray cover is secured to the tray base.

In aspects of the invention, the food service item comprises a plate, a bowl, or a cup.

In yet another aspect of the invention, a food service tray, is claimed comprising: a tray base having a plurality of spaced apart holes defined in a surface of the tray base; and a tray cover having a plurality of spaced apart openings defined in a surface of the tray cover and disposed to correspond with the plurality of spaced apart holes. The food service tray may also have a food service item, where at least a lower portion of the food service item is received within one of the plurality of spaced apart holes. The food service may have a lip defined around a peripheral edge of the food service item that is supported by an upper surface of the tray base. The lip of the food service item may be received within a ledge defined in a lower surface of the tray cover around a periphery of at least one the plurality of spaced apart openings.

In another aspect of the invention, the food service tray may have a slot defined in a peripheral surface of the tray base; and a locking tab extending from the tray cover. The locking tab is adapted to be received in the slot to secure the tray cover to the tray base. In other embodiments of the invention, the food service item is restrained within the tray base by a snap-fit cooperative engagement of the tray cover with the tray base.

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 a perspective view an embodiment of the invention, shown in use;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 3 is an exploded view of a first embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 4 is a section view of an embodiment of the invention, taken along line 4-4 in FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a detail section view of an embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 6 is a section view of the invention, taken along line 6-6 in FIG. 4;

FIG. 7 is a detail section view of an embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 8 is a side elevation view of an alternative embodiment of a food serving item; and

FIG. 9 is a plan view of an alternative embodiment of a tray receptacle for the food serving item of FIG. 8.

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.

Broadly, an embodiment of the present invention provides a food serving tray with holes cut or formed into the tray to allow food serving items, such as a bowl, a plate, or a drinking cup to be received in and preferably locked in place with a dishwasher safe tray insert; thus, preventing sliding and knock overs.

As seen in reference to FIG. 1 a tray 10, or tray base, is shown in a representative use with a high chair 40. The tray 10 may also be used as a TV tray or breakfast-in-bed tray, or any of a wide variety of food service tray uses. When used as a detachable standalone tray 10 the tray may suction cup legs to stick to a dining table surface for stability.

In reference to FIG. 3, the tray 10 may comprise a plurality of openings defined in a surface of the tray 10. The plurality of openings are adapted to receive a food serving item, and may include a tray cup holder 18 that is dimensioned to receive the body of a cup (not shown), a tray plate hole 14 adapted to receive a lower portion of a plate 32, and a tray bowl hole 16 adapted to receive a lower portion of a bowl 36. The tray 10 may be configured with a combination of plate holes 14 or bowl holes 16, in various spaced relations, depending on the desired feeding requirements for a particular meal, such as an entrée, as salad, a soup, or a side dish.

The plate 32 may have an annular plate lip 34 defined around a circumference of the plate 32. Similarly, the bowl 36 may also have an annular bowl lip 38 defined around a circumference of the bowl 36. Since a bottom portion of the bowl 36 and plate 32 may be suspended beneath the tray 10, allowance should be made so that children legs or any surface area will have adequate clearance.

The tray 10 may also include a tray cover 12. Like the tray 10, the tray cover 12 is defined with a plurality of openings in a surface of the tray cover 12. The tray cover 12 may have a cover bowl hole 22, a cover plate hole 20, and a cover cup holder 24. As shown in reference to FIG. 2, the openings in the tray cover 12 at are coaxially aligned with the respective tray openings when the tray cover 12 is operatively attached to the tray 10.

As seen in reference to FIGS. 3, 4, and 5, the tray 10 has a plurality of slots 30, or openings defined in spaced apart relation about a lateral edge surface of the tray 10. The slots 30 are adapted to receive a locking tab 28 end of cover grip tab 26 defined at positions corresponding to those of slots 30 about a peripheral edge of the tray insert 12. The cover grip tabs 26 may be lifted so as to release the tabs from the slots 30 in order to remove the tray insert 12 from the tray 10. The slots 30 and locking tab 28, being representative of any suitable snap-fit cooperative engagement of the tray cover 12 to the tray base 10.

As seen in reference to FIGS. 4-7, the bowl 36 and plate 32 may be captively retained within the tray 10 when the tray insert 12 is attached to the tray 10. The plate lip 34 extends outwardly such that a lower surface of the plate lip 34 rests upon the top surface of the tray 10 around the circumference of the plate 32. In like manner, the bowl lip 38 rests upon the top surface of the tray 10 around the circumference of the bowl 36.

As best seen in reference to FIGS. 5 and 7, the cover plate hole 20 and cover bowl hole 16 have a raised annular rim defined around a circumference of the respective holes 20, 16. As shown, the diameter of the cover plate hole 20 and the cover bowl hole 16 will be slightly smaller than that of their corresponding holes in the tray 10. The raised annular edge is dimensioned so as to receive the plate lip 34 and the bowl lip 38 when the cover 12 is secured to the tray 10, so as to lock and retain the bowl 36 and plate 32 in their respective positions in the tray 10. Preferably, the raised annular rim defines a ledge on a lower surface of the rim that is dimensioned to one or more of a width or a thickness of the lip surrounding the food serving item.

As seen in reference to FIGS. 9 and 10, an alternative embodiment of a food serving item 136, such as a bowl is shown. The food serving item 136 has an annular rim 138 around the periphery of the article. The food serving item 136 has a plurality of retaining tabs 140 extending outwardly from a lateral aspect of the food serving item 136 beneath the annular rim 138. The plurality of openings 116 may also be configured with an annular ring 114 extending around the periphery of the opening 116. A plurality of retaining tab receivers 118 are defined to extend through the surface of the tray 10 and are adapted to receive the retaining tabs 140 of the food serving item 136.

Once the retaining tabs are received in the tab receivers 118, the food serving item 136 may be rotated to lock the tabs in the tray 10. The annular ring 114 may be elevated from the top surface of the tray 10 such that a lower surface of the annular rim 138 is supported thereon and the tabs 140 will be in a close locking engagement with the lower surface of the tray 10 adjacent to the slots 118. The tab 140 may have an inclined surface along the top end of the tab 140 to facilitate secure engagement of the tab 140 with the lower surface of the tray 10 as the food serving item 136 is rotated. The cooperating retaining tabs 140 and retaining tab receivers 118 may be utilized alone or in combination with the tray cover 12 to secure food serving items 136 within the tray 10.

As described, the tray 10 has holes 14, 16, and 18 designed to insert bowls 36 and plates 32, preventing them from sliding or being pushed off. Unlike other trays that have raised plastic molds or material that only prevent items from sliding, the tray's built-in holes 14, 16, and 18 prevent movement of the bowl 36 and plate 32. The holes 14, 16, and 18 formed into the tray 10 may allow standard bowls 36 and plates 32 to be placed in and locked in place with the tray insert 12. The tray insert 12 may also include removable lids to cover the holes 14, 16, and 18 to contain food items in the bowl 36 and plate 32 during transport of the tray. The tray 10 and tray insert 12 may be formed of any suitable the dishwasher safe material.

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 food service tray, comprising: a tray base having a plurality of spaced apart holes defined in a surface of the tray base, the plurality of spaced apart holes dimensioned to receive at least a lower portion of a food serving item therein.

2. The food service tray of claim 1, further comprising: a tray cover having a plurality of spaced apart openings defined in a surface of the tray cover, the openings disposed to be coaxially aligned with the spaced apart holes of the tray base.

3. The food service tray of claim 2, wherein a diameter of the tray cover openings is smaller than a diameter of a corresponding hole of the tray base.

4. The food service tray of claim 3, the tray cover openings further comprising: a raised annular rim defined around an edge of the tray cover opening.

5. The food service tray of claim 4, wherein the raised annular rim defines a ledge on a lower surface of the rim that is dimensioned to one or more of a width or a thickness of a lip surrounding the food serving item.

6. The food service tray of claim 5, further comprising: a slot defined in a peripheral edge of the tray base; anda cover grip tab defined in a peripheral edge of the tray cover, wherein the slot is adapted to receive a locking tab portion of the cover grip tab to secure the tray cover to the tray base.

7. The food service tray of claim 6, wherein the lip of the food serving item is retained in the hole of the tray base by the ledge of the tray cover, when the tray cover is secured to the tray base.

8. The food service tray of claim 2, wherein the food serving item comprises a plate.

9. The food service tray of claim 2, wherein the food serving item comprises a bowl.

10. The food service tray of claim 2, wherein the food serving item comprises a cup.

11. A food service tray, comprising: a tray base having a plurality of spaced apart holes defined in an surface of the tray base; anda tray cover having a plurality of spaced apart openings defined in a surface of the tray cover and disposed to correspond with the plurality of spaced apart holes.

12. The food service tray of claim 11, further comprising: a food service item, wherein at least a lower portion of the food service item is received within one of the plurality of spaced apart holes.

13. The food service tray of claim 11, wherein a lip defined around a peripheral edge of the food service item is supported by an upper surface of the tray base.

14. The food service tray of claim 13, wherein the lip of the food service item is received within a ledge defined in a lower surface of the tray cover around a periphery of at least one the plurality of spaced apart openings.

15. The food service tray of claim 14, further comprising: a slot defined in a peripheral surface of the tray base; anda locking tab extending from the tray cover, the locking tab adapted to be received in the slot to secure the tray cover to the tray base.

16. The food service tray of claim 12, wherein the food service item is restrained within the tray base by a snap-fit cooperative engagement of the tray cover with the tray base.