Patent Publication Number: US-2013233864-A1

Title: Appetizer Tray and System

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     Not Applicable 
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
     Not Applicable 
     REFERENCE TO SEQUENCE LISTING, A TABLE, OR A COMPUTER PROGRAM LISTING COMPACT DISK APPENDIX 
     Not Applicable 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention relates generally to the field of serving trays, and specifically to trays that, together with utensils and adapters, make up a system for serving utensils with appetizers. The problem of serving appetizers requiring utensils is well known among those who like to entertain. When appetizers requiring cutlery are to be served away from a dining table, for example to standing guests or to guests seated around a coffee table, then utensils must be distributed along with the appetizers themselves. One way to handle this is to place the required utensil on the individual plate, which may affect the appearance of the dish and may also fall from the plate, thereby creating a mess. Another way to handle this is to distribute utensils separately, by having the host or server deliver them individually, however this is inefficient and inelegant. A useful system, therefore would allow for appetizers to be served with utensils in a manner that is efficient and elegant. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Accordingly, the invention is a system comprising a tray, utensils, and utensil adapters. The tray features a plurality of holes into which customized utensils may be placed vertically, or into which standard utensils fitted to appropriate adapters may be placed vertically. In addition, the tray features one or more recesses, which may contain a sauce or dip, or may contain a serving utensil (itself too large to be placed vertically in a hole while maintaining stability). 
     It is an object of an invention to provide a serving tray for utensils to accompany an appetizer course or other food serving that stores the utensils in an elegant and efficient manner. 
     It is an object of the invention to provide a set of customized utensils that may be easily stored vertically in a tray so as to be presented elegantly and efficiently. 
     It is an object of the invention to provide a set of adapters by which standard utensils may be stored vertically in a tray so as to be presented elegantly and efficiently. 
     It is an object of the invention to provide a tray that may carry a dip or sauce, or one or more large serving utensils in addition to a set of eating utensils. 
     Additional features and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and will be apparent from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory and are intended to provide further explanation of the invention. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The accompanying drawings are included to provide a further understanding of the invention and are incorporated into and constitute a part of the specification. They illustrate several embodiments of the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention. 
         FIG. 1  shows a side-elevated view of the first exemplary embodiment of the system equipped with exemplary utensils. 
         FIG. 2  shows a front view of an exemplary customized fork. 
         FIG. 3  shows a front view of an exemplary standard fork with a paddle-handle in conjunction with an adapter. 
         FIG. 4  shows a top view of an exemplary adapter for use with a paddle-handle utensil. 
         FIG. 5  shows a front view of an exemplary standard fork with a cylindrical handle in conjunction with an adapter. 
         FIG. 6  shows a top view of an exemplary adapter for use with a utensil having a cylindrical handle. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring now to the invention in more detail, the invention is a system comprising a tray, utensils, and adapters.  FIG. 1  shows an exemplary embodiment of the system as it might be prepared for use. In  FIG. 1 , a tray  10  features a first recess  11  for holding a dip or sauce and a second recess  12  for holding a serving fork  13 . The tray  10  also features a plurality of circular holes  14  that penetrate only partway through the material of the tray  10 . Fitted to the holes  14  are several utensils with handles customized for use with the tray  10 . Specifically, a pair of chopsticks  15  and a fork  16  are placed on the tray  10  vertically with their customized ends resting in and being supported by the circular holes  14 . 
     Referring still to the exemplary embodiment of  FIG. 1 , the tray  10  is made from nearly any material. Woods, metals, ceramics, and stones may be used to provide elegance, while rigid durable plastics may be more resistant to injury if dropped and may be more easily cleaned. The tray  10  may be rigid, but need not be; for example the tray  10  may be made from semi-rigid silicone and therefore able to be flexed, or even folded or rolled for storage. Within the top surface of the tray is a first recess  11 , which is intended to hold a dipping sauce; any liquid may be stored in the recess, and such liquid may be placed inside of a separate container that is set into the recess  11 . A complimentary container may be custom manufactured, or the recess  11  may be sized to accept standard commercially available containers. A second recess  12  is also provided and intended for use with a serving utensil that is itself too large or heavy to be rested vertically in the holes  14 ; virtually any utensil may be stored in the second recess  12 . 
     Referring still to the exemplary embodiment of  FIG. 1 , exemplary utensils, specifically, a pair of chopsticks  15  and a fork  16  are shown. The utensils used with the invention are not limited to forks and chopsticks, but may include spoons, knives, skewers, nutcrackers, or any other utensil that may be usefully served with an appetizer or other food course. The exemplary utensils of  FIG. 1  are custom-manufactured with handles designed to fit the holes  14 . Such utensils may, as with standard eating utensils, be made of almost any material, including wood, metal, plastic, and ceramic.  FIG. 2  shows a front view of a customized fork. In  FIG. 2 , the fork  20  has a fitted handle  21 , which is circular in cross-section and of an appropriate diameter to fit the holes  14 . A lip  22  prevents the fork  20  from sinking too far into the hole  14 . In addition, the holes  14  need not be circular, but may be square, triangular, etc., as long as the custom utensils and adapters are shaped appropriately to be fitted into the holes  14 . 
     The invention may also be used with standard utensils.  FIG. 3  shows a conventional fork with a flat paddle-handle and an adapter, and  FIG. 4  shows a top view of the adapter. In the embodiment of  FIG. 3 , a standard fork  30  has a flat handle  31  that is rounded in the plane of the handle only. The butt of the fork  30  is pressed into an adapter  32  having a lip  33  and is removably retained there by the force of friction between the fork handle  31  and the adapter  32 . In  FIG. 4 , the adapter is shown having a circular top  40  and a slot opening  41  into which the flat handle  31  may be pressed. 
       FIG. 5  shows a conventional fork with a cylindrical handle and an adapter, and  FIG. 6  shows a top view of the adapter. In the embodiment of  FIG. 5 , a standard fork  50  has a cylindrical handle  51  that is rounded with respect to the axial line of the fork  50 . The butt of the fork  50  is pressed into an adapter  52  having a lip  53  and is removably retained there by the force of friction between the fork handle  51  and the adapter  52 . In  FIG. 6 , the adapter is shown having a circular top  60  and a round opening  61  into which the flat handle  31  may be pressed. 
     The adapters  40  and  60  are preferably made of a pliable material so as to be able to accommodate a broad range of utensil sized by expanding or contracting as necessary to fit each utensil to the holes  14 . Example materials include rubber and silicone. The adapters may be manufactured in any number of versions with openings of all shapes and sizes so as to fit different kinds of utensils. The only requirement is that the outside shape of the adapters  40  and  60  be compatible with that of the holes  14 . 
     While the foregoing written description of the invention enables one of ordinary skill to make and use what is presently considered to be the best mode thereof, those of ordinary skill in the art will understand and appreciate the existence of variations, combinations, and equivalents of the specific embodiment, method, and examples herein. The invention should, therefore, not be limited by the above described embodiment, method, and examples, but by all embodiments and methods within the scope and spirit of the invention.