STABILIZING MECHANISM FOR DISHWARE SET

Abstract

A food and beverage retaining assembly having in combination a serving plate and a removable, stemmed beverage receptacle, wherein the beverage receptacle is mechanically interlocked with the serving plate. The serving plate comprises a post, and the beverage receptacle comprises a post socket, the mating of which provides lateral stability to the beverage receptacle when in an unlocked position.

Claims

1. A food and beverage retaining assembly comprising the combination of: a serving plate having a stem socket; a beverage receptacle having a beverage retaining portion, a stem, and a base having a passageway and a C-shaped annular collar; and a fitting assembly comprising a first stem securement member configured for engagement with the C-shaped annular collar and a second stem securement member configured for engagement with the stem socket, wherein the beverage receptacle is releasably joined to the serving plate by the fitting assembly using a mechanical interlock.

2. A food and beverage retaining assembly comprising the combination of: a serving plate having a post disposed inside a collar that has one or more inwardly protruding tabs; and a beverage receptacle having a beverage retaining portion, a stem, and a base having a post socket and one or more recesses for mating with the one or more tabs; wherein the beverage receptacle is releasably joined to the serving plate by mating the one or more tabs with the one or more recesses and mating the post to the post socket.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0009] FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating an embodiment of the invention wherein a baseless, stemmed beverage receptacle is mated with a serving plate.

[0010] FIG. 2 is a side view of the baseless, stemmed beverage receptacle of FIG. 1.

[0011] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 2 showing the insertion end and securement member, wherein the securement member is a tab.

[0012] FIG. 4 is an illustration of an alternative embodiment for the securement member, wherein the securement member is a pin.

[0013] FIG. 5 is an illustration of an alternative embodiment for the securement member,

[0014] wherein the securement member is a pair of short screw threads.

[0015] FIG. 6 is a top view of the serving plate of FIG. 1.

[0016] FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the stem socket of FIG. 1 illustrating the L-shaped slot.

[0017] FIG. 8 is a partial cross-sectional view taken along line 8-8 of FIG. 6 illustrating the vertical segment of the L-shaped slot.

[0018] FIG. 9 is a partial cross-sectional view taken along line 9-9 of FIG. 6 illustrating the horizontal segment and retention shoulder of the L-shaped slot.

[0019] FIG. 10 is an exploded view of an embodiment in which the stem is connected to a base.

[0020] FIG. 11 is an enlarged view of the insertion end of the stem shown in FIG. 10.

[0021] FIG. 12 is a bottom perspective view of the stem connected to the base of the embodiment shown in FIG. 10.

[0022] FIG. 13 is an enlarged view of the insertion end connected to the base of the embodiment shown in FIG. 10.

[0023] FIG. 14 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a beverage receptacle having a stem connected to a base that has recesses for engaging tabs on the serving plate.

[0024] FIG. 15 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a serving plate that mates with the beverage receptacle of FIG. 14.

[0025] FIG. 16 is a side view of the beverage receptacle of FIG. 14.

[0026] FIG. 17 is a side view of the serving plate of FIG. 15.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0027] As used herein, the term “serving plate” shall refer to any dinner plate, cocktail plate, party plate, or any similar tray device of any shape and size easily supported in one hand and structured to receive food thereon. The term “beverage receptacle” as used in herein shall refer to a baseless, stemmed receptacle for liquid having an upper beverage retaining portion joined to a neck or stem, preferably elongated, of much smaller transverse dimension or cross-section than the upper beverage retaining portion. The term “baseless” shall mean that the beverage receptacle lacks a physical structure capable of maintaining the beverage receptacle in an upright, liquid-retaining position on a horizontal surface. Thus, the baseless, stemmed beverage receptacle, when removed from the serving plate, cannot be placed onto a surface in the upright position, i.e., it cannot stand on its own. The term “mechanically interlocked” or its variations shall refer to a physical interconnection of mating structures, such as for example a tab and a slot, a pin or post and a slot, a short screw threading, or the like, as opposed to the joining of two objects by a friction fit. The term “securement fitting assembly” shall refer to a combination of physical structures present on the serving plate and the stem of the beverage receptacle that enable the beverage receptacle to be releasably mechanically interlocked with the serving plate.

[0028] The invention will now be described in detail in combination with the drawings. In general, the invention in various embodiments is a food and beverage retaining assembly comprising the combination of a serving plate 10 and a removable, baseless, stemmed beverage receptacle 20, as shown in FIG. 1, wherein the beverage receptacle 20 is removably or releasably mechanically interlocked with the serving plate 10 by a securement fitting assembly 30. As shown in FIG. 2, the beverage receptacle 20 comprises an upper beverage retaining portion 21 joined to a neck or stem 22, the stem 22 being of significantly narrower diameter than the upper beverage retaining portions 21 and preferably elongated so as to raise the bottom of the upper beverage retaining portion 21 to allow for more food to be placed onto the serving plate 10 beneath the upper beverage retaining portion 21, with the upper beverage retaining portion 21 being of suitable volume in order to retain a quantity of liquid. The upper beverage retaining portion 21 may have various shapes and sizes, and may be similar to the beverage retaining portions of typical stemmed beverage holders (e.g., wine glasses, champagne flutes, martini glasses) and typical non-stemmed beverage holders (e.g., cups, glasses, mugs). The plate 10, as shown in FIG. 6, comprises an upper surface 11 to support food and a stem receptacle or socket 31 positioned on the upper surface 11. The dimensions of the food and beverage retaining assembly may vary, and the food and beverage retaining assembly may be formed of plastic, metal, glass, ceramic or any other suitable material. The food and beverage retaining assembly comprising may be designed for single use, i.e., disposable, or for multiple uses after cleaning.

[0029] In the preferred embodiment, the stem socket 31 is structured to mechanically interlock with the insertion end 23 of the stem 22, the insertion end 23 of the stem 22 having a securement member 24 structured to mechanically interlock with the stem socket 31 on the serving plate 10. Together the stem securement member 24 and the stem socket 31 define a securement fitting assembly 30 that allows the beverage receptacle 20 to be readily disengaged from and reengaged with the serving plate 10 while eating and drinking.

[0030] As shown in FIGS. 7-9, the stem socket 31 comprises an annular wall 32 defining a central recess or bore 33. A substantially L-shaped slot 34 is disposed on the interior of or extending through the annular wall 32, the L-shaped slot 34 having a vertical segment 35 extending to the upper surface of the annular wall 32, as shown in FIG. 8, and a horizontal segment 36 extending along or within the annular wall 32, as shown in FIG. 9. The horizontal segment 36 defines a retention shoulder 37 that precludes vertical movement of the stem securement member 24. The horizontal segment 36 should be of a length which precludes further rotation of the securement member 24 once the securement member 24 is substantially or fully positioned beneath the retention shoulder 37 a sufficient distance to preclude vertical movement, as any excess extension of the horizontal segment 36 would make removal of the beverage receptacle 20 more difficult to accomplish. A maximum rotation of 90 degrees or less, and preferably of 45 degrees or less, is suitable for the purpose. Alternative configurations for the slot 34 may also be utilized, such as incorporating curves or angles other than 90 degrees.

[0031] The securement member 24 of the stem 22 comprises a radially extending protrusion, such as a tab, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, or a post or pin, as shown in FIG. 4. The tab, pin, post, or similarly structured securement member 24 is sized to fit within the L-shaped slot 34, and is referred to hereafter collectively as a tab 24. Such a securement fitting assembly 30 is often referred to as a bayonet coupling or fitting. To secure the beverage receptacle 20 to the serving plate 10, the stem 22 of the beverage receptacle 20 is aligned with the stem socket 31 and the stem tab 24 is aligned with the upper opening of the vertical segment 35 of the L-shaped slot 34. The stem 22 is pushed downward into the annular wall 32 of the stem socket 31 and the stem 22 is rotated such that the tab 24 is moved into the horizontal segment 36 of the L-shaped slot 34 such that relative vertical movement is precluded by the retention shoulder 37, thereby securing the beverage receptacle 20 to the serving plate 10. The outer diameter of the stem 22 should be slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the stem socket 31 such that excessive friction does not occur between the stem 22 and the socket 31. In this manner, with the beverage receptacle 20 mated with the serving plate 10, the user only needs one hand to hold both the plate 10 and the drinking receptacle 20. To remove the beverage receptacle 20 from the serving plate 10, the user grasps or supports the serving plate 10 with one hand and grasps the beverage receptacle 20 with the other. The stem 22 is rotated in the opposite direction such that the tab 24 becomes re-aligned with the vertical segment 35, allowing upward movement of the stem 22 and separation of the beverage receptacle 20 from the serving plate 10. Once removed from the plate 10, the baseless, stemmed beverage receptacle 20 cannot be placed onto a horizontal surface, as the insertion end 23 of the stem 22 is unsuitable to support the beverage retaining portion 21.

[0032] Alternatively, it is understood that other mechanical interlocking designs and structures are possible for the securement fitting assembly, such as for example the use of one or more mating helical thread segments disposed on the insertion end 23 of the stem 22, as shown in FIG. 5, with corresponding grooves on the annular wall 32 of the stem socket 31. Furthermore, the securement fitting assembly 30 may be reversed, such that for example insertion end 23 of the stem 22 is provided with a socket structure and the serving plate 10 is provided with an upwardly extending post and a lateral tab.

[0033] With this structure, the beverage receptacle 20 is secured to the serving plate 10 in an easily releasable and replaceable manner, such that when the user desires to drink from the beverage receptacle 20, it is removed by rotating the beverage receptacle 20 and separating it from the serving plate 10. When a free hand is needed to remove food from the serving plate 10 or load food onto the serving plate 10, the beverage receptacle 20 is re-mounted onto the serving plate 10 as described. Because of the secure connection between the beverage receptacle 20 and the serving plate 10, the user may hold the combined assembly by the holding the underside of the upper beverage retaining portion 21 of the beverage receptacle 20 in addition to being able to hold the combined assembly by grasping the edge or supporting the bottom of the plate 10.

[0034] A mechanical interlocking design is preferable to a friction-fit design for several reasons. With a mechanical interlock design manufacturing does not have to be as precise, as the tolerances between the mating structures can be much greater than is possible for friction-fit structures. Securing and releasing the beverage receptacle 20 from the serving plate 10 is easier with a relatively looser mechanical interlock (turn and lift or insert and turn) than with a friction-fit (high resistance to both insertion and removal). Additionally, after multiple removals and insertions a friction-fit may become inadequate due to wearing, which can lead to accidental separation of the serving plate 10 when the user holds the combined device by the beverage receptacle 20.

[0035] In another embodiment, shown in FIGS. 10-13, the fitting assembly 30 further comprises a base 40 that enables the beverage receptacle 20 to stand on a table, desk, or other horizontal surface independently of the serving plate 10. In one embodiment, the base 40 is a contoured annular flange that resembles the base of stemware, such as the base of a wine glass, champagne flute, martini glass, or the like. In this embodiment, the insertion end 23, shown in FIG. 11, comprises a first stem securement member 41 and a second stem securement member 42. In the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 11, the first and second stem securement members 41, 42 are disposed on opposite sides of the insertion end 23, approximately 180° apart. Other angles, such as 90°, 60°, or other angles could also be used. The base 40 comprises a passageway 43 (see FIG. 10) having an annular C-shaped collar 44 (see FIG. 12) with a contact surface 45 and a gap 46.

[0036] In the exemplary embodiment, to secure the stem 22 to the base 40, the second stem securement member 42 is aligned with the gap 46, and the insertion end 23 is inserted through the passageway 43 until the second stem securement member 42 clears the C-shaped collar 44. The stem 22 is then rotated with respect to the base 40 to align the first stem securement member 41 with the gap 46. The insertion end 23 is then further advanced though the passageway 43 until the first stem securement member 41 clears the C-shaped collar 44. The stem 22 is then rotated again with respect to the base 40 such that the first stem securement member 41 travels under the C-shaped collar 44. The stem 22 is thereby prevented from backing out of the passageway 43 by the first stem securement member 41 abutting against the contact surface 45 of the C-shaped collar 44.

[0037] Once the base 40 is attached to the stem 22 as described above, the beverage receptacle 20 can be attached to the serving plate 10 by insertion of the second stem securing member 42 into the stem socket 31, as described above.

[0038] In one embodiment of the base 40, as shown in FIG. 13, the base 40 is contoured such that the outer edge 47 of the base 40 is disposed lower than the passageway 43, and tip of the insertion end 23 remains above the edge 47 when the base 40 is fully secured to the stem 22. In this configuration, the insertion end 22 does not interfere with the base 40 uniformly contacting a supporting surface on a table or desk when the beverage receptacle 20 is separated from the serving plate 10. If the insertion end 23 extended lower than the edge 47, then the beverage receptacle 20 could become unstable when placed on a table, desk, or other flat surface.

[0039] In another embodiment of the beverage retaining assembly, shown in FIGS. 14-17, the base 40 is attached to the stem 22, by any of the methods described above, by a friction fit, or by gluing, hot welding, or by some other suitable method or mechanism. In this embodiment, the base 40 further comprises a post socket 52 and one or more recesses 50, one or more of which are flanked by a stop 51. Each stop 51 is a nub, bump, protrusion, detent, or other suitable member for preventing over-rotation of the base 40, as described below. The serving plate 10 comprises a post 53 disposed inside a collar 54 that has one or more tabs 55 for mating with the recesses 50 in the base. The post 53 projects upwardly from the serving plate 10 in an orientation that is substantially perpendicular to the upper surface 11. The collar 54 comprises a vertical wall that projects upwardly from the upper surface 11. Each tab 55 is attached to the top of the collar 54 and projects radially inward toward the post 53.

[0040] To attach the beverage receptacle 20 to the serving plate 10, the recesses 50 are aligned with mating tabs 55 on the collar 54, while the post socket 52 is aligned with the post 53. The base 40 is then inserted into the collar 54 such that the post 53 is inserted into the post socket 52 and the tabs 55 pass through the recesses 50. This is an unlocked position of the base 40. To lock the base 40 to the serving plate 10, the base 40 is then rotated with respect to the serving plate 10 until the one or more stops are disposed in abutting contact with one or more tabs 55, thereby preventing further rotation of the base 40 with respect to the serving plate 10. This is the locked position of the base 40.

[0041] In one embodiment of the unlocked position, the post 53 fits snugly into the post socket 52, thereby providing lateral stability to the beverage receptacle 20. This lateral stability prevents the beverage receptacle 20 from tipping over, wobbling, or otherwise becoming unstable with respect to the serving plate 10 while the beverage receptacle 20 is resting upon the serving plate 20. This improved lateral stability prevents spillage even if the user fails or forgets to rotate the base 40 into its locked position. In fact, the serving plate 10 can be tilted up to about 90° without the post socket 52 becoming dislodged from the post 53, even when the base 40 is in the unlocked position (although any food or beverages are likely to spill).

[0042] The foregoing embodiments are merely representative of the stabilizing mechanism for the dishware set and not meant for limitation of the invention. For example, persons skilled in the art would readily appreciate that there are several embodiments and configurations of fitting assemblies that will not substantially alter the nature of the stabilizing mechanism. Consequently, it is understood that equivalents and substitutions for certain elements and components set forth above are part of the invention described herein, and the true scope of the invention is set forth in the claims below.