Reversible plate holder

Abstract

A reversible plate holder to hold and support selectively first and second plates of different first and second diameters respectively, each plate having a base, tapered side walls and a rim extending radially outward from the side walls, the reversible plate holder including an annulus having axially spaced top and bottom parts with top and bottom edges of diameters D1 and D2 respectively and a neck part of diameter D3 axially between the top and bottom parts, where D1>D2 and D2>D3, the top part having inner wall surfaces that define a truncated top cone, the bottom part having inner wall surfaces that define an inverted truncated bottom cone generally coaxial with the top cone, whereby the annulus in upright position has the cone at the top for supporting the first plate and the annulus in inverted position has the bottom cone at the top for supporting the second plate and the side walls of the plates overlie the conical wall surfaces respectively.

1 . (canceled)  
   
   
       2 . A reversible plate holder according to  claim 17  wherein said top, bottom and neck parts define a single cylindrical tube having generally uniform wall thickness.  
   
   
       3 . A reversible plate holder according to  claim 17  wherein said inner wall surfaces of said top and said bottom conical recesses are generally flat as seen in sectional view extending axially and outwardly from said neck part toward said top and said bottom edges respectively.  
   
   
       4 . A reversible plate holder according to  claim 17  wherein said inner wall surfaces of said top and said bottom conical recesses define curved convex lines as seen in sectional view extending generally outwardly and axially from said top edge toward said neck part and from said bottom edge toward said neck part respectively.  
   
   
       5 . A reversible plate holder according to  claim 17  wherein said inner wall surfaces of said top and bottom conical recesses and said neck part define in sectional view extending generally radially and axially a continuous convex curved line.  
   
   
       6 . A reversible plate holder according to  claim 17  comprising an integral molded tubular cylinder.  
   
   
       7 . A reversible plate holder according to  claim 6  wherein said annulus comprises injection molded plastic.  
   
   
       8 . A reversible plate holder according to  claim 17  wherein said annulus has outer walls that define a generally straight circular cylinder, and said top, bottom and neck part walls are non-uniform in thickness.  
   
   
       9 . A reversible plate holder according to  claim 17  wherein said top, bottom and neck parts have walls which extending axially are non-uniform in thickness.  
   
   
       10 . A reversible plate holder according to  claim 17  wherein said top, bottom and neck parts have inner wall surfaces that are contiguous and define in axial section a continuous line devoid of any inward radical projections.  
   
   
       11 . A reversible plate holder according to  claim 10  wherein said top, bottom and neck parts have outer walls that are contiguous and define in axial section a continuous line devoid of any outward radial projections.  
   
   
       12 . A reversible plate holder operable to hold and support selectively first or second plates of different first and second diameters respectively, each plate having a base, tapered side walls and a rim extending radially outward from said side walls, said reversible plate holder comprising: 
 a base having top and bottom parts with top and bottom surfaces respectively and a neck part between said top and bottom parts,    said top part having a top truncated conical recess extending downward from said top surface, which top surface is coincident with the base of said top conical recess cone having first diameter D1,    said bottom part having a bottom truncated conical recess extending upward from said bottom surface which bottom surface is coincident with the base of said bottom conical recess and has second diameter D2 which is less than D1, each of said conical recesses the inner wall surfaces defining a substantially uninterrupted conical shape from said neck to said top and bottom surfaces respectively,    said top surface which is radially outward of said top conical recess having diameter corresponding to the rim diameter of said first plate for supporting same when placed thereon, said bottom surface which is radially outward of said bottom conical recess having diameter corresponding to the rim diameter of said second plate for supporting same when placed thereon when said base is inverted.    
   
   
       13 . A reversible plate holder according to  claim 12  wherein said base has outer side wall surfaces which define a circular cylinder coaxial with said conical recesses.  
   
   
       14 . A reversible plate holder according to  claim 12  wherein said base has outer side wall surfaces which define a rectangular block.  
   
   
       15 . A reversible plate holder according to  claim 17  for use with plates where each of said first and second plates has a base, tapered side walls extending from said base to a top rim that extends generally radially outward from said side walls, each of said rims has radial width and curves downward, and said top and bottom edges respectively of said annulus have thickness adapted to be less than said radial width, such that said rim will overlie and extend over and partially around the outside of said edges, when said plate is positioned on said plate support.  
   
   
       16 . A reversible plate holder to hold and support selectively first and second plates of different first and second diameters respectively, each plate having a base, tapered side walls and a rim extending radially outward from said side walls, said reversible plate holder comprising: 
 an annulus whose inside walls define truncated conical shapes of different diameters at opposite ends of said annulus, said top end adapted to support and hold a first plate whose side walls and rim correspond in diameter to said top end and said adjacent conical walls respectively, and to support and hold a second plate whose side walls and rim correspond in diameter to said bottom end when said reversible plate holder is inverted, each of said conical recesses the inner wall surfaces defining a substantially uninterrupted conical shape from said neck to said top and bottom surfaces respectively.    
   
   
       17 . A reversible plate holder to hold and support selectively first or second plates of different first and second diameters respectively, said reversible plate holder comprising an annulus: 
 A. having axially spaced top and bottom parts with top and bottom edges of diameters D1 and D2 respectively and a neck part of diameter D3 axially between said top and bottom parts, where D1>D2 and D2>D3,    B. said top part having inner wall surfaces that define a truncated top conical recess,    C. said bottom part having inner wall surfaces that define an inverted truncated bottom conical recess generally coaxial with said top conical recess, 
 where each of said top and bottom part inner wall surfaces respectively defines a substantially uninterrupted conical shape from said neck to said top and bottom edges of said inverted top and bottom truncated conical recesses respectively, and  
 whereby said annulus in upright position has said conical recess at the top for supporting said first plate, and said annulus in inverted position has said bottom conical recess at the top for supporting said second plate.  
   
   
   
       18 . A reversible plate holder to hold and support selectively first or second plates of different first and second diameters respectively, where each of said plates has a base, tapered side walls for a full height extending from said base to a top rim that extends generally radially outward from said side walls, said reversible plate holder comprising an annulus: 
 A. having axially spaced top and bottom parts with top and bottom edges of diameters D1 and D2 respectively and a neck part of diameter D3 axially between said top and bottom parts, where D1>D2 and D2>D3,    B. said top part having inner wall surfaces that define a truncated top conical recess,    C. said bottom part having inner wall surfaces that define an inverted truncated bottom conical recess generally coaxial with said top conical recess, 
 where each of said top and bottom part inner wall surfaces respectively defines a substantially uninterrupted conical shape from said neck to said top and bottom edges of said inverted top and bottom truncated conical recesses respectively, and  
 whereby said annulus in upright position has said conical recess at the top for supporting said first plate, and said annulus in inverted position has said bottom conical recess at the top for supporting said second plate, said inner side wall surfaces of said top and bottom parts respectively adapted to support said tapered walls along substantially their full height from said base of said plate to said top rim thereof.  
   
   
   
       19 . A reversible plate holder to hold and support selectively first or second plates of different first and second diameters respectively, said reversible plate holder comprising an annulus: 
 A. having axially spaced top and bottom parts with top and bottom edges of diameters D1 and D2 respectively and a neck part of diameter D3 axially between said top and bottom parts, where D1>D2 and D2>D3,    B. said top part and bottom parts each defining a truncated conical recess whose walls of each recess extend downward in a substantially uninterrupted conical shape becoming smaller from said top and bottom edges respectively,    C. said bottom part having inner wall surfaces that define an inverted truncated bottom conical recess generally coaxial with said top conical recess, 
 where each of said top and bottom part wall surfaces respectively defines a substantially uninterrupted conical shape from said neck to said top and bottom edges of said inverted top and bottom truncated conical recesses respectively, and  
 whereby said annulus in upright position has said top conical recess at the top for supporting said first plate, and said annulus in inverted position has said bottom conical recess at the top for supporting said second plate.  
   
   
   
       20 . A reversible plate holder according to  claim 17  further comprising a layer of sticky material on said inner wall surfaces of said top and bottom conical recesses.