Combined plate and cupholder

Abstract

A combined plate and cupholder includes a base portion with an aperture therethrough and a cupholder that extends around the periphery of the aperture that is raised above the base portion. A collapsible cup support may be inserted into the aperture that can be collapsed into a compact shape or extended below the bottom of the based portion and locked to form a rigid structure.

1 . A combined plate and cupholder for holding a cup and food, comprising: 
 a plate portion for supporting foodstuffs and having an aperture therethrough to receive the cup; and    a cupholder for supporting the cup, wherein the cupholder is disposed about and forms a periphery of the aperture.    
   
   
       2 . The combined plate and cupholder of  claim 1  wherein the plate comprises a planar plate portion and an upwardly-extending peripheral flange extending therefrom, and wherein the cupholder comprises an upstanding rim, the rim comprising an outer sidewall having a lower edge fixed to the aperture, a top surface fixed to the top of the outer sidewall, and an inner sidewall fixed to and extending down from the top surface inside the outer sidewall.  
   
   
       3 . The combined plate and cupholder of  claim 2 , wherein the combined plate and cupholder is elliptical and the aperture is disposed at one end of the plate portion.  
   
   
       4 . The combined plate and cupholder of  claim 3 , wherein the plate portion and the cupholder are comprised of matted paper.  
   
   
       5 . The combined plate and cupholder of  claim 1 , wherein the cupholder has an inwardly-facing sidewall that extends downward and necks inward at a sidewall angle of 5 to 15 degrees from vertical, the combined plate and cupholder further comprising the cup, which is disposed within the aperture and is supported by the inner sidewall of the rim, the cup having an outer sidewall that flares upwardly and outwardly at a cup wall angle of between 5 and 15 degrees from vertical.  
   
   
       6 . A combined plate and cupholder, comprising: 
 a plate including a planar base portion configured to support foodstuffs, and a rim coupled to the base portion and extending outward and upward therefrom to prevent foodstuffs from falling off the plate, the base portion having an aperture therethrough to receive and support a cup; and    a cupholder disposed about the periphery of the aperture, the cupholder comprising a cupholder rim that is fixed to the base portion around a periphery of the aperture, and a locking collapsible cup support disposed in the aperture to support the bottom of the cup.    
   
   
       7 . The combined plate and cupholder of  claim 6 , wherein the locking collapsible cup support further includes a plurality of telescopically interengaged rings configured to lock together in frictional engagement to each other and to the cupholder rim.  
   
   
       8 . The combined plate and cupholder of  claim 7 , wherein the plurality of rings include at least a first ring configured to frictionally lock to the cupholder rim, and at least a second ring further comprising a base disposed to support the cup.  
   
   
       9 . The combined plate and cupholder of  claim 8 , wherein the plurality of rings includes at least one ring disposed between and frictionally engageable to the first ring and to the second ring to thereby form a rigid telescopically extended body.  
   
   
       10 . The combined plate and cupholder of  claim 6 , wherein the plate and cupholder are made of transparent plastic and are configured to support a transparent cup.  
   
   
       11 . The combined plate and cupholder of  claim 10 , wherein the transparent cup is a wine glass.  
   
   
       12 . The combined cup and placeholder of  claim 6 , wherein one of the plurality of rings includes a means for preventing disassembly of the locking collapsible cup support.  
   
   
       13 . The combined plate and cupholder of  claim 12 , wherein the means for preventing disassembly includes a flange that extends outwardly from one of said plurality of rings coupled to the first ring and is configured to interfere with the first ring and prevent the removal of said one of said plurality of rings from the first ring.  
   
   
       14 . A combined plate and cupholder comprising: 
 a plate including a planar base portion having a height and a rim that extends outward and upward from said base portion, wherein the rim and base portion together define a single food compartment, the plate further defining an aperture therethrough that is configured to receive and support a cup; and    a cupholder disposed about the periphery of the aperture, the cupholder comprising a collapsible cup support disposed in the aperture to support the bottom of the cup.    
   
   
       15 . The combined plate and cupholder of  claim 14 , further comprising a rim fixed to the periphery of the aperture to which the collapsible cup support is fixed, the rim comprising an outer sidewall, a top surface, and an inner sidewall.  
   
   
       16 . The combined plate and cupholder of  claim 15 , wherein the collapsible cup support includes plurality of telescopic rings, the plurality of rings being configured to engage one with another to position a supporting base for the bottom of a cup below the height of the planar base portion.  
   
   
       17 . The combined plate and cupholder of  claim 16 , wherein the plurality of rings wedge together to form a rigid member generally shaped as a frustum of a cone.  
   
   
       18 . The combined plate and cupholder of  claim 17 , wherein the collapsible cup support permits leakage therethrough.  
   
   
       19 . The combined plate and cupholder of  claim 18 , wherein the supporting base has a hole therethrough.  
   
   
       20 . The combined plate and cupholder of  claim 19 , wherein the hole is disposed in the center of the base.