Stoves and furnaces – Stoves – Cooking
Reexamination Certificate
2003-02-07
2004-12-07
Yeung, James C. (Department: 3749)
Stoves and furnaces
Stoves
Cooking
C126S0250AA, C126S154000, C126S242000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06827076
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to barbecues for cooking, and more particularly to barbecues of the type in which charcoal in briquette or similar form is used as the source of heat for the barbecue.
2. History of the Prior Art
Barbecues which use charcoal in briquette or similar form as the source of cooking heat are well known. Charcoal fueled barbecues provide the advantage that a gas hookup or, alternatively, a large and cumbersome propane tank, are not needed. In particular, charcoal barbecues are ideally suited for remote outdoor locations such as for picnics. Many such barbecues are portable and light weight, enabling them to be transported, such as by car, to the location where they are to be used for cooking. Upon setup of the barbecue, a desired quantity of charcoal is loaded into the barbecue and is ignited, causing the charcoal to burn. When the charcoal is capable of generating sufficient cooking heat, the food to be cooked is typically placed on a cooking grate disposed above the charcoal. When the cooking is finished, the ash generated by the burnt charcoal is disposed of in preparation for the next use of the barbecue.
One problem with charcoal barbecues is getting the charcoal to start and burn quickly so that cooking may commence without substantial delay. To accelerate the process of starting the charcoal, a number of arrangements and techniques have been devised. Typically, the charcoal is ignited while confined in a small container so as to concentrate the heat in a small volume. The charcoal may, for example, be placed in a can-shaped structure positioned above an igniter. When the charcoal is ready for cooking, it is typically spread onto a charcoal grate beneath the cooking grate. In some cases the can-like structure is lifted and turned upside down so as to dump the charcoal onto the charcoal grate, as shown, for example, by U.S. Pat. No. 5,469,835 of Stephen et al. In still other cases, mechanisms are provided for spreading the charcoal from the can-like structure onto the charcoal grate, as shown, for example, by U.S. Pat. No. 4,603,679 of Ogden, and by U.S. Pat. No. 5,638,807 of Flamenbaum. However, such arrangements leave much to be desired in terms of the lack of ease with which the charcoal can be ignited and initially burned while in a small and confined container and then easily spread onto a charcoal grate.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,154,159 of Knafele, for example, the charcoal is started on an elevator platform which is then raised to a charcoal grill. However, the platform must then be rotated in order to distribute the charcoal over the separate and much larger charcoal grill.
In some cases, a chimney may be provided over the charcoal container in order to promote convection and cause the charcoal to burn faster. Such chimneys must be removed when not in use, typically requiring that they be separately carried and stored.
The charcoal is typically ignited using newspaper or other disposable flammable material. Sheets of newspaper are wadded up and placed under the charcoal. The paper is then set on fire using a match, and the burning paper ignites the charcoal. Paper ignition is shown by U.S. Pat. No. 3,209,743 of Stewart and U.S. Pat. No. 3,841,299 of Tomita. Still other forms of charcoal ignition such as a propane igniter may be used. In any case, however, it would be desirable to provide an arrangement in which paper can be used as the ignition source and, alternatively, in which a propane igniter can be readily coupled to the barbecue to serve as the ignition source.
Disposal of the residual ash and unburned portions of the charcoal after the cooking is finished can be a further problem. Simply turning the barbecue over and dumping the ash and charcoal residue can be cumbersome and messy, if not a fire hazard. Therefore, some barbecues are provided with an ash fallout system as shown, for example, by U.S. Pat. No. 3,915,145 of Tomita. Still others provide an ash drawer or other collection apparatus at the bottom thereof, as shown, for example, by U.S. Pat. No. 5,996,572 of Hagan. The barbecue is desirably designed so that ash and unburned portions of the charcoal fall down into the ash drawer. This may require open passageways from the charcoal grate down to the ash drawer so that the ash may fall down into the drawer unimpeded. In this connection it would be desirable to be able to scrape and otherwise manipulate the charcoal grate and the inner walls of the kettle or other cooking chamber at the top of the barbecue so as to agitate and dislodge the ash and charcoal and cause it to fall down into the ash drawer.
The ash drawer itself should desirably be designed so that the bottom of the barbecue just above it is closed off and sealed when the ash drawer is removed for disposition of its contents. When the drawer is again installed, the area above the drawer must be opened so as to receive the falling ash.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Briefly stated, the present invention provides a quick start barbecue which has a housing with a cooking compartment therein and a cooking grate mounted in the cooking compartment. A foldable charcoal grate is positioned below the cooking grate and is movable between a lower position in which the charcoal grate folds to form a basket for charcoal and an upper position in which the charcoal grate unfolds to form a relatively flat grate for charcoal beneath the cooking grate. An actuator mechanism selectively moves the charcoal grate between the lower and upper positions. Igniting apparatus mounted below the charcoal grate ignites charcoal contained within the charcoal grate while it is in the lower position.
With the charcoal grate folded to form a basket in the lower position, the basket is filled with charcoal and the igniting apparatus is used to light the charcoal. When the charcoal is sufficiently hot and ready for cooking, the actuator mechanism is used to raise the charcoal grate to the upper position in which it unfolds so as to form a relatively flat grate for the charcoal beneath the cooking grate. Cooking may then be carried out.
The charcoal grate may comprise a central hub with a plurality of wire loops configured like flower petals pivotally coupled thereto and extending outwardly therefrom in a circular array. The petals pivot upwardly relative to the hub to form a basket for the charcoal, and pivot downwardly and outwardly relative to the hub to form a relatively flat grate for charcoal. The hub has a plurality of spokes extending outwardly in a circular array. Each of the petals is generally U-shaped, although not necessarily with straight legs, and is pivotally coupled at the free ends of the “U” to an adjacent pair of the hubs spokes.
The housing may comprise a kettle forming the cooking compartment and an upstanding column coupled to an opening into a lower portion of the kettle at a juncture therewith. The charcoal grate is positioned central to the vertical axis within and vertically movable between a position within the kettle and a position within the upper end of the column adjacent the juncture of the column with the kettle. The petals of the charcoal grate are contained within the column and form a basket for the charcoal when in the lower position. The petals pivot downwardly and outwardly relative to the hub as the charcoal grate is raised into the bottom of the kettle, to form a relatively flat grate for charcoal. The outer ends of the petals engage and reside against an inner wall of the kettle as the charcoal grate is raised into the bottom of the kettle, so that the vertical position of the hub of the charcoal grate within the bottom of the kettle determines the pivoting orientation of the petals relative to the hub.
The actuator mechanism may comprise a shaft centrally disposed and vertically movable within the column and with the hub mounted on an upper end thereof. The actuator mechanism includes an actuating handle coupled to a lower end of the shaft and extending to the outside of the column. The actuator mechanism in
Crawford Alan D.
DeMars Robert A.
Hogan & Hartson LLP
Original Ideas Inc.
Yeung James C.
LandOfFree
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