Attachable Beverage Niche Cooperates for a System to manage Food and Drink

Abstract

This invention is an inexpensive beverage niche for a system to manage food and drink. Provided as a separate entity for attachment, this is a new concept. Affixed to a food tray or paper food boat, it helps secure a beverage container such as a beer tasting glass from sliding, tipping, and contacting with food also carried on the tray. The invention's attachable beverage niche facilitates carrying food and drink in one hand, while releasing the other hand from any obligation to continuously hold a drink container.

We claim: 
     
         1 . An attachable beverage niche for a system to manage food and drink, wherein said attachable beverage niche possesses a horizontal cross-sectional profile providing means for encompassing and cooperating with a beverage container and subsequently providing means for enhancing the stability of said beverage container after said beverage niche is attached to a horizontal surface and said beverage container is inserted within said attachable beverage niche. 
     
     
         2 . The attachable beverage niche for a system to manage food and drink of  claim 1 , further comprising: a connective element providing means for attaching and functionally cooperating said beverage niche with a horizontal surface. 
     
     
         3 . The attachable beverage niche for a system to manage food and drink of  claim 2 , further comprising: a horizontal surface which is part of a structure, for example a food tray or paper food boat, said structure providing means for containing and transporting food. 
     
     
         4 . An attachable beverage niche for a system to manage food and drink comprising: said attachable beverage niche having a horizontal cross-sectional profile of sufficient dimensions to provide means for congruently encompassing and concordantly cooperating with a beverage container, thereby additionally providing means for enhancing the stability of said beverage container after said beverage niche is secured to a horizontal surface. 
     
     
         5 . The attachable beverage niche for a system to manage food and drink of  claim 4 , further comprising: a connective element providing means for attaching, securing, and functionally integrating said beverage niche with a surface. 
     
     
         6 . The attachable beverage niche for a system to manage food and drink of  claim 5 , further comprising: said attachable beverage niche having a horizontal cross-sectional profile of sufficient dimensions to provide means for congruently encompassing and concordantly cooperating with beverage containers essentially similar in size to vessels of the type commonly known as tasting glasses, thereby additionally providing means for enhancing the stability of said beverage container after said attachable beverage niche is secured to a surface platform such as a food tray or an example of what is commonly known as a paper food boat; attachment of said beverage container is attained by means of cooperation with a connective element, glue for example, which is rendered operable by action means such as removal of a protective seal or chemical interaction, initiated prior to application of attachable beverage container to said horizontal surface. 
     
     
         7 . The attachable beverage niche for a system to manage food and drink of  claim 6 , further comprising: said attachable beverage niche having a maximum internal horizontal diameter of 2.25 inches (5.72 cm) providing means for proximately encompassing said beverage containers commonly known as tasting glasses. 
     
     
         8 . The attachable beverage niche for a system to manage food and drink of  claim 7 , further comprising: a plurality of said attachable beverage niches each having individual association with an adhesive connective element having potential for providing means for attachment of said attachable beverage niche to a tray subsequent to when said plurality of beverage niches are collectively stacked and packaged. 
     
     
         9 . An attachable beverage niche for a system to manage food and drink comprising: said attachable beverage niche having a horizontal cross-sectional profile of sufficient dimensions to provide means for congruently encompassing and concordantly cooperating with a beverage container such as the type generically known as a tasting glass, thereby providing means for enhancing the stability of said tasting vessel as said attachable beverage niche is secured to a horizontal surface such as the base of a food tray or paper food boat; said attachable beverage niche with a substantially ring-like shape, generally in the form of a truncated cylinder or hollow cone, whose complete array of cross-sectional profiles may represent various shapes and sizes. 
     
     
         10 . The attachable beverage niche for a system to manage food and drink of  claim 9 , further comprising: a connective element providing means for attaching and functionally integrating said attachable beverage niche with said horizontal surface; said connective element comprising an adhesive. 
     
     
         11 . The attachable beverage niche for a system to manage food and drink of  claim 10 , further comprising: said attachable beverage niche with a plurality of extended elements at its lower periphery, for example base tabs, providing means for facilitating connection and securing of said attachable beverage niche to said horizontal surface. 
     
     
         12 . The attachable beverage niche for a system to manage food and drink of  claim 11 , further comprising: said attachable beverage niche having height measured vertically from its base, where said attachable beverage niche adjoins said horizontal surface, greater than 0.1 inch (c. 2.54 mm), providing means for enhancing the stabilization of said beverage container. 
     
     
         13 . The attachable beverage niche for a system to manage food and drink of  claim 12 , further comprising: said attachable beverage niche having sides canted outwardly from vertical at an angle greater that one degree of arc, as said sides rise from the base of said beverage niche, providing means for facilitating the insertion of said beverage container into said attachable beverage niche. 
     
     
         14 . The attachable beverage niche for a system to manage food and drink of  claim 13 , further comprising: a plurality of beverage niches, providing means for enhancing stabilization of a plurality of tasting vessels. 
     
     
         15 . The attachable beverage niche for a system to manage food and drink of  claim 14 , further comprising: said beverage niche having a horizontal profile at its base with a maximum internal diameter of 2.25 inches (c. 5.72 cm).