Generally these saucers are used to prevent liquid leaking down on the exterior side wall of a thereupon placed cup or mug getting in touch with furniture and thus preventing spilling of e. g. a table or a thereupon positioned tablecloth. Generally the surface area of this type of holder is much larger than the bottom surface area of the cup or mug placed thereupon. As a result it is also possible, instead of the cup or mug, to place other means on the holder surface to be used for drinking a beverage, like e. g. a spoon or beverage additives like e. g. sugar or milk. When tea must be brewed in the cup itself by means of an infusion bag filled with tea leaves (tea bag) and hot water available in the cup, the used infusion tea bag may also be deposited on the holder surface after finishing the extraction process. This has the disadvantage that as a result the bottom of the cup or mug, being in contact with the holder will get wet with liquid leaking or dripping from the tea bag, thereby spilling the furniture during drinking by residual liquid dripping from the bottom of the cup or mug.

In the catering industry a cup of tea is usually presented with a separate tea bag for each ordered cup of tea. Disadvantage is that often tea bags after brewing are pulled out of the mug and placed disposed of while leaking on an ashtray or on a small piece of paper.

Object of the invention is to improve the saucer shaped holder surface. These objects are achieved with a multifunctional saucer shaped holder surface to be used to hold a beverage or food consumption for one person, which is provided with a greater surface area for placing thereupon e. g. a bowl or cup, this holder also comprising at least one smaller integrated satellite extension, preferably of a slight concave shape as an additional second surface area, to be used for depositing thereupon in addition a relatively small object, such as a tea bag, meat ball or the like.

By shaping the holder in the above mentioned way, no spilling may occur of the bottom of the bowl or cup by the foods or dripping tea bags placed on the depositing surface of the holder.

Preferably the second depositing surface area of slightly concave shape is surrounded by a raised edge. This prevents residual liquid of the second depositing surface area to flow to the first saucer holder surface area.

Particularly the shape of the first saucer surface area and the integrated satellite surface area are easily stackable. As a result the saucer shaped holder surface according to the invention comprises the same practical value as the known holders.

According to a more advanced embodiment the circumferential shape and position of the second depositing surface area are adapted also to function as a handgrip for the holder. By means of this handgrip the waiters in de catering industry can more easily dish out the saucer to customers.

According to a preferred embodiment two satellite depositing surface areas are diametrically positioned with respect to the saucer surface area. The first depositing surface may be used for depositing of e. g. a dripping tea bag; the second depositing surface may be used for placing beverage ingredients like e. g. sugar or milk of for a snack as e. g. a cookie or a small pastry and also as a handgrip.

Preferably the exterior design of the second depositing surface area conforms to the external shape of a food product placed thereupon, e. g. a meatball, a sausage, a cookie or a similar consumption. In this way a holder surface will be obtained which may be produced at low costs and which will enclose the food product for a substantial part, so that undesired movement or even falling down of the food product is prevented during dishing out by catering industry personnel.

Particularly the external shape of the second depositing surface area may take same external shape of a food product, e. g. a heart shaped cookie or suchlike placed thereupon. In this way an attractive consumption may be served to a customer whereas the chance is small that the food product will fall down on the ground during walking by the waiter to the customer.

According to a more advanced embodiment the external shape of the first saucer shaped surface area may be either circular, oval or of polygonal shape or it may have a design deducted therefrom. By giving the surface area of the first saucer surface a polygonal shape the satellite disposal surface may be designed advantageously with e. g. a straight raised edge (skirt).

Particularly the second depositing surface area may be provided with a logo or similar indication or sign for distinguishing its recognition by the user. With this logo e. g. the origin or name of the manufacturer of a snack may be communicated to the customer.

According to a more advanced embodiment a second depositing surface area is designed for holding an egg. This embodiment may have a cost reducing effect in the catering industry, because single eggcups are not needed e. g. for breakfast service.

The invention will now be further explained, by means of the drawing in which: Fig. 1 is a perspective top view of the holder with cup and tea bag; Fig. 2 is a perspective top view of the holder with a smaller satellite extension; Fig. 3 is a perspective top view of the holder with an infusion tea bag deposited in the second surface area; Fig. 4 is a perspective top view of two embodiments of the saucer shaped holder surface; Fig. 5 is a perspective side view of two stacked holder surfaces.

Fig. 1 shows the multifunctional saucer shaped holder surface 1 with a relatively greater surface area 2, a cup 3 placed upon the saucer surface area 2, and a smaller satellite extension as an additional second surface area 4, which is eccentrically attached nearby the outer circumference 5 of the first saucer surface area 2. The first saucer surface area 2 and the second surface area 4 form together the saucer shaped holder surface 1. An infusion tea bag 6 like e. g. a one

cup tea bag of the well know brand Pickwick is deposited on the second surface area 4.

Fig. 2 shows holder surface 1, without a cup or tea bag placed on the saucer surface of the holder. The second surface area 4 is surrounded with a raised edge or skirt 7 and it has a slightly concave shape 8. As a result of the raised edge 7 and the concave shaped surface 8 residual liquid coming from e. g. a used tea bag deposited on the second surface area 4 is prevented to flow to the first saucer surface area 2.

Fig. 3 shows an unused tea bag 6 placed on the second surface area 6. With this tea bag the user may brew a tea beverage in the cup. When to the judgement of the user the tea beverage is strong enough, the infusion process will be stopped by taking out the tea bag from the cup and depositing it on the second surface area 4. Instead of a tea bag 6 also a snack or another food product may be deposited on the second surface area 4. The shape of the depositing surface 3 shown in Fig. 3 is adapted to receive a product which conforms to the external shape of e. g. a meatball or a another type of snack.

In this way it is prevented that the meatball or snack will start to move over the surface area during a walk of a person with the saucer resulting in a decreased chance for the snack to fall off the second surface area 2.

Fig. 4 shows two embodiments of the holder 1 according to the invention. The second satellite surface area 4"of the right holder surface comprises a raised edge 7"of approximately half a circular shape. The surface area 4'of the left holder surface in Fig. 4 has a raised edge having an almost circular shape.

Fig. 5 shows two multifunctional saucer shaped holder surfaces stacked on top of each other. As can be seen the stacked holders take little space similar to a stack of saucers not being provided with a satellite surface area.

The dimensions of the holder may vary depending on the dimensions of the cup, glass or mug to be placed thereupon and also depending on the size of the product to be placed on the second surface area. When the second surface area is adapted in shape and position to function as a small handgrip e. g. the diameter of the circular shaped second surface area may be approximately 2 cm. For

depositing tea bags it is obvious that the second surface area must have a greater surface.

Preferably the holder will be produced from porcelain or earthwork, but it is also very well possible to produce the holder surface from other materials like glass, plastic or metal.

The external shape of the first saucer shaped surface area and/or the second surface area may be circular, oval or of polygonal shape or it may have a shape deducted therefrom. Furthermore the second surface area may be provided with a logo or similar indication or sign for distinguishing its recognition by the user.

Also colour accents can be applied on the holder for distinguishing the user or for distinguishing the beverage and/or the food products.

CLAIMS