Canopy Cover Assembly

Abstract

Provided is a canopy cover for a roller grill assembly that works in conjunction with a roller grill food separating device. The canopy includes a pair of support brackets that contact the sidewalls of the roller grill to support the canopy thereon. The canopy support brackets include cutouts for positioning a food separating device on the grill assembly. The configuration of the cutouts allows the food separating device support brackets to rest between the ends of the canopy support brackets and on the roller grill. The canopy further includes a pair of canopy header brackets for supporting a header graphic custom sign positioned above the roller grill. The canopy provides a sanitary cover for a roller grill and a food separating device that permits segregation of food products on the grill surface, protects the food from contaminants, and provides support for an advertising sign.

Claims

1. A canopy cover assembly for a roller grill assembly, comprising: a pair of canopy supports configured to extend above the roller grill assembly; each canopy support comprising at least one bracket adapted to engage with the roller grill assembly; wherein the at least one bracket includes a tab configured to rest upon an upper surface of the roller grill assembly; a top canopy cover attached to the canopy support structures, wherein the top canopy cover is configured to partially enclose the roller grill assembly when secured thereon.

2. The canopy cover assembly of claim 1, further comprising a back canopy cover configured to further partially enclose the roller grill assembly when secured thereon.

3. The canopy cover assembly of claim 1, further comprising a side canopy cover configured to further partially encloses the roller grill assembly when secured thereon.

4. The canopy cover assembly of claim 1, wherein the tab of each of the support brackets is a horizontal tab.

5. The canopy cover assembly of claim 4, wherein each of the support brackets includes a lower portion that extends towards a front and a rear of the roller grill assembly and includes an upper end and a lower end.

6. The canopy cover assembly of claim 5, wherein the horizontal tab is positioned towards the upper end of the lower portion.

7. The canopy cover assembly of claim 6, wherein a horizontal plane of the horizontal tab is perpendicular to a vertical plane of at least one of the support brackets.

8. The canopy cover assembly of claim 6, wherein the lower end of the lower portion forms a lateral tab positioned over an exterior side of the roller grill assembly when the horizontal tab is positioned upon the upper surface of the roller grill assembly.

9. The canopy cover assembly of claim 8, wherein the tab of at least one of the support brackets includes a vertical tab.

10. The canopy cover assembly of claim 9, wherein the vertical tab is configured to extend over a front of the roller grill assembly.

11. The canopy cover assembly of claim 10, wherein the vertical tab extends directly from the horizontal tab.

12. The canopy cover assembly of claim 9, wherein the vertical tab is configured to extend over an interior side of the roller grill assembly.

13. The canopy cover assembly of claim 12, wherein the vertical tab extends directly from the horizontal tab.

14. The canopy cover assembly of claim 1, wherein the tab is in direct contact with the roller grill assembly.

15. The canopy cover assembly of claim 1, wherein the tab is not a clamp-style fastener for coupling to the roller grill assembly wherein the rest on the roller grill assembly void a clamping force.

16. The canopy cover assembly of claim 1, wherein the tab of at least one of the support brackets includes a vertical tab.

17. The canopy cover assembly of claim 16, wherein the vertical tab is configured to extend over a front of the roller grill assembly.

18. The canopy cover assembly of claim 17, wherein the vertical tab extends directly from the horizontal tab.

19. The canopy cover assembly of claim 16, wherein the vertical tab is configured to extend over an interior side of the roller grill assembly.

20. The canopy cover assembly of claim 19, wherein the vertical tab extends directly from the horizontal tab.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTIONS OF THE DRAWINGS

[0021] Although the characteristic features of this invention will be particularly pointed out in the claims, the invention itself and manner in which it may be made and used may be better understood after a review of the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein like numeral annotations are provided throughout.

[0022] FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of the roller grill assembly, food separating device, and canopy cover.

[0023] FIG. 2 shows an exploded view of the roller grill assembly, food separating device, and canopy cover.

[0024] FIG. 3 shows an exploded view of the canopy support brackets, the food separating device support brackets, and the roller grill sidewalls.

[0025] FIG. 4 shows a perspective view of the canopy support brackets and the food separating device support brackets positioned on the roller grill sidewalls.

[0026] FIG. 5 shows a perspective view of the canopy cover.

[0027] FIG. 6 shows a side view of the canopy cover positioned on the roller grill.

[0028] FIG. 7 shows an exploded view of the canopy cover, canopy header brackets, and header graphic custom sign.

[0029] FIG. 8. shows a side view of the canopy cover, canopy header brackets, and header graphic custom sign positioned on the roller grill.

[0030] FIG. 9 shows a perspective view of the canopy cover, canopy header brackets, and header graphic custom sign positioned on the roller grill.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0031] Reference is made herein to the attached drawings. Like reference numerals are used throughout the drawings to depict like or similar elements of the roller grill canopy cover. For the purposes of presenting a brief and clear description of the present invention, the preferred embodiment will be discussed as a sanitary cover for a roller grill assembly and a food separating device. The figures are intended for representative purposes only and should not be considered to be limiting in any respect.

[0032] Referring now to FIG. 1, there is shown a perspective view of the roller grill assembly 11, food separating device 21, and canopy cover 31. The roller grill assembly 11 comprises a housing 12 having a main body 13 and a pair of sidewalls 14 extending above the body 13 and further includes front 15, back 16, side 17, and upper 18 surfaces, a plurality of spaced apart tubular rollers 19 disposed between the sidewalls 14, and a heating element (not shown). Positioned on top of the roller grill assembly 11 is the food separating device 21, comprising a pair of support brackets 22 for supporting the food separating device 21 on the roller grill sidewall upper surfaces 18, a pair of crossover bars 23, and a plurality of separator bars 24 that extend perpendicular to the rollers 19.

[0033] The canopy cover 31 comprises a pair of canopy support brackets 32 extending above the roller grill assembly 11. The brackets 32 contact the front 15, back 16, side 17, and upper 18 surfaces of the roller grill sidewalls 14 to support the canopy 31 when positioned on the roller grill 11. The support brackets 32 further comprise a pair of vertical and horizontal tabs 33, 34 to allow the food separating device support brackets 22 to contact and rest between the canopy support brackets 32 and upon the upper surfaces 18 of the roller grill sidewalls 14 to support the food separating device 21 thereon.

[0034] The canopy cover 31 further comprises a pair of canopy sidewalls 35 attached to the canopy support brackets 32, a front canopy cover 36 attached to the support brackets 32, a back canopy cover 37 attached to the brackets 32, and a top canopy cover 38 attached at either end to the brackets 32 and to the front and back canopy covers 36, 37.

[0035] Referring now to FIG. 2, there is shown an exploded view of the roller grill assembly 11, food separating device 21, and canopy cover 31. The canopy 31 and food separating device 21 are designed to rest upon the upper surfaces 18 of the roller grill sidewalls 14. The food separating device support brackets 22 make contact with and cover a portion of the sidewall upper surfaces 18. Preferably, the support brackets 22 are supported by the central area of the brackets 22, while the vertical and horizontal tabs 33, 34 of the canopy cover 31 make contact with and are supported by the distal ends of the sidewall upper surface 18. When positioned thereon, the combination of the food separating device support brackets 22 and the vertical and horizontal tabs 33, 34 substantially cover the entire surface of the sidewall upper surface 18. This configuration secures the food separating device 21 in position on the roller grill sidewalls 14 and prevents movement thereof.

[0036] Referring now to FIG. 3, there is shown an exploded view of the canopy support brackets 32, the food separating device support brackets 22, and the roller grill sidewalls 14. The canopy cover 31 is held in position on the roller grill sidewalls 14 and over top of the food separating device 21 via the vertical and horizontal tabs 33, 34. The horizontal tabs 33 support the weight of the canopy cover 31 on the roller grill sidewalls 14. The vertical tabs 34 secure the canopy cover 31 and prevent it from sliding along the length of the sidewall upper surface 18. The canopy support brackets 32 preferably extend down and below the vertical tabs 33 to create an L-shaped configuration with the horizontal tabs 34, which prevents the canopy 31 from sliding along the width of the sidewall upper surface 18.

[0037] Referring now to FIG. 4, there is shown a perspective view of the canopy support brackets 32 and the food separating device support brackets 22 positioned on the roller grill sidewalls 14. When positioned on the roller grill 11, the canopy support brackets 32 and vertical and horizontal tabs 33, 34 cover the front 15, back 16, side 17, and upper 18 surfaces of the roller grill sidewalls 14. As is clearly illustrated, the support brackets 22 of the food separating device 21 and the canopy support brackets 32 are both supported on the upper 18 surface of the sidewall 14. As best illustrated in FIG. 3, the support bracket 22 of the food separating device 21 comprises a pair of cutouts 42 on the terminal ends that permit the horizontal tab 34 to share the upper 18 surface of the sidewall 14. As shown, there can be a small gap 41 between the horizontal tab 34 and the support bracket 22. Alternatively, the tab 34 and the support bracket 22 can be configured to cover the entire upper 18 surface so that edges of the tab 34 and the support bracket 22 contact one another.

[0038] Referring now to FIG. 5, there is shown a perspective view of the canopy cover 31. The cover 31 comprises a pair of canopy support brackets 32 that each include a pair of vertical and horizontal tabs 33, 34, a pair of canopy sidewalls 35 attached to the support brackets 32, a front canopy cover 36 attached to the brackets 32, a back canopy cover 37 attached to the brackets 32, and a top canopy cover 38 attached at either end to the brackets 32 and to the front and back canopy covers 36, 37. The canopy cover 31 primarily functions as a sneeze guard to prevent contamination of food that is cooking on the roller grill assembly. As can be appreciated, consumers and/or workers that cough or sneeze within close proximity of the grill assembly may inadvertently spread bacteria, viruses, and the like onto the grill and the food cooking thereon. The canopy sidewalls 35, front cover 36, back cover 37, and top cover 38 substantially create a barrier around the grill surface, thereby preventing the spread of contaminants thereto.

[0039] Preferably, the walls of the canopy cover 31 are constructed of a transparent plastic material, such as polycarbonate. Alternatively, the walls of the canopy cover 31 can be constructed from a translucent or solid material, and may be formed from plastic, metal, and the like. The walls of the canopy cover 31 are preferably attached to the brackets 32 via screws 51, however the brackets 32 and walls can be glued together or molded from a single piece of material.

[0040] Referring now to FIG. 6, there is shown a side view of the canopy cover 31 positioned on the roller grill 11. The canopy support brackets 32 support the cover 31 on the sidewalls 14 of the grill 11. As shown, the vertical tabs 33 extend down and make contact with the front and back 15, 16 surfaces of the sidewalls 14. As many roller grills include a sloped sidewall configuration, any canopy resting thereon is liable to slide forward and fall off the grill. The vertical tabs 33 secure the canopy 31 in position on the sidewalls 14 and prevent the canopy 31 from moving along the length of the sidewalls 14. Additionally, the support brackets 32 extend down below the surface of the sidewalls 14 and make contact with the side surface 17. As can be appreciated, the contact created between the support brackets 32 and side surface 17 prevents the canopy 11 from moving along the width of the sidewalls 14. Also shown is the space 61 between the canopy sidewalls 35 and the support brackets 32, which permits air to flow under the canopy 11 to prevent heat buildup that could otherwise be caused by the heating element.

[0041] Referring now to FIG. 7, there is shown an exploded view of the canopy cover 31, canopy header brackets 71, and a header graphic custom sign 72. In addition to protecting the food contained on the roller grill, the canopy 31 further functions as an advertising platform by supporting a header sign 72. The canopy header bracket 71 supports the header sign 72 above the posterior end of the canopy 31. The bracket 71 includes a lower section 73 comprising a pair of apertures 74 for accepting a screw, an upper section 75 comprising a J-shaped channel 76 for accepting and supporting the face 77 and side 78 of the header sign 72, and a shelf 79 for supporting the end 80 of the header sign 72. The shelf 79 is created by a bend between the upper section 75 and lower section 73 that enables support of the header sign 72 when positioned thereon.

[0042] The canopy header bracket 71 attaches to the support bracket 32 via screws 51 that also function to hold the back canopy cover 37 in position. The back canopy cover 37 is positioned between the support bracket 32 and the canopy header bracket 71. Alternatively, the bracket 71 can be formed as an extension of the support bracket 32. The header sign 72 is supported between the J-shaped channels 76 and rests on the shelf 79. As can be appreciated, the header sign 72 is constructed with a thickness that enables placement within the J-shaped channels 76 and with a width that matches the width of the header brackets 71 to allow for support thereby. The header sign 72 can be easily secured in position via the header brackets 71 by sliding the sides 78 of the sign 72 into the J-shaped channel 76 until the end 80 rests on the shelf 79. No fasteners are required for supporting the sign 72, which provides for quick insertion, removal, and replacement thereof.

[0043] Referring now to FIG. 8, there is shown a side view of the canopy cover 31, canopy header brackets 71, and header graphic custom sign 72 positioned on a roller grill 11. As is evident from the provided side view, the sidewalls 14 of roller grills 11 have a slope, which in turn causes the canopy cover 31 to similarly slope. The slope of the canopy cover 31 would in turn cause the header sign 72 to slope, which would be aesthetically displeasing. To prevent the header sign 72 from sloping, the header brackets 71 include a bend between the upper section 75 and lower section 73 (as best illustrated in FIG. 7) that enables the header sign 72 to be positioned at 90 degrees with respect to the surface that the roller grill 11 is positioned on. As can be appreciated, an advertising sign, such as the header sign 72, that is positioned perpendicular to a surface, such as a table or floor, is more aesthetically pleasing than a sign that cannot be properly viewed due to it being angled towards the ground.

[0044] Referring now to FIG. 9, there is shown a perspective view of the canopy cover 31, canopy header brackets 71, and header graphic custom sign 72 positioned on the roller grill 11. The header graphic custom sign 72 is positioned at the back end of the canopy cover 31 and provides a means for advertising. Non-limiting examples of the advertising means can include the brand of the store the grill 11 is contained in, the brand of the food items provided for sale on the grill 11, the price of the food items available for purchase on the grill 11, or a promotional/seasonal sign related to the food items on the grill 11. The header sign 72 can be constructed from any desired material, including cardboard, plastic, metal, and the like. Additionally, the header sign 72 may include any desirable indicia, such as artwork, logos, or letters and numbers printed thereon. Alternately, the header sign 72 may include a writable surface (such as those found on a dry-erase board or chalkboard), a ferromagnetic surface for displaying magnetic indicia, or a solid surface that various indicia can be attached to.

[0045] As discussed above, the header sign 72 can be easily secured in position via the header brackets 71 without requiring fasteners or another permanent mounting solution. This support system allows the header sign 72 to be quickly installed and removed without the need for specialized tools or equipment. As can be appreciated, this system affords a user with the ability to remove and replace header signs 72 as often as desired. A non-limiting example would be the use of a first sign to advertise for a lunch special, and a second sign that is used later in the day to advertise for a dinner special.

[0046] Overall, the present invention provides a new and improved canopy cover for a roller grill assembly that works in conjunction with a roller grill food separating device. The canopy support brackets are designed to allow for simultaneous use of a food separating device. Use of a canopy and food separating device protects food from contaminants caused by coughing and sneezing while also segregating the food products to prevent cross contamination that can be caused by mixing cooked and uncooked food. The canopy further provides a support system for supporting an advertising sign that can be quickly attached and removed as needed. It is therefore submitted that the instant invention has been shown and described in what is considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiments. It is recognized, however, that departures may be made within the scope of the invention and that obvious modifications will occur to a person skilled in the art.

[0047] With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by the present invention.

[0048] Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.