Foods and beverages: apparatus – Cooking – Slice toaster or broiler
Reexamination Certificate
2000-01-10
2001-09-18
Alexander, Reginald L. (Department: 1761)
Foods and beverages: apparatus
Cooking
Slice toaster or broiler
C099S401000, C099S446000, C099S447000, C099S449000, C126S0250AA, C126S04100R
Reexamination Certificate
active
06289795
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates generally to the field of outdoor cooking, and more particularly to an apparatus for improved heat circulation and containment, and which prevents food drippings from escaping while cooking.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
One aspect of the invention relates to a grill base design such as a base pan that allows for improved heat circulation and containment when smoking or grilling. The base pan design of the present invention enhances heat circulation and containment within the unit, and also offers a built in channel located in the bottom of the pan. The bottom of the base pan is designed with a large hole opening which creates a channel around the outside of the hole. This opening not only allows for improved air circulation, it is also positioned for the exterior gas flame to enter into the smoker or grill. In addition, the channel offers added protection against falling charcoal and ashes, which may fall from the bowl or plate inside the unit. Furthermore, the channel is designed to catch drippings from food. Adding water to the channel allows for easy clean-up and better condensation when water smoking.
Another object of the invention is its strategically placed air openings throughout the base pan. In addition to the opening at the bottom of the base pan, the base pan has holes for mounting legs and brackets, and a knockout hole when using an electric element. It also features three legs with vents that are designed to be placed over holes in the base pan located towards the top of the base pan.
The present invention features a base pan for smoking or grilling that comprises a main body having a bottom and side, with the side including a plurality of peripherally spaced apart vent openings. The base pan includes a plurality of legs each having an air vent, with the legs being secured to the main body so as to least partially cover respective vent openings provided in the main body such that there is air flow communication between said vent openings and corresponding air vents of said legs.
The base pan's legs each have a plurality of air vent apertures juxtaposed to the corresponding main body's air vent opening. In one embodiment, there are three legs circumferentially spaced about the side of said main body with each having a plurality of horizontal air vent slots that extend from side edge to side edge of the vent openings of the pan's main body. The legs are U-shaped in cross-section such that a channel is formed between an interior surface of each leg and an exterior surface of the side surface of the main body positioned below the corresponding vent opening in the main body.
The main body has an upper peripheral flange extending radially outward from the side of the main body and extending out over an upper opening in the channels formed by the legs. The flange has a rolled, peripheral upwardly extending edge. The legs have a covering section that extends over a full perimeter of the corresponding vent openings of the main body. The legs further include fastener holes and the side of the main body includes a plurality of leg fastening holes which are positioned in general vertical alignment with respective vent openings formed in the side, and the fastener and fastening holes are aligned so that the base pan can include a plurality of fasteners that extend through the fastener hole and fastening hole.
The base pan further comprises a plurality of grill rack brackets each having an attachment hole aligned with a fastener hole in a respective leg such that fasteners can extend through aligned fastener holes in the legs and fastening holes in the side and through attachment holes in the brackets.
An embodiment of the invention features a base pan wherein the bottom of the main body has a center opening, and wherein the center opening is defined by an edge extension extending upward off the bottom of the main body, which edge defines a bottom channel between the side of the main body and the edge extension. The embodiment of the invention also features an arrangement wherein the side and edge extension each extend vertically with the side extending vertically higher than the edge extension.
The base pan embodiment noted above can further include an electrical element knock out hole in the base pan side that is in general vertical alignment with one of the vent openings formed in the main body.
Thus, in one embodiment of the invention a base pan for smoking or grilling is provided having a main body with a bottom and a side wall, the side wall extending vertically upward from the bottom to an upper side wall end, the side wall including a plurality of peripherally spaced apart vent openings formed within the side wall below the upper side wall end and above the bottom. Also, a plurality of legs are secured to the main body, the bottom of the main body has a central opening, and the central opening and vent openings in the side wall are in air circulation communication so as to promote air circulation within the base pan during smoking or grilling. The central opening is defined by a vertically extending edge extension which forms an annular channel between the side wall and edge extension. The main body includes an upper flange extending radially out from the upper side wall end, and the legs have a leg section with air vents formed therein. The leg section is positioned over and covers a corresponding one of the vent openings in the main body. The leg sections have a U-shaped cross section with an outer wall and two side extensions, and the side extensions are in contact with the main body and the outer wall is spaced from the main body, and the leg section forms part of the outer wall. The noted embodiment features three vent openings in the side wall that are circumferentially spaced apart. Also, the base pan has each vent opening represented by a continuous peripheral vent edge that has all points lying on a common cylindrical surface.
In addition, the invention features a smoker grill assembly that includes a base pan that has a main body with a bottom and side, the side including a plurality of peripherally spaced apart vent openings. The base pan further comprises a plurality of legs each having an air vent, with the legs being secured to the main body so as to least partially cover respective vent openings provided in the main body such that there is air flow communication through the vent openings and corresponding air vents of the legs, and the base pan having a central opening in the bottom of the main body. The smoker grill assembly further includes a grill supported by the base pan, a covering body supported by the base pan and positioned so as to cover the grill, and a gas cooker having a flame producer which directs a flame though the central opening in the base pan.
Another aspect of the invention relates to a flame disk design that helps distribute the flame from the burner evenly throughout the unit for direct grilling, or when burning wood chunks when smoking. The disk also prevents internal food drippings or ashes from escaping through the disk, while allowing heat to pass through. The flame disk design is heat efficient and safeguards against drippings or ashes falling through to the burner or ground. The holes in the disk are raised to deter food drippings and ashes from falling through to the ground, while adding rigid strength to the disk. The disk has attached support cover legs, which lifts the disk on its cooking base. In one embodiment a member such as an inner extension of the legs are strategically placed over the raised holes in the disk, which adds additional protection against food drippings escaping through the disk holes, while also allowing heat to pass through while cooking.
Another feature of the invention is the providing of a disk that is designed to protect the burner. The disk is also designed for easy removal, which allows for quick clean up. Still yet another feature of the invention is the disk has a series of raised holes for optimum heat placement, and allows for more e
McLemore Don
McLemore John
LandOfFree
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