Abstract:
The present invention is a serving tray with an ergonomically designed handle which can be selectively attached and detached to the bottom of a serving tray. The handle interlock system improves the stability of the tray lessening the risk of accident due to unbalanced loads or load instability. The orientation of the handle and the handling posture of the tray engage two strong elbow flexor muscles and increase muscle strength. In addition, the handling posture reduces the risk of tendonitis and carpal tunnel syndrome which results from wrist flexing and applied force associated with traditional tray handling and carrying posture.

Description:
FIELD OF INVENTION  
       [0001]    The present invention relates to the field of restaurant trays and more particularly to an ergonomically designed tray. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
         [0002]      FIG. 1  shows a side perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of an assembled ergonomically designed tray in use. 
           [0003]      FIG. 2  shows a bottom perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of an ergonomically designed tray having a track component. 
           [0004]      FIG. 3  shows a bottom perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of an assembled ergonomically designed tray. 
           [0005]      FIG. 4  shows a side perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of an assembled ergonomically designed tray. 
           [0006]      FIG. 5  shows an exploded view of an exemplary embodiment of a handle for an ergonomically designed tray. 
           [0007]      FIG. 6  shows an exploded view of a second exemplary embodiment of a handle for an ergonomically designed tray. 
       
    
    
     GLOSSARY  
       [0008]    As used herein, the term “ergonomically designed” means a component which has been designed to maximize productivity by minimizing user fatigue, discomfort and injuries. 
         [0009]    As used herein, the term “handle interlock system” means components which provide secure mounting capability for a handle to a tray. 
         [0010]    As used herein, the term “tray” means a flat, shallow container or receptacle used for carrying, serving, holding or displaying food, beverages, dishes, or other items. A tray may have slightly raised or tapered edges. 
         [0011]    As used herein, the term “selectively attachable” means one or one components which can be securely attached to a component and removed without requiring alteration to the selectively attachable component or to the one or more components to which it is attached. 
       BACKGROUND  
       [0012]    The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has recognized the importance of ergonomics in the workplace. In 1999, OSHA issued a Proposed Ergonomics Standard that would apply to manufacturing facilities as well as “manual handling” operations (e.g., office services employees, domestic service workers, bartenders and wait staff, sales workers) and any industry in which one employee has experienced a sign or symptom of a musculoskeletal disorder (i.e., disorders that affect the body&#39;s muscles, joints, tendons, ligaments and nerves). 
         [0013]    In 2007, OSHA published  Ergonomics Guidelines for Manual Material Handling  as part of its four-pronged strategy to reduce ergonomic injuries. In addition, OSHA will develop industry or task specific guidelines for a number of industries based on current incidence rates available information about effective and feasible solutions. OSHA has already released numerous industry specific ergonomics guidelines (e.g. guidelines for retail grocery) which specially address repetitive strain injuries and other musculoskeletal disorders. 
         [0014]    Although OSHA has not currently formulated standards specific to the restaurant industry, it is expected to do so. The restaurant industry currently employs 2.3 million waiters, waitresses and food servers, each of who is expected to carry trays laden with food and/or beverages. Repetitive strain injuries, such as tendonitis and carpal tunnel syndrome are common among waiters and waitresses and can be very painful and take a long time to heal. Injuries and accidents can also occur as a result of instability of a tray or unbalanced loads. 
         [0015]    Waiters and waitresses typically carry a tray using one hand by balancing the tray on their upright palm. Carrying a tray like this is awkward and puts a substantial amount of strain and pressure on the server&#39;s wrist. Extreme wrist extension with applied force is a primary risk factor for carpal tunnel syndrome. 
         [0016]    There are examples of serving trays known in the art which have attempted to improve upon the standard serving tray and/or the method of carrying a serving tray. For example U.S. Pat. No. 5,711,595 (Gerbe &#39;595). Gerbe &#39;595 teaches an illuminated serving tray which has a flashlight-like protrusion that acts as a source of light, as well as a convenient handle for the user to carry and maneuver the tray with. Although the tray taught by Gerbe &#39;595 includes a handle, the handle is not removable from the tray. 
         [0017]    U.S. Pat. No. 2,723,068 (Ettwein &#39;068) is another example of an improved serving tray and way of carrying a serving tray. Ettwein &#39;068 teaches a serving tray or dish holder with twin collapsible handle members on the underside of the tray. When in the erect position, both members are simultaneously grasped and are substantially rigid and non-tiltable so that the tray is securely supported with one hand by the handle members. When the members are in the collapsed position, the trays may be stacked. 
         [0018]    It is desirable to have a serving tray that is ergonomically designed to comply with OSHA&#39;s ergonomic guidelines. 
         [0019]    It is further desirable to have an ergonomic tray which can be stacked and efficiently stored. 
         [0020]    It is further desirable to have an ergonomic tray which can be easily cleaned. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0021]    The present invention is a serving tray with an ergonomically designed handle to improve comfort and efficiency in handling for the user while preventing muscle strain and repetitive injuries. The handle may be selectively attached and detached to the bottom of the serving tray using the handle interlock system. The handle interlock system improves the stability of the tray lessening the risk of accident due to unbalanced loads or load instability. 
         [0022]    The orientation of the handle and the handling posture of the tray engage two strong elbow flexor muscles, the biceps brachii and the brachioradialis muscles, and increase muscle strength. In addition, the handling posture reduces the risk of tendonitis and carpal tunnel syndrome which results from wrist flexing and applied force associated with traditional tray handling and carrying posture. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION  
       [0023]    For the purpose of promoting an understanding of the present invention, references are made in the text to exemplary embodiments of a tray with an ergonomically designed handle, only some of which are described herein. It should be understood that no limitations on the scope of the invention are intended by describing these exemplary embodiments. One of ordinary skill in the art will readily appreciate that alternate but functionally equivalent sizes, shapes and materials may be used. The inclusion of additional elements may be deemed readily apparent and obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art. Specific elements disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but rather as a basis for the claims and as a representative basis for teaching one of ordinary skill in the art to employ the present invention. 
         [0024]    It should be understood that the drawings are not necessarily to scale; instead emphasis has been placed upon illustrating the principles of the invention. In addition, in the embodiments depicted herein, like reference numerals in the various drawings refer to identical or near identical structural elements. 
         [0025]    Moreover, the terms “substantially” or “approximately” as used herein may be applied to modify any quantitative representation that could permissibly vary without resulting in a change in the basic function to which it is related. 
         [0026]      FIG. 1  shows a side perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of ergonomically designed tray  100  in use. Visible are tray  10  and ergonomic handle  50 . The user holds onto ergonomically designed tray  100  by placing his or her palm on handle  50  and wrapping his or her fingers around handle  50 . 
         [0027]      FIG. 2  shows a bottom perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of ergonomically designed tray  100  without handle  50 . Visible is track component  15  which provides a means for attaching handle  50  to tray  10 . In the embodiment shown, base  18  of track component  15  is not orientated along the bottom edge of serving tray  10  but rather base  18  is located at a distance from the bottom edge of serving tray  10 . 
         [0028]    In the embodiment shown, rim  25  of tray  10  is larger than bottom  28  of tray  10  which allows tray  10  to be efficiently stacked with trays of similar dimensions when handle  50  is not attached to tray  10 . 
         [0029]      FIG. 3  shows a bottom perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of ergonomically designed tray  100  which consists of tray  10  and handle  50 . In the embodiment shown, tray  10  is a standard large tray with bottom  28  having a diameter of 22 inches and rim  25  having a diameter of 27 inches. In other embodiments, serving tray  10  has a diameter between 11 inches and 30 inches. 
         [0030]    Attached to the bottom of serving tray  10  is track component  15 . In the embodiment shown, track component  15  is orientated along the bottom edge of tray  10  and is made of aluminum and has a triangular shape with base  18  measuring 5 inches. In other embodiments, track component  15  is made of plastic, fiberglass, wood, layers of epoxy another type of metal, or another material, and/or is of another shape and size. 
         [0031]    In the embodiment shown, track component  15  has rails  20   a ,  20   b  on the two long sides of track component  15 . Rails  20   a ,  20   b  are contoured to receive handle  50  having interlocking component  55 . In the embodiment shown, rails  20   a ,  20   b  are ⅝ inches high, have a 2/8 inch groove, and are 5 inches apart at base  18 . Rails  20   a ,  20   b  taper inward from base  18  of track component  15 . In other embodiments, rails  20   a ,  20   b  have varying dimensions and/or are of a different design which corresponds to the size and shape of interlocking component  55 . 
         [0032]    Handle  50  is attached to interlocking component  55  and is selectively attachable to tray  10 . Edge  58  of interlocking component is of a height that fits between the grooves of rails  20   a ,  20   b  on track component  15 . Interlocking component  55  and handle  50  are slid in the groove of rails  20   a ,  20   b  toward the center of serving tray  10  until wedged securely between rails  20   a ,  20   b . Handle  50  and interlocking component  55  may be selectively detached from tray  10  by moving interlocking component  55  and handle  50  out toward base  18 . In the embodiment shown, interlocking component  55  with handle  50  is secured in the middle of serving tray  10 . 
         [0033]    In the embodiment shown, interlocking component  55  is circular in shape and is made of metal, with edge  58  having a height that is slightly less than ⅝ inches, the height of rails  20   a ,  20   b . In addition, the diameter of interlocking component  55  is greater than the diameter of handle  50  so that it protrudes beyond handle  50  which prevents handle  50  from being damaged and allows interlocking component  55  to be secured between rails  20   a ,  20   b.    
         [0034]      FIG. 4  shows a side perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of an assembled ergonomically designed tray  100 . Visible are tray  10 , handle  50  and track component  15 . 
         [0035]      FIG. 5  shows an exploded view of an exemplary embodiment of handle  50  for ergonomically designed tray  100 . In the embodiment shown, interlocking component  55  is circular in shape and has a diameter of 2 inches. In other embodiments, interlocking component  55  has a diameter of between 1¼ inches to 3½ inches and/or is of a different shape with varying dimensions. The diameter of interlocking component  55  will be larger than the diameter or dimensions of handle  50  and will correspond to the distance between rails  20   a ,  20   b.    
         [0036]    In the embodiment shown, interlocking component  55  is metal. In other embodiments, interlocking component  55  may be made of a material other than metal, such as plastic or any other material which has an edge that is capable of being slid between rails  20   a ,  20   b  and which is strong enough to be secured between rails  20   a ,  20   b  and to support serving tray  10 . 
         [0037]    In the embodiment shown, handle  50  is cylindrical and ergonomically designed having a size and shape to fit any user providing comfort to the user and lessening the strain and fatigue of the user&#39;s wrist. In the embodiment shown, handle  50  has a gripping surface which provides the user with a comfortable grip. In addition, handle  50  is easy to clean and maintain (e.g., can be cleaned in a dishwasher). 
         [0038]      FIG. 6  shows an exploded view of a second exemplary embodiment of handle  50  for ergonomically designed tray  100 . In the embodiment shown, interlocking component  55  is an isosceles trapezoid and is made of metal. In other embodiments, interlocking component  55  is circular in shape or is of any other shape capable of being wedged between rails  20   a ,  20   b  in order to secure handle  50 . In other embodiments, interlocking component  55  may be made of a material other than metal, such as plastic or any other material which has an edge that is capable of being slid between rails  20   a ,  20   b  and which is strong enough to be secured between rails  20   a ,  20   b  and to support serving tray  10 . 
         [0039]    In the embodiment shown, handle  50  is D-shaped and is ergonomically designed having a size and shape to fit any user providing comfort to the user and lessening the strain and fatigue of the user&#39;s wrist. In the embodiment shown, the straight portion of handle  50  contains impressions for the four fingers which provide additional support and comfort to the user&#39;s hand and wrist. In addition, handle  50  is easy to clean and maintain (e.g., can be cleaned in a dishwasher).