Food and beverage tray

Abstract

A disposable food and beverage tray that is easily portable, allows quick and convenient loading, easy access to all food and beverage items, prevents contamination of food from a beverage, and serves as an advertising and promotional vehicle is disclosed. Various embodiments of the present invention allow the attachment of a harness to assist in carrying the food and beverage tray. Other embodiments of the present invention allow the present invention to be used in a motor vehicle. The food and beverage tray has a first side panel, a second side panel, a bottom panel, and a top panel. The top panel has beverage container openings and food item openings. Substantially vertical support members, such as flaps, are used to secure the tray in a substantially rectangular shape and separate the beverage openings and food item openings. When the flaps are disengaged, the tray is collapsible.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A food and beverage tray comprising: 
 a first side panel, a second side panel, a bottom panel, and a top panel, each of said panels being foldably connected to one another,    wherein said top panel has at least one opening for holding a beverage container,    wherein said top panel has at least one opening for holding one or more food items, and    at least one substantially vertical support member to connect said top panel and said bottom panel and separate said one or more food items from said beverage container.    
     
     
         2 . The food and beverage tray according to  claim 1 , wherein said tray is constructed from an eflute cardboard material.  
     
     
         3 . The food and beverage tray according to  claim 1 , wherein said at least one substantially vertical support member secures said tray in a substantially rectangular shape.  
     
     
         4 . The food and beverage tray according to  claim 1 , wherein said at least one vertical support member is a flap foldably connected to said top panel.  
     
     
         5 . The food and beverage tray according to  claim 4 , wherein said flap has an engaging means for connecting said flap to said bottom panel.  
     
     
         6 . The food and beverage tray according to  claim 5 , wherein said engaging means is a tab and said bottom panel has a slot to receive said tab.  
     
     
         7 . The food and beverage tray according to  claim 1 , wherein said at least one opening for holding a beverage container is substantially circular.  
     
     
         8 . The food and beverage tray according to  claim 7 , wherein said at least one substantially circular opening for holding a beverage container has starburst cuts in said top panel around said opening.  
     
     
         9 . The food and beverage tray according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one portion of said tray is removable.  
     
     
         10 . The food and beverage tray according to  claim 9 , wherein said at least one removable portion is located on said bottom panel.  
     
     
         11  The food and beverage tray according to  claim 9 , wherein said at least one removable portion is located on said top panel.  
     
     
         12 . The food and beverage tray according to  claim 9 , wherein said at least one removable portion is located on said first side panel.  
     
     
         13 . The food and beverage tray according to  claim 9 , wherein said at least one removable portion is located on said second side panel.  
     
     
         14 . The food and beverage tray according to  claim 9 , wherein said at least one removable portion is a card with perforated edges.  
     
     
         15 . The food and beverage tray according to  claim 9 , wherein said at least one removable portion comprises an autograph card.  
     
     
         16 . The food and beverage tray according to  claim 9 , wherein said at least one removable portion comprises a collector card.  
     
     
         17 . The food and beverage tray according to  claim 9 , wherein said at least one removable portion comprises a coupon.  
     
     
         18 . The food and beverage tray according to  claim 9 , wherein said at least one removable portion comprises promotional material  
     
     
         19 . The food and beverage tray according to  claim 1 , further comprising a harness system for supporting said tray.  
     
     
         20 . The food and beverage tray according to  claim 19 , wherein said harness system comprises: 
 a plurality of harness holes in said top panel, and    a securing means that loops through said plurality of harness holes and is adapted to loop around the neck of a user.    
     
     
         21 . The food and beverage tray according to  claim 20 , wherein said securing means is a string.  
     
     
         22 . The food and beverage tray according to  claim 20 , wherein said securing means is a strap.  
     
     
         23 . The food and beverage tray according to  claim 1 , further comprising means for engaging the door of a motor vehicle.  
     
     
         24 . The food and beverage tray according to  claim 23 , wherein said engaging means comprises: 
 a door engagement flap extending from and foldably connected to one end of said top panel,    wherein said door engagement flap can be inserted into the top of a motor vehicle door assembly along a line where a moveable window slides into said door assembly.    
     
     
         25 . The food and beverage tray according to  claim 24 , wherein said bottom panel further engages said door in a substantially perpendicular fashion to support said tray in a substantially horizontal position.  
     
     
         26 . The food and beverage tray according to  claim 1 , wherein said bottom panel is adapted to support the bottom side of said at least one beverage container.  
     
     
         27 . The food and beverage tray according to  claim 1 , wherein said bottom panel has at least one opening for holding a beverage container, wherein each of said holes in said bottom panel correspond to a hole in said top panel.  
     
     
         28 . The food and beverage tray according to  claim 27 , wherein said at least one opening for holding a beverage container in said bottom panel is substantially circular.  
     
     
         29 . The food and beverage tray according to  claim 28 , wherein said at least one opening for holding a beverage container in said bottom panel corresponds to a hole in said top panel which has starburst cuts around said opening.  
     
     
         30 . The food and beverage tray according to  claim 1 , wherein said top panel provides an area for promotional material.  
     
     
         31 . The food and beverage tray according to  claim 30 , wherein said promotional material is printed information.  
     
     
         32 . The food and beverage tray according to  claim 1 , wherein said bottom panel provides an area for promotional material.  
     
     
         33 . The food and beverage tray according to  claim 32 , wherein said promotional material is printed information.  
     
     
         34 . The food and beverage tray according to  claim 1 , wherein said first side panel provides an area for promotional material.  
     
     
         35 . The food and beverage tray according to  claim 34 , wherein said promotional material is printed information.  
     
     
         36 . The food and beverage tray according to  claim 1 , wherein said second side panel provides an area for promotional material.  
     
     
         37 . The food and beverage tray according to  claim 36 , wherein said promotional material is printed information.  
     
     
         38 . The food and beverage tray according to  claim 1 , wherein said first side panel, said second side panel, said top panel, and said bottom panel each provide an area for promotional material.  
     
     
         39 . The food and beverage tray according to  claim 38 , wherein said promotional material is printed information.  
     
     
         40 . The food and beverage tray according to  claim 1 , further comprising at least one connecting panel foldably connected to one of said first side panel, said second side panel, said top panel or said bottom panel.  
     
     
         41 . The food and beverage tray according to  claim 40 , wherein said at least one connecting panel is used to secure one end of said tray to another end of said tray, thereby forming said tray into a substantially rectangular structure.  
     
     
         42 . The food and beverage tray according to  claim 1 , wherein said tray is constructed from a single piece of material.  
     
     
         43 . The food and beverage tray according to  claim 1 , wherein said tray is constructed from a single piece of eflute cardboard.  
     
     
         44 . The food and beverage tray according to  claim 1 , wherein said tray is constructed of recyclable material.  
     
     
         45 . The food and beverage tray according to  claim 1 , wherein said top panel has two openings for holding a beverage container.  
     
     
         46 . The food and beverage tray according to  claim 1 , wherein said top panel has four openings for holding a beverage container.  
     
     
         47 . The food and tray according to  claim 1  wherein said tray is collapsible when said support member is in a disengaged condition.  
     
     
         48 . A method of securing a food and beverage tray to a door of a motor vehicle comprising the steps of: 
 providing a food and beverage tray having a top panel having a flap extending from one end of said top panel, and    inserting said flap into the top of a motor vehicle door assembly along a line where a moveable window slides into said door assembly.    
     
     
         49 . The method according to  claim 48 , further comprising the step of engaging said door in a substantially perpendicular fashion with a bottom panel of said tray to support said tray in a substantially horizontal position.