Convertible trivet

1. A trivet having three or more lobes connected serially to one another by connectors, such that each lobe is coupled to an adjacent lobe on each side to form a continuous loop of the three or more lobes, where the trivet can be converted from a closed configuration, with the lobes directed inwardly, to an open configuration, with the lobes directed outwardly, by rotating the lobes and the connectors 180°, said lobes and connectors being unitarily formed of an elastomeric material.

2. The trivet of claim 1 wherein the elastomeric material is a silicone.

3. The trivet of claim 1 having 4 lobes.

4. The trivet of claim 1 wherein the lobes have a generally triangular shape.

5. The trivet of claim 1 wherein the trivet is formed in a circular shape when in the closed configuration.

6. The trivet of claim 1 wherein the connectors have a height dimension and a width dimension where the height is greater than the width.

7. The trivet of claim 6 wherein the connectors have a height to width ratio of between about 1.1 to 1 and 2.5 to 1.

8. The trivet of claim 6 wherein the connectors have a height to width ratio of between about 1.25:1 to 1.75:1.

9. The trivet of claim 6 wherein the connectors have a height to width ratio of about 1.5:1.

10. The trivet of claim 1 wherein the connectors are substantially rectangular in shape, with the height being greater than the width.

11. The trivet of claim 1 wherein at least one of the lobes has a pattern of indentations on at least one side.

12. The trivet of claim 11 wherein the at least one lobe has a pattern of indentations on a top side and on a bottom side.

13. The trivet of claim 1 wherein at least one of the lobes have a pattern of holes through the lobe.