Ice Tray and Table Covering Combination

(1) Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to an ice tray and table covering combination which is foldable into a compact flat bundle. In particular the present invention relates to the combination wherein relatively rigid walls forming the ice tray are foldable.

(2) Prior Art

Table cloths are well known as are rigid containers for ice. It is not believed that the prior art has shown a foldable combination of an ice tray and table covering. The problem is that at picnics and the like there is a need for an ice tray which is as easily folded into a flat bundle and transported in the same manner as a table covering.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an ice tray and table covering combination which is foldable into a flat bundle. Further it is an object of the present invention to provide such a combination which is simple and inexpensive to construct. These and other objects will become increasingly apparent by reference to the following description and the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a preferred folded ice tray and table covering combination 10.

FIGS. 2 to 5 are front perspective views of the ice tray and table covering combination 10 as it is unfolded.

FIG. 5A is a sectional view of the wall 13d shown in FIG. 5 along line 5A--5A.

FIG. 6 is a front perspective view of another preferred folded ice tray and table covering combination 20.

FIGS. 7 to 9 are front perspective views of the ice tray and table covering combination 20 as it is unfolded.

FIG. 10 is a partial section of a preferred sheet 11 and showns a plastic material 30 overlaying a cloth material 31.

The present invention relates to a foldable ice tray and table covering combination which comprises: a foldable sheet of material having an upper surface and adapted to be placed on a table; and a tray comprising at least one wall forming an enclosed portion on the upper surface of the sheet wherein the wall is perpendicular to the upper surface of the sheet in use and can be folded to lay flat upon the upper surface of the sheet so that the combination can be folded into a flat and compact bundle for storage and wherein the enclosed portion and walls are adapted to hold ice at ambient temperatures. The wall can have a round, square, rectangular or any other shape.

Further the present invention relates to a foldable ice tray and table covering combination for cooling and serving food which comprises: a foldable sheet of a material having an upper surface; a tray comprising four walls forming an enclosed portion having a generally rectangular shape on the upper surface of the sheet wherein the walls are perpendicular to the upper surface of the sheet in use and can be folded at corners between the walls to lay flat upon the upper surface of the sheet wherein each of the walls are foldable so that the cloth can be first folded with the walls flat on the upper surface of the sheet and then folded on at least one first axis between a first pair of spaced apart walls and then folded on at least one second axis between a second pair of spaced apart walls wherein the combination can be folded into a compact bundle for storage. A second sheet of material mounted on the sheet of material can be provided to cover the food.

Preferably the sheets of material comprise a plastic laminated to a fabric which is impenetrable to water. Sheets of plastic alone can also be used but do not fold as well. A water permeable cloth can be used where this does not make a difference such as at wooden parkside tables. Numerous variations of the sheet material will occur to those skilled in the art.

Preferably most of the area of the walls are relatively rigid sections with flexible sections intermediate the ends, at corners and between the flexible sheet and the walls. Flexible sections can be provided by connecting a flexible material at the sections of the wall to be folded between the rigid sections of the walls. This can be accomplished by gluing, stitching and the like in a well known manner. The rigid sections of the walls can be covered with a flexible material with the flexible sections between the rigid sections and then bonded to the sheet of flexible material. Numerous variations will occur to those skilled in the art.

FIGS. 1 to 5 show a preferred embodiment of the ice tray and table covering combination 10 of the present invention as it is unfolded. In FIG. 1 the combination 10 is in the form of a bundle which is unfolded as shown in FIG. 1 and the sheet 11 has a W shape with legs 11a and 11b between a center portion 11c. As can be seen crease lines or axis c--c, d--d and e--e are provided in the combination 10. Handles 12 join together for ease of carrying of the bundle. In FIG. 2 the bundle is unfolded so that the axis c--c, d--d and e--e are in the same plane with folds on creases or axis a--a, b--b, and b.sub.1 --b.sub.1. The legs 11a and 11b and center section 11c are shown by brackets in FIG. 3. In FIG. 3 the crease or axis a--a is unfolded. In FIG. 4 the axis or creases b--b and b.sub.1 --b.sub.1 are unfolded and the opposed folded walls 13 a and 13b and 13c and 13d are laying flat on the upper surface of sheet 11. In FIG. 5 the walls are raised to form an enclosed portion 11d on the sheet 11 which functions as the tray. As can be seen from FIG. 5 the walls 13c and 13d have an angled section 13e and a flexible material section 13f which allows the corners 13g to be folded. FIG. 5A shows flexible sections 13f, 13h and 13i with the flexible 13k material covering rigid sections 13j. As can be seen, the ice tray and cloth combination 10 can be easily folded into a compact bundle and then unfolded or vise versa.

FIGS. 6 to 9 show another preferred version of the ice tray and table covering combination 20. In FIG. 6, the combination 20 is folded in a bundle having a folded W shape with legs 21a and 21b and a center portion 21c as also shown in FIG. 7. The sheet 21 unfolds along lines or creases f--f, f.sub.1 --f.sub.1 and g--g and then along lines h--h and i--i and i.sub.1 --i.sub.1 as shown in FIG. 7 exposing a folded ice tray formed by opposed sides 22a and 22b and opposed sides 22c and 22d which lay flat on the upper surface of sheet 21. Additional second sheets 23a and 23b are mounted along walls 22c and 22d over portions of the sheet 21. In FIG. 8 the walls are raised perpendicular to the sheet 21. Angled corners 22e, flexible material sections 22f and 22g and rigid sections 22h are provided as the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 5. As shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, the second sheets 23a and 23b cover ice 100 and food containers 101, 102 and 103 in the enclosure 21d such as cans 103 and salads 101 and 102. The second sheet 23a and 23b keep insects and dirt off of the food containers 101, 102 and 103. A drain hole with a plug 24 is preferably provided for removal of water from melting ice.

FIG. 10 show a preferred construction of the sheet 11. A plastic material 30 provides a water barrier for cloth material 31.

It is intended that the foregoing description be only illustrative of the present invention and that the invention be limited only by the hereinafter appended claims.