Foods and beverages: apparatus – Subjecting food to an enclosed modified atmosphere – With separate support for fume-producing material
Reexamination Certificate
2002-05-20
2004-03-09
Alexander, Reginald L. (Department: 1761)
Foods and beverages: apparatus
Subjecting food to an enclosed modified atmosphere
With separate support for fume-producing material
C099S450000, C126S595000, C426S314000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06701829
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to cooking grills and in particular to an insertable rapid-starting smoker for all types of grills to smoke the food wherein the smoker also prevents flare ups of the fire and creates two cooking zones.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Smoking food using wood chips imparts a particularly appealing taste to meat and other food that is desired by many people. Liquids containing smoke flavored chemicals are available, but do not always simulate true smoked flavor and likely contain chemicals that are unhealthy.
Barbecue grills present an excellent opportunity for smoking food since they are generally used in an outdoor environment where the smoke is not a problem. Properly vented indoor grills and broilers also may utilize smoking to supplement the cooking process and impart a smoked flavor to the food.
Slow smoking methods take a long time to prepare the food and expose the environment to smoke for a much longer time.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,140,049, issued Feb. 20, 1979 to Stewart, shows a method and apparatus for converting an enclosable food cooker having a food supporting surface into a food smoker which can be advantageously used to smoke food at a very slow rate without significant dehydration or loss of natural juices.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,029,567, issued Feb. 29, 2000 to Tirkkonen, claims a manufactured article for releasing smoke in conjunction with preparation of smoked food, the article comprising an outer shell (1) having at least one hole (2) made thereto, and a material (3) with heat-reacting and smoke-generating properties (3) placed inside the outer shell. According to the invention the article incorporates a heat-generating material (4) placed in the immediate vicinity of the smoke-releasing material (3) for heating the smoke-releasing material.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,653,162, issued Aug. 5, 1997 to Lunde, describes a smoker grill having five major parts: 1) a cover, 2) a wire rack, 3) a base unit with four side walls and a divider, 4) a fire pot, and 5) a stand. Air inlet holes are located along the base of the sidewalls. A stainless steel divider is located above the air holes in the base unit. The divider separates the enclosure into an upper chamber where the food is smoked or grilled, and a lower chamber. The divider is sloped downward to a hole in the center that allows grease from the food to drip into the fire pot in the lower the chamber. The fuel in the fire pot is denatured alcohol. When smoking a food product, a wood product is placed on the divider and food is placed on the wire rack above the wood product. When using the device as a grill, a wood product is not used. A cover is provided over the unit to enclose the upper chamber. The fire from the fire pot in the lower chamber heats the stainless steel divider which smokes the wood product or grill the food product in the upper chamber. The smoke in the upper chamber is forced down four rectangular holes in the corners of the divider. The smoke in the lower chamber may be ignited from the burning alcohol to produce a secondary burning which gives an even heat over the whole unit.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,102,028, issued Aug. 15, 2000 to Schlosser, discloses a smoker attachment for heating and burning smoker particles in a barbecue grill. The smoker attachment includes a housing having a side wall, end wall, and bottom wall defining a cavity therein. The bottom wall of the housing has a plurality of openings and the side walls have a plurality of corresponding cutouts adjacent the bottom wall such that the cutouts in the side walls cooperate with the openings in the bottom wall. The openings provide access to the cavity of the housing such that a conductive member within the barbecue grill is able to contact the housing adjacent the opening to position the housing within the bottom chamber of the barbecue grill. The conductive member further passes through the opening of the housing into the cavity of the housing to define a portion of the perimeter of the cavity for directly contacting and heating the smoker particles within the housing.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,718,165, issued Feb. 17, 1998 to Winstead, indicates a grill intended for use in outdoor cooking. A burner assembly and a grid are enclosed in a housing that is arranged for even distribution of heat through the grid, and the grill is selectively usable to barbecue meat with or without wood flavoring or to steam meat and other food.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,770,157, issued Sep. 13, 1988 to Shepherd, puts forth a barbecue having, for example, a heat source in the form of a gas burner, is provided with a device which permits smoke flavoring of food cooked on the barbecue. Wood chips are contained in a drawer which is received by a complementary sleeve located between the heat source and a cooking grill of the barbecue. During cooking the wood chips are heated by the heat source and the air flow through the drawer is restricted so that the wood chips give off smoke without igniting. The smoke flows about and flavors the food being cooked on the barbecue. Access to the sleeve and the wood chip drawer may be gained through a side wall of the barbecue body and thus the supply of wood chips may be replenished without interfering with the cooking operation. Means is provided to control the volume of smoke produced by the device.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,721,037, issued Jan. 26, 1988 to Blosnich, concerns An apparatus for cooking foods which is a combination of an outdoor grill and an optional smoker attachment. The grill itself is of a type having a container with an open top, a closed bottom, front and rear sidewalls for holding heat-retaining lava rock. A hinged lid which is removable is attached to the grill for retaining heat within the container. A removable grate is selectively disposed inside of the container above the lava rock when the device is to be used as a grill for holding foods directly up above the lava rock and such grate is removable when the device is to be used for smoking foods. When the apparatus is to be used as a smoker, a metal cabinet having a rear wall, a pair of sidewalls connected to the rear wall, a removable front wall and a top wall is placed upon the container and has an open bottom so that the heat from the lava rock will be trapped within such metal cabinet. A tray is disposed just above the lava rock for holding wood chips which will generate smoke for flavoring the food being smoked. Slots on the rear wall of the metal cabinet and hooks on the sidewall are provided for holding the metal cabinet onto the grill in a proper position. A plurality of grates are positioned in an upper part of the metal cabinet for holding foods during the smoking process. An optional small door is provided in the front wall of the cabinet for inserting additional wood chips as might be necessary, without losing the majority of the smoke within the cabinet.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,786,741, issued Jan. 22, 1974 to Plumley, illustrates a smoking and cooking apparatus for use with outdoor grills employing a closed container with metal top and bottom and a perforated metal plate.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,697,506, issued Oct. 6, 1987 to Ducate, is for a substantially U-shaped or V-shaped tray for flavoring food by burning woodchips. The tray includes an elongated base and opposing sidewalls which may diverge outwardly from the base. Each of the sidewalls contain a plurality of apertures at spaced intervals along the length of the sidewall. The number, size and location of the apertures and the angle of any sidewall divergence are such that when the tray is positioned above and in close proximity to a heat source, the apertures permit sufficient direct heating of the woodchips to cause burning thereof by smoldering and the solid portions of the base and sidewalls shield the woodchips sufficiently to prevent flaming thereof.
U.S. Pat. No. Des. 283,588, issued Apr. 29, 1986 to Stuckey, shows a design for a meat smoking device having a holder for wood chips and a perforated cover.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,779,525, issued Oct. 25, 1988 to Gai
Alexander Reginald L.
Meeker Donald W.
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