Food tray support apparatus

Abstract

A tabletop food tray support apparatus uses a number of support booms stacked axially upon a post. Each boom has a tray supporting platform at one end of a rigid beam and a bearing structure at the other end. The bearing rotatably and removably engages the post so the tray-carrying platform can revolve about the post. The platform attaches to the beam in an offset manner a radial distance beyond the center of gravity of the tray so that a heavier pot will tend to deflect the platform safely toward the post thereby discouraging accidental dumping of the food tray by overloading the boom and/or by rapidly revolving the platform In this way the angled platform provides a centripetal force component to a revolving tray carried on the boom. The platform can be formed from a steel ring sized to support common serving tray shapes. The post can be made hollow to accommodate insertion of an umbrella pole therethrough for use in patio tables. The booms can be of varying lengths to reduce interference among axially adjacent booms.

1 . An apparatus for movably supporting a food tray having a center of gravity, said apparatus: comprises:
 a substantially stationary base structure;   a support boom which comprises:
 a bearing structure movably secured to said base structure; 
 a platform shaped and dimensioned to support said tray, said platform having a distal section; 
 a rigid beam having a proximal end portion secured to said bearing structure, and a distal end portion secured to said distal section at a point located distally from said center of gravity; 
   whereby said platform has a proximal section located proximately to said center which deflects downwardly in response to a sufficient weight of said tray and its contents.   
   
   
       2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said platform is secured to said beam in absence of a substantial structural connection between said platform and said beam located proximally from said center of gravity. 
   
   
       3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said platform comprises a closed ring having a most distal section secured to said beam. 
   
   
       4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said beam comprises a stop surface to prevent deflection of said proximal section beyond a given distance. 
   
   
       5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said boom further comprises a handle extending downwardly from a medial portion of said beam. 
   
   
       6 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein said handle is camouflaged as a plant appendage. 
   
   
       7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said base structure comprises a post having a substantially cylindrical outer surface and wherein said bearing structure rotatably engages said outer surface. 
   
   
       8 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein said bearing structure comprises a sleeve having an axial bore shaped and dimensioned to intimately and rotatably engage said substantially cylindrical outer surface of said post. 
   
   
       9 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said post defines an interior lumen extending from a top end opening to a bottom end opening, said lumen being shaped and dimensioned to allow passage of an umbrella pole therethrough. 
   
   
       10 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said base structure consists of an umbrella pole. 
   
   
       11 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said apparatus further comprises a plurality of said supports booms axially spaced apart upon said post and being independently rotatable. 
   
   
       12 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein said apparatus further comprises a at least one spacer sleeve having an axial bore shaped and dimensioned to intimately and rotatably engage a substantially cylindrical outer surface of said post. 
   
   
       13 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein a top end of said post is threaded. 
   
   
       14 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , which further comprises a top cap comprising a tray supporting pedestal formed thereon. 
   
   
       15 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said platform is hingedly connected to said beam such that said platform deflects toward said post under the force of a given weight. 
   
   
       16 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said platform is biased toward a horizontal orientation. 
   
   
       17 . In a rotatable food tray support apparatus comprising a support boom movably attached to a standard wherein said boom comprises a rigid beam secured to a platform for supporting a tray having a center of gravity, an improvement which comprises:
 said platform being hingedly secured to said beam at a point a greater radial distance form said standard than said center of gravity.