Cutlery tray

Abstract

A cutlery tray having a peripheral wall adjoined to a bottom surface, fixed compartments defined by at least a portion of the peripheral wall, an additional wall section and the bottom surface, divider position slots within the fixed compartment, and a removable divider configured to engage and be retained within the fixed compartment at a divider position slot, is disclosed. The removable divider separates utensils within the fixed compartment. A series of divider position slots within at the fixed compartment allow the removable divider to be retained at a plurality of positions. Further, an expandable compartment defined by a second peripheral wall and a second bottom surface which extends from beneath the first peripheral wall and first bottom surface may also be provided. The expandable compartment may include a permanent knife block and, optionally, a removable knife block which attaches to the permanent knife block.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0001]The present device relates to cutlery trays for storing kitchen utensils, such as, e.g., flatware. Particularly, the present device relates to a cutlery tray which maximizes space utilization for storing multiple kitchen utensils.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]The standard kitchen cutlery typically consists of a variety of different sized and shaped eating and cooking utensils. A cutlery tray comprised of several individual compartments, some fixed and some expandable, is often used to give some semblance of order to the array of flatware, often stored in stacks. However, over time the need or desire to occasionally change flatware styles may arise without any thought to also changing the cutlery tray. Utensils of the same type, for example, spoons, can vary widely as to size and style between different manufacturers, which can create storage issues for even the most organized homeowner. It may not be until one begins to store new flatware tha...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0005]There is disclosed herein an improved cutlery tray which avoids the disadvantages of prior devices while affording additional structural and operating advantages.

Problems solved by technology

However, over time the need or desire to occasionally change flatware styles may arise without any thought to also changing the cutlery tray.

Utensils of the same type, for example, spoons, can vary widely as to size and style between different manufacturers, which can create storage issues for even the most organized homeowner.

It may not be until one begins to store new flatware that the once ideal cutlery tray is found to be too short, too shallow, too narrow, or otherwise inadequate.

In fact, it may not be a complete change of flatware that uncovers this inadequacy.

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