Stick and stay stick plates

Abstract

The present invention provides apparatuses and methods for removably attaching a utensil to an external surface, The utensil includes an adhesive arrangement that secures the utensil to the external surface and a protective covering that prevents the adhesive arrangement from binding to the external surface until the protective covering is removed by a user. The user may remove the utensil from the external surface and subsequently return the utensil to be in contact with the external surface. The present invention supports different types of utensils, including plates, cups, bowls, and tablecloths.

We claim:  
     
         1 . A first utensil, comprising: 
 a first surface;    a second surface that contacts an external surface;    an adhesive arrangement that resides on the second surface, the adhesive arrangement comprising an adhesive substance that attaches to the external surface in accordance with environmental conditions, wherein a degree of adhesion allows for detachment of the first utensil from the external surface by a user and allows for subsequent reattachment of the first utensil to the external surface; and    a protective covering that covers the adhesive arrangement to prevent an attachment to the external surface and that is removable from the adhesive arrangement to activate the attachment to the external surface.    
     
     
         2 . The first utensil of  claim 1 , wherein the first utensil is selected from the group consisting of a plate, a cup, a bowl, and a tablecloth.  
     
     
         3 . The first utensil of  claim 1 , wherein the first surface comprises a first display region.  
     
     
         4 . The first utensil of  claim 3 , wherein the first display region comprises an advertisement.  
     
     
         5 . The first utensil of  claim 1 , wherein the second surface comprises a second display region.  
     
     
         6 . The first utensil of  claim 5 , wherein the second display region comprises an advertisement.  
     
     
         7 . The first utensil of  claim 1 , wherein the protective covering is selected from the group consisting of a circular disk with a cut out in an approximate center, a circular disk, and at least one strip.  
     
     
         8 . The first utensil of  claim 1 , wherein the adhesive arrangement is affixed at a plurality of locations of the second surface.  
     
     
         9 . The first utensil of  claim 1 , wherein the second surface comprises a bottom region and a ridge region, the bottom region contacting the external surface.  
     
     
         10 . The first utensil of  claim 1 , wherein the protective covering comprises a second utensil, wherein the first utensil and the second utensil are adjacent to each other, and wherein the first utensil and the second utensil are arranged in a stack of utensils.  
     
     
         11 . The first utensil of  claim 1 , wherein the protective covering comprises at least one tab that is not affixed to the adhesive arrangement.  
     
     
         12 . The first utensil of  claim 1 , wherein the protective covering comprises a display region.  
     
     
         13 . The first utensil of  claim 12 , wherein the display region comprises an advertisement.  
     
     
         14 . The first utensil of  claim 1 , wherein the first utensil comprises material selected from the group consisting of Styrofoam, plastic, and paper.  
     
     
         15 . The first utensil of  claim 1 , wherein the first utensil comprises material that is disposable.  
     
     
         16 . The first utensil of  claim 1 , wherein the first utensil comprises material that is non-disposable.  
     
     
         17 . A method for creating an eating utensil that removably sticks to an external surface, the method comprising: 
 (a) locating an approximate location on a surface of the eating utensil, the surface contacting an external surface when the eating utensil is used by a user; and    (b) adhering an adhesive object to the approximate location, wherein the adhesive object binds the eating utensil to the external surface.    
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein (a) and (b) are repeated.  
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the adhesive object is selected from the group consisting of a GLUE DOT, a Glue Tape, a GLUE RECTANGLE, and a GLUE LINE.  
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the adhesive object comprises piece of repositionable tape.  
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising: 
 (c) selecting a tack level of the adhesive object to obtain a desired level of binding between the eating utensil and the external surface.    
     
     
         22 . A plate used for eating, comprising: 
 a first surface;    a second surface that contacts an external surface;    at least one adhesive object that is located along at least one approximate line on the second surface, each adhesive object comprising an adhesive substance that attaches to the external surface, a degree of adhesion of the adhesive substance allowing for detachment of the plate from the external surface by a user and allowing for subsequent reattachment of the plate to the external surface;    at least on strip that covers the at least one adhesive object to prevent an attachment to the external surface and that is removable from the at least one adhesive object to activate the attachment to the external surface.