Patent Publication Number: US-4546946-A

Title: Coaster with removable support plate

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention relates to coasters. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     A coaster is well-known device for supporting a vessel such as a beverage glass on a table to protect the table surface. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     I have discovered that by removably mounting a support plate for a vessel in a cavity of a base member of a coaster, one can remove the support plate and replace it with a support plate having a different exposed surface (e.g., one having a different design or different advertising). 
     In preferred embodiments the support plate has different opposite surfaces so that the plate can be reversed to provide different exposed upper surfaces; the base member has projections extending into an opening to the cavity, and the plate has corresponding notches adapted to pass by the projections without interference as the plate is moved through the opening and locked in the base member; there is an elongated support in the middle of the cavity for supporting the plate; and the base member has a pair of edge supports underneath the projections for supporting the plate near its edges. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     The structure and operation of the presently preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described after first briefly describing the drawings. 
     FIG. 1 is a plan view, partially broken away, of a coaster according to the invention. 
     FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional view, taken at 2--2 of FIG. 1, of the FIG. 1 coaster. 
    
    
     STRUCTURE 
     Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, there is shown coaster 10 having base member 12 and support plate 14 removably and rotatably mounted in cavity 16 of base member 12. Support plate 14 is supported by edge supports 20 and elongated support 18 extending across the middle of cavity 16. Support plate 14 has notches 22 adapted to pass by projections 24 of base member 12 extending into opening 26 of cavity 16. Support plate 14 carries different advertising on its upper and lower surfaces. Both base member 12 and support plate 14 are made of plastic, e.g., polycarbonate or polyester. 
     OPERATION 
     In use, support plate 14 is mounted in base member 12 by aligning notches 22 with projections 24, pushing plate 14 into cavity 16, and rotating plate 14 so that portions of plate 14 will be under projections 24 and interfere with removal of plate 14. 
     If it is desired to change the advertising exposed on the upper surface of plate 14, one merely removes plate 14 (by rotating it until notches 22 line up with projections 24 and lifting it out) and turns plate 14 over before remounting it in base member 12. 
     OTHER EMBODIMENTS 
     Other embodiments of the invention are within the scope of the following claims. For example, plate 14 need not have different opposite surfaces; a different plate 14 could be inserted into base member 12 in order to provide a different exposed surface. A circular rim may desirably be added at the top and bottom periphery of element 14, for cooperation with supports 20 to space the lower surface of element 14 away from support 18. Also, radial ribs may desirably be formed on the top and bottom of element 14 to facilitate rotation of that element relative to base member 12. 
     The removable construction greatly facilitates maintenance of cleanliness.