WO2001054546A1

WO2001054546A1 - Dinnerware

Info

Publication number: WO2001054546A1
Application number: PCT/AU2001/000085
Authority: WO
Inventors: Jonathon Silberberg; Daniel Leibovics
Original assignee: Jonathon Silberberg; Daniel Leibovics
Priority date: 2000-01-31
Filing date: 2001-01-31
Publication date: 2001-08-02
Also published as: AUPQ534900A0

Abstract

There is disclosed an article of dinnerware, such as a plate (10), having a surface (11) upon which, or in which, food is adapted to be received, and also having a peripheral edge (12). The peripheral edge is formed to have two pairs of radially extending, and equally circumferencing spaced apart, protrusions (13a) and (13b), and (13c) and (13d), forming legs angularly offset relative to the plane of the peripheral edge of the plate, whereby each pair of protrusions (13a) and (13b), and (13c) and (13d), together with peripheral edge portions (14) of the article therebetween, provide an integral self-supporting stand for the article when supported on its edge in a vertical, or substantially vertical, orientation.

Description

DINNERWARE Technical Field

This invention relates to dinnerware, and more particularly, but not exclusively, plates, dishes and bowls for eating and dining purposes, and hereinafter referred to as dinnerware, and in particular, but not exclusively, plates.

Background Art With conventional dinnerware, it is common practice, after washing individual plates or the like, to allow the washing water to drain therefrom by supporting them upright on their edges in a rack having a plurality of vertically upstanding supports between which individual articles of dinnerware are supported. Such racks can be unsightly, and occupy what can be valuable space adjacent a washing facility, such as a basin or sink facility, even when not in use, or alternatively, if stored out of sight when not in use, can also occupy valuable cupboard storage space.

Disclosure of the Invention

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide dinnerware which can be self- supporting in a vertical orientation on its edge, or sufficiently vertically orientated, to allow for drainage after washing and/or for other purposes, such as storage.

In accordance with the present invention there is envisaged an article of dinnerware having a surface or cavity, upon or in which, food is adapted to be received, and a peripheral edge, wherein said peripheral edge is formed to have at least two portions disposed at an angle to each other whereby to provide an integral self- supporting stand for the article when supported on its edge in a vertical, or substantially vertical, orientation. Preferably the article of dinnerware has a circular or elliptical periphery, and has at least two integral, radially extending and circumferentially spaced apart, protrusions angularly offset relative to the plane of the peripheral edge of the article, whereby the protrusions provide one of said at least two portions and the peripheral edge of the article therebetween provides the other of said at least two portions.

Preferably the article has at least two pairs of said protrusions.

Preferably the article of dinnerware has four of said protrusions with each of said protrusions positioned relative to the other protrusions on either side whereby to subtend with said other protrusions an angle of 90° from the centre of the article. With the article at this preferred form of the invention it can be supported on its edge on at least two diametrically opposed side edges, or four of its side edges.

Brief Description of the Drawings

One preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying representations, in which:

Figure 1 is an upper and lower view of the article of dinnerware;

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of a number of the article of dinnerware of Figure 1 supported on their edges in vertically upright self-supporting orientation,

Figure 3 is a side elevational view of a number of the articles of dinnerware of Figures 1 and 2, in a stacked horizontally disposed orientation one upon the other. Best Mode for Carrying out the Invention

With reference to all of the representations of the article of dinnerware of this preferred embodiment of the invention, which in this case is a plate 10, the article has a slightly concave surface 11 upon, or in, which food is received and with a substantially circumferentially extending peripheral edge 12.

Two pairs of integral radially outwardly extending protrusion (leg portions) 13 are provided being a total of four leg portions 13a, 13b, 13c and 13d equally spaced around the periphery of the plate. The leg portions extend at an angle away normal plane of the plate, whereby each of the pairs of leg portions 13a, 13b and 13c, 13d form together with portions 14 of the peripheral edge of the plate therebetween, self-supporting stands for the plate when supported on its edge in a vertical, or substantially vertical, orientation as shown in Figure 2. In the example, for aesthetic reasons, the plates can be self-supporting on two of its diametrically opposed sides, with the intervening peripheral edge portions 15 of the periphery of the plate not following the circular configuration of the plate and therefore not providing for vertical upright support of the plate at its pair of diametrically opposed edge portions defined by the intervening peripheral edge portion 15. However, it will be appreciated that the main body of the plate may be completely circular whereby the intervening edge portions 15 will be the same as peripheral edge portions 14 and the plate can be vertically self-supporting on any of its four equally spaced apart side edges.

It should be appreciated that the above is merely one preferred embodiment of the invention, and the invention basically resides in providing integral outwardly extending protrusions either spaced apart around the periphery of any shape of article of dinnerware, and whereby at least one protrusion will define, with another protrusion and both angularly disposed to an intervening peripheral portion of the article, a self-supporting stand for the article when orientated vertically on its edge, or even one protrusion angularly offset with respect to a peripheral portion of the article, to define between the protrusion and the peripheral portion of the plate a V- shaped self-supporting stand for the article, or even still further an article having a configuration which provides at least two protrusions both forming part of the article and angularly disposed relative to each other, and one of which may be the normal periphery of the article, whereby to provide a V-shaped self-supporting stand for the article when orientated vertically at one or more positions on its peripheral edge.

Claims

Claims :

1. An article of dinnerware having a surface or cavity, upon or in which, food is adapted to be received, and a peripheral edge, wherein said peripheral edge is formed to have at least two portions disposed at an angle to each other whereby to provide an integral self- supporting stand for the article when supported on its edge in a vertical, or substantially vertical, orientation.

2. An article of dinnerware as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the article of dinnerware has a circular or elliptical periphery, and has at least two integral, radially extending and circumferentially spaced apart, protrusions angularly offset relative to the plane of the peripheral edge of the article, whereby the protrusions provide one of said at least two portions and the peripheral edge of the article therebetween provides the other of said at least two portions.

3. An article of dinnerware as claimed in Claim 2, wherein the article has at least two pairs of said protrusions.

4. An article of dinnerware as claimed in Claim 1 or 2, wherein the article of dinnerware has four of said protrusions with each of said protrusions positioned relative to the other protrusions on either side whereby to subtend with said other protrusions an angle of 90° from the centre of the article, whereby the article can be supported on its edge on at least two diametrically opposed side edges.

5. An article of dinnerware as claimed in Claim 4, wherein the four protrusions are so positioned around the periphery of said article and offset relative to the plane of the peripheral edge of the article whereby the article can be supported on four of its side edges.

6. An article of dinnerware as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the article of dinnerware has at least one protrusion angularly offset to a peripheral portion of the article to define between the protrusion and the peripheral portion of the article a V-shaped self-supporting stand for the article.

7. An article of dinnerware as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the article of dinnerware has at least one pair of protrusions, forming part of the article, and angularly disposed relative to each other whereby to provide a V- shaped self-supporting stand for the article.

8. An article of dinnerware substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings .