EP4732721A1

EP4732721A1 - Serving aid for serving staff for carrying serving utensils and/or glasses

Info

Publication number: EP4732721A1
Application number: EP25210240.5A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Coen COUMANS
Original assignee: Sjonouco BV
Current assignee: Sjonouco BV
Priority date: 2024-10-22
Filing date: 2025-10-21
Publication date: 2026-04-29
Also published as: US20260108089A1

Abstract

A serving aid has a suspension structure 3 with four elongated elements 5 that are connected crosswise at the upper ends by bridge pieces 9. The elongated elements 5 are further connected crosswise via further bridge pieces 11 at points spaced from the upper ends. Trays 13 are attached to these further bridge pieces 11, on which serving utensils and glasses can be placed. The upper bridge pieces 9 are suspended in the middle from a crossbar 15 attached to a mast 17. The mast's 17 lower end is located in a connector 19 attached to a belt 21. This belt 21 is part of a harness 23 worn by the operating staff. Near the top of the harness, harness 23 is connected to mast 17 via a connecting element 25.

Description

Technical field of the invention

The invention relates to a serving aid for serving staff in the hospitality industry, at festivals, or other venues, for carrying serving utensils and/or glasses containing food and/or drinks, comprising at least one support element in and/or on which the serving utensils and/or glasses can be placed.

Background of the invention

A serving aid for carrying serving utensils and/or glasses is known from CN215913610U . This known aid has a sliding tray with holes for placing glasses and to which a loop is attached, allowing the tray to be carried so that the tray hangs from the loop.

Summary of the invention

An object of the invention is to provide a serving aid that allows for carrying more serving utensils and/or glasses more easily than with the known aid. To this end, the serving aid according to the invention is characterized in that the serving aid further comprises a mast that is held or carried at an upward angle during use, which mast has a lower end and an upper end, as well as a suspension structure attached to the mast at or near the upper end, via which suspension structure the at least one support element is suspended from the mast. This allows one or more support elements to be easily carried with one hand, leaving the other hand free for serving.
An embodiment of the serving aid according to the invention in which the weight of the cutlery and/or glasses can be easily carried is characterized in that the serving aid further comprises a coupling piece in which the mast is detachably present at the lower end or to which the mast is detachably connected at the lower end. This coupling piece is equipped with coupling means for attachment to a belt or harness of the serving staff. The weight is thus borne by the serving staff's body, and only the mast needs to be balanced by hand.
Preferably, a belt or harness to which the coupling piece is connected forms part of the serving aid.
A further embodiment of the serving aid according to the invention is characterized in that the harness is provided with a connecting element located at a distance above the coupling piece and connected to the mast at a distance from the lower end of the mast connected to the coupling piece. This eliminates the need to balance the mast and allows it to be carried hands-free. The operating staff only needs to lightly hold the mast with one hand to prevent it from swinging in all directions while walking.
The suspension can be implemented in various conceivable ways. Several support elements can be hung one below the other, and the support elements can be varied as desired.
The suspension structure preferably comprises an elongated element suspended from the mast, to which the support element is concentrically attached, or to which the support elements are concentrically attached at vertical intervals, or at least two elongated elements, with the elongated elements suspended from the mast and the support element located between the elongated elements, or with the support elements located at vertical intervals between the elongated elements, and the support element or elements connected to the elongated elements.
The elongated elements are preferably connected to each other at their upper ends via a bridge piece, with the bridge piece suspended from the mast in the middle. Preferably, the elongated elements are connected to each other at a distance from the upper ends via one or more further bridge pieces, with the support element connected to the further bridge piece or the support elements connected to the further bridge pieces.
A more robust embodiment of the hanging structure is characterized by the fact that it comprises four elongated elements, each comprising two pairs of relatively closely spaced elongated elements, with the distance between the pairs being greater than the distance between the elongated elements of a pair.
Yet a further embodiment of the serving aid according to the invention is characterized by the hanging structure comprising cords or cables through which the support element is suspended from the upper end of the mast. This serving aid takes up less space when not in use but stored.
The support element is preferably formed by a tray and/or a glass support with holes. The mast is preferably straight but can, in principle, be shaped in any desired way. The mast can be equipped with a holder for a handheld device for taking orders and a push button to emit an audio or light signal, indicating that people wish to pass by.

Brief description of the drawings

The invention will be explained in more detail below using exemplary embodiments of the serving aid according to the invention shown in the drawings. In the drawings:

Figure 1 shows a schematic perspective view of a first embodiment of the serving aid according to the invention;
Figure 2 shows a schematic perspective view of a second embodiment of the serving aid according to the invention;
Figure 3 shows a schematic side view of part of a third embodiment of the serving aid according to the invention;
Figure 4 shows a top view of the serving aid shown in Figure 3; and
Figure 5 shows a schematic perspective view of a fourth embodiment of the serving aid according to the invention.

Detailed description of the drawings

Figure 1 shows a schematic perspective view of a first embodiment of the serving aid according to the invention. The serving aid has a hanging structure 3 with four elongated elements 5, each comprising two pairs 7 of elongated elements. The distance between the elongated elements 5 of a pair 7 is smaller than the distance between the pairs 7. The elongated elements 5 are connected crosswise at their upper ends via bridge pieces 9. The bridge pieces 9 are attached to each other in the middle. The elongated elements 5 are further connected crosswise via further bridge pieces 11 at points spaced from the upper ends. Trays 13, on which serving utensils and glasses can be placed, are attached to these further bridge pieces 11.
The upper bridge pieces 9 are suspended in the middle from a crossbar 15, which is attached to a mast 17 near the upper end of the mast. The lower end of the mast 17 is located in a connector 19 attached to a belt 21. This belt 21 is part of a harness 23 worn by the serving staff. Near the top of the harness, harness 23 is connected to mast 17 via a connecting element 25 (e.g., a cord or rod).
Figure 2 schematically shows a second embodiment of the serving aid according to the invention in perspective. All components identical to those of the first embodiment are indicated by the same reference numerals. This second embodiment of serving aid 31 is a simplified version of the first embodiment. Suspension structure 33 has only two elongated elements 35, and connector 19 is connected only to a belt 21 and not to a harness. Belt 21 can be part of serving aid 31, but it can also be a belt worn by the serving staff.
Figures 3 and 4 schematically show a section of a third embodiment of the serving aid according to the invention in side and top views, respectively. This serving aid 41 has only one elongated element 43, which is suspended from the mast and to which a number of support elements are concentrically attached at vertical intervals. The support elements consist of trays 45 and glass holders 47 provided with holes.
Figure 5 schematically shows a perspective view of a fourth embodiment of the serving aid according to the invention. All components identical to those of the first embodiment are indicated by the same reference numerals. In this fourth embodiment of the serving aid 51, the suspension structure 33 is formed by cords 55 that suspend the upper platform 57 from the upper end 17b of the mast 17 and suspend the lower platform 59, which is provided with holes, from the upper platform 57.
Although the invention has been explained above with reference to the drawings, it should be noted that the invention is by no means limited to the embodiments shown in the drawings. The invention also extends to all embodiments deviating from the embodiments shown in the drawings, within the scope defined by the claims.

Claims

Serving aid (1; 31; 41; 51) for serving staff for carrying serving utensils and/or glasses to be served containing food and/or drinks to be consumed therein or thereon, comprising at least one support element (13; 47, 49; 57) in and/or on which the serving utensils and/or glasses to be served can be placed, characterized in that the serving aid further comprises a mast (17) which is held or carried at an angle upwards during use, which mast (17) is provided with a lower end (17a) and an upper end (17b), as well as a hanging structure (3; 33; 43; 53) which is attached to the mast (17) at or near the upper end (17b), via which hanging structure (3; 33; 43; 53) the at least one support element (13; 47, 49; 57) is suspended from the mast (17).
Serving aid (1; 31; 41; 51) according to claim 1, characterized in that the serving aid further comprises a coupling piece (19) in which the mast (17) with the lower end (17a) is detachably present or to which the mast (17) with the lower end (17a) is detachably connected, which coupling piece (19) is provided with coupling means for attachment to a belt (21) or harness (23) of the serving staff.
Serving aid (1; 31; 41; 51) according to claim 2, characterized in that the serving aid further comprises a belt (21) or harness (23) to which the coupling piece (19) is connected.
Serving aid (1) according to claim 3, characterized in that the harness (23) is provided with a connecting element (25) located at a distance above the coupling piece (19) and connected to the mast (17) at a distance from the lower end of the mast (17) coupled to the coupling piece (19).
Serving aid (1; 31; 41) according to claim 1, 2, 3 or 4, characterized in that the suspension structure (3; 33; 43) comprises an elongated element (5; 35; 45) which is suspended from the mast (17) and to which the support element (13; 47, 49) is concentrically attached or to which the support elements (13; 47, 49) are concentrically attached at mutual vertical distances.
Serving aid (1; 31) according to claim 1, 2, 3, or 4, characterized in that the suspension structure (3; 33) comprises at least two elongated elements (5; 35), the elongated elements (5; 35) being suspended from the mast (7), and the support element (13) being located between the elongated elements (5; 35), or the support elements (13) being located at vertical distances between the elongated elements (5; 35), and the support element (13) or the support elements (13) being connected to the elongated elements (5; 35).
Serving aid (1; 31) according to claim 6, characterized in that the elongated elements (5; 35) are connected to each other at their upper ends via a bridge piece (9), the bridge piece (9) being suspended from the mast (17) in the middle.
Serving aid (1; 31) according to claim 7, characterized in that the elongated elements (5; 35) are connected to each other at a distance from the upper end (17b) via one or more further bridge pieces (11), whereby the support element (13) is connected to the further bridge piece (11) or the support elements (13) are connected to the further bridge pieces (11).
Serving aid (1) according to claim 6, 7, or 8, characterized in that the hanging structure (3) comprises four elongated elements (5), each comprising two pairs (7) of relatively closely spaced elongated elements (5), whereby the distance between the pairs (7) is greater than the distance between the elongated elements (5) of a pair (7).
Serving aid (51) according to claim 1, 2, 3, or 4, characterized in that the suspension structure (53) comprises cords or cables (55) by means of which the support element (57) is suspended from the upper end (17b) of the mast (17).
Serving aid (1; 31; 41; 51) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the support element is formed by a tray (13; 47; 57) and/or a glass holder (49; 59) provided with holes.