Cutlery tray

Abstract

A cutlery tray having a peripheral wall adjoined to a bottom surface, fixed compartments defined by at least a portion of the peripheral wall, an additional wall section and the bottom surface, divider position slots within the fixed compartment, and a removable divider configured to engage and be retained within the fixed compartment at a divider position slot, is disclosed. The removable divider separates utensils within the fixed compartment. A series of divider position slots within at the fixed compartment allow the removable divider to be retained at a plurality of positions. Further, an expandable compartment defined by a second peripheral wall and a second bottom surface which extends from beneath the first peripheral wall and first bottom surface may also be provided. The expandable compartment may include a permanent knife block and, optionally, a removable knife block which attaches to the permanent knife block.

1 . A cutlery tray comprising:
 a. a first peripheral wall adjoined to a bottom surface;   b. at least one fixed compartment defined by at least a portion of the first peripheral wall, an additional wall section and the bottom surface;   c. at least one divider position slot within at least one fixed compartment; and   d. a removable divider configured to engage and be retained within a fixed compartment at a divider position slot, wherein the removable divider separates utensils within the fixed compartment.   
   
   
       2 . The cutlery tray of  claim 1 , further comprising a series of divider position slots within at least one fixed compartment to allow the removable divider to be retained at a plurality of positions. 
   
   
       3 . The cutlery tray of  claim 1 , wherein the removable divider comprises two ends at least one of which includes a tab for releasably locking the divider within at least one of the divider position slots. 
   
   
       4 . The cutlery tray of  claim 3 , wherein the removable divider further comprises at least one sectioning wall between the two ends. 
   
   
       5 . The cutlery tray of  claim 3 , wherein the removable divider comprises two sectioning walls. 
   
   
       6 . The cutlery tray of  claim 3 , wherein the removable divider comprises at least two sectioning walls. 
   
   
       7 . The cutlery tray of  claim 2 , wherein each fixed compartment comprises six paired divider position slots. 
   
   
       8 . The cutlery tray of  claim 7 , wherein three of the paired divider position slots are arranged sequentially and located proximate a first end of the fixed compartment and the remaining three paired divider position slots are arranged sequentially and located proximate a second end of the fixed compartment opposite the first end. 
   
   
       9 . The cutlery tray of  claim 8 , further comprising a removable divider engaged and retained within one of the three paired divider position slots at the first end and a removable divider engaged and retained within one of the three paired divider position slots at the second end. 
   
   
       10 . The cutlery tray of  claim 4 , wherein the sectioning wall is off-set from center between the two ends to create unequal sub-sections within the fixed compartment. 
   
   
       11 . The cutlery tray of  claim 1 , further comprising an expandable compartment defined by a second peripheral wall and a second bottom surface which extend from beneath the first peripheral wall and first bottom surface, respectively. 
   
   
       12 . The cutlery tray of  claim 11 , wherein the expandable compartment comprises a permanent knife block. 
   
   
       13 . The cutlery tray of  claim 12 , wherein the permanent knife block extends across less than the full width of the expandable compartment. 
   
   
       14 . The cutlery tray of  claim 12 , further comprising a fixed compartment having an additional wall section parallel to the direction in which the expandable compartment extends, wherein the permanent knife block is aligned with the parallel additional wall section and is capable of being received into and extended from the parallel additional wall section in conjunction with movement of the expandable compartment. 
   
   
       15 . The cutlery tray of  claim 12 , further comprising a removable knife block which attaches to the permanent knife block. 
   
   
       16 . The cutlery tray of  claim 15 , wherein the removable knife block further attaches to the second peripheral wall. 
   
   
       17 . The cutlery tray of  claim 1 , wherein there are at least two fixed compartments. 
   
   
       18 . The cutlery tray of  claim 17 , wherein there are four fixed compartments. 
   
   
       19 . The cutlery tray of  claim 3 , wherein the divider forms first and second utensil sections with the peripheral walls. 
   
   
       20 . The cutlery tray of  claim 19 , wherein one utensil section is larger than the other utensil section. 
   
   
       21 . A cutlery tray comprising:
 a. a first peripheral wall adjoined to a bottom surface;   b. at least one fixed compartment defined by at least a portion of the first peripheral wall, an additional wall section and the bottom surface; and   c. a removable divider configured to adjustably engage and be retained within a fixed compartment wherein the divider is capable of separating at least two utensils within the fixed compartment.   
   
   
       22 . The cutlery tray of  claim 21 , wherein the divider is capable of separating at least two utensils arranged in opposing directions. 
   
   
       23 . The cutlery tray of  claim 21 , further comprising a plurality of paired divider position slots within at least one fixed compartment. 
   
   
       24 . The cutlery tray of  claim 21 , wherein the removable divider comprises two ends at least one of which includes a tab for releasably locking the divider within a fixed compartment. 
   
   
       25 . The cutlery tray of  claim 24 , wherein the removable divider further comprises at least one sectioning wall between the two ends. 
   
   
       26 . The cutlery tray of  claim 21 , further comprising divider position slots for securing the dividers within the fixed compartments. 
   
   
       27 . The cutlery tray of  claim 21 , further comprising three pairs of divider position slots arranged sequentially and located proximate a first end of the fixed compartment and three pairs of divider position slots arranged sequentially and located proximate a second end of the fixed compartment opposite the first end. 
   
   
       28 . The cutlery tray of  claim 21 , further comprising an expandable compartment defined by a second peripheral wall and a second bottom surface which extend from beneath the first peripheral wall and first bottom surface, wherein the expandable compartment comprises a permanent knife block. 
   
   
       29 . The cutlery tray of  claim 28 , wherein the permanent knife block extends across less than the full width of the expandable compartment. 
   
   
       30 . The cutlery tray of  claim 28 , further comprising a fixed compartment having an additional wall section parallel to the direction in which the expandable compartment extends, wherein the permanent knife block is aligned with the parallel additional wall section and is capable of being received into and extended from the parallel additional wall section in conjunction with movement of the expandable compartment. 
   
   
       31 . The cutlery tray of  claim 28 , further comprising a removable knife block which attaches to the permanent knife block. 
   
   
       32 . The cutlery tray of  claim 21 , wherein the divider forms first and second utensil sections with the peripheral walls. 
   
   
       33 . A cutlery tray comprising:
 a. a first peripheral wall adjoined to a bottom surface;   b. at least one fixed compartment defined by at least a portion of the first peripheral wall, an additional wall section and the bottom surface; and   c. at least one divider positioned within a fixed compartment, wherein the divider separates utensils within the fixed compartment.   
   
   
       34 . The cutlery tray of  claim 33 , wherein the divider is transverse relative to the fixed compartment and comprises at least one sectioning wall to separate utensils within the compartment. 
   
   
       35 . The cutlery tray of  claim 34 , wherein the divider comprises two sectioning walls. 
   
   
       36 . The cutlery tray of  claim 34 , wherein the divider comprises at least two sectioning walls. 
   
   
       37 . The cutlery tray of  claim 34 , wherein each fixed compartment comprises two dividers. 
   
   
       38 . The cutlery tray of  claim 37 , wherein one of each of the dividers is positioned proximate a first end of the fixed compartment and proximate a second end of the fixed compartment opposite the first end. 
   
   
       39 . The cutlery tray of  claim 38 , wherein the sectioning wall of each divider is off-set from a center of the fixed compartment to create unequal sub-sections within the fixed compartment. 
   
   
       40 . The cutlery tray of  claim 38 , wherein the dividers are configured to permit utensils to be arranged in two opposite directions within the fixed compartment.