Patent ID: 7284675
Filing Date: 2007-10-23
Classification: A47G

Abstract:
1. A convertible food tray comprising: a generally flat, rectangular sheet of flexible material of generally uniform thickness having a bottom side and a top side, two spaced-apart generally parallel side edges, and first and second spaced-apart generally parallel end edges; a split in said sheet generally parallel to said side edges at approximately the midpoint of said first end edge extending from said first end edge toward said second end edge and dividing said sheet in the area of said first end edge into a first end area and a second end area; wherein when said material from said first end area and said second end area are brought into an overlapping configuration at said split, said sheet of flexible material is caused to bow from side to side and from said first end edge to between one quarter and three quarters of the way to said second end edge, forming a concave area and a generally flat, pre-stressed area in said sheet wherein said sheet in said concave area has a general conical shape with an apex at its approximate center, and further wherein said sheet in the area of said apex is continuous whereby liquid material can be retained in said concave area and wherein said generally flat pre-stressed area in said sheet extends from and between said two side edges and from said concave area to said second end edge; and further wherein when material from said end areas are not in an overlapping configuration and in their original side by side configuration, said sheet can be returned to its generally flat condition for storage and/or transport.