Abstract:
A food platter assembly ( 100 ) including a base platter ( 110 ) sized to retain a plurality of containers disposed thereon, and the plurality of containers ( 130 ), wherein each of the plurality of containers contains a prepackaged food product contained therein. A method of providing the assembly and a method of assembling the assembly are also provided.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION  
       [0001]     This application claims priority from Provisional U.S. Patent Application Ser. No. 60/690,068 filed Jun. 13, 2005. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     The present invention relates to a modular food platter assembly that is used to selectively assemble a multi-food platter.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0003]     Party trays have become an increasingly popular way to present food for larger gatherings, such as parties. The trays typically consist of different types of finger vegetables, such as carrots, celery, broccoli, cauliflower, and cherry tomatoes, spread in an annular fashion on a round serving platter, with a container of dipping sauce centrally located on the platter. Other types of trays include fruit trays with cut up pieces of fruit, such as watermelon, honeydew melon, cantaloupe, strawberries, and blueberries, also spread in an annular fashion on a round serving platter, with a container of dipping sauce centrally located on the platter. Still other types of trays include meats and cheeses, typically cut into cubes, also spread in an annular fashion on a round serving platter, with a container of dipping sauce centrally located on the platter.  
         [0004]     These trays are typically prepared in a professional environment, such as in a back room of a grocery store or in a meat preparation facility, giving the consumer little or no option in the exact types and proportions of the different types of foods being assembled for the platter. Such a presentation arrangement often provides platters that include food types having little or no appeal for certain gatherings. As a result, unwanted types of food sit on the platter, relatively untouched and wasted, while popular types of food are removed and eaten, leaving latecomers with only relatively distasteful food types remaining on the platter.  
         [0005]     It would be beneficial to be able to provide a food platter system that enables a consumer to selectively determine particular foods for a platter in order to maximize enjoyment of those who will be partaking of the platter food. It would also be beneficial to be able to easily add additional foods to a platter during a party to replace popular foods that have been already eaten by guests.  
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0006]     Briefly, the present invention provides a food platter assembly. The assembly comprises a base platter sized to retain a plurality of containers disposed thereon and the plurality of containers, wherein each of the plurality of containers contains a prepackaged food product contained therein.  
         [0007]     Also, the present invention provides a method of assembling a party tray assembly comprising providing a base platter; providing a selection from a plurality of containers, wherein a first subset of the plurality of containers contain different foods contained therein than a second subset of the plurality of containers; selecting at least one of the plurality of containers from the first subset and at least one of the plurality of containers from the second subset; and placing the at least two of the plurality of containers onto the base platter.  
         [0008]     Further, the present invention provides a method of providing a party tray assembly comprising providing a base platter; and providing a selection from a plurality of containers, wherein a first subset of the plurality of containers contain different foods contained therein than a second subset of the plurality of containers, wherein each of the plurality of containers is sized to fit onto a portion of the base platter. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0009]     The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated herein and constitute part of this specification, illustrate the presently preferred embodiments of the invention, and, together with the general description given above and the detailed description given below, serve to explain the features of the invention. In the drawings:  
         [0010]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a food platter assembly according to the present invention;  
         [0011]      FIG. 2  is a top plan view of a base platter of the food platter assembly of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0012]      FIG. 3  is a top plan view of a food container of the food assembly of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0013]      FIG. 4  is a side profile view of the container of  FIG. 3 ;  
         [0014]      FIG. 5  is a sectional view of the container of  FIGS. 3 and 4 , disposed on the base platter of  FIG. 2 ;  
         [0015]      FIG. 6  is a top plan view showing multiple embodiments of containers disposed on the base platter; and  
         [0016]      FIG. 7  is a top plan view showing an alternative embodiment of containers to be used in the food platter assembly of the present invention.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0017]     In the drawings, like numerals indicate like elements throughout. Certain terminology is used herein for convenience only and is not to be taken as a limitation on the present invention. The terminology includes the words specifically mentioned, derivatives thereof and words of similar import. The embodiments illustrated below are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed. These embodiments are chosen and described to best explain the principle of the invention and its application and practical use and to enable others skilled in the art to best utilize the invention.  
         [0018]     A preferred embodiment of a modular food platter assembly  100  according to a first preferred embodiment of the present invention is shown in  FIG. 1 . The assembly  100  includes a base platter  110  and a plurality of food containers  130  that are selectively disposable on the base platter  110 . Preferably, the base platter  110  and the food containers  130  are each constructed from a polymer, such as polyethylene. Also preferably, although not necessarily, the containers  130  may be transparent to allow a user to easily see the food that is contained in a respective container  130 .  
         [0019]     Referring to  FIG. 2 , the base platter  110  is preferably generally circular in shape, with a center  112  and an outer diameter  114 . The base platter  110  also includes a top face  116 , on which the containers  130  are disposed. The outer diameter  114  includes a convex ridge  118  that extends upward from the top face  116 . The ridge  118  engages the containers  130  and restricts the containers  130  from sliding off the base platter  110 .  
         [0020]     Optionally, a second circular ridge  120  may extend from the top face  116  proximate to the center  112 . The second circular ridge  120  is preferably convex and forms a bowl for receiving a circular container, such as for a dipping sauce.  
         [0021]     A food container  130  for use with the base platter  110  is shown in  FIGS. 3-5 . The food container  130  is generally wedge-shaped, and preferably forms approximately one-eighth of a circle, so that eight containers  130  may be set side-by-side on the top face  116  of the base platter  110 . However, those skilled in the art will recognize that the containers  130  may be more or less than one-eighth of a circle, so long as, preferably, a whole number of containers  130  are able to fit onto the base platter  110  without excess space between any adjacent containers  130 .  
         [0022]     Also, while all of the containers  130  on the base platter  110  are preferably the same size, those skilled in the art will recognize that some containers  130 ′, such as is shown in  FIG. 6  may be used with the containers  130 . In this instance, each container  130 ′ is approximately twice the size of the container  130  so that, in the example shown, four containers  130  and two containers  130 ′ fill out the base platter  110 .  
         [0023]     Referring back to  FIGS. 3-5 , each container  130  includes a base  132  and a plurality of walls that extend upwardly from the base  132 . A first wall  134  has a first end  136 , a second end  138 , and a first radiused portion  140  extending between the first end  134  and the second end  136 . The first radiused portion  140  includes a center point  142  that generally coincides with the center  112  of the base platter  110  when the container  130  is placed on the top face  116  of the base platter  110 . A second wall  144  extends from the first end  134  toward the center point  142  and a third wall  146  extends from the second end  136  toward the center point  142 .  
         [0024]     If a dipping container is omitted from the assembly  100 , the second wall  144  and the third wall  146  may converge and meet at the center point  142 . However, if the dipping container is used, the container  130  preferably includes a fourth wall  148  that joins the second wall  144  and the third wall  146 . The fourth wall  148  preferably is radiused and includes the center point  142  as the starting point of the radius. Preferably, a lip  149  extends around the top perimeter of each of the walls  134 ,  144 ,  146 ,  148 .  
         [0025]     The container  130  includes a groove  150  that extends between the base  132  and the first wall  134 . The groove  150  is sized and shaped to match the ridge  118  so that the ridge  118  restricts the container  130  from sliding off the base platter  110 . If the base platter  110  includes the optional second circular ridge  120 , then the container  130  will include a second groove  152  that is sized and shaped to match the second circular ridge  120 .  
         [0026]     Preferably each container  130  includes a lid  160  that is removable and replaceable onto the container  130 . The lid  160  preferably snaps onto the top of the container  130  to securely retain the lid  160  onto the container  130 . A preferred method of securing the lid  160  to the container  130  is shown in  FIG. 5 . The lid  160  snaps around the lip  149 , as is well known in the art. The lid  160  is removed to access the food within the container  130 , and replaced over the lip  149  to close the container  130 , such as, to put the container  130  in a refrigerator after use.  
         [0027]     Also optionally, a flexible seal may be sealed around the container  130  to preserve the freshness of the food within the container  130 . As shown in  FIG. 4 , the seal may be a seal  162  that is directly sealed over the lip  149 , such as by adhesive or heat sealing. Preferably, the seal  162  includes a tang  164  that overhangs the lip  149  and allows a user to grip the seal  162  to peel the seal  162  away from the lip  149 . Alternatively, the flexible seal may be a seal  166  that seals the lid  160  onto the lip  149 , as is shown in  FIG. 5 .  
         [0028]     Optionally, as shown in  FIG. 7 , each container  130  may include an interlocking member  170  that engages a mating receiver  172  in an adjacent container  130 . While a specific interlocking member  170  and mating receiver are shown, those skilled in the art will recognize that other methods of interlocking a container  130  with an adjacent container  130  are within the scope of this disclosure.  
         [0029]     The container  130  is used to contain prepackaged food for serving on the base platter  110 . For example, each of the containers  130  that may be used with the base platter  110  may contain a different vegetable (carrot sticks, celery, broccoli, cauliflower, cherry tomatoes), fruit (watermelon, cantaloupe, honeydew melon, strawberry), deli food (cheese, pepperoni, ham, turkey, sausage, kielbasa), or combination of the above. The containers  130  are prepackaged and offered for sale separately, so that a consumer can pick and choose which vegetable, fruit, and/or deli food to use to assemble the food platter assembly  100 .  
         [0030]     Optionally, as shown in  FIG. 1 , a dipping container  180  may be used with the platter assembly  100 . Preferably, the dipping container  180  is disposed over the center  112  inside the second circular ridge  120 . The dipping container  180  is preferably a right circular cylinder. The dipping container  180  may contain one of different types of dipping sauces, such as a vegetable dip (regular, light, low-fat, or fat-free), a fruit dip, a mustard, or other suitable condiment. The dipping container  180  is removably replaceable on the base platter  110  and may include a groove similar to the second groove  152  to facilitate locating the dipping container  180  onto the base platter  110 .  
         [0031]     The containers  130 ,  130 ′ are shaped so that a whole number of containers  130 ,  130 ′ and specific combinations thereof may be arranged on the base platter  110  without excess space between adjacent containers  130 ,  130 ′. In the embodiment shown in  FIG. 1 , for example, the containers  130  are arranged as wedges similar to pieces of pie, with eight pieces making up the whole pie.  
         [0032]     An advantage to providing the containers  130 ,  130 ′ with different foods in each container  130 ,  130 ′ is to allow consumers a selection of the different types of foods to include in their food platter assemblies  100 , rather than be forced into one selection that is provided by a provider, such as a grocery store.  
         [0033]     Preferably, the provider of the assembly  100 , such as the grocery store, displays a plurality of base platters  110  on a display proximate to a plurality of prepackaged containers  130 ,  130 ′ containing different selections of foods and a plurality of dipping containers  180  containing different selections of dipping sauces. For example, each different type of food can be thought of as a subset of all of the foods available in the containers  130 ,  130 ′ and the dipping containers  180 , with different foods being in different subsets. Preferably, multiple subsets are available to encourage different selections of subsets.  
         [0034]     Preferably, the consumer selects the base platter  110  and a plurality of containers  130 ,  130 ′ from the available selection of pre-packaged containers  130 ,  130 ′, making selections from at least two of the multiple available subsets being provided. With a selection of different foods available in the containers  130 ,  130 ′, the consumer will be able to select those containers  130 ,  130 ′that the consumer anticipates will be eaten when the platter assembly  100  is assembled and set out, such as for a party.  
         [0035]     The consumer preferably selects at least enough containers  130 ,  130 ′ to fill in around the base platter  110  without leaving spaces between adjacent containers  130 ,  130 ′. The consumer may even select more containers  130 ,  130 ′ than will fill in around the base platter  110  in order to be able to remove an empty container  130 ,  130 ′ and replace that container  130 ,  130 ′ with a full container  130 ,  130 ′ after all of the food has been removed from the empty container  130 ,  130 ′. Similarly, the consumer selects at least one dipping container  180  to place in the center  112  of the base platter  110 .  
         [0036]     After purchase of the assembly  100 , the consumer places the base platter  110  on a surface, such as a table (not shown). The consumer removes the lids  160  and the seals  162 ,  166  from their respective containers  130 ,  130 ′ and arranges the containers  130 ,  130 ′ on the base platter  110 . After use, if there is still food left within a container  130 ,  130 ′, the consumer replaces the lid  160  onto that particular container  130 ,  130 ′ and puts the container  130 ,  130 ′ away, such as in a refrigerator (not shown). The base platter  110  may be stored away for future use.  
         [0037]     It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that changes could be made to the embodiments described above without departing from the broad inventive concept thereof It is understood, therefore, that this invention is not limited to the particular embodiments disclosed, but it is intended to cover modifications within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.