EP0657129A2 - Crockery such as a tray, saucer or plate for presenting a waiters bill - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to an item of crockery for presenting a waiter's bill. This item of crockery comprises a body with a base (3) circumscribed by a rim (8), and holding means (1, 2), such as a lid, which lies on the base (3) of said body in order to exert pressure on the top of the waiter's bill inserted between the base (3) of said body and the holding means (1, 2), which item is characterised in that the holding means (1, 2), which are in the general form of a lid, are hinged to the rim (8) of said body in such a way as to enable it to occupy two extreme positions with respect to the base (3) of said body, in one of which it rests on this base so as to hold the bill between the base (3) and the holding means, while in the other it is moved away from said base (3) to give free access (1, 2) to the base (3), the freely pivoting assembly of the holding means (1, 2) on the body being such as to enable the holding means (1, 2) to be moved by hand and by inertia. For service outdoors. <IMAGE>

Description

The present invention relates to a piece of tableware such as a tray, saucer or plate for the presentation of an information medium such as an addition ticket.

The presentation of addition tickets is traditionally carried out by depositing this ticket in a saucer or under it. This is often insufficient, especially when serving on the terrace or near a fan or air purifier. Indeed, the ticket can fly, which then obliges the service personnel to establish a new ticket and to represent it, which often constitutes a source of litigation.

To overcome this drawback, it has been proposed to have inside the saucer, on the bottom side, an adhesive which makes it possible to maintain the addition ticket on the bottom of the saucer. However, such a device is not without drawbacks. In fact, it does not in particular allow easy cleaning of the saucer. It also requires, due to its rapid wear, a frequent renewal of the adhesive device generally consisting of a self-adhesive pad.

Other more efficient devices are described in particular in patent FR-A-2,585,155. In this case, the saucer incorporates means for holding the information carrier at the bottom of said saucer. These holding means are generally mounted tilting in the vicinity of an edge of said saucer and extend against the bottom thereof to exert a pressing force on the top face of the information carrier inserted between the bottom of the saucer and the holding means. These holding means are constituted by a tongue combined with an elastically deformable pressing member such as a spring, the assembly being pivotally mounted in the vicinity of an edge of said part. Therefore, the tongue is constantly resiliently biased against the bottom of the saucer.

Although ensuring effective maintenance of the information medium such as an addition ticket, such a device is complex and is not economically compatible with the prices offered for such products. In addition, this device proves to be impractical during its use because it does not allow free access to the bottom of the saucer.

The object of the present invention is therefore to overcome these drawbacks by proposing a piece of tableware such as a saucer, plate or tray incorporating holding means which can be actuated by means of the hand which holds the saucer.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a piece of tableware such as a saucer, plate or tray allowing modification or replacement of the advertising message in an easy manner.

A final object of the present invention is to provide a piece of tableware that is simple to produce and inexpensive.

To this end, the invention relates to a piece of crockery such as a tray, saucer or plate of the type comprising a body with a bottom circumscribed by an edge, and holding means such as a cover extending against the bottom. of said body to exert a pressing force against the top face of an information medium such as an addition ticket inserted between the bottom of said body and the holding means, characterized in that the holding means affecting generally the shape of a cover are articulated on the edge of said body so as to be able to occupy two extreme positions relative to the bottom of said body, one of support on this bottom to allow the maintenance of an information medium between the bottom and the holding means, the other remote from said bottom to allow free access to the bottom of said body, this assembly with free pivoting body / holding means allowing the maneuvering of the holding means manually and by inertia.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the means for holding the information medium are pivotally mounted on the edge of said body by means of a hinge-type connection.

• la figure 1 représente une vue en coupe des moyens de maintien conforme à l'invention ;
• la figure 2 représente une vue de dessus des moyens de maintien conforme à l'invention ;
• la figure 3 représente une vue en coupe d'une soucoupe conforme à l'invention ;
• la figure 4 représente l'ensemble de la pièce en position ouverte correspondant à la position d'insertion du support d'information tel qu'un ticket d'addition ;
• la figure 5 représente la pièce de la figure 4 en position fermée, le support d'information tel qu'un ticket d'addition ayant été inséré ;
• la figure 6 représente une vue en coupe d'une variante de la soucoupe sans les moyens de maintien du support d'information ;
• la figure 7 représente une vue en plan du tourillon de l'articulation des moyens de maintien ; et
• la figure 8 représente une vue de dessous de la soucoupe.

The invention will be clearly understood on reading the following description of exemplary embodiments, with reference to the appended drawings in which:

• Figure 1 shows a sectional view of the holding means according to the invention;
• 2 shows a top view of the holding means according to the invention;
• Figure 3 shows a sectional view of a saucer according to the invention;
• Figure 4 shows the entire part in the open position corresponding to the insertion position of the information medium such as an addition ticket;
• 5 shows the part of Figure 4 in the closed position, the information medium such as an addition ticket having been inserted;
• FIG. 6 represents a sectional view of a variant of the saucer without the means for holding the information medium;
• FIG. 7 represents a plan view of the pin of the articulation of the holding means; and
• Figure 8 shows a bottom view of the saucer.

The crockery, object of the invention, an overview of which is shown in Figures 4 and 5, is formed of two main elements: a saucer, a tray or a plate or the like shown in Figure 3 and means holding 1, 2 of an information carrier, such as an addition ticket, against the bottom side of the saucer, the tray, or the plate shown in Figures 1 and 2. The saucer shown in Figure 3 can be a perfectly classic saucer. This saucer, which generally has the shape of a bowl, has a face 3 forming the bottom bordered by a peripheral edge 8. This peripheral edge 8 incorporates a connecting and pivoting member for the holding means 1, 2. This binding and pivoting can affect a large number of shapes.

In a first example shown in Figures 1 to 5, the connecting member between the edge 8 of the saucer body and the holding means 1, 2 is constituted by a bead 4 arranged in extension of the peripheral edge 8 of said body. This bead 4 constitutes the upper delimiting edge of a slot formed in the edge 8 of the body. This bead and this slot allow the insertion of the holding means 1, 2 and their pivoting around the bead 4 constituting in this case the pivot axis.

In another embodiment of the invention shown in Figures 6 to 8, the holding means 1, 2 have the shape of a cover, an extension of which to be articulated on the edge 8 of the body is shaped to constitute the axis pivot 13 of the cover 2 on the edge 8 of the body, this pivot axis 13 being inserted in a slot 12, a housing, a notch or between tabs formed on the edge 8 of the body of the saucer. In the example shown in the figures, it is a notching capable of constituting a bearing for guiding and maintaining the pivot axis 13 of the cover.

In other words, in view of the foregoing, the means 1, 2 for holding the information medium and the edge 8 of the body of the saucer can either constitute the male part or the female part of the joint.

Obviously, other hinge-type connections can be envisaged without departing from the scope of the present invention.

The holding means generally takes the form of a cover comprising a surface of any shape intended to cover at least partially the bottom 3 of the part, this surface 2 having an extension forming an arm 2 'raised in the direction of an edge 8 of the body of the saucer, this arm 2 'comprising at its free end one of the elements of the joint.

In the case shown in Figure 1, where the edge 8 of the body of the saucer is equipped with a bead 4 as described above, the arm 2 'of the holding means is terminated at its end to be articulated on the edge 8 of the bottom 3 of the saucer by an open housing 5 of profile complementary to the external profile of the bead 4 so as to be able to lock elastically pivotally on said bead 4 and pivot around said bead 4 by inserting into the slot of the housing 5 so as to allow the obtaining of an opening angle of the relatively large holding means generally comprised within an angular range of 0 to 220 °.

In another embodiment, in accordance with FIGS. 6 to 8, it is possible that the holding means 1, 2 have the shape of a cover whose extension to be articulated on the edge 8 of the body is shaped to constitute the pivot axis 13 of the cover on the edge 8 of the body.

In this case as shown in Figure 7, the pivot axis assumes the shape of a cylinder 13 terminated at each of its ends by studs or pins 10 coaxial with the longitudinal axis of the cylinder. This pivot axis 13 is housed in a substantially semi-cylindrical housing 12 formed outside and behind the edge 8 of the body of said saucer, the pins 10 being housed inside guides 11 arranged on either side other of this housing 12. This housing 12 gives the impression of having been obtained by deformation of the edge 8 of the body of the saucer by spreading it outwards from the edge 8. The faces of the edge 8 contiguous to this housing 12 comprises two housings 11 open in the direction of the part 12 of the edge which has been moved away and constitute the housings for receiving the studs 10 of the joint. There is thus obtained a connection between the holding means and the edge 8 of the body which is easily removable.

The holding means can also have a large number of shapes. In the example shown in Figures 1 and 2, the holding means consist of a first element 1 affecting the shape of a transparent planar face shaped to at least partially cover the bottom side 3 of the body of said saucer. This first element 1 of the holding means cooperates with a second element 2 of the holding means to which it is removably secured to delimit between said elements a space 9 inside which can be held an advertising medium such as a poster.

In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the first element 1 is intended to constitute the top face of the holding means, the element 2 the bottom face. This element 2 will come into contact with the bottom forming face 3 of said saucer. It is between this element 2 and the bottom side 3 of said saucer that it will be possible to insert an information medium such as an addition ticket. The elements 1 and 2 constituting the holding means can be joined together in a removable manner or not. In the example shown in Figures 1 and 2, they are detachably secured allowing the interchangeability of the advertising poster.

In addition, in the example shown in Figures 1 and 2, the connecting means of the holding means 1 and 2 are constituted by a hinge 6 allowing the pivoting of the element 1 relative to the element 2, this hinge being supplemented by closing members 7 made up of clips arranged respectively on the elements 1 and 2 of the holding means. These clips can seal the assembly. Therefore, during the flap of the element 1 against the element 2, the male part of the closing member of the element 1 is locked in a notch constituting the female part formed in the element 2 of the means holding preventing any untimely opening of said elements 1 and 2. This is obtained an arrangement in accordance with that shown in FIG. 4. The advertising medium is therefore inserted between these elements 1 and 2 before they are closed. This advertising medium can affect a large number of forms. It will generally consist of a poster.

The advantage of such a system is that the holding means can exercise its function of holding the addition ticket against the bottom of said saucer while allowing the consumer to read all of the advertising message normally printed on the bottom 3 of the body of said saucer.

Generally, to simplify the construction, this retaining means 2 takes the form of a cover comprising a surface of any shape intended to cover at least partially the bottom of the part, this surface having an extension forming an arm 2 'raised in the direction of 'an edge 8 of the body of the saucer, this arm 2' comprising at its free end one of the elements of the joint as shown in Figure 7. This surface can affect the shape of a hollow body so as to spare a cavity having an opening oriented towards the bottom 3 of the body of the saucer. Inside this cavity can be inserted, by force or by any other means, an advertising medium. It is also possible to simply stick an advertising poster under the surface of the cover. In this case, the holding means consist of a single cover and not of holding means with double thickness. This cover may in this case affect the shape of a bottle, a capsule or any other desired shape.

Depending on the embodiment chosen, the modes of use of said saucer will be different. By way of example, when using a piece of crockery, in accordance with FIGS. 4 and 5, it will first be advisable to insert, between elements 1 and 2 of the means of maintenance, the desired advertising message. Subsequently, the holding means will be mounted to tilt on said saucer, then an addition ticket may, in the open position of the assembly, as shown in Figure 4, be inserted between the bottom side 3 of the body of said saucer and the holding means 1, 2. In the closed position, the dishware will have a shape conforming to that of FIG. 5. Thanks to the free-pivot mounting between the holding means and the edge 8 of the body of the saucer, it is easy to obtain an inertial operation of the holding means and to allow, by means of one hand, the opening and closing of said holding means.

In addition, it should be noted that notches 14 are formed circumferentially on the underside of the face 3 forming a bottom in the base element of the body of said saucer so that the saucers are stackable in the open state or closed.

Obviously, the invention is not limited to the embodiments described above but on the contrary encompasses a large number of other embodiments.

Claims (10)

Piece of tableware such as a tray, saucer or plate of the type comprising a body with a bottom (3) circumscribed by an edge (8), and holding means, such as a cover (1, 2), extending against the bottom (3) of said body to exert a pressing force against the top face of an information medium such as an addition ticket inserted between the bottom (3) of the body and the holding means (1 , 2),
characterized in that the holding means (1, 2) generally affecting the shape of a cover are articulated on the edge (8) of said body so as to be able to occupy two extreme positions relative to the bottom (3) of said body, l 'a support on this bottom (3) to allow the maintenance of an information medium between the bottom (3) and the holding means (1, 2), the other remote from said bottom (3) to allow free access to the bottom (3) of said body, this assembly with free pivoting of the body / holding means (1, 2) allowing the maneuvering of the holding means (1, 2) manually and by inertia. Piece of tableware according to claim 1,
characterized in that the holding means (1, 2) of the information carrier are pivotally mounted on the edge (8) of said body by means of a hinge-type connection. Piece of tableware according to either of Claims 1 and 2,
characterized in that the holding means take the form of a cover (1, 2) of single or double thickness, the end of which must be articulated on the edge (8) of said bottom (3) provides a housing (5) capable of pivot about an axis (4) formed on the edge (8) of said body. Piece of tableware according to claim 3,
characterized in that the holding means take the form of a cover (1, 2) comprising at least one surface (2) of any shape intended to at least partially cover the bottom (3) of the body, this surface having an extension forming an arm (2 ′) raised relative to the surface (2) of the cover and comprising at its free end one (5) of the elements of the joint. Piece of tableware according to either of Claims 1 and 2,
characterized in that the holding means take the form of a cover (1, 2) whose extension to be articulated on the edge (8) of said body is shaped to constitute the pivot axis (13) of the cover on the edge (8) of said body, this pivot axis (13) fitting into a slot, an open housing (12), a notch or between tabs formed on the edge (8) of the body. Piece of tableware according to claim 4,
characterized in that the pivot axis (13) of the cover (1, 2) takes the form of a cylinder terminated at each of its ends by studs or pins (10) coaxial with the longitudinal axis of the cylinder. Piece of tableware according to either of Claims 1 and 2,
characterized in that the edge (8) of said body comprises a bead (4) constituting the upper edge of a slot made in the edge (8) under said bead so as to allow the embedding of said bead by the holding means ( 1, 2) and their pivoting around said bead forming an axis. Piece of tableware according to one of claims 1 to 7,
characterized in that the holding means consist of a first element (1) doubled with a second element affecting the shape of a generally flat transparent part (2) capable of covering at least partially the surface of the bottom face (3) of said part, said elements (1, 2) being capable of being plated and secured removably between them to delimit between said elements a space (9) inside which is maintained an advertising medium such as an interchangeable poster. Piece of dishes according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the holding means (2) consist of an arm (2 ') terminated at its end in abutment against the bottom of the piece by a cavity having an opening oriented towards the bottom of the saucer and inside which can be inserted an advertising medium. Piece of tableware according to one of claims 1 to 9,
characterized in that the opening angle of the holding means is between 0 and 220 °.

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