Grease Drip Pan and Gas Tank Blocker for a Barbecue Grill

Abstract

The inventions disclosed herein relate to frame assemblies for gas barbecue grills which incorporate structures for preventing a consumer from storing replacement fuel tanks on the grill, in order to minimize fire and tipping hazards. Because it is known that many consumers never install or even remove prior art tank blockers, the tank blocker of the present invention is adapted to serve as a function of the grill (in addition to the function of blocking a tank) or to support a component of the grill. The preferred embodiment of the tank blocker described herein is adapted to support a component of the grease management system, namely the grease drip pan. Consequently, it is believed that consumers will be forced to install or will be prevented from removing the tank blocker, lest the grease management system become inoperable (or function improperly), causing grease to spill onto the cart.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other features, aspects, objects, and advantages of the inventions described and claimed herein will become better understood upon consideration of the following detailed description, appended claims, and accompanying drawings where:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an exemplary barbecue grill (one of the doors is removed for clarity) with a preferred embodiment of the gas tank blocker disposed in the interior of the grill cart;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the exemplary barbecue grill cart (the cooking chamber and doors have been removed for clarity) with the preferred embodiment of the gas tank blocker disposed in the interior of the grill cart;

FIG. 3 is a front view of the exemplary barbecue grill cart (the cooking chamber and doors have been removed for clarity) with the preferred embodiment of the gas tank blocker disposed in the interior of the grill cart;

FIG. 4 is a top view of the exemplary barbecue grill cart (the cooking chamber and doors have been removed for clarity) with the preferred embodiment of the gas tank blocker disposed in the interior of the grill cart;

FIG. 5 is a left side view of the preferred embodiment of the gas tank blocker;

FIG. 6 is a front view of the preferred embodiment of the gas tank blocker;

FIG. 7 is a bottom view of the preferred embodiment of the gas tank blocker;

FIG. 8 is a front view of a preferred embodiment of a grease drip tray;

FIG. 9 is a right side view of the preferred embodiment of the grease drip tray;

FIG. 10 is a bottom view of the preferred embodiment of the grease drip tray; and,

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of a grease drip pan.

Claims

1. A barbecue grill assembly comprising: a cooking chamber, a frame assembly, and a tank blocking structure;the frame assembly having an interior and supporting the cooking chamber; and,the tank blocking structure being disposed at and dividing the interior of the frame assembly to create a plurality of compartments, such that only one fuel tank can be disposed on the barbecue grill.

2. The barbecue grill assembly of claim 1 wherein: the tank blocking structure is generally L-shaped, whereby the tank blocking structure has a generally horizontal portion and a generally vertical portion;the generally horizontal portion is affixed to a side of the frame assembly; and,the generally vertical portion is affixed to a bottom of the frame assembly.

3. The barbecue grill assembly of claim 1 wherein the tank blocking structure is linked to a component of the barbecue grill.

4. The barbecue grill assembly of claim 3 wherein component is a grease drip pan.

5. A barbecue grill assembly comprising: a cooking chamber, a frame assembly, and a tank blocking structure;the frame assembly having an interior and supporting the cooking chamber;the tank blocking structure being disposed at and dividing the interior of the frame assembly to create a plurality of compartments, such that only one fuel tank can be disposed on the barbecue grill; and,the tank blocking structure being linked to a grease drip pan of the barbecue grill.

6. A barbecue grill assembly comprising: a cooking chamber, a frame assembly, a tank blocking structure, and a fuel tank;the frame assembly having an interior and supporting the cooking chamber;the fuel tank being disposed at the interior of the frame assembly; and,the tank blocking structure being disposed at and dividing the interior of the frame assembly to create a plurality of compartments, whereby a replacement tank will not fit in any of the plurality of compartments.

7. The barbecue grill assembly of claim 6 wherein the tank blocking structure supports a component of the barbecue grill.

8. The barbecue grill assembly of claim 6 wherein: the tank blocking structure is generally L-shaped, whereby the tank blocking structure has a generally horizontal portion and a generally vertical portion;the generally horizontal portion is affixed to a side of the frame assembly; and,the generally vertical portion is affixed to a bottom of the frame assembly.

9. The barbecue grill assembly of claim 8 wherein the generally horizontal portion is affixed to the side of the frame assembly by at least one weld.

10. The barbecue grill assembly of claim 8 wherein the generally horizontal portion is affixed to the side of the frame assembly by at least one fastener.

11. The barbecue grill assembly of claim 6 wherein the tank blocking structure is linked to a component of the barbecue grill.

12. The barbecue grill assembly of claim 11 wherein the component is a grease drip pan.

13. A barbecue grill assembly comprising: a cooking chamber, a frame assembly, a tank blocking structure, and a fuel tank;the frame assembly having an interior and supporting the cooking chamber;the fuel tank being disposed at the interior of the frame assembly;the tank blocking structure being disposed at the interior of the frame assembly, whereby the tank blocking structure prevents a replacement fuel tank from being disposed at the interior of the frame assembly; and,the tank blocking structure being linked to a component of the grill, whereby the grill will not operate properly if the tank blocking structure is removed.

14. The barbecue grill assembly of claim 13 wherein: the tank blocking structure is generally L-shaped, whereby the tank blocking structure has a generally horizontal portion and a generally vertical portion which compartmentalize the interior of the frame assembly;the generally horizontal portion is affixed to a side of the frame assembly; and,the generally vertical portion is affixed to a bottom of the frame assembly.

15. The barbecue grill assembly of claim 13 wherein the component is a grease drip pan.

16. The barbecue grill assembly of claim 15 wherein the tank blocking structure holds the grease drip pan.

17. A barbecue grill assembly comprising: a cooking chamber, a frame assembly, a tank blocking structure, and a fuel tank;the frame assembly having an interior and supporting the cooking chamber;the fuel tank being disposed at the interior of the frame assembly;the tank blocking structure being disposed at and compartmentalizing the interior of the frame assembly to form a plurality of compartments, whereby a replacement tank will not fit in any of the plurality of compartments; and,the tank blocking structure being linked to a component of the grill, whereby the grill will not operate properly if the tank blocking structure is removed.

18. A barbecue grill assembly comprising: a cooking chamber, a frame assembly, a grease drip tray, a grease drip pan, a tank blocking structure, and a first fuel tank;the frame assembly having an interior defined by a top, a bottom panel, a rear panel, a right side panel, a left side panel, and a front;the frame assembly having at least one door at the front of the frame assembly;the cooking chamber being supported by the frame assembly at the top of the frame assembly;the grease drip tray being disposed below the cooking chamber and having an opening for directing grease into the grease drip pan;the first fuel tank being disposed at the interior of the frame assembly; and,the tank blocking structure being mounted at the interior of the frame assembly and being adapted to support the grease drip pan below the opening of the grease drip tray and to prevent a second fuel tank from being disposed at the interior of the frame assembly.

19. The barbecue grill assembly of claim 18 wherein the tank blocking structure compartmentalizes the interior of the frame assembly.

20. The barbecue grill assembly of claim 18 wherein the tank blocking structure divides the interior of the frame assembly into a plurality of compartments, whereby a replacement tank will not fit in any of the plurality of compartments.

21. The barbecue grill assembly of claim 18 wherein: the tank blocking structure comprises a generally horizontal portion and a generally vertical portion;the generally horizontal portion having a first end and a second end, the first end being affixed to a side panel; and,the generally vertical portion having a upper end and a lower end, the lower end being affixed to the bottom panel and the upper end being affixed to the second end of the generally horizontal portion.

22. The barbecue grill assembly of claim 21 wherein the generally horizontal portion has a recess for holding the grease drip pan.

23. The barbecue grill assembly of claim 21 wherein the generally horizontal portion has a support for holding the grease drip pan.

24. The barbecue grill assembly of claim 21 wherein the side panel is the right side panel, the left side panel, or the rear panel.

25. A barbecue grill assembly comprising: a cooking chamber, a frame assembly, and a tank blocking structure;the frame assembly having an interior and supporting the cooking chamber;the tank blocking structure being disposed at and dividing the interior of the frame assembly to create a plurality of compartments, such that a fuel tank cannot be disposed at the interior of the barbecue grill; and,the tank blocking structure being linked to a component of the barbecue grill.