Cooking grates and grills incorporating such grates

Abstract

Cooking grates and grills incorporating such cooking grates are provided. A representative cooking grate includes: a plurality of elongate elements of heat resistant material, the elements being V-shaped in transverse cross-section, each of the elements having a first lower edge, a second lower edge and a vertex, the first lower edge and the second lower edge being spaced from each other with the vertex being located therebetween, the vertex being operative as a cooking surface to support food during cooking on the cooking grate; corresponding adjacent lower edges of adjacent ones of the elements being oriented to define gaps therebetween such that a first of the gaps, defined by a first lower edge of a first element and a second lower edge of a second element, exhibits a width of between approximately 5% and approximately 18% of a distance between the first lower edge and the second lower edge of the first element.

Claims

1. A cooking grate for reducing flare-ups, comprising: a plurality of elongate elements of heat resistant material in close proximity to each other, the elements having an inverted V shape in transverse cross-section in that (a) each of the elements has an upper vertex, (b) a lower portion of each of the elements has a first linear side which slopes outwardly as it extends downward and an opposite second linear side which slopes outwardly as it extends downward, the first linear side and the second linear side each having a lower edge, and (c) each of the elements further comprises an upper portion having an inverted U shape in transverse cross section wherein the inverted U shape of the upper portion comprises (i) a pair of spaced apart, parallel, vertical sides having upper ends and (ii) a curved top, wherein the curved top includes the upper vertex and extends between the upper ends of the vertical sides; the lower edges of the first and the second linear sides of each of the elements being spaced from each other by a distance which defines a bottom width of the elements; the upper vertex of each of the elements being located above and between the lower edges of the first and the second linear sides of the elements with the upper vertices of the elements forming a cooking surface to support food during cooking on the cooking grate; the grate being formed of a continuous sheet of material with said elements being integrated therein such that downwardly projecting V-shaped corrugations are formed between the elements which each taper to a bottom point in transverse cross-section to form bottom vertices of the downwardly projecting V-shaped corrugations, wherein the bottom vertices extend longitudinally between the elements; and openings are provided in the bottom vertices of the downwardly projecting V-shaped corrugations, each of the openings having a width, as viewed in transverse cross-section, of between 5% and 18% of the bottom width of the elements which restricts airflow through the grate and more evenly distributes (i) an upward convective flow of hot gases and (ii) radiant heat.

2. The cooking grate of claim 1, wherein the openings provided in the bottom vertices comprise a series of slots between each adjacent pair of the elements.

3. The cooking grate of claim 2, wherein the slots of the series of slots between each adjacent pair of the elements are oriented in a linear, end-to-end configuration in the bottom vertices.

4. The cooking grate of claim 1, wherein the lower edges of the first and the second linear sides of each of the elements extend parallel to each other.

5. The cooking grate of claim 1, wherein: the cooking grate further comprises a rail defining an outer periphery of the cooking grate; and the elements are supported by the rail.

6. The cooking grate of claim 5, wherein: the rail is a first rail; the cooking grate further comprises a second rail; and the elements extend between the first rail and the second rail.

7. The cooking grate of claim 1, wherein each of the elements has a bottom opening between the lower edges of the first linear side and the second linear side of the elements.

8. The cooking grate of claim 1, wherein the width of the openings is between 5% and 12% of the bottom width of the elements.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) Many aspects of embodiments of the present disclosure can be better understood with reference to the following drawings. The components in the drawings are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the present disclosure. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views.

(2) FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a prior art embodiment shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,355,780 to Campbell.

(3) FIG. 2 is an isometric view of a prior art cooking grate.

(4) FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing hamburgers being cooked on a prior art cooking grate with an open-grate configuration.

(5) FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing hamburgers being cooked on an embodiment of a cooking grate with a closed-grate configuration.

(6) FIG. 5 is an isometric section view of an embodiment of a cooking grate with a closed-grate configuration.

(7) FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional end view of another embodiment of a cooking grate with a closed-grate configuration.

(8) FIG. 7 is an isometric section view of another embodiment of a cooking grate with a closed-grate configuration.

(9) FIG. 8 is an isometric section view of another embodiment of a cooking grate with a closed-grate configuration.

(10) FIG. 9 is an isometric section view of another embodiment of a cooking grate with a closed-grate configuration.

(11) FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional end view of another embodiment of a cooking grate with a closed-grate configuration.

(12) FIG. 11 is Table 1A for a Standard Cast Iron Open Grate.

(13) FIG. 12 is Table 1B for a standard Cast Iron Open Grate (Central Portion Only).

(14) FIG. 13 is Table 2A for a Sample Closed-Configuration Grate.

(15) FIG. 14 is Table 2B for a closed configuration Grate (Central Portion Only).

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(16) Cooking grates and grills incorporating such cooking grates are provided that are configured for reducing flare-ups. In this regard, in some embodiments, the cooking grate incorporates elements with narrow gaps between the elements. By way of example, the gaps of some embodiments may be between 5% and 18% of the widths of the elements forming the gaps. In some of these embodiments, the elements can be configured as inverted V-shaped elements, with the vertices of the elements being used as the cooking surfaces for supporting the cooking food.

(17) In the past, cooking grates of the substantially open type have made of stamped sheet metal in the form of inverted V-shaped elements with spaces in between. In these open-grate configurations, the spaces between the elements are of a similar magnitude as the width of the elements. An example of this is shown in FIG. 2, which is an isometric view of a prior art cooking grate 30, with elements 32 and 34 being adjacent elements and a space or gap 33 being located therebetween.

(18) In FIG. 3, another prior art cooking grate with an open-grate configuration is depicted. Specifically, grate 40 is being used to cook hamburgers (e.g., hamburger 42) with a significant degree of flare-ups being present (e.g., note flames 44). Note that the space between elements (e.g., space 47 between elements 46 and 48) is rather wide in comparison to the width of the elements themselves.

(19) In order to create a simple but effective way of reducing the effects of flare-ups, creating more even heat across the cooking grate surface, and/or increasing the contribution of infrared heating in the cooking of the food, grate elements are brought into substantially close and defined proximity to each other. This produces a qualitatively different type of performance than achieved with the prior art designs in that the distance between the elements becomes so small, flame suppression characteristics are evident, such as depicted in FIG. 4. Specifically, FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing hamburgers (e.g., hamburger 102) being cooked on an embodiment of a cooking grate (100) with a closed-grate configuration. Note the reduced spacing between elements. For example, elements 104 and 106 define a narrow space or gap 105.

(20) In addition, the relatively restricted air flow across the entire plan of the cooking grate tends to equalize the relatively uneven upward convective flow of gases produced by burners, such as conventional convective burners of the front-to-back tubular type or side-to-side type, for example.

(21) FIG. 5 is an isometric section view of an embodiment of a cooking grate with a closed-grate configuration. As shown in FIG. 5, grate 110 includes a series of elongate cooking elements (e.g., elements 112, 114) that are arranged in a side-by-side orientation. Each of the elements is generally V-shaped (although inverted in use) when viewed in transverse cross-section. Specifically, as viewed in cross-section, each of the elements includes a pair of segments (generally linear in shape), each of which terminates in an edge. By way of example, element 116 includes segments 118, 120. Segment 118 terminates in edge 119, and segment 120 terminates in edge 121. The edges of each element are parallel.

(22) A vertex 122 is located at the intersection of the segments. In this embodiment, vertex 122 is curved. Various other shapes of segments and vertices can be used in other embodiments.

(23) Gaps (e.g., gap 124) are formed between adjacent elements. As such, the gaps in the embodiment of FIG. 5 are parallel gaps. Each of the gaps exhibits a width of between approximately 5% and approximately 18%, preferably between approximately 5% and 12%, of the width of a corresponding element. Notably, as used herein, the width of an element is the distance between the edges of the element.

(24) The improvement in heat distribution gained by using a dosed-grate configuration, such as the embodiment of FIG. 5, instead of an open grate is shown by comparing tests with data reproduced in Tables 1A, 1B and 2A, 28 below, in which the data points in the tables geographically correspond to thermocouple positions. By way of example, temperature measured at the back left of the grate is 788° F., whereas temperature at the front right is 699° F. See FIG. 11.

(25) As shown in Table 1A, the standard deviation of the population is 42.2, with an average temperature of 717° F. Also, due to the thermocouple locations on the periphery being close to the outside edges of the firebox, which is cooled by contact with ambient air, it is justifiable to measure the central portion of the grate separately. See FIG. 12.

(26) Thus, by using only the data from the central portion of the grate, the standard deviation of the population is 39.5, with an average temperature of 711° F.

(27) In contrast, an exemplary embodiment of a closed-configuration grate tested as shown in FIG. 13.

(28) As shown in Table 2A, the standard deviation of the population is 45.6, with an average temperature of 704° F. Again, due to the thermocouple locations on the periphery being close to the outside edges of the firebox, which is cooled by contact with ambient air, it is justifiable to measure the central portion of the grate separately. See FIG. 14.

(29) Thus, by using only the data from the central portion of the grate, the standard deviation of the population is 16.3, with an average temperature of 745° F. Notably, the standard deviation of the temperature of the central (cooking) portion of the tested closed-configuration grate is less than half of that for the open-configuration grate.

(30) The temperature difference between the lower edge of the inverted V-shaped element of the embodiment of FIG. 5 and the top of the vertex has also been measured and calculated using computational fluid dynamics tools. The measurements are shown in Table 3 below.

(31) TABLE-US-00001 TABLE 3 Location Measured temps. (° F.) Avg. Grate Top 665 549 527 513 650 527 572 Grate Btm 814 672 684 660 798 684 719 Difference 149 123 157 147 148 157 147

(32) Notably, the lower edges of the elements are heated substantially more than the vertices that contact the food. Therefore, the temperature of food contact can be at a level that sears but does not burn while the hotter lower edges can radiate to the food at close range with a higher temperature.

(33) In order to define a grate that functions to the above description, we start by noting that the grate geometry is defined by an upper vertex and two lower edges that can form, in some embodiments, a simple inverted V-shape as shown in FIG. 6. In this regard, FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional end view of another embodiment of a cooking grate with a closed-grate configuration, in which the distance A represents the width of an element and distance B represents width of a corresponding gap. As can be seen in the drawing figure, the lower edges of any two adjacent grate elements are disposed in substantially the same plane and thus the gaps between any two lower edges of any two adjacent grate elements are substantially in the same plane.

(34) Other embodiments, which can provide the same or similar functions, can maintain the relationship between these three points while exhibiting a form other than a straight line connecting the points. For example, straight line geometry approaching the vertex can be replaced by a curved segment, such as depicted in the embodiment of FIG. 7.

(35) As shown in FIG. 7, grate 150 includes a series of elongate cooking elements (e.g., elements 152, 154) that are arranged in a side-by-side orientation. Each of the elements is generally V-shaped (although inverted) when viewed in transverse cross-section. Specifically, as viewed in cross-section, each of the elements includes a pair of segments (generally linear in shape), each of which terminates in an edge. By way of example, element 156 includes segments 158, 160, with a vertex 162 being located at the intersection of the segments. Segment 158 terminates in edge 159, and segment 160 terminates in edge 161. Notably, the portion of the element that incorporates the vertex is generally an inverted U-shaped portion; however, the overall V-shape of the element cross-section is maintained.

(36) In the embodiment of FIG. 7, rails are included to maintain the relative positions of the elements. Although only one rail 166 is depicted in FIG. 7, this embodiment includes opposing rails, with the outer periphery of the grate being rectangular.

(37) Another embodiment of a grate is depicted in FIG. 8. Although the embodiment of FIG. 8 incorporates a similar element cross-section to that depicted in FIG. 7, grate 200 of FIG. 8 exhibits a circular periphery. Clearly, various other shapes can be used in other embodiments.

(38) FIG. 9 is an isometric section view of another embodiment of a cooking grate with a closed-grate configuration. In contrast to the previous embodiments, the embodiment of FIG. 9 includes elements that are joined at the edges. Specifically, grate 220 includes a series of elements (e.g., 222, 224), with a corresponding set of gaps being located between adjacent ones of the elements. Each set of gaps (e.g., set 226, 228) includes a linear arrangement of the gaps although other arrangements can be used in other embodiments. Note also that, in this embodiment, the spacing (e.g., 230) between adjacent gaps (e.g., 232, 234) of a particular set is slightly longer than the length of a gap. This too can vary among embodiments.

(39) It is also possible to manufacture a grate of a closed-grate configuration from a single large stamping rather than multiple separate sections. In this case, the embodiment of FIG. 9, for example, could be formed by a series of slots pierced in line along the bottom vertex of the material that forms a continuous set of V-shaped corrugations. The choice of which approach to take will depend on judgment as to manufacturing cost and complexity, ease of cleaning and/or other factors not directly related to the performance characteristics mentioned above.

(40) FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional end view of another embodiment of a cooking grate with a closed-grate configuration. As shown in FIG. 10, the relationship of B/A can be maintained with a design that includes a closed (or nearly so) cross-section. Note that, in contrast to previous embodiments that include elements with terminating lower edges, the edges (e.g., edges 250, 252) of an inverted V-shaped element (e.g., element 254) are spanned by a bottom wall (e.g., wall 256). This provides a hollow element. As noted hereinabove in the description of FIG. 6, the lower edges of any two adjacent grate elements are disposed in substantially the same plane and thus the gaps between any two lower edges of any two adjacent grate elements 254 are substantially in the same plane.

(41) It should be noted that the embodiments shown are depicted as if made of sheet metal. However, various other materials can be used. Notably, any type of suitable heat resistant material such as, but not limited to, stainless steel, porcelain coated steel, titanium, cast iron, cast steel or other materials. Additionally or alternatively, the elements could be formed of solid material in contrast to relatively thin skinned embodiments (e.g., FIG. 10), without significantly altering the performance characteristics deriving from the fundamental geometry.

(42) It should be emphasized that the above-described embodiments are merely possible examples of implementations set forth for a clear understanding of the principles of this disclosure. Many variations and modifications may be made to the above-described embodiments without departing substantially from the spirit and principles of the disclosure. All such modifications and variations are intended to be included herein within the scope of this disclosure and protected by the accompanying claims.