Claims

1.

A manually supportable device for carrying foodstuffs, wherein said device includes (a) a portal hole extending from a lower surface of said device to an upper surface of said device, and (b) an upwardly curving portion on said upper surface adjacent to said hole, and the device is configured to be supported by one of said user's arms and corresponding fingers while said user's corresponding thumb extends through said portal hole, over said upwardly curving portion and onto said upper surface, such that said upwardly curving portion extends into the arch formed by said user's thumb.

2.	A manually supportable device according to claim 1, wherein said device is configured to receive food and/or drink receptacles containing said foodstuffs.

3.	A manually supportable device according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein in use said upwardly curving portion provides an enlarged area of contact between said device and said user's thumb.

4.

A manually supportable device according to any of claims 1 to 3, wherein said upwardly curving portion allows said user's thumb to apply a first force to said upwardly curving portion in a first direction while allowing a lower part of said user's thumb to apply a second force to said upwardly extending portion in a second direction different to said first direction.

5.	A manually supportable device according to any of claims 1 to 4, wherein said device is configured to interface with similar devices on said upper and on said lower surface to allow a plurality of similar devices to be stacked.

6.	A manually supportable device according to any of claims 1 to 5, wherein upper surface includes at least one depression in said upper surface in the vicinity of said portal hole, said depression being configured to receive the end of said user's thumb.

7.	A manually supportable device according to claim 6, wherein said lower surface has a convex portion in a corresponding location to said depression.

8.	A manually supportable device according to any of claims 1 to 7, wherein said device includes a plurality of receiving means, and each said receiving means is configured to receive a food or drink receptacle.

9.	A manually supportable device according to claim 8, wherein at least one of said receiving means is a recessed area configured to receive a food receptacle.

10.	A manually supportable device according to claim 9, wherein at least two of said receiving means is a recessed area and said recessed areas are located such that in use said user's arm is located in between two of said recessed areas.

11.	A manually supportable device according to any of claims 8 to 10, wherein one of said receiving means is a drinks receiving means comprising of a plurality of grooves to allow said drinks receiving means to accommodate a plurality of different sizes of drinking receptacles.

12.	A manually supportable device according to any of claims 8 to 11, wherein one of said receiving means is a drinks receiving means comprising of a plurality of grooves to allow said drinks receiving means to accommodate a plurality of different types of drinking receptacles.

13.	A manually supportable device according to any of claims 1 to 12, wherein said device includes a glass cradle configured to accommodate the bowl of a stemmed glass and a slot extending from an edge of said device to said cradle.

14.	A manually supportable device according to claim 13, wherein said device has a spacing means such that when said device is supported on a planar surface by said spacing means said cradle is held above said planar surface.

15.	A manually supportable device according to any of claims 1 to 14, wherein said device is manufactured from a plastics material by injection moulding.

16.	A manually supportable device according to any of claims 1 to 14, wherein said device is manufactured by vacuum forming a sheet of plastics material.

17.	A manually supportable device according to any of claims 1 to 16, wherein said device is manufactured from a pressed metal sheet.

18.	A manually supportable device according to claim 17, wherein said metal is aluminium.

19.

A method of manufacturing manually supportable device for carrying foodstuffs, including the steps of (a) providing a portal hole extending from a lower surface of said device to an upper surface of said device, and (b) providing an upwardly curving portion on said upper surface adjacent to said hole, and (c) configuring the device such that it is supportable by one of said user's arms and corresponding fingers while said user's corresponding thumb extends through said portal hole, over said upwardly curving portion and onto said upper surface, and such that said upwardly curving portion extends into the arch formed by said user's thumb.

20.	A method of manufacturing a manually supportable device according to claim 19, wherein said device is configured to receive food and/or drink receptacles containing said foodstuffs.

21.	A method of manufacturing a manually supportable device according to claim 19 or claim 20, wherein in use said upwardly curving portion provides an enlarged area of contact between said device and said user's thumb.

22.

A method of manufacturing a manually supportable device according to any of claims 19 to 21, wherein said upwardly curving portion allows said user's thumb to apply a first force to said upwardly curving portion in a first direction while allowing a lower part of said user's thumb to apply a second force to said upwardly extending portion in a second direction different to said first direction.

23.	A method of manufacturing a manually supportable device according to any of claims 19 to 22, wherein said device is configured to interface with similar devices on said upper and on said lower surface to allow a plurality of similar devices to be stacked.

24.	A method of manufacturing a manually supportable device according to any of claims 19 to 23, including the step of providing at least one depression in said upper surface in the vicinity of said portal hole, said depression being configured to receive the end of said user's thumb.

25.	A method of manufacturing a manually supportable device according to claim 24, including the step of providing said lower surface with a convex portion in a corresponding location to said depression.

26.	A method of manufacturing a manually supportable device according to any of claims 19 to 26, wherein a plurality of receiving means are included on said device, and each said receiving means is configured to receive a food or drink receptacle.

27.	A method of manufacturing a manually supportable device according to claim 26, wherein at least one of said receiving means is configured as a recessed area to receive a food receptacle.

28.	A method of manufacturing a manually supportable device according to claim 27, wherein at least two of said receiving means are configured as recessed areas and said recessed areas are located such that in use said user's arm is located in between two of said recessed areas.

29.

A method of manufacturing a manually supportable device according to any of claims 26 to 28, wherein one of said receiving means is configured to be a drinks receiving means comprising of a plurality of grooves to allow said drinks receiving means to accommodate a plurality of different sizes of drinking receptacles.

30.

A method of manufacturing a manually supportable device according to any of claims 26 to 29, wherein one of said receiving means is configured to be a drinks receiving means comprising of a plurality of grooves to allow said drinks receiving means to accommodate a plurality of different types of drinking receptacles.

31.	A method of manufacturing a manually supportable device according to any of claims 19 to 30, including the steps of providing a glass cradle on said device configured to accommodate the bowl of a stemmed glass, and providing a slot extending from an edge of said device to said cradle.

32.	A method of manufacturing a manually supportable device according to claim 31, including the steps of providing a spacing means on said device such that when said device is supported on a planar surface by said spacing means said cradle is held above said planar surface.

33.	A method of manufacturing a manually supportable device according to any of claims 19 to 32, wherein said device is formed from a plastics material by injection moulding.

34.	A method of manufacturing a manually supportable device according to any of claims 19 to 32, wherein said device is vacuum formed from a sheet of plastics material.

35.	A method of manufacturing a manually supportable device according to any of claims 19 to 32, wherein said device is formed from a pressed metal sheet.

36.	A method of manufacturing a manually supportable device according to claim 35, wherein said metal is aluminium.

37.	A manually supportable device for carrying foodstuffs substantially as herein described with reference to any of the accompanying Figures.

38.	A method of manufacturing a manually supportable device for carrying foodstuffs substantially as herein described with reference to any of the accompanying Figures.