Serving platter

Abstract

A serving platter for holding food and a beverage container is held by one hand of a user by insertion of a thumb into a thumb hole centrally located on the platter. Eating accessories are also held on the platter. A hand strap may be used to stabilize the platter. The platter is reinforced to prevent dropping the contents of the platter.

1 . A serving platter for holding food and a beverage container with a hand of a user, comprising: 
 a) a plate having a central region, at least one food depression for holding the food, and a circular depression for holding the beverage container;    b) a thumb hole at the central region, for receiving a thumb of the user's hand; and    c) a pair of stiffening ribs integral with the plate and extending in mutual parallelism at opposite sides of the thumb hole to reinforce the plate when being held.    
   
   
       2 . The platter of  claim 1 , wherein the plate is circular and has a center, and wherein the thumb hole is located at the center.  
   
   
       3 . The platter of  claim 1 , wherein the plate has upright walls bounding a thumb cavity in which the thumb is received, the thumb hole extending into the thumb cavity, the upright walls completely encircling and being spaced from the thumb hole to provide clearance for the thumb.  
   
   
       4 . The platter of  claim 3 , wherein the stiffening ribs are part of the upright walls, and wherein the upright walls include end walls interconnecting the stiffening ribs.  
   
   
       5 . The platter of  claim 1 , wherein the plate has at least one holder for holding an eating accessory.  
   
   
       6 . The platter of  claim 5 , wherein the at least one holder includes a pair of projections on the plate and spaced apart to bound a space in which a utensil is clamped.  
   
   
       7 . The platter of  claim 5 , wherein the at least one holder includes a set of staggered projections spaced apart to bound a channel in which a utensil is clamped.  
   
   
       8 . The platter of  claim 5 , wherein the at least one holder includes an aperture extending through the plate and sized to receive a utensil.  
   
   
       9 . The platter of  claim 1 , wherein the plate has support feet for supporting the plate on a generally planar surface, at least one of the support feet having a holder for holding an eating accessory.  
   
   
       10 . The platter of  claim 1 , wherein the plate has three food depressions, one of the food depressions being larger in volume and at least partly bounded by one of the ribs, the other two of the food depressions being smaller in volume and at least partly bounded by the other of the ribs.  
   
   
       11 . The platter of  claim 10 , wherein the circular depression is located between the other two food depressions.  
   
   
       12 . A serving platter for holding food and a beverage container with a hand of a user, comprising: 
 a) a circular plate having a circular periphery, a center, a plurality of food depressions for holding food, and a circular depression for holding the beverage container;    b) a thumb hole at the center, for receiving a thumb of the user's hand;    c) a stiffening structure extending diametrically across the plate through the center to the periphery of the plate, the stiffening structure including a pair of stiffening ribs integral with the plate and extending in mutual parallelism at opposite sides of the thumb hole, the periphery and one of the ribs at least partly bounding one of the food depressions, and the periphery and the other of the ribs at least partly bounding the other two of the food depressions, the thumb hole extending through the stiffening structure and spaced away from the depressions; and    d) means for holding an eating accessory on the plate.    
   
   
       13 . The platter of  claim 12 , wherein the one food depression is larger in volume than the other two food depressions, and wherein the one food depression is located at one side of the stiffening structure in counterbalance relation to the other two food depressions located at the other side of the stiffening structure.  
   
   
       14 . The platter of  claim 12 , wherein the stiffening structure includes a pair of end walls interconnecting the ribs at opposite end regions thereof, and wherein the ribs and the end walls together bound an annular, upright thumb cavity in which the thumb is received, the annular thumb cavity completely encircling the thumb hole.  
   
   
       15 . The platter of  claim 12 , wherein the holding means includes a pair of utensil holders symmetrically located on the plate.  
   
   
       16 . The platter of  claim 12 , and a plurality of support feet integral with the plate, for supporting the plate on a generally planar support surface, ane wherein at least one of the feet includes the holding means.  
   
   
       17 . A serving platter, comprising: 
 a) a plate; and    b) a strap mounted on the plate and forming a loop into which a user's hand is received to support the plate from below the same.    
   
   
       18 . The platter of  claim 17 , wherein the strap is adjustably mounted on the plate.  
   
   
       19 . The platter of  claim 17 , wherein the strap is an endless loop.  
   
   
       20 . A serving platter, comprising: 
 a) a plate; and    b) a support for supporting the plate on a generally planar support surface, the support having a holder for holding at least one object.