Receptacles – Table dish – Compartmented table dish
Patent
1995-06-09
1998-03-31
Garbe, Stephen P.
Receptacles
Table dish
Compartmented table dish
206546, 206549, 220 2383, 294146, D7555, A47G 1906
Patent
active
057328471
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
The present invention has for its object a meal-taking device.
More precisely, the invention concerns a device which enables the user to hold, in one hand, preferably several containers containing various food dishes and preferably a glass, leaving the other hand free to manipulate the utensils necessary for taking this food.
This device proves very useful both at receptions where the guests are not sat down to table, for example exhibitions, parties and buffet lunches, and also in situations where the user wishes to eat, but there is no table available, and in several public places such as railway stations, trains, stadiums, cinema lines, and also quite simply in front of the television.
The term "container" used hereinafter refers to any type of object which may contain food, whatever its form or the material of which it is composed, for example, flat trays, dishes, cardboard plates, this list not, of course, being limiting.
The term "glass" used hereinafter refers to any type of object which may contain liquids, whatever its shape or the material of which it is composed, such as: glass, beaker, ice cream cones, this list not, of course, being limiting.
Several types of containers, plates, dishes, meal-trays made of food-compatible cardboard or plastic already exist on the market. It is true that all may contain food and certain may be used with a glass or beaker to eat standing or sitting down without a table.
These solutions which contribute some advantages to the consumption of meals in a table-less situation, such as a better hold on the plate or the possibility of housing or fixing a glass on the plate, nonetheless present constant drawbacks which are found in each solution, namely: consumed; the plate (problem of elevated center of gravity) even if its foot is encircled by a recess; such as a full glass, located on its periphery; foodstuffs requiring different cooking or heating times and others which do not need to be reheated or cooked, such as desserts.
The invention aims at bringing a solution to all the problems set forth hereinabove, namely: plurality of containers and preferably a glass or a drink container, leaving the second hand free to bring the food to the mouth or to drink; hand; cooking or reheating constraints or with respect to the freedom of choice of the consumer who may thus compose his/her menu by choosing independent dishes; establishments.
To attain this purpose, the meal-taking device according to the invention comprises means for forming a handle adapted to be gripped manually, said means extending substantially vertically, n containers intended to receive food (n>1) and securing means for temporarily connecting said n containers substantially at the upper end of the means forming a handle.
It will be understood that the containers corresponding to the food chosen may thus be simultaneously held in one hand while having the other hand available to hold the food.
According to a first embodiment, the means forming a handle define an inner recess at least open at its upper end to receive means forming glass. It is seen that, with this improved embodiment, the user has, in addition, the drink contained in a glass which is maintained vertical in suitable manner by the means forming a handle.
Moreover, as the glass is directly introduced in the means forming a handle, a very good hold of the glass is obtained since the user's hand holds the meal-taking device by this handle.
Said securing means may be formed for example in male/female manner, i.e. the bottom of the containers presents a projection (protuberance) which fits in a housing having the same perimeter as the projection and being placed on the arms fast with the central handle; or, inversely, said securing means may also be of the female/male type, i.e. the outer bottom of the containers presents a housing of shape identical to the projection which is positioned at the free end of the radiating arms; or, said securing means may be constituted by rails, for example in T-form, placed on the arms which slide in clefts app
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Garbe Stephen P.
Hylton Robin A.
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