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US3941286A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

One-handed serving tray

Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1975-06-04
•
Granted: 1976-03-02
•
Expires: 1995-06-04
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Abstract

Abstract A serving tray, having an opening through which at least a portion of the server's hand may be inserted and a support which thrusts upwardly against the wrist and/or forearm materially assists in carrying and balancing the laden tray, has utility for use in situations in which the server must carry and serve from the tray with one hand.

Inventors

  • 👤 John W. Perkinson

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-06 06:08
CPC Classifications
A; A47; A47G; A47G23/00; A47G23/06; A47G23/0625

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 22
Claim 1
Independent Claim 127 words
A serving tray, comprising: a. a generally planar tray having a top and bottom surface and a periphery; b. said tray having an opening extending through said top and bottom surfaces, said opening dimensioned so that at least a portion of a hand may be inserted through said opening so that fingers and at least a portion of a palm of the hand may serve to support said tray when the hand is positioned generally parallel to said tray; and c. support means connected with and generally parallel to said tray, extending beyond said periphery at least to as far as a wrist and below the bottom surface of said tray, and shaped so as to generally conform to the shape of the underside of the wrist.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 127 words
A serving tray, comprising: a. a generally planar tray having a top and bottom surface and a periphery; b. said tray having an opening extending through said top and bottom surfaces, said opening dimensioned so that at least a portion of a hand may be inserted through said opening so that fingers and at least a portion of a palm of the hand may serve to support said tray when the hand is positioned generally parallel to said tray; and c. support means connected with and generally parallel to said tray, extending beyond said periphery at least to as far as a wrist and below the bottom surface of said tray, and shaped so as to generally conform to the shape of the underside of the wrist.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 20 words
A serving tray as claimed in claim 1, wherein: said opening is located within an area bounded by said periphery.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 23 words
A serving tray as claim 1, wherein: said support means extend beyond said periphery for a distance greater than that of the wrist.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 17 words
A serving tray as claimed in claim 1, wherein: said support means comprise a generally half-cylindrical body.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 18 words
A serving tray as claim 1, wherein: said support means are an integral portion of said serving tray.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 20 words
A serving tray as claimed in claim 1, wherein: said serving tray is nestable with other like shaped serving trays.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 40 words
A serving tray as claimed in claim 1 which further includes: at least one leg connected to said tray bottom and extending below the bottom surface of the tray to a distance approximately equal to that of said support means.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 127 words
A serving tray, comprising: a. a generally planar tray having a top and bottom surface and a periphery; b. support means having a top and bottom surface, connected with and generally parallel to said tray, extending beyond said periphery and below the bottom surface of said tray, and shaped so as to generally conform to the underside of a wrist; and c. said support means having an opening extending through said top and bottom surfaces of said support means, said opening dimensioned so that at least a portion of a hand may be inserted through said opening so that fingers and at least a portion of a palm of the hand may serve to support said tray when the hand is positioned generally parallel to said tray.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 127 words
A serving tray, comprising: a. a generally planar tray having a top and bottom surface and a periphery; b. support means having a top and bottom surface, connected with and generally parallel to said tray, extending beyond said periphery and below the bottom surface of said tray, and shaped so as to generally conform to the underside of a wrist; and c. said support means having an opening extending through said top and bottom surfaces of said support means, said opening dimensioned so that at least a portion of a hand may be inserted through said opening so that fingers and at least a portion of a palm of the hand may serve to support said tray when the hand is positioned generally parallel to said tray.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 143 words
A serving tray, comprising: a. a generally planar tray having a top and bottom surface and a periphery; b. said tray having an opening extending through at least a portion of said top and bottom surfaces, said opening dimensioned so that at least a portion of a hand may be inserted through said opening so that fingers and at least a portion of a palm of the hand may serve to support said tray when the hand is positioned generally parallel to said tray; and c. support means connected with and generally parallel to said tray, extending beyond said periphery at least to as far as a wrist and located on substantially the same general plane as the bottom surface of said tray, and shaped so as to generally conform to the shape of the underside of the wrist for supporting said tray.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 143 words
A serving tray, comprising: a. a generally planar tray having a top and bottom surface and a periphery; b. said tray having an opening extending through at least a portion of said top and bottom surfaces, said opening dimensioned so that at least a portion of a hand may be inserted through said opening so that fingers and at least a portion of a palm of the hand may serve to support said tray when the hand is positioned generally parallel to said tray; and c. support means connected with and generally parallel to said tray, extending beyond said periphery at least to as far as a wrist and located on substantially the same general plane as the bottom surface of said tray, and shaped so as to generally conform to the shape of the underside of the wrist for supporting said tray.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 33 words
A serving tray as claimed in claim 9, wherein: a portion of said support means being at a slight upward angle in relation to the top and bottom planar surfaces of the tray.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 145 words
A serving tray, comprising: a. a generally planar tray having a top and bottom surface and a periphery; b. said tray having an opening extending through at least a portion of said top and bottom surfaces, said opening dimensioned so that at least a portion of a hand may be inserted through said opening so that fingers and at least a portion of a palm of the hand may serve to support said tray when the hand is positioned generally parallel to said tray; and c. support means connected with and generally parallel to said tray, extending beyond said periphery to as least as far as a wrist and located on a plane slightly above the general plane of the bottom surface of said tray, and shaped so as to generally conform to the shape of the underside of the wrist for supporting said tray.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 145 words
A serving tray, comprising: a. a generally planar tray having a top and bottom surface and a periphery; b. said tray having an opening extending through at least a portion of said top and bottom surfaces, said opening dimensioned so that at least a portion of a hand may be inserted through said opening so that fingers and at least a portion of a palm of the hand may serve to support said tray when the hand is positioned generally parallel to said tray; and c. support means connected with and generally parallel to said tray, extending beyond said periphery to as least as far as a wrist and located on a plane slightly above the general plane of the bottom surface of said tray, and shaped so as to generally conform to the shape of the underside of the wrist for supporting said tray.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 33 words
A serving tray as claimed in claim 11, wherein: a portion of said support means being at a slight upward angle in relation to the top and bottom planar surfaces of the tray.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim 134 words
A serving tray, comprising: a. a generally planar tray having a top and bottom surface and a periphery; b. support means having a top and bottom surface, connected with and generally parallel to said tray, extending beyond said periphery and located on substantially the same general plane as the bottom surface of said tray, and shaped so as to generally conform to the underside of a wrist; and c. said support means having an opening extending through said top and bottom surfaces of said support means, said opening dimensioned so that at least a portion of a hand may be inserted through said opening so that fingers and at least a portion of a palm of the hand may serve to support said tray when the hand is positioned generally parallel to said tray.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim 134 words
A serving tray, comprising: a. a generally planar tray having a top and bottom surface and a periphery; b. support means having a top and bottom surface, connected with and generally parallel to said tray, extending beyond said periphery and located on substantially the same general plane as the bottom surface of said tray, and shaped so as to generally conform to the underside of a wrist; and c. said support means having an opening extending through said top and bottom surfaces of said support means, said opening dimensioned so that at least a portion of a hand may be inserted through said opening so that fingers and at least a portion of a palm of the hand may serve to support said tray when the hand is positioned generally parallel to said tray.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim 32 words
A serving tray as claimed in claim 13, wherein: a portion of said support means being at a slight upward angle in relation to the top and bottom surfaces of the tray.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim 141 words
A serving tray, comprising: a. a generally planar tray having a top and bottom surface and a periphery; b. support means having a top and bottom surface, connected with and generally parallel to said tray, extending beyond said periphery and at least a portion of said support means located slightly above the general plane of the bottom surface of said tray, and shaped so as to generally conform to the underside of a wrist; and c. said support means having an opening extending through said top and bottom surfaces of said support means, said opening dimensioned so that at least a portion of a hand may be inserted through said opening so that fingers and at least a portion of a palm of the hand may serve to support said tray when the hand is positioned generally parallel to said tray.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim 141 words
A serving tray, comprising: a. a generally planar tray having a top and bottom surface and a periphery; b. support means having a top and bottom surface, connected with and generally parallel to said tray, extending beyond said periphery and at least a portion of said support means located slightly above the general plane of the bottom surface of said tray, and shaped so as to generally conform to the underside of a wrist; and c. said support means having an opening extending through said top and bottom surfaces of said support means, said opening dimensioned so that at least a portion of a hand may be inserted through said opening so that fingers and at least a portion of a palm of the hand may serve to support said tray when the hand is positioned generally parallel to said tray.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim 32 words
A serving tray as claimed in claim 15, wherein: a portion of said support means being at a slight upward angle in relation to the top and bottom surfaces of the tray.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US2466636A Cited
US3162344A Cited
US3315858A Cited
US3504832A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1979-03-02 1979-09-01 1980-03-02 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1983-03-02 1983-09-01 1984-03-02 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1987-03-02 1987-09-01 1988-03-02 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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