SPILL-PROOF PLATE

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This Application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Pat. Application Serial No. 63/264,181, filed on Nov. 17, 2021, entitled “SPILL-PROOF PLATE,” currently pending, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD OF INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to a plate and more specifically to a slip-resistant plate that may help prevent food and beverage spillage during use.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

Many social activities, such as cocktail parties, involve people consuming food and beverages while standing and/or walking. Often, the food at such activities is served on a small plate (e.g., a cocktail plate), and the drinks are served in a beverage container (e.g., a champagne flute, a beer glass, or a can). If a partygoer wishes to eat and drink while standing, they must either hold the plate and the beverage container in separate hands or precariously balance the plate on top of the beverage container. This presents a challenging balancing act for partygoers.

To begin, it can be very difficult for a person to eat food from a plate while balancing the plate on top of a beverage container. While eating, the person’s attention is directed away from appropriately balancing the plate on the top of the beverage container. Also, the act of removing food from the plate may cause the plate to become unbalanced. Furthermore, if one wishes to shake another’s hand, give a hug, or hand over a business card, the person’s attention is again directed away from maintaining the plate’s balance. If the plate is not appropriately balanced, the person risks dropping the plate, any utensils placed on the plate, and/or food on the plate. Dropping or spilling these items would subject the plate holder to embarrassment or even injury.

Much of the challenge of balancing the typical cocktail plate arises from its design. The typical cocktail plate is small, made of a material with a low coefficient of friction, and only has a single underside ring or rim. Thus, when placed on the top of a beverage container, the plate may easily slide, which increases the chances for the plate or items placed on the plate to fall to the ground.

In addition, the typical cocktail plate requires the person to hold their thumb on the circumference of the plate’s top surface, which is adjacent to the food on the plate. Given the small size of the plate, there is a risk that the person will accidently place his or her thumb into the food on the plate, creating a mess on the person’s hands that must be cleaned up. Further, if one wishes to use a utensil to eat the food, the utensil must be precariously balanced on the edge of the plate when not in use. Placing a utensil in such a position further increases the risk of food spillage or of a utensil falling to the ground.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

The present invention overcomes many of the shortcomings and limitations of the prior art devices discussed above. The invention described includes several embodiments of a slip-resistant plate that is designed to help the user maintain the proper balance of the plate by reducing the plate’s movement when the plate is positioned on an upper surface of a beverage container such as a champagne flute, beer glass, or wine goblet. To begin, the slip-resistant plate may include multiple, preferably concentric, underside rims that are coupled to or integrally formed from the bottom surface of the plate. When the upper surface of a beverage container is positioned between two such concentric underside rims, the slip-resistant plate preferably is movement-restricted by the “wall” formed by the rims. This in turn may assist the user in maintaining the appropriate balance of the plate. Furthermore, a high-density, slip-resistant material (e.g., a closed-cell foam) may be affixed to the bottom surface of the plate and positioned between two underside rims. The slip-resistant material may have a high coefficient of friction to help prevent the plate from moving when positioned upon the upper surface of the beverage container. Further, the slip-resistant material may be shaped to accommodate the rim of a beverage container such as a champagne flute, a wine goblet, or a beer mug. Together, compared to a traditional cocktail plate, these features may help prevent the slip-resistant plate or items placed upon the slip-resistant plate from falling to the ground when the plate is balanced on the upper surface of a beverage container.

The slip-resistant plate may also include an extension member that helps the user control the plate’s movement. The extension member may be a protrusion extending outwardly from a body of the plate whereupon the user may securely grip the plate. By providing the user a convenient, secure gripping location, the user is less likely to drop the slip-resistant plate. Moreover, the extension member may include a depression or a groove adapted to accommodate a utensil such that the user is less likely to knock the utensil off of the plate.

These and other aspects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art after considering the following detailed description in connection with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a slip-resistant plate constructed according to the teachings of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a bottom plan view of the slip-resistant plate of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the slip-resistant plate of FIGS. 1 and 2, the slip-resistant plate positioned on an upper surface of a drinking glass.

While the disclosure is susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, a specific embodiment thereof is shown by way of example in the drawings and will herein be described in detail. It should be understood, however, that the drawings and detailed description presented herein are not intended to limit the disclosure to the particular embodiment disclosed, but to the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the present disclosure as defined by the appended claims.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The invention will now be described with reference to the drawing figures, in which like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout. For purposes of clarity in illustrating the characteristics of the present invention, proportional relationships of the elements have not necessarily been maintained in the drawing figures.

FIG. 1 illustrates a slip-resistant plate 1 (hereinafter, the “plate 1”) that food, utensils, or other items may be placed upon. The plate 1 may be used at a table, or it may be held by a person that is standing or walking. The plate 1 may be adapted such that it may be positioned on the upper surface of a beverage container (see FIG. 3), which may allow the user to hold a beverage container and the plate 1 with one hand as the user walks or stands.

A body 5 of the plate 1 may be composed of glass, plastic, or other materials that would be appreciated by those skilled in the art. The body 5 may be substantially circular, although other shapes for the body 5 (such as an oval, a square, or a rectangle) are foreseeable. A top surface 10 of the body 5 may be substantially planar, or the top surface 10 may have sides that slope downwardly until a predetermined point on the top surface 10 to form a more bowl-like structure. If present, the sloping sides may assist the user in retaining food or other items near a center 15 of the plate 1, which in turn may help reduce the risk that food or other items will spill from the plate 1.

To assist the user in holding and balancing the plate 1, the plate 1 may include an extension member 20. The extension member 20 may be formed as a substantially planar protrusion extending outwardly from a circumference 25 of the body 5. The size of the extension member 20 is not limited, although it is preferably large enough (e.g., has a large enough surface area) such that a typical user may grip the extension member 20 with at least two fingers. As a non-limiting example, the extension member 20 may extend about one-fourth of an inch (about ¼ inch) to about eight inches (about 8 inches) outwardly from the circumference 25 of the body 5. As further non-limiting examples, the extension member 20 may extend about 0 inches to about 2 inches, or about 2 inches to about 4 inches, or about 4 inches to about 6 inches, or about 6 inches to about 8 inches outwardly from the circumference 25.

Advantageously, because the extension member 20 protrudes beyond the circumference 25, the extension member 20 may provide the user with a location to grip the plate 1 that is adjacent to where food is placed on the plate 1. In addition, since the extension member 20 may be substantially planar, the extension member 20 may allow the user to control the plate 1 with his or her thumb. In some embodiments of the invention, the extension member 20 may be contoured to the shape of a typical user’s finger shape to assist the user in gripping the plate 1 more securely. In other embodiments, the extension member 20 may have a slip-resistant surface to help prevent the plate 1 from slipping from the user’s grip.

The extension member 20 may include a depression or a groove 30 positioned thereon. As non-limiting examples, the groove 30 may extend from an edge 35 of the extension member 20 towards the center 15 of the plate 1, or the groove 30 may extend from the circumference 25 of the plate 1 and towards the center 15. The groove 30 may be formed as a cylindrical recess in the top surface 10, although the groove 30 is not limited to a particular shape. The width and the depth of the groove 30 may be adapted such that at least a portion, such as a handle portion, of at least one utensil (not illustrated) may be received therein, which in turn may help secure the at least one utensil on the plate 1. When a utensil is received within the groove 30, sides 40 may help prevent the utensil from sliding around the surface of the plate by restricting the motion of the utensil along at least one axis. In some embodiments of the invention, the groove 30 may have a slip-resistant surface that may help prevent the utensil from sliding out of the groove 30 as the plate is moved. In alternative embodiments of the invention, the extension member 20 and/or the plate 1 may have more than one groove 30 positioned thereon.

Turning to FIG. 2, the plate 1 may include a bottom surface 45 with underside rims 50 and 55. The rims 50, 55 may be provided as thin concentric rings that project outwardly from the bottom surface 45 and may be integrally formed with or coupled to the bottom surface 45. The rim 55 may be positioned within and substantially surrounded by the rim 50 such that a channel 60 is formed between the rims 50, 55. For example, the rim 50 may define an outer boundary of the channel 60 and the rim 55 may define an inner boundary of the channel 60. In addition, the rims 50, 55 may be positioned and sized such that an upper surface of a beverage container (not illustrated) may be received and contained in the channel 60. When the upper surface of a beverage container is received and contained within the channel 60, the rims 50, 55 may act as barriers to prevent the movement of the plate 1 by restricting the motion of the plate along at least one axis.

A width W of the channel 60 (as defined by the distance between the rims 50, 55) may substantially correspond to a thickness of a rim of a particular beverage container (e.g., a beer stein or champagne glass), or the width W may be sized such that the plate 1 can be used with a variety of beverage containers. As a non-limiting example, the width W may substantially correspond to a thickness of a rim of a standard champagne glass such that when the rim of the champagne glass is received in the channel 60, the rim of the champagne glass is proximate to or abuts the rims 50, 55. In addition, the width W of the channel 60 may be substantially constant, or the width W may vary.

While the rims illustrated in FIG. 2 are substantially circular, in other embodiments of the invention the shape of the rims 50, 55 may be adapted to mirror the overall shape of the plate 1 as would be appreciated by those skilled in the art. For example, if the plate 1 is substantially square-shaped, the rims 50, 55 may also be substantially square-shaped. In yet other embodiments of the invention, the plate 1 may have a single rim or more than two rims.

A slip-resistant material 65 may be affixed to the bottom surface 45 of the plate 1. The slip-resistant material 65 may be positioned within the channel 60, within the rim 50, or elsewhere on the bottom surface 45. For example, the slip-resistant material 65 may partially cover the bottom surface 45 within the channel 60, may substantially cover the entirety of the bottom surface 45 within the channel 60, or may substantially cover the bottom surface 45 contained within the rim 50. The slip-resistant material 65 may be composed of a substance with a high coefficient of friction including, but not limited to, a high-density closed-cell foam. If composed of a substance with a high coefficient of friction, the slip-resistant material 65 may generate a high static frictional force between the bottom surface 45 of the plate 1 and another surface, such as the upper surface (e.g., rim) of a beverage container. Advantageously, a high static frictional force may help prevent the plate 1 from falling off the beverage container, since the friction force will help prevent the movement of the plate 1 relative to the upper surface of the beverage container. In turn, this may also help prevent utensils or food from spilling off the plate and onto the ground.

In FIG. 3, the plate 1 is positioned upon an upper surface 70 of a representative glass 75. The glass 75 may be a wine glass, a beer glass, a stein, a cocktail glass, or another drinking vessel as would be appreciated by those skilled in the art. Here, the glass 75 is positioned such that the upper surface 70 contacts the slip-resistant material 65 affixed to the bottom surface 45 of the plate 1. Further, the upper surface 70 is received within the channel 60 and positioned between the rims 50, 55. Together, the rims 50, 55, the channel 60, and the slip-resistant material 65 may assist the user in balancing the plate 1 on the upper surface 70. As stated previously, the rims 50, 55 may restrict the movement of the upper surface 70 along at least one axis. If the plate 1 moves a predetermined distance within the channel 60, one of the rims 50 or 55 may contact a lip 80 of the glass 75, which may help prevent further movement of the plate. At the same time, the slip-resistant material 65 may help prevent the plate 1 from moving relative to the glass 75 due to the high coefficient of friction of the slip-resistant material 65. Advantageously, as compared to traditional plates, these features may help a user more easily balance the plate 1 on a glass 75.

As is evident from the foregoing description, certain aspects of the present invention is not limited by the particular details of the examples illustrated herein, and it is therefore contemplated that other modifications, applications, variations, or equivalents thereof, will occur to those skilled in the art. Many such changes, modifications, variations and other uses and applications of the present constructions will, however, become apparent to those skilled in the art after considering the specification and the accompanying drawings. In addition, unless mention was made above to the contrary, it should be noted that all of the accompanying drawings are not to scale. All such changes, modifications, variations and other uses in applications which do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present inventions are deemed to be covered by the inventions which are limited only by the claims which follow.