This disclosure is related to removable griddles for use in connection with a gas cooking product. More particularly, the disclosure relates to a large capacity griddle for use on high output burners.
Removable griddles for stove cooktops have been available for use with conventional gas ranges. Traditional removable griddle designs have been relatively small in capacity (100 to 125 sq-in) and are generally used over burners with relatively low ratings (5K to 10K BTUs). Typical prior art griddles are generally used over one or two burners to promote even heating distributions but are generally smaller than desired. Larger style griddles have typically been constrained to permanent griddle designs where u-tube or other geometrically shaped burners can be used effectively to provide more even heating and control.
Past attempts to increase the size and capacity of removable griddles have heretofore been unsuccessful in achieving uniform heating and/or a griddle that can pass various performance and safety tests typically required of today's cooking appliances. Therefore, a consumer is presented with a choice: a smaller/lower capacity removable griddle; or a larger/higher capacity permanent griddle that permanently consumes stovetop space.
The present disclosure provides a removable larger/higher capacity griddle for a stovetop that overcomes the deficiencies of the prior art griddles noted above. The large capacity removable griddle can be used in conjunction with one or more high BTU output burners, and includes a number of features that allow for the large capacity griddle to be used on a gas range. These features include, among other things, a flange extending from a bottom surface of the griddle for locating the griddle on an associated range, and for deflecting and/or otherwise channeling heat from an associated burner to regions of the griddle and deflecting heat from adjacent range structures such as a rear control panel.
According to one aspect, a large capacity removable griddle for use in conjunction with one or more burners of an associated stove comprises a griddle body having an upper cooking surface and a lower surface adapted to face one or more burners of the associated stove, upwardly extending side walls surrounding at least a portion of the cooking surface, at least one flange extending downwardly from the lower surface of the griddle body, said flange surrounding at least a portion of at least two sides of the lower surface. The flange includes a plurality of recesses for receiving respective fingers of a burner support of the associated stove, the plurality of recesses being spaced apart along at least two sides of the flange such that when respective fingers are received at said recesses, the griddle is restricted from lateral and transverse movement in the plane of the cooking surface. The flange is adapted to channel heat towards a central portion of the griddle.
The at least one flange can further comprise both a front flange and a rear flange, each flange at least partially surrounding at least a portion of two sides of the burner when the griddle is installed thereon. The front and rear flanges can have a vertical dimension of between approximately 0.5″ and 2.5″ for spacing the lower surface of the griddle body from the one or more burners of the associated stove a desired amount. When the griddle is supported on the burner support, the flange is configured so as to not extend below the bottom of the fingers of the burner support. The griddle can include at least one gap between the front and rear flanges for venting heat from below the griddle body to an exterior of region. The at least one flange and the griddle body can be a unitary structure, such as may be formed via a casting process. In this regard, the griddle can be a monolithic structure made of cast iron.
At least one of the plurality of recesses and the at least one flange can have a shape corresponding to a profile of a burner finger of the associated stove. For example, the shape can include a semi-circular shape, or an oblong shape. The at least one flange can include a rear flange extending along a back edge and at least a portion to adjacent side edges of the lower surface of the griddle body. The rear flange can extend along one side edge and extends along the other side edge. A front flange can extend along a front edge of said lower surface. The griddle can include front and rear handles extending outwardly from the upwardly extending side walls located at front and rear edges of the griddle body. The front and rear handles can be formed integrally with the griddle body and the at least one flange. The side walls can extend relative to the upper cooking surface at an angle between about 45 and 90 degrees from vertical.
In accordance with another aspect, a stove comprising at least one burner, a burner support including a plurality of support fingers surrounding said burner, and a large capacity removable griddle as set forth above, at least partially supported on said burner support is provided. The at least one burner or burners can have a combined rating of at least 19,000 BTU's.
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The stove 10 generally includes a base portion 12 which can include an oven as is conventional, and the stovetop 14 that includes the plurality of burners 16. The burners 16 are each covered by burner supports 18 designed to support pots, pans, and as will be described in more detail below, the griddle 20. Each burner support includes a plurality of cantilevered fingers 22 that extend from a perimeter towards a central portion of a respective burner 16. The top surface of each finger 22 is generally aligned in a common plane to present a flat surface upon which to place pots, pans, etc. The fingers 22 cooperate with corresponding features on a bottom surface of the griddle 20 to interlock the griddle and restrict lateral movement relative to the stove 10.
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Both the front flange 44 and rear flange 48 have a vertical dimension that is chosen to locate the lower surface 32 of the griddle 20 a desired distance from the burners 16. The desired spacing between the lower surface 32 and the burners 16 may vary due to the size of the griddle and/or the heating capacity of the burner 16. In general, however, the flanges 44 and 48 will have a vertical dimension such that the lower surface 32 will be spaced apart from the burners 16 a distance between 0.5″ to 2.0″ and preferably approximately 1.25″. As seen in
As will be appreciated, the front flange 44 is generally continuous across the front edge of the grill 20. This serves to reflect and/or redirect heat generated by the burners 16 so as to reduce temperature adjacent the front side of the griddle 20 that could otherwise be projected towards a user. Similarly, the rear flange 48, being continuous across the backside of the griddle 20, reflects and/or redirects heat generated by the burner 16 towards the central portion of the griddle and away from the adjacent structure of the stove. The side portions of rear flange 48 also operate to reflect and/or redirect heat generated by the burners 16 toward central portions of the griddle 20.
As noted previously, one of the side portions of the rear flange 48 extends further along its respective side of the lower surface 32. By configuring the sides of the rear flange in such manner, heat generated by the burners 16 is redirected to a peripheral edge of the stove and away from an operator and/or adjacent stove components. As will be appreciated, other configurations of the flanges are possible for deflecting and or redirecting heat generated by associated burners, depending on the specific application.
As will now be appreciated, the present disclosure provides a large capacity griddle having a surface area greater than 150″ that can be used over one or more burners having a combined BTU per hour rating of 19,000. The griddle 20 includes front and rear flanges 44 and 48 that both locate the griddle relative to the burners and act to reflect and/or redirect heat generated by the burners so as to maintain a more uniformly heated griddle cooking surface as well as to avoid unacceptably high temperatures adjacent the griddle that may impact the stove structure and/or present a hazard to an operator.
The invention has been described with reference to the preferred embodiments. Obviously, modifications and alterations will occur to others upon reading and understanding the preceding detailed description. It is intended that the invention be construed as including all such modifications and alterations.