Patent ID: 6651836
Filing Date: 2003-11-25
Classification: A47G,Y10S

Abstract:
A hand-held plate for holding a beverage container and food, said plate being of integral, molded construction and including:an outer rim portion; a food receptacle portion disposed inwardly of said outer rim portion and defined by a food receptacle side wall and a food receptacle bottom wall; and a beverage container holder portion disposed inwardly of said outer rim portion adjacent to said food receptacle portion, said beverage container holder portion including a top wall extending between said outer rim portion and said food receptacle side wall disposed at a higher elevation than said food receptacle bottom wall and defining an opening for accommodating a beverage container, said beverage container holder portion additionally including a plurality of flexible beverage container engagement flaps integral with said top wall, projecting downwardly therefrom and extending into said opening, said flexible beverage container engagement flaps having upper flap surfaces which are convexly downwardly curved immediately adjacent to the top wall for guiding a beverage container toward said opening when engaged by said beverage container and being deformable when initially engaged by said beverage container to flex downwardly and frictionally engage an outer peripheral surface of said beverage container with said upper flap surfaces, frictional engagement between said flexible beverage container engagement flaps and said beverage container maintaining said beverage container at a fixed location in said opening in a stable manner, at least one of said flexible beverage container flaps having a distal flap end, a plurality of spaced, substantially parallel hinges extending thereacross spaced from said top wall and located between said top wall and said distal flap end thereof, and being comprised of a plurality of flap segments interconnected by and relatively pivotally movable about said hinges.