Stoves and furnaces – Stoves – Cooking
Reexamination Certificate
1999-01-14
2001-05-15
Price, Carl D. (Department: 3743)
Stoves and furnaces
Stoves
Cooking
C126S0250AA, C126S02100R, C126S02100R, C099S447000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06230700
ABSTRACT:
The present invention relates to an off fire charcoal grill having an octagonal shape and air introduction system which maintains an ambient cooking temperature in excess of 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
BACKGROUND
Outdoor barbecue grilling has been acknowledged as one of the great American pastimes and is mentioned in the same breath as, baseball, hot dogs and apple pie. Due to its popularity and extent of use, outdoor barbecue grilling has evolved throughout the years in attempts to address common problems encountered while barbecue grilling.
For instance, traditional charcoal grilling includes the use of a plurality of charcoal briquets which must be ignited with flammable lighter fluid. However, it is well known that a charcoal coal fire is sometimes hottest at its center while the periphery of the charcoal coal fire has a cooler temperature. Thus, timing of the placement of the meat on the fire is essential. The barbecue chef must use discretion when placing the food to be cooked onto the grill, for if the placement is too early, the meat may be charred and if the placement is too late, there may not be enough of a sufficient coal fire to complete the cooking of the meat, nor may there be a high enough temperature to kill any existing bacteria in the meat. In addition, if the meat is placed onto the grill prior to the complete burning off of the lighter fluid, the meat's taste could be adversely affected. Moreover, early types of lighter fluid and its volatile characteristics sometimes created a dangerous combination.
Various improvements have included gel type lighter fluids that did not flare up when ignited. In addition, the charcoal itself was manufactured to include such a flammable material so that a user needs only to strike a match to prepare the charcoal.
However, these improvements failed to correct the uneven cooling temperatures and short life span of an optimum cooking temperature produced by the burning coals. Moreover, as the meats are placed over burning coals the grease droppings associated with the cooking of such meats causes the coals to flare up back toward the meat. This flare up causes charring of the exterior of the meat and may ultimately ruin a meal. In addition, the smoke caused by such a flare of also affects the taste of the meat.
Other attempts to correct these problems included the advent of propane gas barbecue grills. However, such grills cannot duplicate the culinary satisfaction of an open fire barbecue grilling of a meal.
In addition, recent studies conducted by the MAYO clinic and the American Cancer Society have produced results which indicate that individuals who barbecue their foods, in particular meats, three or more times a month for a five-year period placed those people in a higher percentile for susceptibility to particular types of cancer.
Some of the suggestions from these studies to reduce such risks are the following, use of a high temperature to eliminate bacteria, reduce “flare up” caused by grease dripping from the cooking meats and avoid charring of the meat. Some of these studies also indicated that carcinogenic toxins are built up in the meats being cooked due to “flare up” and charring of the meat.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to outdoor equipment, and pertains more particularly to an improved charcoal grill. The present invention is directed to a barbeque grill which cooks food products in an off fire cooking system. The present invention provides a split fire system which doubles the coal heating surface area and double the coal heat output. The grilling system also has an air introduction system which circulates air throughout the interior of the grill to maintain an optimum cooking temperature. Moreover, the grill body is octagonal in shape. The octagonal shape also maintains the cooking temperature at or above 400 degrees Fahrenheit in the center of the grilling system.
It is one object of the present invention to provide a barbecue grill that will assist in the reduction of health risks associated with barbeque grilling. The present invention provides a barbeque grill that eliminates grease fires and smoke associated with grease fire flare ups. The charcoal is suspended in such a manner as to prevent the cooking grease from falling onto the burning charcoal coals.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a grill that will cook meat with a high enough temperature to kill any existing bacteria in the meat. It is also another object of the present invention to prevent “Flare-up,” caused by greases dripping from the meats as they are cooling in the grill. In addition, the prevention of a flare-up will prevent smoke from the burning grease to the affect the flavor of the meat being cooked. Also, the present invention will prevent the charring of the meat, which can be caused by a direct flame positioned below the meat being cooked.
The present invention accomplishes this by providing a unique off-fire cooking system that suspends the burning coals in the cooking unit to increase the convection within the grill. This is accomplished by splitting the source of fire into two fire baskets which provide even heat and also doubles the heating surface area provided by the coals.
A blower unit is also used to introduce a steady stream of air to keep the coals burning at a peak temperature. This system will provide a cooking unit that provides temperature is consistently at a temperature in excess of 400 degrees Fahrenheit. This will allow meat to be cooked without charring and sealing in the natural juices of the meat to provide an enhanced outdoor cooking experience.
Thus, the present invention provides a grilling system that reduces health risks associated with barbeque grilling without losing or adversely affecting the barbeque flavors associated with barbeque grilling.
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Daniels Dale T.
Daniels James W.
Handal & Morofsky
Lee David
Price Carl D.
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