Food tray having improved lap placement characteristics

Abstract

A food tray includes: a first container defining an interior receptacle space, the first container having an interior surface for supporting a food item and an opposite concave exterior bottom surface for engaging a first thigh of a seated person; a second container defining an interior receptacle space, the second container having an interior bottom surface for supporting another food item and an opposite concave exterior bottom surface for engaging a second thigh of the seated person; and a hinge connecting the first container to the second container and having at least an open configuration and a closed configuration in which the food tray defines a closed container. The interior food-item supporting surfaces have different shaped surfaces in different examples, For example they may be flat and they may have curvatures corresponding to the concave exterior bottom surfaces.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A food tray comprising:
 a first container defining an interior receptacle space, the first container having an interior surface for supporting a food item and an opposite concave exterior surface for engaging a first thigh of a seated person;   a second container defining an interior receptacle space, the second container having an interior surface for supporting another food item and an opposite concave exterior surface for engaging a second thigh of the seated person; and   a hinge connecting the first container to the second container and having at least an open configuration and a closed configuration in which the food tray defines a closed container.   
     
     
         2 . A food tray according to  claim 1 , wherein, in the open configuration, the interior surface of the first container and the interior surface of the second container face generally in the same direction. 
     
     
         3 . A food tray according to  claim 2 , wherein, in the closed configuration, the interior surface of the first container and the interior surface of the second container face each other. 
     
     
         4 . A food tray according to  claim 1 , further comprising a bridge connecting the first container to the second container, the bridge including the hinge and spacing the first container from the second container in the open configuration. 
     
     
         5 . A food tray according to  claim 4 , wherein the bridge spaces the first container from the second container in the open configuration by a distance between the first and second thigh of the seated person. 
     
     
         6 . A food tray according to  claim 4 , wherein the bridge comprises a generally planar panel that defines at least one opening for receiving food or beverage item. 
     
     
         7 . A food tray according to  claim 1 , wherein the tray, the first container, and the second container have the same length. 
     
     
         8 . A food tray according to  claim 1 , wherein each of the first container and second container has a respective uniformly thick base that defines the interior surface thereof as convex and opposite the concave exterior surface thereof such that the interior surface and exterior surface have corresponding curvatures. 
     
     
         9 . A food tray according to  claim 8 , wherein a radius of curvature of each interior surface differs from a radius of curvature of the corresponding opposite exterior surface by a uniform thickness of the uniformly thick base. 
     
     
         10 . A food tray according to  claim 1 , wherein opposing lateral edges of the first and second containers have mutually engaging locking features that maintain the tray in the closed configuration upon engagement. 
     
     
         11 . A food tray according to  claim 10 , wherein a tab extends from a lateral edge of the first container to be received and retained in a slot formed through a lateral edge of the second container. 
     
     
         12 . A food tray according to  claim 1 , wherein the food tray comprises at least one of polystyrene, paper, corrugated paper, and plastic. 
     
     
         13 . A food tray according to  claim 1 , wherein the food tray is constructed from a single contiguous panel of consistent material. 
     
     
         14 . A food tray according to  claim 1 , wherein the hinge comprises at least one of a fold, crease, crimp, perforation, thinning, scoring, and living hinge. 
     
     
         15 . A food tray according to  claim 1 , wherein the first container has a uniformly thick base that defines the interior surface thereof as convex and opposite the concave exterior surface thereof such that the interior surface and exterior surface have corresponding curvatures. 
     
     
         16 . A food tray according to  claim 15 , wherein a radius of curvature of the interior surface of the first container differs from a radius of curvature of the exterior surface thereof by a uniform thickness of the uniformly thick base. 
     
     
         17 . A food tray according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first container and second container has a non-uniformly thick base that defines the interior surface thereof as having at least a planar portion opposite the concave exterior surface thereof. 
     
     
         18 . A food tray according to  claim 17 , wherein the non-uniformly thick base has at least one central portion and at least one lateral margin that is thicker than the central portion.