Serving Tray

Abstract

A serving tray may include an open-sided tray body and a plurality of bands. The tray body may include a tray bottom and at least one side wall projecting from the tray bottom and defining a wall perimeter, wherein the tray bottom and the at least one side wall define an open space above the bottom and within the wall perimeter. The plurality of bands may extending at least partially across the open space to form a band pattern spaced apart from the tray bottom, the band pattern dividing the open space into a plurality of subdivided areas. The band pattern may be configured to maintain the relative positions of items, e.g., glasses, bottles, dishes, condiments, etc., received in the subdivided areas.

1 . A serving tray, comprising:
 an open-sided tray body including:
 a tray bottom; and 
 at least one side wall projecting from the tray bottom and defining a wall perimeter; 
 wherein the tray bottom and the at least one side wall define an open space above the bottom and within the wall perimeter; 
   a plurality of bands extending at least partially across the open space to form a band pattern spaced apart from the tray bottom, the band pattern dividing the open space into a plurality of subdivided areas;   wherein the band pattern is configured to maintain relative positions of items received in the subdivided areas.   
     
     
         2 . The serving tray of  claim 1 , wherein the wall perimeter has a rounded shape. 
     
     
         3 . The serving tray of  claim 1 , wherein the wall perimeter has a generally rectangular shape. 
     
     
         4 . The serving tray of  claim 1 , wherein the bands are elastic. 
     
     
         5 . The serving tray of  claim 1 , wherein the bands are removable from the tray body. 
     
     
         6 . The serving tray of  claim 1 , wherein the bands are adjustably positionable with respect to the tray body to form multiple different band patterns. 
     
     
         7 . The serving tray of  claim 1 , wherein at least one band comprises a loop extending around the open-side tray body. 
     
     
         8 . The serving tray of  claim 1 , wherein at least one band comprises a strap having a first end secured to the serving tray at a first location to a second end secured to the serving tray at a second location. 
     
     
         9 . The serving tray of  claim 1 , wherein the band pattern includes at least two bands extending parallel to each other. 
     
     
         10 . The serving tray of  claim 1 , wherein the band pattern includes at least two bands extending non-parallel to each other. 
     
     
         11 . The serving tray of  claim 1 , wherein the band pattern includes at least two bands extending non-parallel and non-perpendicular to each other. 
     
     
         12 . The serving tray of  claim 1 , wherein a first subdivided area defined by the band pattern is located inward from and spaced apart from the wall perimeter, and has an area perimeter defined on all sides by the bands. 
     
     
         13 . The serving tray of  claim 1 , wherein a first subdivided area defined by the band pattern has an area perimeter having no lines of symmetry. 
     
     
         14 . The serving tray of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one side wall comprises a plurality of band locating structures to locate at least one of the bands in at least one predefined position. 
     
     
         15 . The serving tray of  claim 14 , wherein the band locating structures comprises grooves or openings formed in the at least one side wall. 
     
     
         16 . The serving tray of  claim 14 , wherein the band locating structures comprises protrusions on the at least one side wall. 
     
     
         17 . The serving tray of  claim 1 , comprising:
 a ring removably secured to the open-sided tray body, the ring defining a ring perimeter;   wherein the plurality of bands are secured to the ring, each band extending across an open space defined within the ring perimeter;   such that when the ring is secured to the open-sided tray body, the plurality of bands extend at least partially across the open space of the tray body.   
     
     
         18 . The serving tray of  claim 17 , wherein the bands are removably secured to the ring. 
     
     
         19 . The serving tray of  claim 17 , wherein the bands are adjustably positionable with respect to the ring form multiple different band patterns. 
     
     
         20 . The serving tray of  claim 1 , wherein the bands extend around the open-side tray body and below a bottom surface of the tray bottom, such that when the serving tray is placed on an object surface, the bands maintain the bottom surface of the tray bottom spaced apart from the object surface. 
     
     
         21 . The serving tray of  claim 1 , wherein:
 each band has a band thickness; and   the tray bottom includes:
 a non-recessed portion defining a non-recessed bottom surface, and 
 a recessed portion defining a recessed bottom surface, the recessed bottom surface being recessed from the non-recessed bottom surface by at least two times the band thickness of a particular band. 
   
     
     
         22 . A serving tray, comprising:
 an open-sided tray body including:
 a tray bottom; and 
 at least one side wall projecting from the tray bottom and defining a wall perimeter; 
 wherein the tray bottom and the at least one side wall define an open space above the bottom and within the wall perimeter; and 
 wherein the at least one side wall comprises a plurality of band locating structures configured to locate a plurality of bands extending at least partially across the open space. 
   
     
     
         23 . A method of configuring a serving tray, comprising:
 providing an open-sided tray body including:
 a tray bottom; and 
 at least one side wall projecting from the tray bottom and defining a wall perimeter; 
 wherein the tray bottom and the at least one side wall define an open space above the bottom and within the wall perimeter; and 
   arranging a plurality of bands extending at least partially across the open space to form a band pattern spaced apart from the tray bottom, the band pattern dividing the open space into a plurality of subdivided areas configured to maintain relative positions of items received in the subdivided areas.