Dual-Function Plate Device

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

The present application claims priority to, and the benefit of, U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/694,977, which was filed on Sep. 16, 2024, and is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to the field of food storage containers. More specifically, the present invention relates to a dual-function plate device that can be used as a plate, wherein two devices can be attached to each other to form a sealed food container. Accordingly, the present disclosure makes specific reference thereto. Nonetheless, it is to be appreciated that aspects of the present invention are also equally applicable to other like applications, devices, and methods of manufacture.

BACKGROUND

Family gatherings, buffet-style events, and potlucks often result in an abundance of leftover food, which many guests are eager to take home. However, transporting these leftovers on ordinary plates frequently proves to be a challenge. Plates, being uncovered and lacking secure barriers, make it easy for food to spill over the edges. Sauces, liquids, and gravies can slosh around unpredictably, leading to unwanted messes during transportation. This can create a significant risk of spillage in vehicles, bags, or refrigerators once the food arrives at its destination.

Additionally, without proper containment, food items can easily slide off or mix with other dishes, especially when multiple plates are stacked together, leading to food waste and cross-contamination. Even when carefully arranged, uncovered plates remain vulnerable to tipping and leaking, causing inconvenience and frustration. The issue becomes particularly problematic with foods that contain high moisture content, such as salads with dressings, stews, or juicy meats, which are prone to leaking out from the sides or dripping uncontrollably.

Therefore, there exists a long-felt need in the art for an improved food transportation device. There also exists a long-felt need in the art for a dual-function plate device. More specifically, there exists a long-felt need in the art for a dual-function plate device that can be used as a secure food transport container. In addition, there exists a long-felt need in the art for a dual-function plate device that can be used as a secure food transport container and can also be used as a plate.

The subject matter disclosed and claimed herein, in one embodiment thereof, comprises a dual-function plate device. The device is comprised of a food storage and transport device comprised of a body made from materials such as paper, bamboo fiber, or plastic, shaped like various types of plates or bowls. The body includes a flat bottom wall and a raised edge designed to prevent spills. The raised edge features two reciprocating fasteners, such as male and female or tongue and groove types, allowing two of the devices to be removably attached to create a sealed food container. The device also includes pull tabs to facilitate the separation of attached units. The invention further comprises a method for using the device, where two devices can be joined to store leftover food securely within.

In this manner, the dual-function plate device of the present invention accomplishes all the forgoing objectives and provides an improved food transportation device. More specifically, two devices can be secured together to be used as a secure food transport container. In addition, a singular device can be used as a plate.

SUMMARY

The following presents a simplified summary to provide a basic understanding of some aspects of the disclosed innovation. This summary is not an extensive overview, and it is not intended to identify key/critical elements or to delineate the scope thereof. Its sole purpose is to present some general concepts in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detailed description that is presented later.

The subject matter disclosed and claimed herein, in one embodiment thereof, comprises a dual-function plate device. The device is comprised of a body preferably made from a paper material or a plastic material. The body may be shaped as any type of plate or bowl known in the art. More specifically, the body is comprised of a bottom wall that is preferably flat. The body is also comprised of at least one edge that is preferably a raised edge that is raised above the bottom wall to prevent contents within the body from spilling outside of the body.

The top surface of the raised edge is comprised of at least two fasteners, a first fastener and a second fastener. The fasteners are preferably reciprocating fasteners of any type that allow a first device and a second device to be removably attached to one another to form a sealed container for transporting food. More specifically, the first fastener is comprised of a debossed edge. The second fastener is preferably comprised of an embossed edge. To facilitate pulling two devices apart after being attached to one another, each device may be comprised of at least one pull tap.

The present invention is also comprised of a method of using the device. First, a first device is provided comprised of a body comprised of a raised edge comprised of a first fastener and a second fastener. Then, a food item can be placed into the body and eaten from inside the body. If food remains within the body, a second device can be secured in an upside-down position to the first device via the fasteners of the first device and fasteners of the second device.

Accordingly, the dual-function plate device of the present invention is particularly advantageous as it provides an improved food transportation device. More specifically, two devices can be secured together to be used as a secure food transport container. In addition, a singular device can be used as a plate. In this manner, the dual-function plate device overcomes the limitations of existing food transfer devices known in the art.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, certain illustrative aspects of the disclosed innovation are described herein in connection with the following description and the annexed drawings. These aspects are indicative, however, of but a few of the various ways in which the principles disclosed herein can be employed and are intended to include all such aspects and their equivalents. Other advantages and novel features will become apparent from the following detailed description when considered in conjunction with the drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The description refers to provided drawings in which similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the different views, and in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of one potential embodiment of a dual-function plate device of the present invention in accordance with the disclosed architecture;

FIG. 2 illustrates a perspective view of one potential embodiment of a dual-function plate device of the present invention with two devices unattached in accordance with the disclosed architecture;

FIG. 3 illustrates a perspective view of one potential embodiment of a dual-function plate device of the present invention with two devices attached in accordance with the disclosed architecture; and

FIG. 4 illustrates a flowchart of a method of using one potential embodiment of a dual-function plate device of the present invention in accordance with the disclosed architecture.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The innovation is now described with reference to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals are used to refer to like elements throughout. In the following description, for purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth to provide a thorough understanding thereof. It may be evident, however, that the innovation can be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known structures and devices are shown in block diagram form to facilitate a description thereof. Various embodiments are discussed hereinafter. It should be noted that the figures are described only to facilitate the description of the embodiments. They are not intended as an exhaustive description of the invention and do not limit the scope of the invention. Additionally, an illustrated embodiment need not have all the aspects or advantages shown. Thus, in other embodiments, any of the features described herein from different embodiments may be combined.

As noted above, there exists a long-felt need in the art for an improved food transportation device. There also exists a long-felt need in the art for a dual-function plate device. More specifically, there exists a long-felt need in the art for a dual-function plate device that can be used as a secure food transport container. In addition, there exists a long-felt need in the art for a dual-function plate device that can be used as a secure food transport.

The present invention, in one exemplary embodiment, is comprised of a dual-function plate device comprised of a body preferably made from either paper or plastic material. The body can take the form of any plate or bowl known in the art. Specifically, the body includes a flat bottom wall and at least one raised edge, which extends above the bottom wall to prevent contents from spilling out.

The top of the raised edge is equipped with two fasteners, a first fastener and a second fastener. These fasteners are preferably of the reciprocating type, allowing two devices to be removably attached to each other to form a sealed container for food transportation. The first fastener has a debossed edge, while the second fastener features an embossed edge. To facilitate separating the two devices after attachment, each one may include at least one pull tab.

The invention also includes a method for using the device. First, a device is provided, featuring a body with a raised edge and two fasteners. A food item can then be placed in the body and eaten from it. If food remains, a second device can be secured upside down onto the first device using their respective fasteners to create a sealed container.

Thus, the dual-function plate device offers a significant advantage as it provides an improved food transport solution. Specifically, two devices can be connected to form a secure food container, or a single device can function as a plate. This dual-purpose design overcomes the limitations of conventional food transport devices.

Referring initially to the drawings, FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of one potential embodiment of a dual-function plate device 100 of the present invention in accordance with the disclosed architecture. The device 100 is comprised of a body 110. The body 110 is preferably made from a paper material such as but not limited to a pulped paper, a recycled paper, a bagasse, a bamboo fiber, a palm leaf, a starch-based material, a clay-coated paperboard, etc. or a plastic material. The body 110 may be shaped as any type of plate or bowl known in the art such as but not limited to a plate, a bowl, a salad plate, a soup bowl, a dinner plate, a dessert plate, a side plate (bread plate), a pasta bowl, a cereal bowl, a platter, a saucer, a charger plate, a shallow bowl, a serving bowl, an appetizer plate, a soup plate, a ramekin, a tureen, a fruit bowl, a compote dish, etc.

More specifically, the body 110 is comprised of a bottom wall 150 that is preferably flat. The body 110 is also comprised of at least one edge 120. The edge 120 is preferably a raised edge that is raised above the bottom wall 150 to prevent contents within the body 110 from spilling outside of the body 110.

The top surface 130 of the raised edge 120 is comprised of at least two fasteners, a first fastener 132 and a second fastener 134. The fasteners 132,134 are preferably reciprocating fasteners of any type. This allows a first device 100 and a second device 100 to be removably attached to one another, as seen in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, to form a sealed container for transporting food. More specifically, the first fastener 132 is comprised of a debossed edge. The second fastener 134 is preferably comprised of an embossed edge. The second fastener 134 is preferably positioned inside the first fastener 132 on the top surface 130, as seen in FIG. 1. The fasteners 132,134 may also be reciprocating fastener types such as but not limited to male and female, tongue and groove, a snap fastener, etc. The fasteners 132,134 are preferably positioned radially around the top surface 130.

To facilitate pulling two devices 100 apart after being attached to one another, each device 100 may be comprised of at least one pull tap 140. The pull tab 140 can be grasped to pull a first device 100 off of a second device 100. The pull tab 140 may be a fixed pull tab, a foldable pull tab, a perforated pull tab, etc.

It should be appreciated that two devices 100 with two different body 110 styles (as noted above) may be attached to each other to create custom-shaped and dimensioned food storage containers.

The present invention is also comprised of a method of using 200 the device 100, as seen in FIG. 4. First, a first device 100 is provided comprised of a body 110 comprised of a raised edge 120 comprised of a first fastener 132 and a second fastener 134 [Step 202]. Then, a food item can be placed into the body 110 and eaten from inside the body 110 [Step 204]. If food remains within the body 110, a second device 100 can be secured in an upside-down position to the first device 100 via the fasteners 132,134 of the first device 100 and fasteners 132,134 of the second device 100 [Step 206].

Certain terms are used throughout the following description and claims to refer to particular features or components. As one skilled in the art will appreciate, different persons may refer to the same feature or component by different names. This document does not intend to distinguish between components or features that differ in name but not structure or function. As used herein “dual-function plate device” and “device” are interchangeable and refer to the dual-function plate device 100 of the present invention.

Notwithstanding the forgoing, the dual-function plate device 100 of the present invention and its various components can be of any suitable size and configuration as is known in the art without affecting the overall concept of the invention, provided that they accomplish the above-stated objectives. One of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the size, configuration, and material of the dual-function plate device 100 as shown in the FIGS. are for illustrative purposes only, and that many other sizes and shapes of the dual-function plate device 100 are well within the scope of the present disclosure. Although the dimensions of the dual-function plate device 100 are important design parameters for user convenience, the dual-function plate device 100 may be of any size, shape, and/or configuration that ensures optimal performance during use and/or that suits the user's needs and/or preferences.

Various modifications and additions can be made to the exemplary embodiments discussed without departing from the scope of the present invention. While the embodiments described above refer to particular features, the scope of this invention also includes embodiments having different combinations of features and embodiments that do not include all the described features. Accordingly, the scope of the present invention is intended to embrace all such alternatives, modifications, and variations as fall within the scope of the claims, together with all equivalents thereof.

What has been described above includes examples of the claimed subject matter. It is, of course, not possible to describe every conceivable combination of components or methodologies for purposes of describing the claimed subject matter, but one of ordinary skill in the art may recognize that many further combinations and permutations of the claimed subject matter are possible. Accordingly, the claimed subject matter is intended to embrace all such alterations, modifications, and variations that fall within the spirit and scope of the appended claims. Furthermore, to the extent that the term “includes” is used in either the detailed description or the claims, such term is intended to be inclusive in a manner similar to the term “comprising” as “comprising” is interpreted when employed as a transitional word in a claim.