Melvin C Martin

US Patent:

55930620, Jan 14, 1997

Filed:

Oct 10, 1995

Appl. No.:

8/540466

Inventors:

Melvin E. Martin - Yorktown VA

International Classification:

B65D 136

US Classification:

2205741

Abstract:

A plate for serving food at social gatherings where the guests may stand and eat at the same time, has a depression in its center, which on the upper surface of the plate can hold a cup, and on the lower surface may serve as a handle by which the plate can be held, so that the other hand of the person holding the plate will be free to hold a utensil to eat the food on the plate. In a preferred embodiment, the serving plate is circular, and the depression in the center of the plate is frustoconical or cylindrical. On the lower surface of the plate, the depression has ridges by which it may be more effectively gripped. On the upper surface of the plate, there is an outer rim extending around the circumference of the plate, and an inner rim extending around the depression in the center of the plate, and a food holding area between the outer rim and the inner rim, that is at a lower level than the outer rim and the inner rim. There are dividers extending from the inner rim to the outer rim to divide the food holding area into a plurality of compartments. There are holes in the outer rim, for holding utensils or napkins.