Foods and beverages: apparatus – Cooking – With drip segregating – receiving or directing
Reexamination Certificate
2003-01-22
2004-04-13
Simone, Timothy F. (Department: 1761)
Foods and beverages: apparatus
Cooking
With drip segregating, receiving or directing
C099S444000, C099S446000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06718866
ABSTRACT:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
Not applicable
STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT
Not applicable
INCORPORATION-BY-REFERENCE OF MATERIAL SUBMITTED ON A COMPACT DISC
Not applicable
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to the field of grill and barbecue-type cooking and more particularly to disposable preformed aluminum foil cooking grill liners which substantially conform to and mate against the opposing grilling surfaces of well known electric grilling appliances.
2. Description of Related Art
Electric cooking grills having both a stationary and a moveable heated grilling surface pivotally connected together have become quite popular. One such device bears the trademark “GEORGE FOREMAN” grills having electric heat provided to both stationary and pivotably moveable grilling surfaces so that cooking heat is applied to both the top and bottom surfaces of food placed therebetween. These GEORGE FOREMAN-type grills also include an inclined orientation of the stationary or lower grilling surface with raised ribs extending longitudinally downwardly from the higher to the lower ends so that cooking juices including undesirable fat material will drain downwardly toward and outwardly from a downturned juice draining margin disposed at the lowest point of the stationary grilling surface.
The popularity of these GEORGE FOREMAN-type grills and others of a similar configuration and nature have become extremely popular and are found in a broad variety of sizes and forms. However, a common thread is the stationary and preferably inclined cooking surface and the pivotally moveable or openable upper grilling surface which come together to inject heat from both top and bottom sides of the food to be cooked. However, cleaning of these grilling surfaces is somewhat problematic. These grilling surfaces are generally not removable and therefore, to the extent required, cleaning must be done dealing with the entire cooking grill itself which may include non-water proof delicate portions which cannot be submerged or exposed to extensive quantities of water.
Instructions accompanying the use of these GEORGE FOREMAN grills specifically advise that cleaning with a wet sponge or disposable toweling immediately after cooking is completed will greatly expedite and facilitate the cleaning process of the grilling surfaces and will obviate the need for more aggressive soap and water scrubbing otherwise. Human nature being as it is, this recommended cleaning step immediately after cooking is typically ignored based, in all likelihood, on the uncontrollable urge to immediately begin consuming the newly-cooked food.
These grilling surfaces, when left to cool with food particles and juices remaining thereon are extremely difficult to clean. A mere sponge or wet paper towel wiping no longer suffices and more aggressive techniques for cleaning and scouring these grilling surfaces must be used.
The following U.S. patents are generally related to this area of grill cooking and protection thereof but all have structural and functional features which are substantially differing from that of the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,586,491 to Diller, et al.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,447,097 to Rhee
U.S. Pat. No. 4,320,699 to Binks
U.S. Pat. No. 4,794,052 to Morrison
U.S. Pat. No. 6,101,931 to Miklos
U.S. Pat. No. 6,547,601 to Chappell
U.S. Pat. No. 6,313,446 to Jones
U.S. Pat. No. 4,184,421 to Ahlgren
U.S. Pat. No. 5,279,277 to Barker
The present invention provides disposable cooking grill liners which are preformed to specifically fit and easily mate against and conform to each of the stationary and moveable grilling surfaces of a GEORGE FOREMAN-type grill. Moreover, by the very nature of this close fitting alignment, the grill liner for the movable upper grilling surface will remain in place when opened. These cooking grill liners are formed of heavier aluminum foil having doubled over rigidized outturned or upturned margins which aid in maintaining the overall preformed shape for mating alignment and fitting against each of the grilling surfaces and also facilitate the handling and disposal thereof after use.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
This invention is directed to a pair of disposable electric cooking grill liners for protecting the grilling surfaces of an electric cooking grill having two pivotally connected heated grilling members. Each grilling surface has raised cooking ribs and is heated and wherein both sides of food placed between the closed grilling surfaces are simultaneously heated. Each grill liner is formed of an unperforated sheet of semi-rigid or heavy aluminum foil preformed for fitting directly against and substantially conforming to and covering the corresponding grilling surface whereby cooking heat provided to each grilling surface is substantially transferred through the grilling liner. Food and juices flowing therefrom do not come in contact with the grilling surfaces thereby. Each grill liner also has a rigidized outturned and preferably reversed margin formed of multiple layers of foil folded over on itself for maintaining the preformed shape during installation, use and removal of each said grill liner after use.
It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a disposable cooking grill liner for each of the grilling or cooking surfaces of a GEORGE FOREMAN-type grill.
Still another object of this invention is to substantially eliminate the need for cleaning grilling surfaces of electric cooking grills having matable lower stationary and upper pivotably openable grilling surfaces each of which are electrically heated for rapid cooking of both sides of food placed there between.
In accordance with these and other objects which will become apparent hereinafter, the instant invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: 1301598 (1919-04-01), Patton
patent: 2323356 (1943-07-01), Rosay
patent: 3076579 (1963-02-01), Kuhlman
patent: 3601280 (1971-08-01), Mills
patent: 3780871 (1973-12-01), Hicks et al.
patent: 3828966 (1974-08-01), Martin
patent: 4184421 (1980-01-01), Ahlgren
patent: 4320699 (1982-03-01), Binks
patent: 4794052 (1988-12-01), Morrison
patent: 5046633 (1991-09-01), Chung
patent: 5279277 (1994-01-01), Barker
patent: 5447097 (1995-09-01), Rhee
patent: 5586491 (1996-12-01), Diller
patent: 5613427 (1997-03-01), Wiley
patent: 6101931 (2000-08-01), Miklos
patent: 6313446 (2001-11-01), Jones
patent: 6457601 (2002-10-01), Chappel
Prescott Charles J.
Simone Timothy F.
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