Patent Application
20200107676
The following includes information that may be useful in understanding the present disclosure. It is not an admission that any of the information provided herein is prior art nor material to the presently described or claimed inventions, nor that any publication or document that is specifically or implicitly referenced is prior art.
The present invention relates generally to the field of barbeque cooking of existing art and more specifically relates to fuel lighters.
Cooking using a charcoal fired barbecue is an effective and satisfying means of preparing a meal. Proponents of barbecue cooking often prefer the health advantages, taste preferences, or involved technique provided by cooking with a barbecue. However, many people avoid charcoal fired barbecue cooking simply because they find it difficult, messy, or inconvenient. In particular, lighting the charcoal can present a dreaded chore for many. Charcoal briquettes can be difficult to light using simply a match or other light flame sources, and it can also be messy trying to light the briquettes in the basin underneath the barbecue grill. Flammable fluids may make lighting easier but can be hazardous and produce an unpleasant taste in the food prepared using those briquettes. The storage and safe use of flammables presents potential fire danger. These consumable materials must be repurchased adding to event expense. This difficulty in lighting charcoal briquettes may be one of the primary reasons that propane and electric cooking methods are often chosen over barbecue cooking. A suitable solution is desired.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,197,455 to Ross Tessien relates to a charcoal starter. The described charcoal starter includes an improved charcoal starter that employs a grate having a conical shaped charcoal briquette receiving and stacking portion, to permit an enhanced rise of heat to impact the coals to get them to burn. The heat may come from paper kindling as conventionally disposed beneath the grate, or from a resistance heater element built into the grate. The grate may resemble a witch's hat with the retaining disk being the brim and a conical portion being disposed thereon, both with suitable apertures therein; or the grate can be made of suitable wire. The grate may be permanently mounted within the starter's cylindrical body or be removable therefrom.
In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known fuel lighter art, the present disclosure provides a novel resistive charcoal igniter system and method which is friendlier to the environment. The general purpose of the present disclosure, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a resistive charcoal igniter system and method.
Disclosed is a resistive charcoal igniter device for containing and igniting charcoal briquettes, particularly in preparation for use in a barbeque. The device has a cylindrical container with a wire base or tray in the bottom for containing the briquettes. An electrically operated resistive heating element is located within the wire base. When briquettes are placed in the container and the heating element is energized, the charcoal briquettes can be ignited after a sufficient time. The device also includes a handle affixed to the container and a heat shield placed between the handle and the container to protect a user's hand from heat generated within the container while holding the handle. The resistive heater is powered externally and may be electrically connected to a power source by an extension cord integrated into the device.
According to another embodiment, a method of igniting charcoal briquettes is also disclosed herein. The method of igniting charcoal briquettes includes providing the above-described device, inserting one or more briquettes into the cylinder through the top-end, depositing briquettes onto the tray, plugging the cord into a power source such as a wall outlet, heating the resistive heating element, igniting the briquettes by means of their proximity to the resistive heating element, and dispensing the briquettes into a cooking device.
For purposes of summarizing the invention, certain aspects, advantages, and novel features of the invention have been described herein. It is to be understood that not necessarily all such advantages may be achieved in accordance with any one particular embodiment of the invention. Thus, the invention may be embodied or carried out in a manner that achieves or optimizes one advantage or group of advantages as taught herein without necessarily achieving other advantages as may be taught or suggested herein. The features of the invention which are believed to be novel are particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in the concluding portion of the specification. These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following drawings and detailed description.
The figures which accompany the written portion of this specification illustrate embodiments and methods of use for the present disclosure, a resistive charcoal igniter system and method, constructed and operative according to the teachings of the present disclosure.
The various embodiments of the present invention will hereinafter be described in conjunction with the appended drawings, wherein like designations denote like elements.
As discussed above, embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a fuel lighter and more particularly to a resistive charcoal igniter system and method as used to improve the lighting of charcoal briquettes for a barbecue.
The resistive charcoal igniter system includes a device for containing and igniting charcoal briquettes, particularly in preparation for use in a barbeque. The device includes a cylindrical container with a wire base in the bottom for containing the briquettes. The cylinder may be constructed of galvanized sheet steel and have apertures providing ventilation and airflow.
An electrically operated resistive heating element is located within the wire base. When briquettes are placed in the container and the heating element is energized, the charcoal briquettes can be ignited after sufficient time. The device also includes a handle affixed to the container and a heat shield placed between the handle and the container to protect a user's hand from heat generated within the container while holding the handle.
The resistive heater is powered externally and may be electrically connected to a power source by an extension cord integrated into the device. A power button may be included for switching the resistive heater on and off when the device is connected to a power source. No fan or forced circulation means is necessary; rather, the device utilized concentrated heat and passive ventilation to ignite the briquettes. Advantageously, the device incorporates a power supply providing options between four and six hundred watts to the resistive heating element, thereby encouraging reliable ignition.
In use, a user may simply connect the device to a voltage source, place briquettes within the cylinder, activate the heating element, and wait for the briquettes to ignite. Thus, the device does not need to be constantly monitored to verify ignition success. The briquette may be subsequently used for cooking in a barbecue if desired.
The features of the invention which are believed to be novel are particularly pointed out in the specification. The present invention now will be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, which are intended to be read in conjunction with both this summary, the detailed description and any preferred and/or particular embodiments specifically discussed or otherwise disclosed. This invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided by way of illustration only and so that this disclosure will be thorough, complete and will fully convey the full scope of the invention to those skilled in the art. The resistive charcoal igniter system may include a cylinder, a handle, a heat shield, an articulated auxiliary handle, a tray, a resistive heating element, a power cord, and ventilation apertures.
The cylinder may be a thin hollow shell, preferably constructed of sheet metal. The handle may be coupled to the cylinder, providing a safe and rigid means of holding, lifting, and manipulating the cylinder. The ventilation apertures may be of sufficient size to greatly increase airflow through the cylinder and to encourage combustion within the cylinder. The articulated auxiliary handle may be a metal rod which is bent in a U-shape. The articulated auxiliary handle may be attached to the heat shield using two hooks which are integral to the articulated auxiliary handle and pass through apertures in the heat shield. The hooks may rotate within the apertures, thereby enabling the articulated auxiliary handle to move.
The power cord may act to electrically couple the resistive heating element to a voltage source. Preferably, the power cord includes a 120-volt type power plug, such as a NEMA-1 or a NEMA-5 plug able to connect to a household wall outlet. Accordingly, the power cord may include internal conduits comprising power, neutral, and ground. The power cord may further include a voltage regulator, a power switch, a transformer, or any combination thereof in various embodiments. The power cord may pass directing through an interior of the handle.
The handle itself may be constructed of plastic, metal, or a combination thereof. Preferably, the handle includes a sheet metal core having a first strut and a second strut, which each are rigidly coupled to the cylinder. A plastic handle may either couple the first strut and the second strut, or simply circumscribe the sheet metal core if the first strut and the second strut are integral to each other. The plastic handle may be sufficiently insulating to allow a user to comfortably grasp the handle even when combustion has been occurring within the cylinder for some time. The first and second struts may couple to the cylinder via screws, rivets, or other means. The first and second struts may take the shape of straight, flat bands with angled end pieces connecting to the cylinder.
The tray may be disposed within the bottom of the cylinder. In a preferred embodiment, the tray is composed of one or more metal rods which are bent to form a permeable support. However, the spaces within the tray are not large enough to allow briquettes to pass through the tray. In this way, the tray may reliably support one or more briquettes, while also enabling ample airflow to pass through the tray to encourage combustion within the cylinder. Because the tray in disposed within one end of the cylinder, the other end of the cylinder remains open, such that a user may deposit briquettes within the cylinder via the open end opposite the tray.
The resistive heating element may be mounted to or be integral to the tray. In a preferred embodiment, the tray includes three separate extension mounted at one end to the cylinder and disposed proximally to the resistive heating element which are structured to regulate the proximity of the briquettes to the resistive heating element. These three extensions may be affixed to two concentric rings which provide strength and rigidity to the tray. The resistive heating element may produce heat when energized by a voltage source. The heat may be sufficient to ignite a charcoal briquette in contact with or in proximity to the resistive heating element. Preferably, the resistive heating element has an output of approximately four to six hundred watts.
The heat shield may be disposed between the handle and the cylinder, and may be rigidly mounted to the handle, the cylinder, or both. The heat shield is preferably constructed of a material having a low emissivity, such as sheet steel or aluminum. The heat shield may help shield a user's hand from heat generated within the cylinder when the user is grasping the handle. The heat shield may be contoured around the cylinder to more effectively isolate heat away from the handle. Preferably, the cylinder is perforated, the perforations being the afore-mentioned ventilation apertures. The exact specifications, materials used, and method of use of the resistive charcoal igniter system may vary upon manufacturing.
Referring now more specifically to the drawings by numerals of reference, there is shown in
In some embodiments, cylinder 110 comprises galvanized sheet steel. Other highly reflective and radiant materials, such as aluminum or stainless steel, may be used alternatively. Heat shield 130 may be sandwiched between handle 120 and cylinder 110. Heat shield 130 may be constructed of a highly reflective metal. A highly reflective material may include metals having an emissivity ratio under 0.2. Device 100 may also include a plurality of circular ventilation-apertures 116 perforating cylinder 110. Plurality of circular ventilation-apertures 116 may provide sufficient passive airflow in cylinder 110 to enable combustion of charcoal briquette 5 within cylinder 110. Preferably, power cord 170 passes directly through an interior of handle 120, as illustrated.
Heat shield 130 may also include first-aperture 136 and second-aperture 138 perforating heat-shield 130. First-aperture 136 may be dimensioned and positioned to receive first-hook 144 of articulated auxiliary handle 140, and second-aperture 138 may likewise be dimensioned and positioned to receive second-hook 146 of articulated auxiliary handle 140. First-aperture 136 and second-aperture 138 may mirror each other over handle 120, with one being disposed on a left side of heat shield 130, and the other on the right.
Power cord 170 may include a 120-volt type power plug conforming to the NEMA-1 plug standard and alternatively the a NEMA-5 plug standard. This 120-volt type power plug may be able to removably couple to a household wall outlet and receive current thereby. In some embodiments, power cord 170 may also include voltage regulator 172 configured to limit the voltage applied to resistive heating element 160, power switch 174 able to selectively apply current to resistive heating element 160 only when engaged, and transformer 176 able to convert an alternating current signal to a direct current signal. Device 100 may also include a power supply adapter able to selectively provide four hundred watts to resistive heating element 160. Power supply adapter may be composed of one of the following, or a combination thereof: power cord 170, voltage regulator 172, power switch 174, and transformer 176. Various electric and electronic combinations or additions may be implemented. A system imparting four hundred watts to resistive heating element 160 has been found to be an unexpectedly advantageous solution and is the preferred method. Various electric and electronic control or timer components may be added. Resistive heating element wattage up to six hundred watts may be used in various configurations. Some of these components may be omitted, however. For example, some embodiments do not require either voltage control or on/off switches.
It should be noted that the steps described in the method of use can be carried out in many different orders according to user preference. The use of “step of” should not be interpreted as “step for”, in the claims herein and is not intended to invoke the provisions of 35 U.S.C. § 112(f). It should also be noted that, under appropriate circumstances, considering such issues as design preference, user preferences, marketing preferences, cost, structural requirements, available materials, technological advances, etc., other methods for light charcoal briquettes for a barbecue, are taught herein.
The embodiments of the invention described herein are exemplary and numerous modifications, variations and rearrangements can be readily envisioned to achieve substantially equivalent results, all of which are intended to be embraced within the spirit and scope of the invention. Further, the purpose of the foregoing abstract is to enable the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and the public generally, and especially the scientist, engineers and practitioners in the art who are not familiar with patent or legal terms or phraseology, to determine quickly from a cursory inspection the nature and essence of the technical disclosure of the application.
The present application is related to and claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/742,219 filed Oct. 5, 2018, which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 62742219 | Oct 2018 | US |
