Collapsible one-handed support for a plate and a beverage container

Abstract

A collapsible one-handed support for a plate and a beverage container includes horizontally oriented upper and lower rigid supports having a vertical hand-grippable connecting member attached to the supports at upper and lower articulating joints. The upper and lower supports are supported parallel to one another in a first configuration, and can be folded into a substantially flat stacked arrangement with the vertical connecting member therebetween in a second configuration. The upper support has a front section sized to hold a plate and the rear section of the upper support has an aperture therein defining an annular grip sized to receive a beverage container. The rear section of the lower support has a recess adapted to hold the base of a beverage container which is in coaxial alignment with the annular grip, allowing a beverage container to be inserted through the annular grip and seated in the recess.

1 . A collapsible one-handed support for a disposable plate and a beverage, comprising horizontally oriented upper and lower rigid supports having a vertical hand-grippable connecting member attached to said supports at upper and lower articulating joints so that said upper and lower supports are supported parallel to one another in a first configuration and can be folded into a substantially flat stacked arrangement with said vertical connecting member therebetween in a second configuration, said upper and lower supports each having front and rear sections, said front section of said upper support sized to hold a plate thereon and said rear section of said upper support having an aperture therein defining an annular grip sized to receive a beverage container, and said rear section of said lower support having a recess adapted to hold the base of a beverage container wherein said recess is in coaxial alignment with said annular grip.  
   
   
       2 . The one-handed support of  claim 1 , wherein said vertical connecting member is attached to said rear section of said upper support, and front section of said upper support is pivotally attached to said rear section at respective edges thereof wherein said front section can be rotated into a stacked configuration with said rear section.  
   
   
       3 . The one-handed support of  claim 1 , wherein said vertical connecting member includes a plate anchoring structure pivotally attached to an upper end thereof and positionable between a first position folded downwardly against said vertical connecting member and a second position extending upwardly therefrom approximately normal to said rear section, and said rear section of said upper support includes an opening therein positioned proximate said vertical connecting member wherein said opening extends from said aperture and is sized to receive said plate anchoring structure when said plate support structure is placed in said second position.  
   
   
       4 . The one-handed support of  claim 3 , wherein said plate anchoring structure includes a fastening means adjacent said upper support operable to secure a plate on said upper support.  
   
   
       5 . The one-handed support of  claim 4 , wherein said fastening means comprises a a manually distendable tension clip attached to said plate anchoring structure and positioned and configured to grasp the edge of a serving plate placed on the upper support.  
   
   
       6 . The one-handed support of  claim 5 , wherein said vertical connecting member has a opening therein sized to receive said plate anchoring structure when said plate anchoring structure is in said first position whereby said plate anchoring structure is disposed within said vertical connecting member.  
   
   
       7 . The one-handed support of  claim 1 , wherein said vertical hand-grippable connecting member is ergonomically contoured to facilitate manual gripping.  
   
   
       8 . The one-handed support of  claim 1 , wherein said lower support is adapted for placement on a support surface.  
   
   
       9 . The one-handed support of  claim 9 , wherein said front section of said lower support is equal in dimension to said front section of said upper support.  
   
   
       10 . The one-handed support of  claim 1 , wherein said rear section of said upper support includes at least one aperture sized for insertion of eating utensils therein.  
   
   
       11 . The one-handed support of  claim 10 , wherein said at least one aperture is tangential to an outer edge of said rear section providing an opening in said outer edge.  
   
   
       12 . The one-handed support of  claim 11 , further comprising at least one accessory holder rotatably mounted to said rear section proximate said at least one opening in said outer edge, said accessory holder being substantially flat and having an aperture therein tangential to an outer edge of said accessory holder to provide an opening in said outer edge, said accessory holder rotatable from a first position juxtaposed with said rear section wherein said respective apertures align and a second position extending outwardly from said rear section wherein said aperture is available as an accessory holder.  
   
   
       13 . The one-handed support of  claim 12 , wherein said front and rear sections of said upper support are equal in diameter.