Drinking vessel holder for use with a food serving utensil

Abstract

A drinking vessel holder for a food serving utensil includes a body having an upper generally planar surface, a bottom surface spaced from the upper surface, and a perimeter. The body includes a raised rim around at least a portion of the perimeter and a transverse slot that extends into the body from the perimeter of the body to a medial portion of the body. The slot is adapted for receiving a stem of a stemware drinking vessel. The upper generally planar surface is adapted for supporting a base of a cup-shaped drinking vessel or a base of the hollow portion of a stemware drinking vessel. In addition, the body is adapted for being mounted to a food serving utensil wherein the drinking vessel holder can adapt the food serving utensil to hold either a stemware drinking vessel or a cup-shaped drinking vessel.

I claim:  
     
         1 . A drinking vessel holder for a food serving utensil, said drinking vessel holder comprising: 
 a body having an upper generally planar surface, a bottom surface spaced from said upper surface, and a perimeter, said body including a raised rim around at least a portion of said perimeter and a transverse slot extending into said body from said perimeter of said body to a medial portion of said body, said slot adapted for receiving a stem of a stemware drinking vessel, said upper generally planar surface adapted for supporting a base of a cup-shaped drinking vessel or a base of the hollow portion of a stemware drinking vessel, and said body adapted for being mounted to a food serving utensil wherein said drinking vessel holder can adapt the food serving utensil to hold either a stemware drinking vessel or a cup-shaped drinking vessel.    
     
     
         2 . The drinking vessel holder according to  claim 1 , wherein said food serving utensil comprises a plate member.  
     
     
         3 . The drinking vessel holder according to  claim 2 , wherein said plate member comprises a rounded plate member.  
     
     
         4 . The drinking vessel holder according to  claim 1 , wherein said drinking vessel holder and said plate member are integrally formed to thereby form a unitary member.  
     
     
         5 . The drinking vessel holder according to  claim 4 , wherein said plate member includes a perimeter portion and a raise rib extending around at least a portion of said perimeter portion of said plate member.  
     
     
         6 . The drinking vessel holder according to  claim 5 , wherein said raised rib of said plate member is merges into said raised rib of said body wherein said raise rib of said plate member and said raised rib of said body form a perimeter raised rib around said unitary member.  
     
     
         7 . The drinking vessel holder according to  claim 4 , wherein said unitary member is formed from a plastic material.  
     
     
         8 . The drinking vessel holder according to  claim 4 , wherein said unitary member is formed from a ceramic material.  
     
     
         9 . The drinking vessel holder according to  claim 4 , wherein said unitary member is formed from glass.  
     
     
         10 . The drinking vessel holder according to  claim 4 , wherein said unitary member is formed from wood.  
     
     
         11 . The drinking vessel holder according to  claim 4 , wherein said unitary member is formed from a composite material.  
     
     
         12 . The drinking vessel holder according to  claim 1 , wherein said body includes downwardly depending webs at said slot to thereby reinforce said body at said slot.  
     
     
         13 . The drinking vessel holder according to  claim 1 , wherein said slot includes a rounded distal end in said medial portion of said body.  
     
     
         14 . The drinking vessel holder according to  claim 13 , wherein said rounded distal end comprises an enlarged rounded distal end.  
     
     
         15 . The drinking vessel holder according to  claim 1 , wherein said medial portion is located generally at said center of said body.