Patent ID: 8113380

Claim:
An ergonomic serving tray that allows a user to grasp comfortably and naturally said serving tray, said tray comprising: a load carrying surface; a first gripping surface that includes a thumb-supporting depression partially bounded by two raised sidewalls, the depression comprising a curved channel that is configured to accept an unbent thumb, has a curved, substantially semi-circular cross-section, and has an open end at the perimeter of the tray the sidewalls being parallel to each other along a portion of their respective lengths and having outer surfaces that taper away from the thumb-supporting depression and toward a second gripping surface, the outer surfaces being curved at a degree that is substantially identical to a degree of the curve of the channel the second gripping surface that is raised and angled relative to the load carrying surface, is disposed under the first gripping surface, widens in a direction away from the perimeter of the tray, and defines a gripping area that is dimensioned and configured to permit a user to ergonomically place and spread the user's fingers in gripping area when the user's thumb is either accommodated in the thumb-supporting depression or adjacent to the thumb-supporting depression and against a tapered sidewall, wherein said first gripping surface is raised relative to, and located above, the second gripping surface in a terraced manner.