US2891695A - Hospital serving tray - Google Patents

Description

June 23, 1959 H. W. PETERS HOSPITAL SERVING TRAY Filed Dec. 10, 1956 IN VENTOR.

2,891,695 Patented June 23, 1959 HOSPITAL SERVING TRAY Herbert W. Peters, Brookfield, Wis. Application December 10, 1956, Serial No. 627,185 4 Claims. (Cl. 220-97) The present invention relates in general to improvements in the art of serving individual means to indigent persons, and it relates more specifically to improvements in serving trays for use in hospitals or the like.

The primary object of this invention is to provide an improved meal serving tray especially adapted for use in serving indigent persons, and which is simple and durable in construction While also being capable of convenient special handling.

Some of the more important specific objects of the invention are as follows:

To provide an improved serving tray especially adapted for use in places where a number of bed-ridden individuals must be periodically served each with special menus, and wherein the character of each meal and the identity of each person to be served is precisely displayed on each tray.

To provide an improved serving tray in which the dishes and the commodity resting thereon, are effectively protected against undesirable displacement and spillage.

To provide an improved tray structure having an upstanding relatively frail rear wall, and which is adapted to be compactly stacked with other similar structures in a manner whereby the rear walls are effectively protected against breakage.

To provide an improved serving tray unit having a brim and a wall rising from one section of the brim and provided with a meal and person identification card retainer formed to permit individual identification from both the front and rear of the wall.

To provide an improved tray provided with means for facilitating safe gripping and holding while the tray is being carried from place to place.

To provide an improved serving tray adapted to be compactly nested with other similar trays in a manner whereby the adjoining trays interlock but are readily separable.

To provide an improved serving tray of relatively light but strong construction which can be readily manufactured at moderate cost to present a highly aesthetic appearance.

These and other more specific objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description.

A clear conception of the features constituting the present improvement, and of the construction and usage of a typical commercial hospital serving tray embodying the invention, may be had by referring to the drawing accompanying and forming a part of this specification wherein like reference characters designate the same or similar parts in the various views.

Fig. 1 is a top, front and side perspective view of one of the improved serving trays;

Fig. 2 is a top or plan view of the tray;

Fig. 3 is a front elevational view of the same tray;

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal vertical section through the tray taken along the line 4-4 of Fig. 2, and showing one of the identifying cards applied;

Fig. 5 is a transverse vertical section through several of the trays, taken along the line 5-5 of Fig. 3, and illustrating the relative positions thereof when nested or stacked;

Fig. 6 is a side elevational view of several of the trays stacked as in Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary section through the adjacent corners of a pair of the stacked trays, taken along the line 7-7 of Fig. 6, and showing the interlock.

While the invention has been shown and described herein as having been embodied in meal serving trays especially adapted for hospital use, the various improvements may also be advantageously applicable to serving trays for other uses; and it is contemplated that specific descriptive terms employed herein be given the broadest possible interpretation consistent with the disclosure.

Referring to the drawing, the improved hospital meal serving tray disclosed therein, comprises in general a relatively flat substantially rectangular base 9 having an upwardly directed brim 10 extending along its front and opposite sides, and also having a forwardly inclined relatively thin rear wall 11 rising to a considerable height above the brim 10 at the rear edge portion 12 of the base 9. The base 9, brim 10 and wall 11 are preferably formed integral with each other to provide a unitary structure which may be constructed of any suitable durable material such as plastic, metal, wood or other substance.

The medial portion of the rear wall 11 is provided with an upper recess 14 and with downwardly and inwardly inclined front grooves 15 on opposite sides of the recess 14, while the opposite ends of this wall 11 have integral forwardly projecting fins 16 which have thickened lower end portions merging into the adjacent portions of the side brims 10, see Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive. The lower edge 17 of the rear wall 11 projects downwardly below the rear edge portion 12 of the base 9 and extends entirely across the tray to provide a gripping ledge, and the opposite ends of this ledge project forwardly beneath and are formed integral with the adjacent brim ends and are provided with triangular interlock notches 18 as shown in Figs. 1, 6 and 7, and the action of which will be subsequently explained.

In addition to the trays above described, the user should be provided with the usual tray carrying cart having shelves or flanges for supporting a number of the commodity laden trays in superimposed relationship; and in order to clearly and accurately identify each loaded tray as to the person for which it is intended the user should also have a supply of identifying cards 20 such as depicted in Fig. 4. These cards 20 may be formed of paper and of trapezoidal shape so as to fit within the grooves 15 of the rear Wall 11; and each card has a number 21 shown as No. 50, which identifies a particular patient to be served, applied to each of its opposite sides at the zone of the wall recess 14. Each card 20 may also be provided with menu identifying indicia on one face designating the particular meal to be served the person bearing the number 21 appearing on the same card.

When the improved trays have been properly constructed as above described, their normal use in a hospital or the like is as follows. When a particular patient is to be served a card 20 hearing the designating number 21 of that patient should be filled out to include the identification of the tray contents and applied to the grooves 15 of the tray Wall 11, whereupon the tray may be loaded in accordance with the schedule on the card and the loaded tray may be carted to its destination and presented to the patient. The relative inclination of the grooves 15 facilitates rapid insertion of the card 20, and the application of the designating number 21 on both sides of the card 20 at the recess 14 makes it easy to deliver the loaded tray to the correct patient since at least one of these numbers is visible when the tray is viewed either from the front or rear, while the patient is also able to ascertain the menu from the forwardly exposed face of the card 20.

After the commodity has been disbursed the tray may be cleared of dishes and the card 20 and cleaned, whereupon it together with other similar trays may be nested or stacked as in Figs. 5, 6 and 7 by supporting the lower tray in inclined position relative to the horizontal (indicated in dot-and-dash lines) and piling other clean trays thereon. It is important to note that the lower ends of the fins 16 are thickened and merge with thickened portions of the brim 10 in which the triangular notches 18 are formed, thus vastly strengthening the trays at these points, When the successive trays are thereafter piled or stacked upon each other, the notches 18 of each super imposed tray interlock with the thickened lower portion of the fins 16 of the adjacent tray, and thus not only prevent lateral shifting of the trays but also maintain the adjacent thin walls 11 and fins 16 out of direct contact with each other and thus prevent possible breakage of these walls and fins, see Figs. 5, 6 and 7.

From the foregoing detailed description of the construction and use of the improved serving trays, it should. be apparent that the present invention in fact provides a simple and durable tray unit which can be efiectively utilized to serve meals with utmost accuracy and pre cision, and which can also be nested or stacked in cornpact condition together with numerous other similar trays. The compact nesting is the direct result of the forward inclination of the rear walls 11 and the provision of the notches 18 at each of the rear corners of the rectangular tray, as will be clearly apparent from Figs. 6 and 7. The forwardly inclined rear wall also serves to confine the commodity upon the tray and to prevent dishes and food from tumbling over the rear of the tray, and this wall also serves as a simple means for permitting the cards 20 to be applied or removed from the tray.

'1 he identification cards are also formed so that they can be readily inserted or removed from the grooves 15, while the recess provides a means for visibly applying the identification numbers 21 to the opposite sides of the curd and for facilitating removal of the latter. These cards can be filled out by the dietician so as to insure proper feeding of each individual patient, and the tops of the cards 20 are preferably disposed flush with the upper edge of the wall 11 when the cards are applied to the grooves 15. The fins 16 of the rear walls 11 also tend to stiffen these walls, and the thickening of the lower portions of these fins and of the adjacent portions of the rims 1%, enables the trays to resist excessive pressure when a large number of the trays are stacked upon each .er. The invention has proven highly satisfactory and successful especially for use in connection with hospital Sl"/- ing tr. nd by utilizing suitable materials in the corn strucliou of the trays the weight thereof can be reduced to ll minimum without sacrificing strength. The trays can be produced in various sizes and shapes for diverse purposes, but the provision of the forwardly inclined rear wall is an important feature of the invention.

it should be understood that it is not desired to limit this invention to the exact details of construction or to recise mode of use of the hospital serving tray here-- n shown and described, for various modifications within the scope of the appended claims may occur to persons skilled in the art.

I claim:

1. in a unitary serving tray adapted to be stacked in forwardly and upwardly inclined and nested condition upon a similar tray, an approximately rectangular fiat base having an integral brim extending upwardly along its front and opposite sides and also having a flat integral rear wall rising considerably above and inclined toward the base and provided with integral opposite end fins curving forwardly therefrom partially over but depending below the adjacent side brim portions, the part of each fin which depends below its brim portion being notched upwardly to interlock with the edge portion of the corresponding side fin directly above such brim portion of a similar tray within which said tray is nested.

2. In a unitary serving tray adapted to be stacked in forwardly and upwardly inclined and nested condition upon a similar tray, an approximately rectangular fiat base having an integral brim extending upwardly along its front and opposite sides and also having a fiat integral rear wall spaced from the back of but rising from the plane of the base considerably above and inclined forwardly, said wall being provided with integral opposite end fins projecting partially over but depending below the adjacent side brim portions and the part of each fin which depends below its brim portion being notched upwardly to interlock with the edge portion of the corresponding side fin directly above such brim portion of a similar tray within which said tray is nested and stacked.

3. In a unitary serving tray adapted to be stacked in nested condition upon a similar tray, an approximately rectangular flat base having an integral upwardly extending and inclined brim along its front and opposite sides and also having a flat integral rear wall rising considerbly above the base and provided with integral opposite end fins projecting forwardly partially over but depending below the adjacent side brim portions, the part of each fin which depends below its brim portion being notched upwardly to interlock with the edge portion of the corresponding side fin directly above such brim portion of a similar tray within which said tray is nested.

4. in a unitary serving tray adapted to be stacked in nested condition upon a similar tray, an approximately rectangular fiat base having an integral brim extending upwardly and outwardly along its front and opposite sides and also having a fiat integral rear wall rising from the plane of the base considerably above said brim to form a lower rear gripping ledge and being provided with integral opposite end fins curving forwardly therefrom partially over but depending below the adjacent side brim portions, the part of each fin which depends below its brim portion being notched upwardly to interlock with the edge portion of the corresponding side fin directly above such brim portion of a similar tray within which said tray is nested in superimposed condition.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 772,407 Ellett Oct. 18, 1904 788,164 McCaskey Apr. 25, 1905 1,071,705 Collins 2 Sept. 2, 1913 1,576,420 Folts Mar. 9, 1926 1,586,111 Osborn May 25, 1926 1,680,839 Baker Aug. 14, 1928 1,921,462 Graham Aug. 8, 1933 1,974,213 Gilbert Sept. 18, 1934 2,026,396 Meinecke Dec. 31, 1935 2,352,684 Braddock July 4, 1944 2,420,215 Wiley May 6, 1947 2,487,168 Mordkin Nov. 8, 1949 2,512,233 Hudock June 20, 1950

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