US20170224143A1

US20170224143A1 - Serving tray

Info

Publication number: US20170224143A1
Application number: US15/019,105
Authority: US
Inventors: Ralph Daley
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2016-02-09
Filing date: 2016-02-09
Publication date: 2017-08-10

Abstract

A serving tray comprising a planar member coated with a nonslip material for bearing food items and a periphery extending substantially upwards with respect to the planar member. A handle extending outwards from a bottom surface of the planar member, for receiving a portion of user's hand in order to provide a firm grip and a plurality of short leg members positioned on the bottom surface for supporting the serving tray when placed on a flat surface.

Description

BACKGROUND

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to trays used for serving food and beverages. More particularly relates to a serving tray comprising a bottom handle for firm holding of the tray using a single hand and leg members for supporting the tray when placed on a flat surface.
2. Description of Related Art
Serving trays are generally used for placing and carrying food items to a table or from one location to another location. In designing serving trays, various features have been implemented to ensure that the serving trays are easily nestable and stackable, and that they are easily cleaned and disinfected. However, learning to correctly balance and use a serving tray, particularly when loading and unloading objects or food items from the tray is a difficult task especially for users such as waiters and servants.
In places like crowded restaurants, eateries, lounges, hotels and other related service industries, servers are usually required to carry heavily laden trays by balancing them on one hand. It requires a significant amount of experience before the average person is capable of balancing a laden tray on one hand and carrying it through a crowded room. Because of crowded conditions, a necessity to serve quickly, and slippery nature of serving trays, servers often lose their grip or balance of the serving tray and tend to spill the tray contents on table, floor or on customers. Lose of grip over the serving tray usually result in broken glassware, wasted food and customer grievances, which ultimately lead to loss of revenue.
With existing tray designs, the tray is held by placing an arm underneath the serving tray in a fixed position, which does not allow stretching of the elbow without the losing the orientation of the serving tray. As a result, the user needs to compensate in the back, the hips or the knees to bring the serving tray to table height. Moreover, these serving trays rest on its entire base when placed on a flat surface. Carrying the serving tray by holding at an edge does not offer enough balance, especially when the tray is completely loaded with food items.
There is presently a need for a more efficient serving tray with improved features that would enhance a user's abilities to carry, place on a flat surface and to stack over other similar type of trays.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a serving tray for serving food and beverages, the tray comprises a planar member for bearing food items and a periphery extending substantially upwards with respect to the planar member for protecting the food items from sliding out of the planar member. The serving tray further comprises a handle extending outwards from a bottom surface of the planar member and a plurality of base support members positioned on the bottom surface of the planar member.
In an embodiment, each of the base support members comprises a cylindrical short leg extending outwards from the bottom surface. The cylindrical short legs are positioned adjacent to an outer edge of the bottom surface of the planar member for providing stability to the tray. The planar member is substantially circular or rectangular and made of metal or thermoplastic material. The handle may comprise a U-shaped bracket extending outwards from the bottom surface of the planar member for receiving a portion of user's hand.
Other objects, features and advantages of the present disclosure will become apparent from the following detailed description. It should be understood, however, that the detailed description and the specific examples, while indicating specific embodiments of the disclosure, are given by way of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the disclosure will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates the serving tray in an inverted position.

FIG. 2A is a top perspective view of the serving tray.

FIG. 2B is a sectional view of the serving tray of FIG. 2A.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF DIFFERENT EMBODIMENTS

A description of embodiments of the present disclosure will now be given with reference to the Figures. It is expected that the present disclosure may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from its spirit or essential characteristics. The described embodiments are to be considered in all respects only as illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of the disclosure is, therefore indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description. All changes that come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are to be embraced within their scope.
Referring to FIG. 1, showing a bottom surface of a serving tray 100 in an inverted position, according to an embodiment of the present invention. The serving tray 100 comprises a handle 110 extending outwards from a bottom surface 106 of a planar member 102. In an embodiment, the handle 110 comprises a U-shaped bracket extending out perpendicularly to the axis of the planar member 102. The handle member 110 is configured to receive a portion of the user's hand for holding the tray 100. In an embodiment, the handle is centrally positioned on the bottom surface 106 of the planar member 102. For example, the handle member 110 is configured to receive a portion of palm and fingers of the user's hand. The U-shaped bracket allows the user to hold the tray by wrapping fingers and thumb of one hand around the bracket.
The bottom surface 106 of the serving tray 100 further comprises a plurality of base support members 112 for supporting the serving tray 100 when placed on a flat surface such as a table or kitchen countertop. In an embodiment, the base support member 112 comprises a cylindrical short leg extending outwards from the bottom surface 106 of the serving tray 100. The serving tray 100 when placed on a flat surface, the base members 112 provide sufficient clearance from the flat surface. In an embodiment, the base support members 112 are positioned within an outer edge 109 of the bottom surface 106 of the planar member 102.
FIG. 2A shows a top perspective view of the serving tray 100, comprising the planar member 102 with a top surface 103 for bearing food items and other products such as beverages, glassware, dishes and the like. The serving tray 100 further comprises a periphery 104, which extends substantially upwards and outwards with respect to the planar member 102. In an embodiment, the periphery 104 extends outward in an obtuse angle with respect to the top surface 103 of the planar member 102, configured to protect the food items or tray contents from sliding out of the serving tray 100.
The top surface 103 of the planar member comprise an outer coating 108 made using a nonslip material such as rubber, for providing sufficient grip to the tray contents and also to prevent noise created due to clinking of tray contents such as ceramic or metal wares. The serving tray 100 of the present invention can be made of a material selected from metal and plastic including thermoplastics. In an embodiment, the serving tray is manufactured using a polycarbonate material.
FIG. 2B shows a sectional view of the serving tray 100 resulting from cutting along the line 2B-2B as shown in FIG. 2A. The periphery 104 extends outward in an obtuse angle with respect to the planar member 102. In an embodiment, the handle 110, planar member 102 and the periphery 104 are manufactured as a single molded piece.
Referring again to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the base members 112 offer greater stability when placed on a flat surface and enables easy stacking over other similar trays. The handle 110 in the middle of the planar member 102 allows the user to hold and balance the tray 100, even in a completely loaded condition. The height of the base members 112 is lesser than the height of the handle 110, such that when the tray 100 is placed on a flat surface such as a table, there is a space between the handle and the flat surface.
The serving tray 100 can be manufactured by molding as a single piece or can be molded as modular parts, which can be assembled together. The serving tray 100 is preferably manufactured using a material that is dishwasher safe and easy to clean. In an embodiment, the serving tray 100 is of a round shape with a diameter in the range of 10 inches to 3 feet. In an alternative embodiment, the serving tray 100 may be rectangular or oval. The handle 112 will enable the server or waiter to hold the tray 100 in one hand and to keep the tray 100 from tipping out of control and spilling of tray contents including food items.
Stability and balance is of prime importance while carrying the serving tray 100. With an optimal stability, the person who carries the serving tray 100 needs to correct and to compensate less. As a result, the task of supporting the tray is less tiring, which leads to better serving performance, for instance due to a reduced risk of spilling food or falling crockery. The stability of the serving tray 100 depends on various factors, such as for instance the stiffness of the serving tray 100 and the positioning of the crockery, food items on the serving tray. With the present invention, the handle 110 is placed near the center of gravity of the serving tray 100, in order to provide efficiently balance especially when the tray is loaded with dishes or food items of various sizes and weight.
The foregoing description comprises illustrative embodiments of the present disclosure. Having thus described exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure, it should be noted by those skilled in the art that the within disclosures are exemplary only, and that various other alternatives, adaptations, and modifications may be made within the scope of the present disclosure. Many modifications and other embodiments of the disclosure will come to mind to one skilled in the art to which this disclosure pertains having the benefit of the teachings presented in the foregoing descriptions. Although specific terms may be employed herein, they are used only in generic and descriptive sense and not for purposes of limitation. Accordingly, the present disclosure is not limited to the specific embodiments illustrated herein.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A serving tray comprising:

A planar member for bearing products and a periphery extending substantially upwards with respect to the planar member;

a handle extending outwards from a bottom surface of the planar member; and

a plurality of base support members positioned on the bottom surface of the planar member.

2. The serving tray of claim 1, wherein the handle comprises a U-shaped bracket configured to receive a portion of a user's hand.

3. The serving tray of claim 1, wherein the each of the base support members comprises a cylindrical short leg extending outwards from the bottom surface.

4. The serving tray of claim 1, wherein the base support members are positioned within an outer edge of the bottom surface of the planar member.

5. The serving tray of claim 1, is made of a material selected from metal and plastic.

6. The serving tray of claim 5, wherein the material comprises polycarbonate.

7. The serving tray of claim 1, wherein the planar member is coated with a nonslip material.

8. The serving tray of claim 1, wherein the handle is centrally positioned on the bottom surface of the planar member.