Combination a food plate having detachable, re-attachable eating utensils

• US 20060218795A1
• Filed: 04/05/2005
• Published: 10/05/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/05/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cathy D. Santa Cruz, Paul R. Mccain
• Original Assignee: Cathy D. Santa Cruz, Paul R. Mccain
• Inventors: Santa Cruz, Cathy D., McCain, Paul R.
• Granted Patent: US 7,503,464 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 30/147
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 19/06 Plates with integral holders for spoons, glasses, or the like

Abstract

An integrally formed food plate such as used for picnics or the like and includes integrally attached utensils therewith in combination. The utensils when manually manipulated are easily detached for use. However, the utensils each further include novel pinholes that allow for re-attachment onto the food plate when not in use. Furthermore, the utensils may be standard such as in the form of a spoon, a knife and a fork, or as an alternative the utensils may be in the form of chopsticks. Another option is to include a toothpick that is integrally formed with the food plate yet is also detachable as well.

Claims

1. In combination a food plate having a detachable re-attachable eating utensil:

comprising;

said food plate being formed from a base member, said base member having an upraised exterior edge, said base member with said upraised exterior edge forming at least a first food compartment, said upraised exterior edge having a first pair of outwardly extending protrusions, said first pair of outwardly extending protrusions being integrally formed with said detachable re-attachable eating utensil, said detachable re-attachable eating utensil having a first pair of pin holes there through that are in alignment with said first pair of outwardly extending protrusions, said detachable re-attachable eating utensil having an attached position a detached position and a re-attached position, said detachable re-attachable eating utensil when in said attached position is integrally attached with said first pair of outwardly extending protrusions, said detachable re-attachable eating utensil assumes said detached position when said first pair of outwardly extending protrusions are manually manipulated until broken, said first pair of outwardly extending protrusions when manually manipulated until broken form a first pair of outwardly extending pins, said detachable re-attachable eating utensil assumes said re-attached position when said detachable re-attachable eating utensil is manually rotated until said first pair of pin holes are aligned with said first pair of outwardly extending pins and said first pair of outwardly extending pins are frictionally engaged into a mating relationship within said first pair of pin holes.

2. The food plate having a detachable re-attachable eating utensil of claim 1 further including said first food compartment being partitioned forming multiple compartments.

3. The food plate having a detachable re-attachable eating utensil of claim 2 wherein one of said multiple compartments is formed into an upraised receptacle.

4. The food plate having a detachable re-attachable eating utensil of claim 3 wherein said upraised receptacle is an integrally formed soup bowl.

5. The food plate having a detachable re-attachable eating utensil of claim 3 wherein said upraised receptacle is of a shape and size to removably receive and support a container therein.

6. The food plate having a detachable re-attachable eating utensil of claim 2 wherein one of said multiple compartments is of a shape and size to removably receive a napkin.

7. The food plate having a detachable re-attachable eating utensil of claim 6 wherein said napkin is pre-packaged and wet.

8. The food plate having a detachable re-attachable eating utensil of claim 1 wherein said upraised exterior edge further includes an additional pair of outwardly extending protrusions that are integrally formed with a toothpick, thus when said additional pair of outwardly extending protrusions are manually manipulated until broken, said toothpick becomes detached for use.

10. The food plate having detachable re-attachable eating utensils of claim 1 is integrally formed by plastic mold injection.

11. The food plate having detachable re-attachable eating utensils of claim 1 is octagonal in shape.

9. In combination a food plate having detachable re-attachable eating utensils comprising:

said food plate being formed from a base member, said base member having an upraised exterior edge, said base member with said upraised exterior edge forming at least a first food compartment, said upraised exterior edge having a first pair of outwardly extending protrusions, said upraised exterior edge having a second pair of outwardly extending protrusions, said upraised exterior edge having a third pair of outwardly extending protrusions, said detachable re-attachable eating utensils including a spoon a knife and a fork, said first pair of outwardly extending protrusions being integrally formed with said spoon, said second pair of outwardly extending protrusions being integrally formed with said knife, said third pair of outwardly extending protrusions being integrally formed with said fork, said spoon having a first pair of pin holes there through that are in alignment with said first pair of outwardly extending protrusions, said knife having a second pair of pin holes there through that are in alignment with said second pair of outwardly extending protrusions, said fork having a third pair of pin holes there through that are in alignment with said third pair of outwardly extending protrusions, said spoon having an attached position a detached position and a re-attached position, said knife having an attached position a detached position and a re-attached position, said fork having an attached position a detached position and a re-attached position, said spoon when in said attached position is integrally attached with said first pair of outwardly extending protrusions, said spoon assumes said detached position when said first pair of outwardly extending protrusions are manually manipulated until broken, said first pair of outwardly extending protrusions when manually manipulated until broken form a first pair of outwardly extending pins, said spoon assumes said re-attached position when said spoon is manually rotated until said first pair of pin holes are aligned with said first pair of outwardly extending pins and said first pair of outwardly extending pins are frictionally engaged into a mating relationship within said first pair of pin holes, said knife when in said attached position is integrally attached with said second pair of outwardly extending protrusions, said knife assumes said detached position when said second pair of outwardly extending protrusions are manually manipulated until broken, said second pair of outwardly extending protrusions when manually manipulated until broken form a second pair of outwardly extending pins, said knife assumes said re-attached position when said knife is manually rotated until said second pair of pin holes are aligned with said second pair of outwardly extending pins and said second pair of outwardly extending pins are frictionally engaged into a mating relationship within said second pair of pin holes, said fork when in said attached position is integrally attached with said third pair of outwardly extending protrusions, said fork assumes said detached position when said third pair of outwardly extending protrusions are manually manipulated until broken, said third pair of outwardly extending protrusions when manually manipulated until broken form a third pair of outwardly extending pins, said fork assumes said re-attached position when said fork is manually rotated until said third pair of pin holes are aligned with said third pair of outwardly extending pins and said third pair of outwardly extending pins are frictionally engaged into a mating relationship within said third pair of pin holes.

12. In combination a food plate having detachable re-attachable eating utensils comprising:

said food plate being formed from a base member, said base member having an upraised exterior edge, said base member with said upraised exterior edge forming at least a first food compartment, said upraised exterior edge having a first pair of outwardly extending protrusions, said upraised exterior edge having a second pair of outwardly extending protrusions, said detachable re-attachable eating utensils including a first chopstick and a second chopstick, said first pair of outwardly extending protrusions being integrally formed with said first chopstick, said second pair of outwardly extending protrusions being integrally formed with said second chopstick, said first chopstick having an attached position and a detached position, said second chopstick having an attached position and a detached position, said first chopstick when in said attached position is integrally attached with said first pair of outwardly extending protrusions, said first chopstick assumes said detached position when said first pair of outwardly extending protrusions are manually manipulated until broken, said second chopstick when in said attached position is integrally attached with said second pair of outwardly extending protrusions and said second chopstick assumes said detached position when said second pair of outwardly extending protrusions are manually manipulated until broken.