Patent Application
20100000511
1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to the field of barbecue grilling grates. In particular, the present disclosure relates to a grilling grate assembly having an inlet port, an outlet port, and in fluid communication with a smoke evacuation device.
2. Description of Related Art
Generally, barbecue grilling grates are utilized to cook different kinds of foods, for example, meats, vegetables, fish, etc. The common barbecue grilling system includes a box-like housing, which supports a grilling grate assembly with a plurality of slits, so that food may be cooked on a top surface of the grilling grate. A heat source (e.g., gas, charcoal briquettes, etc.) is disposed below, or sometimes above, the grilling grate, which in turn, cooks the food placed on the top surface of the grilling grate.
While the food is being cooked atop the grilling grate, fluids (e.g., barbecue sauce) and debris from the food (e.g., fat juices from meat) fall through the slits of the barbecue grate assembly and onto the charcoal briquettes. The fluid and debris burn on the heat source, thus emitting a harmful smoke and vapor. For example, when fat juices from meat fall onto a burning pile of charcoal briquettes, the fat juices ignite and produce a distinct smoke and vapor. The smoke and vapor from the burned fat juices then rise up from the briquettes and seep into the food being cooked, thus adding unwanted smoke flavors into the food. Studies have shown that smoke from burning fat drippings, along with smoke from burning wood and charcoal, may be cancerous. While there have been developments in barbecue technology designed to veer the juices and debris away from the briquettes, there still exists a need for a device that substantially directs the smoke and vapor emitted from the briquettes away from the food being cooked atop the barbecue grilling grate.
A barbecue grilling grate assembly for use in a barbecue grilling system is disclosed. The barbecue grilling grate assembly includes a grilling grate having a plurality of grilling bars and a bordering bar. The grilling grate includes a top surface and a bottom surface. The top surface is configured to allow food to be cooked atop. The bottom surface includes an inlet port defined thereon and is configured to evacuate smoke from a heat source via the inlet port. The grilling bars are fluidly connected to the bordering bar, which both define hollow channels therewithin to allow smoke from a heat source to pass therethrough and out to an outlet port. The grilling grate assembly further includes a tubular structure and a smoke evacuation device, which are selectively attached to the outlet port. The smoke evacuation device is configured to evacuate the smoke entering the grilling grate assembly and force the smoke to an external environment.
In embodiments, the grilling grate is configured to be dimensioned from a group of shapes consisting of rectangular, square, elliptical, and polygonal. The top surface of grilling grate is configured to be coated by a finishing technique selected from the group consisting of a smooth surface, a textured surface, and a TEFLON coated surface.
In addition, the grilling bars are configured to be positioned parallel and equally spaced from each other, the spaces of the grilling bars defining slits. The grilling bars are attached to the bordering bar from an attaching technique selected from the group consisting of welding, gluing, soldering, bonding, and crimping. Alternatively, the grilling grate assembly is constructed by a molding process.
In embodiments, the at least one bordering bar is configured to have a thicker wall than the wall of the at least one grilling bar, the thicker wall adding structural rigidity to the grilling grate. The heat source is energized by a heating technique selected from the group consisting of barbecue briquettes, a heating element, and gas jets. The smoke evacuation device is an exhaust fan mechanism. The smoke evacuation device includes an on/off switch and/or a variable speed switch to allow a user to adjust the rate of smoke and vapor to be evacuated. A filter is configured to cover the at least one inlet port. The inlet ports are configured to be dimensioned by a group of shapes consisting of a circular shape, square shape, rectangular shape, and a polygonal shape.
In another embodiment of the present disclosure, a barbecue grilling system including a barbecue grilling grate assembly is disclosed. The barbecue grilling system includes a lower housing and an upper housing. The grilling grate assembly includes a grilling grate having a plurality of grilling bars fluidly connected to a bordering bar, a top surface, a bottom surface, an outlet port in communication with a tubular structure, and a smoke evacuation device.
The heating element is disposed on the bottom portion of the lower housing. The lower housing includes an inner perimeter edge of the lower housing and is configured and dimensioned to support the grilling grate. The grilling grate assembly is selectively disposed on the inner perimeter edge of the lower housing.
In embodiments, the upper housing is configured to be in an open position and a closed position. The closed position allows a temperature to increase between the top surface and the inner cavity of the upper housing. In addition, the area between the top surface and the inner cavity is defined as a cooking space.
In embodiments, the barbecue grilling system further includes a leg structure to support the lower housing having a plurality of wheels. The wheels allow a user to transport the barbecue grilling system. The barbecue grilling system is configured to have a box-shape configuration.
Particular embodiments of the present disclosure are described hereinbelow with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the following description, well-known functions or constructions are not described in detail to avoid obscuring the present disclosure in unnecessary detail.
In general, the present application discloses a barbecue grilling grate assembly for use on a barbecue housing for grilling food. The barbecue grilling grate assembly generally includes a grilling grate having a plurality of grilling bars, which are fluidly connected to a bordering bar. The grilling grate defines hollow channels (i.e., within the bars) to allow smoke from a heat source to pass therethrough. A top surface of the barbecue grilling grate assembly allows food to be cooked atop and the bottom surface includes a plurality of inlet ports defined therein, which allow smoke to be evacuated via the plurality of inlet ports, as will be discussed in detail below. In addition, the barbecue grilling grate assembly further includes a plurality of outlet ports, a tubular structure and a smoke evacuation device, which evacuate the smoke entering the grilling grate assembly to an external environment, as will also be discussed in detail below.
During use, the food releases juices and debris, which fall and burn on to the heat source to produce harmful smoke and vapors. The smoke evacuation device vacuums the smoke and vapors into the plurality of inlet ports disposed on the bottom surface of the grilling grate. The smoke and vapors are then vacuumed through the channels to a single outlet port or plurality of outlet ports disposed on the side of the bordering bar of the barbecue grilling grate, then through the tubular structure and to an external environment. Thus, allowing substantially all of the harmful smoke and vapors emitted from the heat source to pass through the grilling grate assembly and out to the external environment, thus bypassing the food being cooked. The grilling grate assembly may be constructed of any material suitable for cooking food thereon, for example, stainless steel, aluminum, ceramic, metal alloy, etc.
Referring now to
The grilling grate 10 further includes a top surface 12 and a bottom surface 28.
The grilling bars 14a-d are configured to be positioned parallel and equally spaced from each other, whereby the spaces define slits 16a-d. Slits 16a-d are configured in a way, such that heat energy from the heat source 32 rises up between the grilling bars 14a-d and through the slits 16a-d in order to cook the food placed on the top surface 12. Additionally, slits 16a-d are configured to allow the fluid and debris from the food to fall through the grilling grate assembly 1 to the bottom portion of the lower housing 302. Alternatively, the spacing and arrangement of the slits 16a-d may vary depending on the manufacturer's preference of the placement of grilling bars 14a-d. The grilling bars 14a-d may be welded, glued, soldered, or any other suitable attaching means to the bordering bar 18. Alternatively, grilling grate 10 may be constructed by a molding process, resulting in a one-piece design, thus requiring no attaching means.
Referring now to
It is envisioned that bordering bar 18 may be constructed with a thicker wall than the wall of the grilling bars. The thicker wall would assist in withstanding frequent positioning of the grilling grate assembly 1, while at the same time adding structural rigidity to the grilling grate assembly 1. The bordering bar 18 of the grilling grate 10 is supported on a plurality of supports (not shown) alongside the barbecue grill assembly 300.
Referring now to
The smoke evacuation device 20, 120, and 220a and 220b, shown in
As illustrated in
The vacuumed smoke and vapors 34 then travel through the tubular structure 22 and fan 21 out of the grilling grate assembly 10. Thus, allowing the harmful smoke and vapors emitted from the heat source to pass through the grilling grate assembly and out to an external environment, thus bypassing the food being cooked.
Although the illustrative embodiments of the present disclosure have been described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings, it is to be understood that the disclosure is not limited to those precise embodiments, and that various other changes and modifications may be effect therein by one skilled in the art without departing from the scope or spirit of the disclosure.
