Classifications

• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
  • A47G—HOUSEHOLD OR TABLE EQUIPMENT
  • A47G19/00—Table service
  • A47G19/02—Plates, dishes or the like
  • A47G19/08—Plate-holders
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
  • A47G—HOUSEHOLD OR TABLE EQUIPMENT
  • A47G19/00—Table service
  • A47G19/02—Plates, dishes or the like
  • A47G19/06—Plates with integral holders for spoons, glasses, or the like
  • A47G19/065—Plates with integral holders for spoons, glasses, or the like with thumb holes, handles or the like enabling the user to support the plate from below

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a meal-taking device.
• the invention relates to a device which allows the user to hold, with one hand, preferably several containers containing various dishes and, preferably, a glass while leaving the other free hand to handle the utensils necessary for taking these dishes.
• This device proves to be very useful also at the time of receptions where the guests are not seated, for example the vernissages, the "lunches", the buffets, but also in all the situations where the user wants to eat but the availability of a table is not possible, as well as in several public places such as station halls, trains, stadiums, cinema queues, and also quite simply in front of the television.
• container refers to any type of object that may contain food, whatever its shape or the material of which it is composed, for example dishes, trays, cardboard plates, this list not being of course not limiting.
• glass used below refers to any type of object that may contain liquids, whatever its shape or the material of which it is composed, such as: glass, goblet, ice cream cones, this list not being well sure not limiting.
• the invention aims to provide a solution to all of the problems set out above, namely:
• the device intended for taking meals comprises handle means able to be entered manually, said means extending substantially vertically, n containers intended to receive food (n> 1) and securing means for temporarily connecting said n containers substantially to the upper end of the handle means.
• the means forming a handle define an internal recess at least open at its upper end to receive means forming glass. It can be seen that with this improved embodiment, the user has in addition to the drink contained in a glass which is suitably kept vertical by the means forming a handle. In addition, as the glass is directly introduced into the handle means, a very good holding of the glass is obtained since the user's hand holds the meal-taking device by this handle.
• Said securing means can be produced for example in a male / female manner, that is to say that the bottom of the containers has a projection (protrusion) which fits into a housing having the same perimeter as the projection and being placed on the arms integral with the central handle; or conversely, said securing means can also be of the female / male type, that is to say that the outer bottom of the containers has a housing of identical shape to the projection which is positioned at the free end of the radiating arms; or again, said securing means may consist of rails, for example in the form of a T, placed on the arms which slide in cracks appropriate to their dimensions and which are located on the bottom of the containers. The opposite situation where the rails are placed on the bottom of the containers and the cracks on the arms can be easily envisaged. Many other means of securing these parts exist.
• the central handle can be limited to a simple cylinder or truncated cone open at its two ends, of sufficient height to be grasped and supported by a carrying hand and, preferably, provided with a vertical slot allowing to pass inside the foot of a cup and to house it thanks to the support of the cup on the upper edge of the handle.
• this slot gives the handle a certain elasticity which allows the cup to be clamped when such a container is used.
• the upper edge has circularly, and except of course where the slot is placed, an extension of its material going from the periphery outwards, like a crown, perpendicular to its walls, so that this extension of material may contain in its alveoli other containers containing food and which are embedded in these alveoli.
• This extension of material substantially perpendicular to the walls of the central handle can also contain either projections predisposed to receive a housing placed on the bottom of the container, or housings or openings to receive prominent parts placed on the bottom of containers containing food and thus attach to the central receptacle.
• This embodiment can be carried out, in addition to techniques adapted to plastics, by stamping metals as is practiced for the manufacture of cans.
• the central handle is a truncated cone open at its upper and lower ends. It is preferably provided with a vertical slit giving it an opening from the top to the bottom and which allows it to support a cut, because it is possible to pass the foot of the cut through this slit which also allows it to have a little flexibility to better hold the cup housed in this receptacle.
• This receptacle is provided on its upper edge with vertical tabs intended to be inserted in notches which are provided on the edge of the container placed on the face intended to rest on the side of the receptacle, so that the fixing of the container to the receptacle is ensured by the engagement of these tabs in the notches and by the support of this same side of the container on the wall of the receptacle.
• the container which is the subject of this embodiment, as well as all the containers described in the present text, can have any suitable shape. It is desirable that the side intended to rest on the receptacle have a wall which matches the shape of the receptacle in the part where it touches it. Consequently, the gravitational force caused by the container containing the food is preferably countered either by the support of these two walls against each other, or by the latch / notch engagement system which also retains the container through leverage.
• the side of the container intended to be positioned against the receptacle may have an inclination contrary to the inclination necessary to have the conical shape of the walls. It is therefore recommended to give a corresponding inclination to the other wall of the container so that the containers are nestable.
• the attachment of the container to the receptacle can be done in reverse.
• the vertical legs directed downwards are located on the edge of the face of the container which bears against the receptacle and engage in notches located on the arms of the upper edge of the handle.
• the central receptacle forming the handle is designed, in its upper part, with a shape such that the perimeter has, in certain places where it is desired to fix a container, a protuberance which exactly matches a concavity of the perimeter of the container, located, of course, on the wall of the container intended to rest on the receptacle.
• the container is fixed to the receptacle by sliding the concave part of the receptacle in the protuberance of the upper wall of the receptacle. This sliding of the concavity of the container in the protuberance of the receptacle stops when the small edge which goes around the perimeter of the container comes to bear on the upper edge of the receptacle.
• This embodiment can also be designed in reverse.
• the protuberance is located on the wall of the container intended to rest against the receptacle and the concavity is located on the perimeter of the upper edge of the receptacle.
• the top of the receptacle, and in particular the upper part on which the receptacles rest may have a shape different from the lower part where the hand grips the receptacle, which will be substantially conical. All imaginable shapes can be adapted to the receptacles as well as to the means of securing, because the concavities and the protuberances can have various shapes provided that the protuberance is partially surrounded by the concavity so as to be retained by it in the manner of 'a slide in a slide.
• the device intended for taking meals consists of a container intended to receive other removable containers and provided with a bottom and, in certain cases, with a side wall and gripping means forming handle, the gripping means extending substantially perpendicular to said bottom, substantially from the center of said bottom, the length of said gripping means being sufficient to allow them to be grasped manually.
• the bottom has a central portion projecting inside said container defining an external housing and the gripping means consist of an extension of said bottom projecting from the external face of said central portion and entirely housed in said external housing.
• the means for gripping the container form an integral part of the latter and are located substantially in the middle of the external face of its bottom.
• the bottom extends from the periphery towards the center gradually rising towards the middle in a conical manner, so that the handle, while being of sufficient length to be graspable, preferably does not exceed the part the lower from the bottom of the container, to allow it, among other things, autonomous stability on a flat surface.
• This advantageously results in the open upper part of the handle having an opening of diameter allowing it to receive a cup or a glass.
• the bottom of this container can be provided with partitions limiting cells allowing the accommodation of other removable containers which can be secured to the container by means of attachment of the male / female type or vice versa or simply placed in these cells.
• the handle means may have the shape of a truncated cone open at its upper end and closed at its lower end.
• the slot in the side wall extends into the bottom of the handle along a radius of the bottom. This slit extends beyond the center of the bottom. The foot of the glass is thus held in the slot in the bottom of the handle.
• the handle means consist of a beverage can of substantially cylindrical shape.
• extensions of its material preferably in the form of vertical tabs intended to be inserted in notches which are provided on the edge of the container placed on the face intended to rest on the side of the beverage can, so that the fixing of the container on the beverage can is ensured by the engagement of these tabs in the notches and by the support of this same side of the container on the wall of the beverage can.
• the stability of the container, thus hooked to the drink box, is obtained by pressing against the drink box of the wall of the container where the notch is provided.
• Said wall will, on this occasion, have a rounded shape with a concave curvature of the same dimension of the convex curvature of the beverage can to allow, thanks to the embedding of the volumes, better stability.
• no modification is necessary on the beverage can because the fixing of the container to the can is done by clipping the space created between the edge of the container and the tab placed on the edge of the container and which is substantially parallel to the wall of the container intended to bear against the wall of the box on the edge of the upper end of the box in the manner of a rail.
• This method of fixing the containers to the handle can also be used with the first mode of implementation.
• the stability of the container is obtained by pressing against the beverage can of the wall of the container where the tongue is provided.
• Said wall will take, on this occasion, a rounded shape with a concave curvature substantially of the same dimension as the convex curvature of the beverage can to allow, thanks to the embedding of the volumes, better stability.
• FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the device, similar to that of Figure 1 but provided with a vertical slot which allows it to accommodate a cup-shaped glass, passing the foot of the glass in this vertical slot;
• FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a second embodiment
• FIG. 4 illustrates in exploded perspective a third embodiment of the securing means
• FIG. 5 is a top view of the embodiment of Figure 4, the device being assembled
• FIG. 6 illustrates in exploded perspective another embodiment of the device
• FIG. 7 shows in perspective another embodiment of the food presentation device
• FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the device according to a first embodiment of the second embodiment where the elements are not yet secured;
• - Figure 10 is a perspective view of the device according to a second embodiment of the second embodiment, where a container, the one on the right, is secured to the beverage can and the other container is not ;
• - Figure 11 is a cross-sectional view of the second embodiment;
• FIG. 12 is a top view of the second embodiment.
• FIG. 13 is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment.
• FIG. 1 illustrates the principle of the invention.
• the meal-taking device consists of a handle 10 which preferably defines a housing 12 for receiving a glass 14, several containers 16 containing food and fastening means 18 between the handle 10 and the removable containers 16.
• the handle 10 is of slightly frustoconical shape. Its lower end 20 is closed while its upper end 22 is open.
• the attachment means consist of radiating arms 24 secured to the upper edge of the handle 10. At their free end 26, the arms are provided with a recess 28 capable of cooperate with a corresponding projecting part 30 provided in the bottom of the containers 16.
• the arms 24 form only one piece with the handle 10 and they are defined to ensure a rigid connection between the handle 10 and the removable containers 16
• the connecting device between the handle 10 'and the containers of Figure 1 The difference consists in the shape of the handle 10'. It is open at its two ends 22 and 20 '.
• its frustoconical wall preferably has a longitudinal slot 32 extending over its entire length. The slot 32 has a width sufficient to allow the foot 34 of a glass 36 to pass. The glass itself is in abutment on the upper edge of the handle and the base of the foot is outside the handle.
• FIG. 3 illustrates another embodiment where the upper edge of the handle has, circularly, except where the slot 32 is placed, an extension 40 of its material going from the circumference outwards perpendicularly to its wall.
• These material extensions which could be flat and contain securing means such as notches, hooks, rails, projections or the like, are in this example advantageously hollowed out in certain places 42 to receive receptacles 44 which have a bottom whose shape is adapted to these hollows.
• FIGS. 4 and 5 illustrate an embodiment in which the handle 50 has the same shape as in FIG. 2 and has a longitudinal slot 52.
• the upper edge 54 of the handle is provided with vertical hooking lugs 56 regularly distributed over its periphery in a number equal to that of the containers 58 to be joined.
• Each container 58 has a wall portion 60 which can follow the external shape of the handle 50. It also has a flange 62 projecting from the container 58. This flange is provided with a slot 64 into which one of the tabs of 'attachment 56. To secure the container 58, it suffices to engage the tab 56 in the slot 64.
• the surface 60 comes to bear on the external wall of the handle 50.
• Figure 5 shows three containers 58a, 58b and 58c fixed on the handle 50.
• the containers 58a, 58b, 58c can consist of cans or other closed container containing already cooked food. These containers must have the hanging slots.
• the container comprises, in addition to the extension comprising the slot, a second lower extension which comes to bear on the external wall of the handle.
• Figure 6 shows a variant of the embodiment of Figures 4 and 5.
• the handle 70 comprises, near its upper edge 72, prominent hooking pieces 74 which extend radially out of the handle. These parts are for example in the form of a dovetail.
• Each receptacle to be joined 76 presented at its joining end with a recess 78 which has a shape combined with that of the hooking pieces 74.
• the hooking pieces 74 and the recesses 78 have a length sufficient to ensure a support allowing a stable joining containers on the handle.
• the container 76 has an external rim 80.
• the rim 80 by pressing on the upper free edge 72 of the handle 70 ensures the immobilization of the containers in the vertical direction.
• it could be provided that it is the container which presents the attachment part and that it is the handle which presents the recesses of conjugate shape.
• FIG. 7 shows another embodiment in which the upper edge 90 of the handle 92 is connected to a part of revolution 94 serving to secure the removable containers 93.
• This part 94 has the shape of a crown defined by a first conical surface 96 connected to a second conical surface 98 in the opposite direction. These two conical surfaces define, above them, an annular space 100 capable of receiving the containers 93.
• the handle 92 is defined by a frustoconical side wall and a bottom, the cavity thus produced being capable of receiving a cup.
• the annular space may include radial partitions defining cells for receiving each container.
• the underside of the conical surface 96 defines an annular space 102 surrounding the handle 92. This space allows the engagement of the hand around the handle 92.
• the piece 94 can be completed by a cylindrical skirt 104 connected to the conical surface 98.
• FIG. 8 illustrates a variant of the embodiment of FIG. 3. It differs therefrom by the embodiment of the means forming a handle.
• the handle 110 is in the form of a truncated cone. It is open at its upper end 112 but closed by a bottom 114 at its lower end.
• the slot 116 formed in the side wall of the handle is extended by a radial slot 118 formed in the bottom 114.
• the slot 118 ends in a circular opening 120 disposed substantially in the center of the circular bottom 114 and capable of allowing passage the bottom of the glass. It goes without saying that this embodiment of the handle could be used in the embodiments of FIGS. 2, 3, 4 and 6.
• receptacles are fixed, for example in the form of a ring, in which the gripping means supporting these receptacles can be fitted.
• the motorist or his passengers will have available in the vehicle the meal-taking device which can therefore be fixed independently and removably for consumption in the vehicle or to be transported temporarily without the need for a hand to be occupied. this task.
• the handle means are shaped to be able to be introduced into the support means such as a ring.
• FIG. 9 shows the principle of the invention according to a first embodiment of the second embodiment.
• the meal-taking device is made up of handle means 210, constituted by a generally cylindrical beverage can, provided on the circular edge of its upper end with fastening means, represented in this figure by tabs.
• vertical attachment 212 regularly distributed over its periphery in a number equal to that of the containers 214 to be joined.
• Each container 14 has a wall portion 216 which can match the external shape of the handle 210. It also has a rim 218 projecting from the container 214. This rim is provided with a slot 220 into which one of the tabs of 'hooking 212. To secure the container 214, it suffices to engage the lug 212 in the slot 220.
• FIG. 10 illustrates an embodiment in which the means for securing do not require any modification of the beverage can 222.
• the latter has, on the perimeter of its upper end 224, an edge 226 projecting vertically out of the plane 224.
• Each container 228 has a wall portion 230 which can match the external shape of the handle 222.
• Each container 228 also has a rim 232 which projects substantially parallel to the upper part of the wall 230 and is directed downwards.
• the containers may have angles at the center of different value, the sum of the angles at the center possibly being equal to 360 * .
• FIG. 11 shows, in a cross-sectional view, a container 234 secured to the handle means 236, according to this second embodiment, where we partially see the rim 238 of the container which, like a slide, is engaged on its rail shown by the edge 240 of the upper end of the handle means.
• FIG. 12 shows, in top view, four containers 228a,
• FIG. 13 illustrates in perspective a variant in which the securing means 242 develop all around the upper part of the beverage can 244.
• the securing means and the handle means are secured by simple interlocking a cylindrical sheath 246 in the handle means 244.
• the upper end of the sheath is preferably bordered by a circular rim 248 which fits on the edge of the upper end of the handle means as on a rail. But this embedding on the edge is not a necessity when the shape of the sheath is designed to follow the horizontal curve defined in the upper part of the wall of the beverage can placed just below the upper end.
• each container must be determined to leave free a height H of the side wall of the beverage container sufficient to allow it to be grasped despite the presence of the containers.

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• Table Devices Or Equipment (AREA)
• Details Of Rigid Or Semi-Rigid Containers (AREA)
• Table Equipment (AREA)

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• 1993
  • 1993-12-09 DE DE69320650T patent/DE69320650D1/de not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 1993-12-09 US US08/448,335 patent/US5732847A/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 1993-12-09 EP EP94902007A patent/EP0673218B1/de not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 1993-12-09 WO PCT/FR1993/001215 patent/WO1994013180A1/fr not_active Ceased

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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