Technical Field: A47G Household or Table Equipment

Background: The present invention is directed to a serving tray and accessory system that is used to transport and secure stemware on a round serving tray. Round serving trays are often used to transport stemware in the restaurant and bar industries. The reason that round serving trays are used is to provide a central axis balancing point that allows a server to easily transport the stemware while minimizing the risk of the stemware falling of the serving tray. Yet, even providing a central axis balancing point, often stemware slips off the round serving trays. Reasons can be slippery serving trays or unforeseen temporary losses of the balancing point due to the environment in which they are transported. The present invention is designed to further minimize the slippage of stemware from a round serving tray. The present invention also serves to protect the raised edges of the serving trays from being damaged. Damage to serving trays occurs, in the business, when servers place serving trays down in hurried fashion or when the trays inadvertently fall. Damages that typically occur to trays are cracks or chips. The damage normally occurs to the raised edges of the serving tray, for the raised edges is the most vulnerable part of a serving tray. The present invention will extend the life of serving trays in the business. For the foregoing reason there is a need for a serving tray and accessory system that will secure stemware on a serving tray.

Summary of Invention:

The present invention describes a serving tray and accessory system that secures stemware on the service tray. The serving tray and accessory system comprises an arcuate sleeve that has an inner and outer part, and a top, a bottom, a first and a second side. The top inner part of the sleeve defines an arcuate cavity wherein an innermost part of the sleeve is curved upward. The outer part of the sleeve defines an arcuate shoulder, the arcuate shoulder has a top, a bottom, a first and a second side, the bottom side of the arcuate shoulder defines and arcuate opening that linearly runs from the first side of the arcuate shoulder to the second side of the arcuate shoulder. And, a round serving tray that has a raised edge, the arcuate sleeve is mounted on the raised edge of the serving tray so that the inner part of the sleeve rests on the round serving tray.

The arcuate shoulder is designed to protect the raised edge of the serving tray while simultaneously providing an accessory that will secure stemware to the serving tray.

In preferred embodiments of the present invention, the arcuate shoulder will be made of an elastomeric material that will slightly bend upwards when the base of the stemware is secured between the serving tray and the inner bottom of the arcuate shoulder.

An object of the present invention is to provide a serving tray and accessory system that will secure stemware on a service tray.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a serving tray and accessory system that will prolong the life of a service tray.

Brief Description of Drawings: These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with regards to the following description, appended claims, and drawings where: FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the present invention; and FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the arcuate sleeve of the present invention.

Description of Embodiments: As seen in figures 1-2, the present invention describes a round serving tray and accessory system 100 used to secure stemware. The serving tray and accessory system 100 comprises an arcuate sleeve 10 that has an inner 10a and outer part 10b, and a top 10c, a bottom lOd, a first lOe and a second side lOf, wherein the top inner part of the arcuate sleeve 10 defines an arcuate cavity 12 wherein an innermost part 14 of the arcuate sleeve 10 is curved upward, and the outer part 10b of the sleeve defines an arcuate shoulder 16, the arcuate shoulder 16 has a top 16a, a bottom 16b, a first 16c and a second side 16d, the bottom side 16b of the arcuate shoulder 16 defines and arcuate opening 18 that linearly runs from the first side 16c of the arcuate shoulder 16 to the second side 16d of the arcuate shoulder 16. And, a round serving tray 20 that has a raised edge 22, the arcuate sleeve 10 is mounted on the raised edge 22 of the serving tray 20 via the arcuate opening 18 so that the inner part 10a of the arcuate sleeve 10 rests on the round serving tray 20. In preferred embodiments, the arcuate sleeve 10 will be made of polymeric or elastomeric material. In preferred embodiments, the arcuate sleeve 10 will have a circumference that will have a length that will be at least one fourth of the circumference of the round serving tray 20. In some embodiments, the arcuate sleeve shall be permanently fixed on the serving tray. An advantage of the present invention is that it provides a serving tray and accessory system that secures stemware on a service tray. Another advantage of the present invention is that it provides a serving tray and accessory system that prolongs the life of a service tray. While the inventor's above description contains many specificities, these should not be construed as limitations on the scope, but rather as an exemplification of several preferred embodiments thereof. Accordingly, the scope should not be determined by the embodiments illustrated, but by the appended claims and their legal equivalents.