Patent Publication Number: US-8973796-B1

Title: Serving tray apparatus

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates generally to trays and, more specifically, to a serving tray apparatus having a rigid plate-like beverage container-support portion and a hand/forearm engaging portion. 
     The beverage container-support portion provides at least one rigid plate-like tray having a plurality of apertures or cavities for receiving and supporting a beverage container in a respective aperture/cavity thereby preventing lateral movement of said container once placed within a respective aperture/cavity. 
     The beverage container-support portion further incorporates at least one of a pair of mating fasteners for attaching the container supporting portion to the hand/forearm-engaging portion. 
     The hand/forearm-engaging portion having a longitudinal body provides the mating fastener to said beverage container-support portion fastener whereby the container-support portion is fastened to the hand/forearm-engaging portion that further comprises a downwardly depending hand grip and a channeled forearm brace. 
     The hand/forearm-engaging portion adds stability to handling the tray by virtue of the hand grip and channeled forearm brace. In other words, as the tray&#39;s center of balance changes while the tray is being carried from one location to another and when the tray&#39;s containers are removed, it becomes more difficult to balance a serving tray with one hand. 
     Further more, the terminus ends of the vertically depending hand grip and forearm brace, which is basically a pair of spaced apart downwardly depending wings, are substantially coplanar thereby providing a three point stand for the serving tray apparatus when placed on a horizontal surface, such as a table. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     There are other serving trays designed for serving beverages. While these trays may be suitable for the purposes for which they were designed, they would not be as suitable for the purposes of the present invention, as hereinafter described. 
     It is thus desirable to provide a serving tray incorporating a container-support portion and a hand/forearm engaging portion. 
     It is further desirable to provide a serving tray having spaced apart container-support portion with the top tray having a plurality of spaced apertures and the bottom tray supporting the base of a beverage container. 
     SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION 
     A primary object of the present invention is to provide a serving tray apparatus having a container-support portion and a hand/forearm-engaging portion. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide a serving tray apparatus wherein the forearm-engaging portion comprises a downwardly depending hand grip and forearm brace having a pair of spaced apart wings. 
     Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a serving tray apparatus wherein said forearm-engaging portion further provides one of a pair of mating fasteners while the other mating fastener forms an integral part of the container-support portion enabling the container-support portion to be fastened to the hand/forearm-engaging portion. 
     Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a serving tray apparatus wherein said hand/forearm-engaging portion comprises a longitudinal body having at least one of a mating fastener forming an integral part therewith and a downwardly depending hand grip and channeled forearm brace terminating in a pair of spaced apart wings. 
     An additional object of the present invention is to provide a serving tray apparatus where the container-support portion fastener and the hand/forearm-engaging portion fastener are threadedly engaged. 
     A further object of the present invention is to provide a serving tray apparatus where the container-support portion fastener and the hand/forearm-engaging portion fastener are a dove tail rail and dove tail channel. 
     A yet further object of the present invention is to provide a serving tray apparatus where the hand/forearm engaging portion accommodates a pair of spaced apart container-support trays through another pair of mating fasteners comprising a threaded cavity within the hand/forearm-engaging fastener and a threaded post downwardly extending from one of the container-support trays so that the bottom container-support tray is fastened to the hand/forearm-engaging fastener with the treaded post threadedly attached to said threaded cavity with the length of the threaded post keeping the two trays in a spaced relationship. 
     A still yet further object of the present invention is to provide a serving tray apparatus wherein said container-supporting portion comprises at least one rigid plate-like container supporting portion having a plurality of spaced apart apertures for supporting containers therein. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide a serving tray apparatus wherein said container-support portion comprises at least one rigid plate-like container-supporting portion having a plurality of spaced cavities for supporting containers therein. 
     Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a serving tray apparatus further comprising a container-supporting portion having an upper tray with apertures and a subjacent tray with cavities that are co-aligned with the upper tray&#39;s apertures thereby supporting the base of a beverage container within a respective subjacent tray cavity while the beverage container&#39;s upper wall is contained within a respective aperture. 
     Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a serving tray apparatus further comprising a container-support portion having an upper tray with apertures and a subjacent ring fixedly attached to said upper tray wherein said ring extends fully or partial across the upper tray apertures thereby supporting the base of a beverage container upon said fixedly attached ring. 
     An additional object of the present invention is to provide a serving tray apparatus further comprising a container-support portion having an upper tray with apertures and a subjacent ring with a plurality of spacers fixedly positioned between said upper tray and said ring wherein said ring extends fully or partial across the upper tray apertures thereby supporting the base of a beverage container upon said fixedly attached ring. 
     A further object of the present invention is to provide a serving tray apparatus wherein said container-supporting portion having said plurality of spaced apertures for supporting container therein, further provides flanged receptacles for receiving and supporting a beverage container therein with said receptacle flange supported along the periphery of said apertures. 
     A yet further object of the present invention is to provide a serving tray apparatus wherein said container-support portion comprises at least one rigid plate-like tray having a plurality of apertures wherein said plurality of apertures optionally provides each aperture with a recess extending from the aperture through the edge of the tray thereby enabling goblets/stemware glasses to be inserted by their stems into a respective recess with the glass bowl portion supported by the rim of the aperture. 
     A still yet object of the present invention is to provide a threaded cap for said threaded post whereby said threaded cap forms a handle for carrying the serving tray apparatus. 
     Additional objects of the present invention will appear as the description proceeds. 
     The present invention overcomes the shortcomings of the prior art by providing a serving tray apparatus having a rigid plate-like container-supporting portion and a hand/forearm-engaging portion. 
     The container-support portion provides at least one rigid plate-like tray having a plurality of apertures or cavities for receiving and supporting a container in a respective aperture/cavity 
     Further provided is at least one of a pair of mating fasteners taken from the group of threaded and dovetail for releasably attaching the container supporting portion to the hand/forearm engaging portion. 
     The hand/forearm engaging portion provides at least one of a mating fastener for releasably attaching the container-support portion to the hand/forearm engaging portion that further comprises a downwardly depending hand grip and forearm brace, where the forearm bracket has a channel with opposing channel sides with depending wings. 
     Further more, the terminus ends of the vertically depending hand grip and forearm brace are substantially coplanar thereby providing a three point stand for the serving tray apparatus when placed on a horizontal surface, such as a table. 
     The foregoing and other objects and advantages will appear from the description to follow. In the description reference is made to the accompanying drawing, which forms a part hereof, and in which is shown by way of illustration specific embodiments in which the invention may be practiced. These embodiments will be described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention, and it is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and that structural changes may be made without departing from the scope of the invention. In the accompanying drawing, like reference characters designate the same or similar parts throughout the several views. 
     The following detailed description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense, and the scope of the present invention is best defined by the appended claims. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES 
       In order that the invention may be more fully understood, it will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawing in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a plurality of illustrative top perspective views of the serving tray apparatus of the present invention incorporating various elements. 
         FIG. 2  is an exploded bottom perspective view of the serving tray apparatus of the present invention using a threaded fastener for attaching the container support portion to the hand/forearm engaging portion. 
         FIG. 3  is an exploded top perspective view of the serving tray apparatus of the present invention using a threaded fastener for attaching the container-support portion to the hand/forearm engaging portion. 
         FIG. 4  is an assembled top perspective view of the serving tray apparatus of the present invention using a threaded fastener for attaching the container support portion to the hand/forearm engaging portion. 
         FIG. 5  is an exploded top perspective view of the serving tray apparatus of the present invention using a dovetail fastener for attaching the container support portion to the hand/forearm engaging portion. 
         FIG. 6  is a partial exploded top perspective view of the serving tray apparatus of the present invention using a dovetail fastener for attaching the container support portion to the hand/forearm engaging portion. 
         FIG. 7  is an assembled top perspective view of the serving tray apparatus of the present invention using a dovetail fastener for attaching the container support portion to the hand/forearm engaging portion. 
         FIG. 8  is an exploded bottom perspective view of the serving tray apparatus of the present invention using a threaded fastener for attaching the container support portion to the hand/forearm engaging portion further incorporating flanged beverage receptacles positioned within the serving tray apertures for placing beverage containers therein. 
         FIG. 9  is an exploded top perspective view of the serving tray apparatus of the present invention using a threaded fastener for attaching the container support portion to the hand/forearm engaging portion further incorporating flanged beverage receptacles positioned within the serving tray apertures for placing beverage containers therein. 
         FIG. 10  is an assembled top perspective view of the serving tray apparatus of the present invention using a threaded fastener for attaching the container support portion to the hand/forearm engaging portion further incorporating flanged beverage receptacles positioned within the serving tray apertures for placing beverage containers therein. 
         FIG. 11  is an exploded bottom perspective view of the serving tray apparatus of the present invention using a threaded fastener for attaching the container support portion to the hand/forearm engaging portion further providing each aperture with a slot extending from the aperture to the edge of the serving tray whereby stemmed beverage containers can be inserted into a respective aperture through the respective slots. 
         FIG. 12  is an exploded top perspective view of the serving tray apparatus of the present invention using a threaded fastener for attaching the container support portion to the hand/forearm engaging portion further providing each aperture with a slot extending from the aperture to the edge of the serving tray whereby stemmed beverage containers can be inserted into a respective aperture through the respective slots. 
         FIG. 13  is an assembled top perspective view of the serving tray apparatus of the present invention using a threaded fastener for attaching the container support portion to the hand/forearm engaging portion further providing each aperture with a slot extending from the aperture to the edge of the serving tray whereby stemmed beverage containers can be inserted into a respective aperture through the respective slots. 
         FIG. 14  is a bottom exploded perspective view of the serving tray apparatus of the present invention whereby the container support portion is comprised of an upper ridged plate having a centrally disposed threaded through bore with a plurality of arrayed apertures and a subjacently positioned lower ring that extends fully or partially across the plurality of arrayed apertures thereby supporting the base of a beverage container on the lower ring. 
         FIG. 15  is a top exploded perspective view of the serving tray apparatus of the present invention whereby the container support portion is comprised of an upper ridged plate having a centrally disposed threaded through bore with a plurality of arrayed apertures and a subjacently positioned lower ring that extends fully or partially across the plurality of arrayed apertures thereby supporting the base of a beverage container on the lower ring. 
         FIG. 16  is an assembled perspective view of the serving tray apparatus of the present invention in use whereby the container support portion is comprised of an upper ridged plate having a centrally disposed threaded through bore with a plurality of arrayed apertures and a subjacently positioned lower ring that extends fully or partially across the plurality of arrayed apertures thereby supporting the base of a beverage container on the lower ring. 
         FIG. 17  is a bottom exploded perspective view of the serving tray apparatus of the present invention whereby the container support portion is comprised of an upper ridged plate having a threaded post with a plurality of arrayed apertures therearound and a fixedly attached subjacent lower ridged plate thereunder. 
         FIG. 18  is a top exploded perspective view of the serving tray apparatus of the present invention whereby the container support portion is comprised of an upper ridged plate having a threaded post with a plurality of arrayed apertures therearound and a fixedly attached subjacent lower ridged plate thereunder. 
         FIG. 19  is a top assembled perspective view of the serving tray apparatus of the present invention in use whereby the container support portion is comprised of an upper ridged plate having a threaded post with a plurality of arrayed apertures therearound and a fixedly attached subjacent lower ridged plate thereunder supporting a respective beverage container in a respective aperture in the lower ridged plate. 
         FIG. 20  is a top exploded perspective view of the serving tray apparatus of the present invention comprising a container support portion having an upper ridged plate with U-shaped apertures and a subjacent lower ring with a plurality of spacers fixedly positioned between the upper ridged plate and the lower ring. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE REFERENCED NUMERALS 
     Turning now descriptively to the drawings, in which similar reference characters denote similar elements throughout the several views, the Figures illustrate the cigarette lighter, bottle opener and compass multi-tool of the present invention. With regard to the reference numerals used, the following numbering is used throughout the various drawing figures.
           30  serving tray apparatus     32  container support portion of apparatus  30       34  hand/forearm engaging portion of apparatus  30       36  first fastener of apparatus  30       38  second fastener of apparatus  30       40  ridged plate of container support portion  32       42  threaded bore for first fastener  36       43  externally threaded upstanding boss for second fastener  38       44  aperture in ridged plate  40       46  beverage container     48  longitudinal body of hand/forearm engaging portion  34       50  hand grip of hand/forearm engaging portion  34       52  wing on longitudinal body  48       54  dovetail track mounting strip for first fastener  36       56  dovetail rail for second fastener  38       58  flanged receptacle of apparatus  30       60  slot in ridged plate  40       62  goblet/wine glass for beverage container  46       63  stem of goblet/wine glass  62       64  cup portion of goblet/wine glass  62       66  ring of apparatus  30       68  threaded post for first fastener  36       70  second rigid plate of apparatus  30       72  threaded through bore in second rigid plate  70       74  recessed cavity in second rigid plate  70       76  internally threaded aperture for second fastener  38       78  U-shaped cutout in aperture  44       80  spacer of apparatus  30         

     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     The following discussion describes in detail the present invention with several variations thereof. This discussion should not be construed, however, as limiting the invention to those particular variations, since practitioners skilled in the art will recognize numerous other variations as well. For definition of the complete scope of the present invention, the reader is directed to appended claims. 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , shown are illustrative variations of the serving tray apparatus  30  of the present invention. Shown are several variations of the serving tray apparatus  30  comprising a container support portion  32  and a hand/forearm engaging portion  34  releasably attached together through mating fasteners  36 ,  38  forming an integral part of the container support portion  32  and the hand/forearm engaging portion  34 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 2 through 4  shown is the serving tray apparatus  30  of the present invention. Illustrated in  FIGS. 2 and 3  are exploded views of the container support portion  32  comprising a rigid plate  40  having a centrally disposed threaded bore  42  being the first fastener  36  with radially arrayed apertures  44  for receiving and supporting a beverage container  46  in a respective aperture  44 , as shown in  FIG. 4 . Also shown is the hand/forearm engaging portion  34  having a longitudinal body  48  with a hand grip  50  on one end with the longitudinal body  48  extending therefrom into a pair of spaced apart downwardly depending wings  52  for engaging a user&#39;s forearm. The mating second fastener  38  being an externally threaded upstanding boss  43  is fixed to the top of the longitudinal body  48  for providing means for attaching to the first fastener  36  of the container support portion  32 .  FIG. 4  depicts an assembly view of the present invention. The terminus ends of the vertically depending hand grip  50  and the longitudinal body  48  are substantially coplanar thereby providing a three point stand for the serving tray apparatus  30  when placed on a horizontal surface, such as a table. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 5 through 7 , shown are exploded views and an assembled view of another additional variation of the present invention. Illustrated in  FIGS. 5 and 6  are exploded views of the serving tray apparatus  30  consisting of a container support portion  32  being a ridged plate  40  having a plurality of radially arrayed apertures  44  for receiving and supporting a beverage container  46  in a respective aperture  44 , as shown in  FIG. 7 . Also shown is the hand/forearm engaging portion  34  having a longitudinal body  48  with a hand grip  50  on one end with a pair of spaced apart downwardly depending wings  52  for engaging a user&#39;s forearm.  FIG. 7  depicts an assembly view of the present invention. As illustrated, the mating first and second fasteners  36 ,  38  are for attaching the container support portion  32  to the hand/forearm engaging portion  34  which are a dovetail track mounting strip  54  fixed to the underside of the ridged plate  40  of the container support portion  32  and a dovetail rail  56  fixed onto the longitudinal body  48  of the hand/forearm engaging portion  34 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 8 through 10 , shown are exploded views and an assembled view of another additional variation of the present invention. The present invention is a serving tray apparatus  30  having a ridged plate  40  for moving a plurality of beverage containers  46  from one location to another by providing a hand/forearm engaging portion  34  incorporating a second fastener  38  with the first mating fastener  36  forming an integral part of the ridged plate  40 , whereby the ridged plate  40  can be releasably attached to the hand/forearm engaging portion  34 . The present invention further provides a corresponding plurality of flanged receptacles  58  with each flanged receptacle  58  positioned into each aperture  44 , thereby providing for placement of a beverage container  46  into the flanged receptacle  58 , as shown in  FIG. 10 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 11 through 13 , are exploded views and an assembled view of yet another additional variation of the present invention. Illustrated in  FIGS. 11 and 12  are exploded views of the container support portion  32  comprising a rigid plate  40  having a centrally disposed threaded bore  42  with radially arrayed apertures  44  for receiving and supporting a beverage container  46  in a respective aperture  44  further comprising a slot  60  extending from the edge of the ridged plate  40  to an aperture  44 , as shown in  FIG. 11 .  FIG. 12  depicts a beverage container  44 , such as a goblet or wine glass  62 , which has a stem  63  that can be passed through the slot  60  with the cup portion  64  and then supported by the aperture  44 . Also shown is the hand/forearm engaging portion  34  having a longitudinal body  48  with a hand grip  50  on one end with a pair of spaced apart downwardly depending wings  52  on an opposite end for engaging a user&#39;s forearm. The mating second fastener  38  is fixed to the top of the longitudinal body  48  providing means for attaching to the container support portion  32 .  FIG. 13  depicts an assembly view of the present invention. The terminus ends of the vertically depending hand grip  50  and longitudinal body  48  are substantially coplanar thereby providing a three point stand for the serving tray apparatus  30  when placed on a horizontal surface, such as a table. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 14 through 16 , shown is the container support portion  32  comprising a ridged plate  40  having a threaded through bore  42  with a plurality of arrayed apertures  44  therearound and a fixedly attached subjacent ring  66 . Illustrated in  FIGS. 14 and 15  are exploded views of the serving tray apparatus  30  consisting of the rigid plate  40  having a plurality of radially arrayed apertures  44 , for receiving a beverage container  46  in a respective aperture  44  and a subjacently fixed ring  66  that fully or partially extends across the plurality of arrayed apertures  44 , thereby forming support for the base of a beverage container  46  has shown in  FIG. 16 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 17 through 19  are exploded views of the serving tray apparatus  30  while  FIG. 19  depicts an assembled view in use. The container support portion  32  comprises a ridged plate  40  having a plurality of radially positioned apertures  44  with a centrally disposed downwardly depending threaded post  68  and a subjacent second ridged plate  70  having a threaded through bore  72  with a plurality of radially positioned recessed cavities  74  that when assembled are co-aligned with the apertures  44 . The second ridged plate  70  is threadedly attached to the exterior thread of the second fastener  38  and the threaded post  68  is threadedly attached to a threaded through bore  76  of the second fastener  38 , whereby the length of the threaded post  68  keeps the ridged plate  40  and second ridged plate  70  spaced apart. 
     Referring to  FIG. 20 , depicts an additional variation of the present invention having a serving tray apparatus  30  further comprising a container support portion  32  having an ridged plate  40  with apertures  44  each having a U-shaped cutout  78  and a subjacent ring  66  with a plurality of spacers  80  fixedly positioned between the ridged plate  40  and the ring  66 , wherein the ring  66  extends fully or partial across the apertures  44  of the ridged plate  40 , thereby supporting the base of a beverage container  46  upon the fixedly attached ring  66 .