DESCRIPTION

The present invention concerns a food dish. In particular, the invention concerns a dish which allows eating and drinking using a single, handy and functional dish-food container and a beverage in a glass, can or bottle. One of the advantages of the present invention is that it offers an ergonomic dish, with a special ambidextrous housing for a glass at the side, which, when held, allows the user to eat and drink without burning himself and to distribute the weight transversely, making it spill-proof and saving on the materials used. This invention springs from the need to have an indispensable accessory on the occasion of dinners, parties, meetings and important events, at which it is useful to be able to manoeuvre a beverage and a hot dish at the same time and to be able to help oneself, move about and talk. It is conceived to create minimum bulk, to be lightweight and compact, with an innovative design and with many uses. In practice, the food container is able to hold, at the same time, at least one food and at least one drink, thanks respectively to one or more food compartments and to the housing for holding a glass, can or bottle, guaranteeing a firm grip thanks to the presence of a handle located in the area of the seat for the beverage container, that is in the area most affected by the weight supported by the dish; advantageously, the handle is located on an axis of symmetry of the dish, so as to make the distribution of the weights on the dish as

balanced as possible; another advantage concerns the fact that the dish may be laid on a surface without spilling, even during use, that is when it is filled with food and with a glass or other beverage container in the respective housing; moreover, the dish may be stacked to facilitate production, transport and storage, and is easily unstacked.

The advantages and characteristics of the present invention will be better understood by any technician in the field from the following description, with the aid of the enclosed drawings, given here simply as a practical example of the invention, but without limiting it in any sense, in which:

Fig.l is a perspective view from above of a possible embodiment of the invention; Figs.2, 3, 4 are, respectively, a front view, a side view and a layout view of the example in Fig.l;

Fig.5 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the invention, represented in using configuration, that is, held by a user; Figs.6, 7 and 8 are three perspective views of further possible embodiments of the invention, represented in using configuration.

With reference to the examples in the enclosed figures, a food container 10 realised according to the present invention is composed of a body with a substantially flat development, provided with at least one space or compartment 3 for containing a corresponding food, with at least one seat 2 defining a housing for a glass, and

with at least one handle 1 located in the area of said seat 2 for the glass.

The location of the handle near the space 2 for the glass facilitates the holding of the dish since the filled glass, which has a weight distributed on a relatively small surface, may cause undesired overbalancing of the dish. The handle 1 is located on an axis of symmetry x-x of the dish 10; this characteristic determines an optimum weight distribution and, therefore, a convenient and functional use of the dish.

The handle 1 is developed longitudinally in a direction at a right angle to the axis x-x; moreover, the handle 1 has an extension such as to allow the user to rest his thumb on the top so as to grip the dish between the thumb and the rest of the hand located underneath (as better shown in Figs.5-8) . In practice, the grip consented by the handle 1 allows specific control of rotation around said axis x-x. As may be seen better in Fig. 3, the space 3 for the food and the seat 2 for the glass have the same depth d and are provided with flat bases 30, 20. In this way it is possible to put down the dish 10, that is to lay it steadily on a surface.

Moreover, the space 3 for the food and the seat 2 for the glass have a flared profile (for example, substantially a truncated cone) so as to allow the stacking of several dishes 10. The dish 10 may have different shapes. In the example in Figs.1-4 the dish 10 is provided with two handles 91, with a slightly arched shape and presenting two ends 11 that

may be used, alternatively, to allow the user to hold it with the left or the right hand. In the example in Fig.5 the dish 10 is provided with two handles 1, which present a rectilinear external profile.

The example in Fig.6 concerns a dish 10 with a space 3 which presents, on the plan, a substantially triangular conformation with a rounded side; in this way the dish may be used to hold a wedge of pizza (P), cake and similar. In the example in Fig.7 the space 3 is subdivided by a septum 31 into two compartments 3a and 3b, usable for different foods. Lastly, the example in Fig.8 concerns a dish 10 in which the bottom of the space 3 is defined by two inclined walls 32, 33 joined in the lower part in a central segment 12, lying along said axis x-x. This allows the food in the dish to be directed towards the central area, so as to obtain an even better weight distribution.

In conclusion, the dish is held by the handle 1 with the thumb on top of the handle and the rest of the hand below (see examples in Figs. 5-8) where the seat 2 for the glass is located, that is on the cold part of the dish, making the dish ergonomic and anti-scald, guaranteeing a sure grip. In fact the dish is provided with one or two ambidextrous handles 1, which, besides optimising grip, facilitate the service of helping oneself and carrying food, for efficient customer care. The dish avoids spilling because it is designed to allow the weight added by the food, once lifted, to be distributed across the plate, making it "anti- spill". The dish 10 has the glass 22 firmly

inserted in its seat 2 and there is no risk of spilling.

The diameter of the space 2 for holding the glass may vary according to the glass to be housed there. The dish is also stackable to facilitate packaging, transport, delivery, storage bulk and final use.

The dish is also un-stackable, designed to be easily released when stacked. It may be realised in eco-compatible materials, to safeguard the environment, and/or in recyclable material so as to make the product suitable for use with the most varied foods, offering fast and disposable use. The dish may also be realised in materials such as wood, ceramic or porcelain and may have different shapes, to satisfy different requested themes and/or to hold products of a different nature and conformation. It may be realised in materials suitable for freezing and for reheating in a microwave oven. It may also be sealed with films or lids (not shown in the drawings) suitable for use with foodstuffs and to allow transport, freezing and cooking. Although the example shown in the enclosed drawings refers to use with a glass 22, said space may be advantageously shaped with suitable dimensions to hold a can or a bottle. It will therefore be readily understood by those persons skilled in the art that the present invention is susceptible of broad utility and application. Many embodiments and adaptations of the present invention other than those herein described, as well as many variations, modifications and equivalent arrangements, will be apparent from or reasonably suggested by the

present invention and the foregoing description thereof, without departing from the substance or scope of the present invention. Accordingly, while the present invention has been described herein in detail in relation to preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that this disclosure is only illustrative and exemplary of the present invention and is made merely for purposes of providing a full and enabling disclosure of the invention. The foregoing disclosure is not intended or to be construed to limit the present invention or otherwise to exclude any such other embodiments, adaptations, variations, modifications and equivalent arrangements, the present invention being limited only by the claims appended hereto and the equivalents thereof.