EFFICIENT UNDER-FIRED BROILER AND GRILL APPARATUS

Abstract

An under-fired grill includes a grate formed with a spaced plurality of metal burner shields each having a curved top support surface and two downward extending legs, wherein food is placed directly on the grate formed by a plurality of top support surfaces of the burner shields for cooking. Each burner shield includes an integrated burner formed below the top support surface.

Claims

1. An under-fired grill comprising: a grate formed with a plurality of metal burner shields each having a curved top support surface and two downward extending legs, wherein food is placed directly on the grate formed by a plurality of top support surfaces of the burner shields for cooking; an integrated burner formed within each burner shield below the top support surface.

2. The under-fired grill of claim 1 wherein the integrated burner is formed with a plurality of apertures located along a top surface of the integrated burner.

3. The under-fired grill of claim 1 wherein the integrated burner is formed with a plurality of apertures located along and around a surface of the integrated burner.

4. The under-fired grill of claim 1 wherein the integrated burner is formed with a metal mesh along a top half of the integrated burner.

5. The under-fired grill of claim 1 wherein the integrated burner is formed of a tube of metal mesh.

6. The under-fired grill of claim 1 wherein the integrated burner is formed of a ceramic tube.

7. The under-fired grill of claim 1 wherein the integrated burner is formed of a metal foam.

8. The under-fired grill of claim 1 wherein the integrated burner comprises a ribbon burner.

9. The under-fired grill of claim 1 wherein the grate comprises five or more burner shields and associated integrated burners.

10. The under-fired grill of claim 1 wherein the burner shields further comprise a plurality of holes or slots.

11. An under-fired grill comprising: a grate formed with a plurality of burner shields each having a top support surface and two downward extending legs, spaced equally across a length of the grill, wherein food is placed directly on the grate formed by a plurality of the top support surfaces of the burner shields for cooking; a corresponding plurality of integrated burners, each integrated burner of the corresponding plurality formed within each burner shield below the top support surface.

12. The under-fired grill of claim 11 wherein the burner shields each include a curved top support surface.

13. The under-fired grill of claim 11 wherein the burner shields each include a peaked top support surface.

14. The under-fired grill of claim 11 wherein the burner shields each include a flat top support surface.

15. The under-fired grill of claim 11 wherein the burner shields each include a triangular cross-section.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0008] Objects and features of this invention will be better understood from the following description taken in conjunction with the drawings, wherein:

[0009] FIG. 1 is a schematic side view of a burner according to one preferred embodiment;

[0010] FIG. 2 is a schematic front view of the burner shown in FIG. 1;

[0011] FIG. 3 is a schematic front view of a plurality of burners according to one preferred embodiment;

[0012] FIG. 4 is a schematic top view of the plurality of burners shown in FIG. 3;

[0013] FIG. 5A is a schematic front view of a burner shield according to one preferred embodiment;

[0014] FIG. 5B is a schematic front view of a burner shield according to one preferred embodiment;

[0015] FIG. 5C is a schematic front view of a burner shield according to one preferred embodiment;

[0016] FIG. 5D is a schematic front view of a burner shield according to one preferred embodiment;

[0017] FIG. 5E is a schematic front view of a burner shield according to one preferred embodiment;

[0018] FIG. 6A is a schematic side view of a section of a burner according to one preferred embodiment;

[0019] FIG. 6B is a schematic side view of a section of a burner according to one preferred embodiment; and

[0020] FIG. 6C is a schematic side view of a section of a burner according to one preferred embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0021] The subject design preferably involves a series of slender long tube burners, one burner tube for each grate on the charbroiler/grill surface, such as shown in FIGS. 1-4. Instead of two or three large burners located several inches underneath the grate, as in traditional grill and under-fired charbroiler designs, the subject invention preferably includes a separate burner for each metal grate on the grill surface. It is understood that for the purposes of this invention, the terms grill and charbroiler are used interchangeably in the following description and the claims.

[0022] As shown in the figures, an under-fired grill as described preferably includes a grate 10 formed with a plurality of burner shields 20. As used herein, burner shields preferably comprise an inverted elongated trough formed of metal that is open or closed at each end. Each burner shield 20 preferably includes a top support surface 30 and two downward extending legs 40. The resulting assembly of a plurality of spaced parallel burner shields 20 thereby forms the grate 10 wherein food 5 is placed directly on the grate 10 formed by a plurality of top support surfaces 30 of the burner shields 20 for cooking, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4.

[0023] The grate 10 preferably comprises five or more burner shields 20 and associated integrated burners 50. The burner shields 20 are preferably formed of metal and may be cast, extruded or otherwise formed into a desirable inverted trough shape. The burner shields 20 may be solid or may further comprise a plurality of holes or slots formed therein. Holes or slots may be added to the burner shields 20 to improve the heat transfer to the food being cooked.

[0024] As shown in FIGS. 5A-5E, the burner shields 20 may comprise a variety of different cross-sections. As shown in FIGS. 5A and 5C, the burner shield 20 may include a curved top support surface 30. Alternatively, as shown in FIGS. 5B and 5D, the burner shield 20 may include a peaked top support surface 30, such as with a torpedo or triangular cross-section, respectively. Still additionally, as shown in FIG. 5E, the burner shield 20 may include a flat top support surface 30.

[0025] Unlike traditional gas fired grills or broilers that contain one to three burners, the subject invention includes an integrated burner 50 formed within each burner shield 20 below the top support surface 30. Each burner 50 as described would be located a short distance under the grate 10 onto which the food 5 is cooked, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. Instead of traditional metal rods forming a conventional grate, a grate 10 according to one embodiment would include multiple burner shields 20 forming a grate 10 and each containing a burner 50 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. The grate 10 is heated by the respective burners 50, transferring heat to the food being cooked by conduction, and the curved surface of the burner shields 20 also radiates heat to the surface of the food. It is anticipated that in addition to heating the burner shields 20 for conduction heat transfer and radiant heat transfer, heat would still move around and in between the burner shields 20 to transfer heat through standard convection heat transfer, as shown schematically in the arrows flowing from the burner shields 20 to the food 5 in FIG. 3.

[0026] The burners 50 could be a cast metal with drilled holes, standard stamped metal with holes or pierced ports or a meshed metal fiber with one or several burner tubes extending from a single base where air and fuel enter the burner. Another design could use a premixed burner with a blower to attain the needed combustion air. The integrated burner 50 may be as a tube having a plurality of apertures located along a top surface of the integrated burner, such as shown schematically in FIG. 1. Alternatively, the integrated burner 50 is formed with a plurality of apertures located along and around a surface of the integrated burner, such as shown in FIG. 6A. In yet another embodiment, the integrated burner 50 is formed with a metal mesh along a top half of the integrated burner 50, such as shown in FIG. 6B. In still another embodiment, the integrated burner 50 is formed of a tube of metal mesh, such as shown in FIG. 6C.

[0027] The integrated burner 50 may be formed of a heat resistant metal or alternatively may be ceramic, a metal foam, or may comprise a ribbon burner.

[0028] The proposed design still produces the unique charbroiler taste and grill marks associated with standard grills or broilers. Preferable spacing of the burner shields 20 and integrated burners 50 according to this invention will permit placement of food on the burners without falling between while still permitting the spacing required for effective heat transfer. In addition, the burners 50 are positioned in sufficient proximity to the respective grates to permit desirable heat transfer and still avoid flare-ups and cold spots or hot spots within the grill.

[0029] While in the foregoing detailed description this invention has been described in relation to certain preferred embodiments thereof, and many details have been set forth for purposes of illustration, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the invention is susceptible to additional embodiments and that certain of the details described herein can be varied considerably without departing from the basic principles of the invention.

[0030] Moreover, those skilled in the art and guided by the teachings herein identified, described or discussed will understand and appreciate that the subject development encompasses a variety of features and is thus capable of manifestation in a variety of specific forms or embodiments and is thus not to be construed as limited to the specific forms or embodiments herein identified or described.