U.S. patent application number 14/625239 was filed with the patent office on 2015-08-20 for ergonomic serving tray.
The applicant listed for this patent is Tray Bien LLC. Invention is credited to Shinri Kamei, Carly Kuperschmid, Krystyna Miles, Yvette Zou.
Application Number | 20150230643 14/625239 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 53796962 |
Filed Date | 2015-08-20 |
United States Patent
Application |
20150230643 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Kamei; Shinri ; et
al. |
August 20, 2015 |
ERGONOMIC SERVING TRAY
Abstract
The invention provides an ergonomic serving tray that comprises
a flat and substantially circular tray body having a proximal end
and distal end relative to a user, a cutout at the proximal end of
the tray body for accommodating the user's arm, a three-position
grip positioned at the distal end of the tray body for
accommodating the user's hand, and a plurality of drink holder
apertures arranged about the circumference of the tray and
positioned between the cutout and the three-position grip, wherein
each drink holder aperture is configured to hold a glass, such that
at least a bottom of the glass lies beneath the tray body when the
glass is inserted into the drink holder aperture.
Inventors: |
Kamei; Shinri; (Tokyo,
JP) ; Kuperschmid; Carly; (Burlingame, CA) ;
Miles; Krystyna; (North Salem, NY) ; Zou; Yvette;
(Albany, CA) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Tray Bien LLC |
Lebanon |
NH |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
53796962 |
Appl. No.: |
14/625239 |
Filed: |
February 18, 2015 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
61940298 |
Feb 14, 2014 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
206/139 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47G 23/0625 20130101;
A47G 23/0641 20130101 |
International
Class: |
A47G 23/06 20060101
A47G023/06 |
Claims
1. An ergonomic serving tray, comprising: a flat and substantially
circular tray body having a circumference and a proximal end and
distal end relative to a user; a cutout at the proximal end of the
tray body for accommodating the user's arm; a three-position grip
positioned at the distal end of the tray body for accommodating the
user's hand, the three-position grip comprising a first slot
proximal to the distal end of the tray body and a second slot
proximal to the first slot; and a plurality of drink holder
apertures arranged about the circumference of the tray and
positioned between the cutout and the three-position grip, wherein
each drink holder aperture is configured to hold a glass, such that
at least a bottom of the glass lies beneath the tray body when the
glass is inserted into the drink holder aperture.
2. The ergonomic serving tray of claim 1, wherein each of the first
and second slots are configured such that the user may wrap his or
her fingers about: (a) a distal bar positioned between the distal
end of the tray body and the first slot, or (b) a central bar
positioned between the first slot and the second slot, or (c) an
innermost rim positioned proximal to the second slot.
3. The ergonomic serving tray of claim 1, wherein the
three-position grip allows for grip customization according to the
forearm length of the user.
4. The ergonomic serving tray of claim 1, wherein the plurality of
drink holder apertures lowers a center of mass of the tray when the
tray is in use by the user.
5. The ergonomic serving tray of claim 1, wherein the tray body is
formed of bamboo.
6. The ergonomic serving tray of claim 1, wherein the circular tray
body has an upper surface comprising a non-slip treatment.
7. The ergonomic serving tray of claim 6, wherein the non-slip
treatment is a rubber or silicone pad.
8. The ergonomic serving tray of claim 1, wherein the cutout allows
the user to bend his/her elbow while carrying the tray upon his/her
forearm.
9. The ergonomic serving tray of claim 1, wherein the plurality of
drink holder apertures are of the same size or of varying
sizes.
10. The ergonomic serving tray of claim 1, wherein at least a
portion of the plurality of drink holder apertures have a non-slip
rim formed along an interior circumference thereof.
11. The ergonomic serving tray of claim 10, wherein the non-slip
rim is a rubber or silicone rim.
12. The ergonomic serving tray of claim 1, wherein the
three-position grip further includes non-slip pads.
13. The ergonomic serving tray of claim 2, further comprising
non-slip pads positioned on the central bar and/or the innermost
rim.
14. The ergonomic serving tray of claim 1, wherein the cutout
includes a non-slip pad.
15. The ergonomic serving tray of claim 2, wherein the
three-position grip further includes grooves positioned on the
distal bar, the central bar, and/or the innermost rim.
16. The ergonomic serving tray of claim 1, further comprising
lighting apparatus along a circumferential edge of the
substantially circular tray body.
17. The ergonomic serving tray of claim 1, wherein the
substantially circular tray body has a lower surface that includes
a plurality of indentations.
18. An ergonomic serving tray, comprising: a flat and substantially
circular tray body having a proximal end and a central portion
relative to a user; a cutout at the proximal end of the tray body
for accommodating the user's arm; a three-position grip positioned
at the central portion of the tray body for accommodating the
user's hand; and a plurality of drink holder apertures arranged
about the circumference of the tray and positioned between the c
out and the three-position grip, wherein each drink holder aperture
is configured to hold a glass, such that at least a bottom of the
glass lies beneath the tray body when the glass is inserted into
the drink holder aperture.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] This invention relates to ergonomic serving trays for use in
the food service industry. The serving trays educe strain on the
user's wrist and thus reduce the chance of discomfort or
injury.
BACKGROUND
[0002] Carrying heavy and/or unbalanced serving trays may lead to
hand and wrist injuries in career waitpersons. The food service
industry is the third largest industry in the United States and
provides around ten (10) million jobs; thus, hand and wrist
injuries such as tendonitis and carpal tunnel present a major
problem.
SUMMARY
[0003] Conventional or state of the art serving trays may be
unbalanced, may cause wrist pain due to bending of the wrist that
is necessary to carry the tray by hand, may have a slippery top
surface, and may additionally be difficult to maneuver around other
people in a restaurant or other serving venue.
[0004] The invention is directed to an ergonomic and lightweight
serving tray for reducing strain on a user's wrist while maximizing
comfort and maneuverability. The trays disclosed herein allow a
user to hold the tray at various positions while maintaining the
wrist in a neutral and comfortable position. The trays have a lower
center of mass than a standard serving tray and are therefore less
likely to tip. This requires the user to apply less force with
his/her hand in order to balance the tray, and thus reduces the
strain on the wrist.
[0005] One aspect of the invention is an ergonomic serving tray
that has a flat and substantially circular tray body having a
circumference and a proximal end and a distal end relative to a
user, a cutout at a proximal end of the tray body for accommodating
the user's arm, and a three-position grip at a distal end of the
tray body. The three-position grip accommodates the user's hand
with the user's wrist held in a neutral position when the tray body
rests on the user's forearm. A plurality of drink holder apertures
are arranged about the circumference of the tray and between the
cutout and the grip for holding glasses or cups therein. Each drink
holder aperture is configured to hold a glass, such that at least
the bottom of the glass lies beneath the tray body when the glass
is inserted into the drink holder aperture.
[0006] Another aspect of the invention is directed to an ergonomic
serving tray that has a flat and substantially circular tray body
having a proximal end and a central portion, a cutout at a proximal
end of the tray body for accommodating the user's arm, and a
three-position grip positioned at the central portion of the tray
body. A plurality of drink holder apertures are arranged about the
circumference of the tray and between the cutout and the grip for
holding glasses or cups therein. Each drink holder aperture is
configured to hold a glass, such that at least the bottom of the
glass lies beneath the tray body when the glass is inserted into
the drink holder aperture.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0007] FIG. 1 is a top perspective view of an ergonomic serving
tray according to an embodiment of the invention;
[0008] FIG. 2 is a top perspective view of an ergonomic serving
tray according to another embodiment of the invention;
[0009] FIG. 3 is a bottom perspective view of the ergonomic serving
tray illustrated in FIG. 2;
[0010] FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of a plurality of stacked
ergonomic serving trays as illustrated in FIG. 2; and
[0011] FIG. 5 is a top perspective view of the plurality of stacked
ergonomic serving trays as illustrated in FIG. 4.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0012] As illustrated in FIG. 1, the invention provides an
ergonomic serving tray 100 having a flat and substantially circular
tray body 102 with an inner elbow, upper arm or forearm cutout 104
(hereinafter referred to as forearm cutout 104) at a proximal
(relative to user) end 106 and a three-position grip 108 at a
distal end 110. The three-position grip 108 is shown roughly
bounded by a dashed circle in FIG. 1. A plurality of drink holder
apertures 112-122 are evenly spaced about the circumference of the
tray 100 and between the forearm cutout 104 and the three-position
grip 108. As illustrated in FIG. 1. the tray 100 has a total of six
(6) drink holder apertures; however, it will be appreciated that
the number and size of apertures may vary according to tray size,
glass size, user requirements, or other specifications.
[0013] The tray 100 may be made from a natural, renewable material
such as bamboo. A top surface 124 of the tray 100 may be treated
with a non-slip treatment. In one aspect, the top surface 124
includes a rubber or silicone treatment or pad 152 (as illustrated
in FIG. 2). Alternately, the top surface 124 may be textured (not
shown) to increase the coefficient of friction of the top surface
124, such that small plates, condiments, additional glasses,
silverware, straws or other items may be securely placed in the
middle of the tray 100.
[0014] In use, glasses or cups (the term "glasses" is used
hereafter to encompass all types of glasses and cups) are inserted
into the drink holder apertures 112-122. The drink holder apertures
112-122 are sized to receive and hold a glass proximate a vertical
mid-portion of the glass, such that at least the bottom of the
glass lies below the tray 100 when the glass is inserted into the
aperture 112-122. In one aspect, the apertures 112-122 are sized to
hold a glass between its vertical midpoint and its upper rim, such
that a majority of the weight of the tilled glass lies beneath the
tray 100 when the tray 100 is carried by the user. As such, the
tray 100 lowers the center of mass of a standard, full tray, which
stabilizes the tray upon the user's forearm. Beneficially, circular
drink holder apertures 112-122 may accommodate a variety of glass
shapes and sizes, such as martini glasses, wine glasses, and
champagne flutes, as long as the glass is tapered such that its rim
is larger than the diameter of the aperture 112-122 and its base is
smaller than the diameter of the aperture 112-122. The drink holder
apertures 112-122 may further include slit openings 138 through a
circumferential edge 146 of the tray body 102. The slit openings
138 may, for example, lend some flexibility to the apertures
112-122, allowing the apertures 112-122 to accommodate a wider
variety of glass sizes. Moreover, the slit openings 138 may allow
for the insertion of a variety of glasses having stems, such as
wine or martini glasses. The slit openings 138 may be sized
differently depending on the type of glasses that are being carried
or the particular needs of the user (e.g., the slit openings 138
shown in FIG. 1 are smaller than the slit openings 138 shown in
FIG. 2).
[0015] The three-position grip 108 may be formed by a pair of
slots, a first slot 126 proximate the distal end 110, and a second
slot 128 behind the first slot 126 (relative to distal end 110).
First and second slots 126 and 128 and tray body 102 provide for
three gripping positions. In one position, a user may wrap his/her
fingers about a distal bar 130 formed between the distal end 110
and the first slot 126. Secondly, a user may insert his/her fingers
into the first slot 126 and wrap them around a central bar 132
formed between the first and second slots 126 and 128. Thirdly, a
user may insert his/her fingers into the second slot 128 and wrap
them over an innermost rim 134 formed by the second slot 128. The
tray 100 accommodates a variety of forearm lengths by providing
three user-selectable grip positions, all of which maintain the
user's wrist in a neutral position when tray 100 rests upon the
user's forearm. It will be appreciated that wrapping of the fingers
is up to the user and that fingers may be inserted into the first
or second slot 126 or 128 without wrapping.
[0016] Conventional trays can be difficult to carry upon the
forearm (thus encouraging the user to use a stressful, bent-wrist
carry), as the tray rim may press into the crook of the elbow or
the upper arm when the elbow bends. The forearm cutout 104 enhances
the freedom of movement of a user carrying the tray 100 by
accommodating the crook of the elbow or the forearm when the user
bends his or her arm. As the grip 108 lies in the same plane of the
tray 100, the user's wrist remains in a neutral position beneath
tray 100 when the tray rests upon the user's forearm (e.g., when a
centerline of the tray 100 between the forearm cutout 104 and the
grip 108 rests upon the user's forearm).
[0017] In another embodiment, a lower surface 136 of tray 100 may
be treated with a pad (not shown) to enhance user comfort or grip
of the tray 100 with a user's clothing or skin. In another aspect,
the lower surface 136 includes a thin, textured cushion, for
example, a thin rubber pad (not shown). The tray body 102 is shown
as a flat, thin circular-shaped structure. In one aspect, the tray
body 102 may be slightly curved along its diameter. For example,
the tray body 102 may curve slightly downward from its centerline
toward the drink holder apertures 112-116 and from the centerline
toward the drink holder apertures 118-122, in order to further
lower the center of weight of the filled tray and further stabilize
the tray 100 on a user's forearm (not shown).
[0018] In another embodiment, as illustrated in FIG. 2, each drink
holder aperture 112-122 may include a non-slip rim 140, such as a
rubber or silicone rim, along the interior circumference 142 of
each drink holder aperture 112-122. This ensures that the glasses
do not move around once they are positioned into the drink holder
aperture 112-122. In a further embodiment, the three-position grip
108 may include non-slip pads 144, such as rubber or silicone pads,
on the central bar 132 and/or the innermost rim 134. These pads
have an ergonomic shape so as to be easily grasped by the user's
hand and fingers and secure the user's grip to minimize the risk of
dropping the tray 100. Although not shown, the three-position grip
108 may also include grooves corresponding to the user's fingers to
allow the user's hand to more naturally and ergonomically grip the
tray 100. Such grooves may be positioned along the distal bar 130,
the central bar 132, and/or the innermost rim 134.
[0019] In yet another embodiment, the three-position grip 108,
including the central bar 132 and innermost rim 134, may be
positioned closer to the center of the tray 100 (not shown). In
this way, additional drink holder apertures 112-122 may be
positioned along the distal end 110 of the tray 100 to increase the
glass-holding capacity of the tray 100.
[0020] In another embodiment, the circumferential edge 146 of the
circular body 102 of the tray 100 may include at least one lighting
apparatus 148, such as LED lighting, so as to provide illumination
for the user in a darker setting. The lighting apparatus 148 also
alerts patrons to the presence of the user so as to avoid humping
into one another.
[0021] In another aspect of the invention as illustrated in FIGS.
3-5, the lower surface 136 of the tray 100 includes a plurality of
indentations 150 to allow for easier stacking of the trays 100. As
shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, multiple trays 100 may be stacked directly
on top of one another such that the plurality of indentations 150
on one tray 100 engages the top surface 124 of the tray 100
directly beneath it. The plurality of indentations 150 may be made
of a non-slip material such as rubber or silicone. In this way, the
trays 100 are less like to slid off of one another when they are in
a stacked position.
[0022] While the present invention has been described above, it
should be clear that many changes and modifications may be made to
the process and product without departing from the spirit and scope
of this invention.
* * * * *