Plate, cup and cutlery system

Abstract

A plate is provided having top and bottom sides. The top side includes a perimeter ledge, which has a section configured to receive a portion of a piece of cutlery disposed thereupon, thereby securing it to the plate. Also provided is a plate having top and bottom sides with the bottom side having a slotted section thereupon configured to receive a portion of a beverage container thereby securing the beverage container to the plate. An eating utensil is also provided and includes handle and a food-contacting portion attached thereto. The handle has a flat end portion opposite the food-contacting portion, and a support member disposed on an underside of the handle.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A plate having top and bottom sides, the top side comprising a perimeter ledge comprising a section configured to receive a portion of an eating utensil disposed thereupon, thereby securing the eating utensil to the plate. 
     
     
         2 . The plate of  claim 1 , wherein the section configured to receive a portion of the eating utensil is a channel in the perimeter ledge. 
     
     
         3 . The plate of  claim 2 , wherein the channel receives a flat handle end portion of the eating utensil in a sliding arrangement. 
     
     
         4 . The plate of  claim 1 , wherein the section configured to receive a portion of an eating utensil is a holder configured to receive a support member disposed on an underside of the eating utensil. 
     
     
         5 . The plate of  claim 4 , wherein the holder has a shape that is generally complementary to a shape of the support member. 
     
     
         6 . The plate of  claim 4 , wherein the holder is a clip or a slot. 
     
     
         7 . The plate of  claim 4 , wherein the support member is shaped such that once received by the member, rotation of the utensil is prevented. 
     
     
         8 . The plate of  claim 4 , wherein the support member is shaped as a: cylinder, frustum, triangle, pyramid, square, cube, circle, sphere, oval, ellipse, letter of the alphabet, number, or logo. 
     
     
         9 . The plate of  claim 4 , wherein the support member is configured to elevate a food-contacting portion of the utensil when the utensil is set on a surface, thereby preventing the food-contacting portion of the utensil from contacting the surface. 
     
     
         10 . The plate of  claim 3 , further comprising a holder configured to receive a support member disposed on an underside of the eating utensil. 
     
     
         11 . A plate having top and bottom sides, the bottom side comprising a securing member thereupon configured to receive a portion of a beverage container thereby securing the beverage container to the plate. 
     
     
         12 . The plate of  claim 11 , wherein the securing member comprises a slot having an L-shaped cross section, which is dimensioned to slidingly receive a lip of the beverage container. 
     
     
         13 . The plate of  claim 12 , wherein the securing member has a generally U-shaped configuration and the plate further comprises a resilient tab to prevent the beverage container from being slid out of the securing member. 
     
     
         14 . The plate of  claim 12 , wherein the securing member comprises two parallel tracks dimensioned to receive the lip of the beverage container therebetween. 
     
     
         15 . The plate of  claim 11 , wherein the top side comprises a perimeter ledge comprising a section configured to receive a portion of an eating utensil disposed thereupon, thereby securing the eating utensil to the plate. 
     
     
         16 . The plate of  claim 15 , wherein the section configured to receive a portion of an eating utensil is a holder configured to receive a support member disposed on an underside of the eating utensil. 
     
     
         17 . An eating utensil comprising a handle and a food-contacting portion attached thereto, the handle having a flat end portion opposite the food-contacting portion, and a support member disposed on an underside of the handle. 
     
     
         18 . The utensil of  claim 17 , wherein the support member is shaped as a: cylinder, frustum, triangle, pyramid, square, cube, circle, sphere, oval, ellipse, letter of the alphabet, number, or logo. 
     
     
         19 . The utensil of  claim 17 , wherein the support member is configured to elevate a food-contacting portion of the utensil when the utensil is set on a surface, thereby preventing the food-contacting portion of the utensil from contacting the surface. 
     
     
         20 . The utensil of  claim 17 , wherein the utensil is: a knife; a fork; a spoon; a spork; a spife; a knork; or a sporf.