SERVING TRAY HOLDER AND STABILIZER

A serving tray holder that provides stability to a serving tray and provides comfort to the user.

Not Applicable.

Not Applicable.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Serving trays of all sizes are known. Such serving trays are handled by waiters and waitresses throughout the World in bars, restaurants and the like. The food and drink industry has many workers/servers that wait on thousands of customers. These workers carry serving trays with beverages and/or food which can be very heavy.

It is generally not known, but glassware and dinner ware that is typically broken in such a restaurant or bar is costly. One bar/restaurant within the purview of the inventor herein notes that they break such materials on an average of $600 to $800/day. In addition, there is the liability associated with such broken materials originating with customers. Further, a major problem with serving tray handlers is Carpal Tunnel Syndrome which results from handling the serving trays by prolonged support of such serving trays on a hand, which hand is usually in a reverse position to a normal position. This situation is a direct strain on the wrist and elbow. This situation can cause absent employees, medical costs and workers compensation, insurance claims and possible lawsuits.

Workers carrying the serving trays with one hand many times have accidents with unbalanced serving trays with heavy drinks which can tip over, dropping the glass or glasses filled with beverage. This can cause slips and falls, glass breakage and glass cut injuries, hospital expenses, high glassware expenses, liquid or food wasted expenses and insurance expenses.

It would benefit such users and employers if there was a method to hold such serving trays and keep them stable while surmounted with various glasses, chinaware, and the like.

One such solution to securely holding both stemware and/or non-stemware articles is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 9,839,311 that issued Dec. 12, 2017, to Shames in which serving trays are configured to securely hold stemware and other articles by utilizing securing portions cut into the serving tray.

U.S. design Pat. D867,073 S that issued Nov. 19, 2019, to McConnell discloses a baby food jar holder in which serving trays are notched to hold the jars.

Xu, in U.S. design Pat. D871,811 that issued Jan. 7, 2020, discloses a wine table which is also notched to hold wine and condiments. The table is designed to be placed on the ground by a long-pointed shaft.

None of this prior art discloses or suggests the novel serving tray holder of the instant invention.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Thus, what is disclosed and claimed herein is a serving tray holder and stabilizer. The serving tray holder comprises a unitary serving tray support and a carrying handle for the unitary serving tray support.

There is a center plate having two lateral extensions from the center plate in the same plane as the center plate, which extensions extend in a 90-degree angle from each other from the center plate. Each lateral has a terminal end and each terminal end curls in an upwardly direction to form a hook configuration.

There is a tab extending from the center plate in the same plane as the lateral extensions at an angle of 135 degrees from each lateral extension. The tab has a distal terminal notch. There is a centered hub on a bottom of the center plate, the carrying handle being insertable and retractable from the hub.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Thus, what is disclosed and claimed herein is a serving tray holder that provides stability to a serving tray and comfort to the user.

With regard toFIG.1, there is shown a full top view of a serving tray holder1of this invention. The serving tray holder1is comprised of unitary structure with the exception of a separate handle2. What is meant by “unitary” herein is that the center plate3, the lateral extensions4and the tab7, and the hub8, are all one piece and the centerplate3, the lateral extensions4and the tab7are all on the same plane.

The center plate3is shown as circular in configuration, however, this portion of the serving tray holder can be any such configuration, such as, square, triangular, rectangular, octagonal and the like. The center plate3is from 1/16 inch to 5/16 in thickness.

There are two lateral extensions4from the center plate3and they are in the same plane as the center plate3to provide a continuous flat surface. The lateral extensions4extend in a 90° angle from each other from the center plate3. Each lateral extension4has a terminal end5and at each terminal end5, there is an upwardly directed hook configuration6. For purposes of this invention, the opening of the hook is at least ¾ inch.

There is a single tab7extending from the center plate3in the same plane as the lateral extensions4at an angle of 135° from each lateral extension4. The tab7has a distal terminal notch10therein.

There is a centered hub8mounted on the bottom9of the center plate3. There is a carrying handle10that is insertable into the hub8and retractable from the hub8.

Referring toFIG.5, a serving tray11is placed on the top surface of the serving tray support1and then the edge of the serving tray11is moved into the hook configurations6to secure the serving tray11on the serving tray support1. The serving tray11, either full or empty, can easily be placed on the serving tray support1and removed.

The tray supports of this invention can be manufactured from metals, plastic or composite materials. Aluminum is the preferred metal, but stainless steel can be used. Plastics that can be used include polyethylene, cross linked polyethylene, polypropylene, vinyl, ABS and the like. The handle can be manufactured from metal, plastic, wood or composite materials.

The tray supports of this invention have an outside diameter of about 10 inches to about 36 inches and the handle has a length of from 3 inches to 6 inches.

It is contemplated within the scope of this invention to provide for a locking mechanism for the handle into the hub. SeeFIG.2, designation12. This mechanism is a simple friction hold of plastic against plastic. The tray supports can be colored but are usually black, white or gray in color.