IP Library Granted Patent US 6,843,373
Granted Patent B2
US 6,843,373 · App. 10/096,410 · Granted Jan 18, 2005

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 6,843,373
App. No.
10/096,410
Granted
Jan 18, 2005
Kind
B2
Abstract

A serving tray has a slot formed in a side wall of the tray into which is received the corner of a shouter card with a friction fit between the card and the slot. Both bottom corners of the card extend through the side wall of the tray at opposite ends of the slot and the shouter card is supported from the bottom by the tray in the middle of the slot. The slot is made of alternating angle segments so that from end to end the slot is straight but a friction fit is created between the slot and the shouter card by the alternating peaks and valleys of the slot for a relatively wide range of shouter card thicknesses.

Claims (17)

1. A serving tray having a bottom wall and a side wall that angles outwardly from said bottom wall, said side wall having a generally vertical slot defined by at least four end to end joined alternating angle segments extending between ends of said slot, said ends of said slot extending through said side wall and having an open bottom a middle section of said slot having a closed bottom. said slot being sized to receive a shouter card for insertion into said slot and supported therein by said side wall.

2. The tray of claim 1 , wherein said slot is generally straight.

3. The tray of claim 1 , wherein said bottom wall is round and said side wall is frusto-conical.

4. The tray of claim 3 , wherein said bottom wall is circular.

5. The tray of claim 4 , wherein said slot extends generally straight along a chord of said circular bottom wall.

6. The tray of claim 1 , wherein said slot is at an edge of said bottom wall.

7. The tray of claim 1 , wherein both bottom corners of said shouter can extend through said side wall so as to project on an outside of said side wall.

8. The tray of claim 1 , wherein aid middle section of said slot is open on an inner side thereof.

9. The tray of claim 1 , wherein said slot is inside of an outer rim of said tray.

10. The tray of claim 1 , wherein said middle section has opposite ends spaced from said bottom wall different distances than said middle section.

11. The tray of claim 10 , wherein said opposite ends are at a greater distance from said bottom wall than said middle section.

12. The tray of claim 1 , further including a shouter.

13. The tray of claim 12 , wherein said shouter is rectangular and includes a cover defining a pocket in which said shouter card is disposed and having a bottom edge sized to fit into said slot.

14. The tray of claim 13 , wherein said cover is transparent.

15. The tray of claim 14 , wherein said cover is plastic.

16. The tray of claim 13 , wherein said cover includes a first wall and a second wan spaced from said first wall, wherein at least one edge of said second wall is free from said first wall.

17. The tray of claim 16 , wherein said first wall is joined to said second wall along a top edge and said first wall has a bottom edge that extends downwardly beyond a bottom edge of said second wall, wherein said first wall bottom edge is sized to be received in said slot in a friction fit.

Assignments (11)
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded May 21, 2012
From: THE VOLLRATH COMPANY, L.L.C.
To: WELLS FARGO BANK
Reel/Frame 028244/0131 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS (RELEASES REEL/FRAME 023963/0289 AND 024563/0407) Recorded May 18, 2012
From: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A.
To: DANE HOLDING CO., FORMERLY KNOWN AS TRAEX COMPANY
Reel/Frame 028235/0216 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded May 18, 2012
From: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A.
To: THE VOLLRATH COMPANY, L.L.C.
Reel/Frame 028237/0137 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded May 16, 2012
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
To: THE VOLLRATH COMPANY, L.L.C.
Reel/Frame 028222/0408 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 27, 2011
From: TRAEX COMPANY
To: THE VOLLRATH COMPANY, L.L.C.
Reel/Frame 026657/0407 →
GRANT OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENT RIGHTS Recorded Jun 21, 2010
From: TRAEX COMPANY, INC.
To: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 024563/0407 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Feb 12, 2010
From: TRAEX COMPANY, A DELAWARE CORPORATION
To: BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT, THE
Reel/Frame 023963/0289 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Feb 9, 2010
From: TRAEX COMPANY
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 023915/0381 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Feb 10, 2003
From: LGA5 CORP.
To: TRAEX COMPANY
Reel/Frame 013735/0418 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 10, 2003
From: MENASHA CORPORATION
To: LGA5 CORP.
Reel/Frame 013735/0422 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 18, 2002
From: LAUPAN, WILLIAM R.
To: MENASHA CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 012901/0683 →