Meal plate with integrated drink holder

Abstract

A meal plate having a bowl section adapted to hold food and an integrated cup holder adapted to hold a cup, bottle, can, or other beverage container. The integrated cup holder may be flexible and expandable to accommodate different sizes of beverage containers. The meal plate may include a lid which can be closed over the bowl section. The bowl section may include a plurality of compartments defined by one or more interior dividers. The meal plate may be constructed from one or more of a variety of materials, such as paperboard, molded fiber, molded pulp, thermoformed fiber, paper pulp, Styrofoam, or plastic, and may be disposable or reusable, as desired.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A meal plate, comprising:
 an integrated cup holder, the meal plate comprising a bowl section, the bowl section comprising a bowl section base and a plurality of sidewalk, the plurality of sidewalls extending upward from the bowl section base and terminating in a bowl section rim, the plurality of sidewalls defining a cavity adapted to hold a food item;   the integrated cup holder comprising a cup holder section rim and a plurality of sidewalls extending downward from the cup holder section rim, the plurality of side ails defining a hole adapted to hold a beverage container, the integrated cup holder being constructed from a flexible material and configured to hold a beverage container having a diameter greater than a width of the hole adapted to hold the beverage container;   wherein the meal plate has a plurality of sides, wherein the bowl section is arranged along at least two sides of the meal plate such that a plurality of sidewalls of the bowl section are arranged proximately to the plurality of sides of the meal plate, and wherein the integrated cup holder is arranged along a third side of the meal plate such that at least one sidewall of the integrated cup holder is arranged proximately to the third side of the meal plate.   
     
     
         2 . The meal plate of  claim 1 , wherein the bowl section and the integrated cup holder are connected by a shared rim, the shared rim being a part of the bowl section rim and a part of the cup holder section rim, the bowl section rim defining an outermost boundary of the bowl section and the cup holder section rim defining an outermost boundary of the integrated cup holder. 
     
     
         3 . The meal plate of  claim 1 , wherein the integrated cup holder has a piriform shape having a rounded end and a pointed end, the pointed end disposed in a corner of the meal plate and the rounded end disposed on a side of the meal plate not adjoining the corner. 
     
     
         4 . The meal plate of  claim 1 , wherein the meal plate has a quadrilateral shape having four sides, two sides extending in a length direction and two sides extending in a width direction; and
 wherein the bowl section is arranged along the two sides in the length direction and a first side in the width direction, and wherein the integrated cup holder is arranged along a second side in the width direction.   
     
     
         5 . The meal plate of  claim 1 , wherein the bowl section further comprises an interior divider, the interior divider extending from a first bowl section sidewall in the plurality of sidewalls of the bowl section to a second bowl section sidewall in the plurality of sidewalls of the bowl section, the interior divider defining a bowl section cavity on either side of the interior divider. 
     
     
         6 . The meal plate of  claim 1 , wherein the meal plate is constructed from at least one of paperboard, molded fiber, molded pulp, thermoformed fiber, paper pulp, Styrofoam, or plastic. 
     
     
         7 . The meal plate of  claim 1 , wherein the integrated cup holder further comprises an integrated cup holder base, the plurality of sidewalls of the cup holder section extending downward to and terminating at the integrated cup holder base, and wherein the hole adapted to hold a beverage container is a blind hole. 
     
     
         8 . The meal plate of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of sidewalls of the cup holder section terminate in a lower cup holder section rim, and wherein the hole adapted to hold a beverage container is a through hole. 
     
     
         9 . The meal plate of  claim 1 , wherein the meal plate further comprises a lid. 
     
     
         10 . The meal plate of  claim 9 , wherein the meal plate further comprises a hinged connection between the bowl section rim and the lid. 
     
     
         11 . The meal plate of  claim 10 , wherein the hinged connection comprises a living hinge. 
     
     
         12 . The meal plate of  claim 9 , wherein the lid comprises a lid rim adapted to contact the bowl section rim in a sealed connection. 
     
     
         13 . The meal plate of  claim 12 , wherein the lid rim comprises a tongue protrusion extending outward from the lid rim in the direction of the bowl section rim, and wherein the bowl section rim has a groove adapted to accommodate the tongue protrusion of the lid rim. 
     
     
         14 . The meal plate of  claim 9 , wherein the lid of the meal plate has a shape identical to the bowl section, and wherein the lid of the meal plate is configured to completely enclose the bowl section when closed and is configured to expose the integrated cup holder when closed. 
     
     
         15 . The meal plate of  claim 1 , wherein the meal plate is constructed from a material of uniform thickness, and has a lower side wherein an outer bowl section extends downward from the bowl section rim, the outer bowl section having a shape identical to the cavity defined by the plurality of sidewalls of the bowl section. 
     
     
         16 . The meal plate of  claim 7 , wherein the meal plate is constructed from a material of uniform thickness, and has a lower side wherein a lower integrated cup holder base extends downward from the cup holder section rim, the lower integrated cup holder base having a shape identical to the blind hole defined by the plurality of sidewalls of the cup holder section. 
     
     
         17 . The meal plate of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of sidewalls of the cup holder section are straight. 
     
     
         18 . The meal plate of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of sidewalls of the cup holder section are sloped inwardly, such that a lower cup holder section rim. is smaller than the cup holder section rim.