Food and Beverage Retaining Assembly

Abstract

A food and beverage retaining assembly having in combination a serving plate and a removable, baseless, stemmed beverage receptacle, wherein the beverage receptacle is mechanically interlocked with the serving plate, and further wherein the beverage receptacle is incapable of standing upright on a horizontal surface while retaining liquid unless connected to the serving plate.

I claim: 
     
         1 . A food and beverage retaining assembly comprising the combination of:
 a serving plate;   a baseless, stemmed beverage receptacle; and   a securement fitting assembly;   wherein the beverage receptacle is releasably joined to the serving plate by the securement fitting assembly using a mechanical interlock.   
     
     
         2 . The food and beverage retaining assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the beverage receptacle comprises an upper beverage retaining portion and a stem having an insertion end. 
     
     
         3 . The food and beverage retaining assembly of  claim 2 , wherein the securement fitting assembly comprises a socket disposed on the serving plate;
 wherein the socket comprises an annular wall which receives the insertion end of the stem.   
     
     
         4 . The food and beverage retaining assembly of  claim 3 , wherein a securement member is disposed on the insertion end of the stem and a slot is disposed on the annular wall of the socket, and wherein the securement member is received by the slot. 
     
     
         5 . The food and beverage retaining assembly of  claim 4 , wherein the securement member comprises a tab and the slot is L-shaped, the slot having a vertical segment joined to a horizontal segment. 
     
     
         6 . The food and beverage retaining assembly of  claim 5 , wherein the vertical segment of the slot extends to the top of the annular wall and the horizontal segment of the slot defines a retention shoulder:
 such that the beverage receptacle is secured to the serving plate by inserting the insertion end of the beverage receptacle into the socket of the serving plate with the tab aligned with the vertical segment of the slot, and rotating the beverage receptacle such that the tab is disposed within the horizontal segment of the slot and precluded from vertical movement by the retention shoulder.   
     
     
         7 . The food and beverage retaining assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the securement member comprises a tab member and a socket having an annular wall and a slot, such that the tab member is disposed within the slot when the beverage receptacle is connected to the serving plate. 
     
     
         8 . A food and beverage retaining assembly comprising the combination of:
 a serving plate;   a baseless, stemmed beverage receptacle; and   a securement fitting assembly;   wherein the beverage receptacle is releasably joined to the serving plate by the securement fitting assembly using a mechanical interlock; and   wherein the beverage receptacle is incapable of standing upright on a horizontal surface while retaining liquid unless connected to the serving plate.   
     
     
         9 . The food and beverage retaining assembly of  claim 8 , wherein the beverage receptacle comprises an upper beverage retaining portion and a stem having an insertion end. 
     
     
         10 . The food and beverage retaining assembly of  claim 9 , wherein the securement fitting assembly comprises a socket disposed on the serving plate;
 wherein the socket comprises an annular wall which receives the insertion end of the stem.   
     
     
         11 . The food and beverage retaining assembly of  claim 10 , wherein a securement member is disposed on the insertion end of the stem and a slot is disposed on the annular wall of the socket, and wherein the securement member is received by the slot. 
     
     
         12 . The food and beverage retaining assembly of  claim 11 , wherein the securement member comprises a tab, pin or post and the slot is L-shaped, the slot having a vertical segment joined to a horizontal segment. 
     
     
         13 . The food and beverage retaining assembly of  claim 12 , wherein the vertical segment of the slot extends to the top of the annular wall and the horizontal segment of the slot defines a retention shoulder:
 such that the beverage receptacle is secured to the serving plate by inserting the insertion end of the beverage receptacle into the socket of the serving plate with the tab aligned with the vertical segment of the slot, and rotating the beverage receptacle such that the tab is disposed within the horizontal segment of the slot and precluded from vertical movement by the retention shoulder.   
     
     
         14 . The food and beverage retaining assembly of  claim 8 , wherein the securement member comprises a tab member and a socket having an annular wall and a slot, such that the tab member is disposed within the slot when the beverage receptacle is connected to the serving plate. 
     
     
         15 . A food and beverage retaining assembly comprising the combination of:
 a serving plate;   a baseless, stemmed beverage receptacle, wherein the beverage receptacle comprises an upper beverage retaining portion and a stem having an insertion end, and wherein the beverage receptacle is incapable of standing upright on a horizontal surface while retaining liquid unless connected to the serving plate;   a securement fitting assembly, wherein the securement fitting assembly comprises a socket disposed on the serving plate, and wherein the socket comprises an annular wall which receives the insertion end of the stem;   wherein the beverage receptacle is mechanically interlocked to the serving plate by the securement fitting assembly.   
     
     
         16 . The food and beverage retaining assembly of  claim 15 , wherein a securement member is disposed on the insertion end of the stem and a slot is disposed on the annular wall of the socket, and wherein the securement member is received by the slot. 
     
     
         17 . The food and beverage retaining assembly of  claim 16 , wherein the securement member comprises a tab, pin or post and the slot is L-shaped, the slot having a vertical segment joined to a horizontal segment. 
     
     
         18 . The food and beverage retaining assembly of  claim 17 , wherein the vertical segment of the slot extends to the top of the annular wall and the horizontal segment of the slot defines a retention shoulder:
 such that the beverage receptacle is secured to the serving plate by inserting the insertion end of the beverage receptacle into the socket of the serving plate with the tab aligned with the vertical segment of the slot, and rotating the beverage receptacle such that the tab is disposed within the horizontal segment of the slot and precluded from vertical movement by the retention shoulder.