Dishware with pendent side dishes attached via slots in the dishware for secure versatile attachment of the side dishes

Abstract

Dishware is disclosed that includes a main dish having a plurality of slots, and a plurality of side dishes that can each be secured to a slot of the main dish. Each side dish has a bracket that extends from the body of the side dish, and a locking tab that extends downwardly from the bracket for engagement in a slot. The locking tab is insertable into a slot of the main dish so as to securely attach the side dish to the main dish. The bottom of each attached side dish is level with respect to the bottom of the main dish, so that the entire assembly of the main dish and all the attached side dishes can rest in a stable configuration on a level surface.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . Dishware comprising:
 a main dish having at least one slot near an edge of the main dish; and   a side dish having a body for containing food, a bracket extending from an edge of the body, and a locking tab extending downwardly from the bracket,   the locking tab being insertable into the at least one slot of the main dish so as to securely attach the side dish to the main dish.   
     
     
         2 . The dishware of  claim 1 , wherein the body of the side dish has a tapered shape. 
     
     
         3 . The dishware of  claim 1 , wherein the side dish is shaped so as to be stackable with identical side dishes. 
     
     
         4 . The dishware of  claim 1 , wherein when the side dish is securely attached to the main dish, a bottom of the side dish is level-set with respect to the bottom of the main dish. 
     
     
         6 . The dishware of  claim 1 , wherein the slot and the locking tab are each curved. 
     
     
         7 . The dishware of  claim 1 , wherein the bracket extends at a downward incline when the side dish is attached to the main dish, the downward incline matching a downward incline of the edge of the main dish. 
     
     
         8 . The dishware of  claim 1 , wherein the side dish further includes a top rim. 
     
     
         9 . The dishware of  claim 1 , wherein the main dish and the at least one side dish are made from one of: glass, plastic, ceramic, wood, and metal. 
     
     
         10 . The dishware of  claim 1 , wherein a plurality of side dishes are attachable to the main dish. 
     
     
         11 . Dishware comprising:
 a main dish having at least one slot; and   at least one side dish, the at least one side dish being attachable to the main dish via the at least one slot.   
     
     
         12 . The dishware of  claim 11 , wherein the main dish has a plurality of slots, and the at least one side dish is one among a plurality of side dishes that are each attachable via a slot in the main dish. 
     
     
         13 . The dishware of  claim 11 , wherein the side dish includes:
 a body for containing food; and   a locking tab connected to the body capable of being engaged in a slot of the main dish so as to attach the side dish to the main dish.   
     
     
         14 . The dishware of  claim 13 , wherein the slot and the locking tab are each curved. 
     
     
         15 . The dishware of  claim 13 , wherein the locking tab includes a bracket extending from the body to the locking tab. 
     
     
         16 . The dishware of  claim 15 , wherein the bracket extends downward at an incline that matches a downward slope of the main dish. 
     
     
         17 . The dishware of  claim 11 , wherein the side dish is stackable with identical side dishes. 
     
     
         18 . The dishware of  claim 11 , wherein when the side dish is attached to the main dish via the slot, bottoms of the side dish and the main dish are co-planar, and so are mutually level-set on a flat surface. 
     
     
         19 . The dishware of  claim 11 , wherein the side dish further includes a top rim. 
     
     
         20 . The dishware of  claim 11 , wherein the at least one slot is on an edge of the main dish.