U.S. patent application number 10/465252 was filed with the patent office on 2003-12-25 for food cooker.
Invention is credited to Fitzgerald, Christian.
Application Number | 20030234014 10/465252 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 29740224 |
Filed Date | 2003-12-25 |
United States Patent
Application |
20030234014 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Fitzgerald, Christian |
December 25, 2003 |
Food cooker
Abstract
A method and apparatus for charcoal cooking of food utilizing a
cook base and a removable cover mating with the cook base. The
cooker has a substantially sealed interior cooking chamber for
cooking food and an exterior portion with one charcoal heat source
near the bottom of the cook base and another charcoal heat source
on top of the removable cover, thereby separating the food and the
fire.
Inventors: |
Fitzgerald, Christian;
(Atlanta, GA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
GARDNER GROFF, P.C.
PAPER MILL VILLAGE, BUILDING 23
600 VILLAGE TRACE
SUITE 300
MARIETTA
GA
30067
US
|
Family ID: |
29740224 |
Appl. No.: |
10/465252 |
Filed: |
June 19, 2003 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
60390483 |
Jun 21, 2002 |
|
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Current U.S.
Class: |
126/25R ;
126/9R |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47J 33/00 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
126/25.00R ;
126/9.00R |
International
Class: |
F24B 003/00; A47J
037/00 |
Claims
I claim:
1. A charcoal-fired food cooker for cooking food comprising: a cook
base and a removable cover mating therewith, together defining an
interior cooking chamber for cooking food; the cook base including
an external heat source comprising a first charcoal container for
containing charcoal, the first charcoal container being positioned
near a lower portion of the cook base; and the removable cover
including an external heat source comprising a second charcoal
container for containing charcoal.
2. A charcoal-fired food cooker as claimed in claim 1 wherein the
second charcoal container is positioned near a top portion of the
removable cover.
3. A charcoal fired food cooker as claimed in claim 1 wherein the
first charcoal container comprises an annular ledge fitted about
the outside of the cook base.
4. A charcoal-fired food cooker as claimed in claim 1 wherein the
cook base includes a floor and a food support for supporting food
above the floor.
5. A charcoal-fired food cooker as claimed in claim 4 wherein the
food support comprises a vertical post extending upwardly from the
floor.
6. A charcoal-fired food cooker as claimed in claim 4 wherein the
food support comprises a horizontal grate.
7. A charcoal-fired food cooker as claimed in claim 4 further
comprising a removable drip pan positioned above the floor.
8. A charcoal-fired food cooker as claimed in claim 1 wherein the
cook base and the removable cover together are substantially
cylindrical.
9. A charcoal-fired food cooker as claimed in claim 1 wherein at
least one of the cook base and the removable cover is substantially
dome-shaped.
10. A charcoal-fired food cooker as claimed in claim 1 wherein the
cook base and the removable cover together are substantially
egg-shaped.
11. A charcoal-fired food cooker as claimed in claim 2 wherein the
second charcoal container comprises a concave depression formed in
the removable cover.
12. A charcoal-fired food cooker as claimed in claim 1 wherein the
first charcoal container is spaced above a bottom most portion of
the cook base.
13. A charcoal-fired food cooker as claimed in claim 1 wherein the
removable cover is substantially ellipsoid.
14. A charcoal-fired food cooker as claimed in claim 1 wherein the
cook base and the removable cover are substantially
frustoconical.
15. A charcoal-fired food cooker as claimed in claim 1 wherein the
cook base and the removable cover are substantially
parallelepiped.
16. A cooker for cooking food comprising: a cook base including
walls defining an interior and exterior of the cook base, a
combustible heat source containment area substantially next to the
exterior of the. cook base, a food piece containment area in the
interior portion of the cook base; and a removable cover including
a top and walls wherein the cover is able to be mated to the cook
base.
17. The food cooker of claim 16 wherein the removable cover
includes an exterior heat source containment area.
18. The food cooker of claim 16 wherein the cook base comprises a
bottom further defining the interior and exterior of the cook base,
the bottom having external legs extending downwardly for supporting
the cook base.
19. The food cooker of claim 16 wherein a drip pan is removably
placed on the interior portion of the bottom of the cook base.
20. The food cooker of claim 16 further comprising a food support
post extending from the bottom of the cook base.
21. The food cooker of claim 16 further comprising at least one
middle section having walls defining an interior and exterior
portion and able to be mated to the cook base at one end and to the
removable cover at the other end.
22. The food cooker of claim 16 wherein the middle section defines
an interior food containment area.
23. The food cooker of claim 16 wherein at least a portion of the
cooker is substantially cylindrical.
24. The food cooker of claim 16 wherein the cooker is substantially
egg-shaped.
25. The food cooker of claim 16 wherein at least a portion of the
cooker is substantially frustoconical.
26. The food cooker of claim 16 wherein at least a portion of the
cooker is substantially dome-shaped.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application claims the priority benefit of U.S.
Provisional Patent Application No. 60/390,483, filed Jun. 21, 2002,
which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0002] The present invention relates generally to a cooking device,
and more specifically to a charcoaled-fired cooking device wherein
the food is cooked without direct exposure to the fire.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] A multitude of outdoor cookers have been created, presumably
in hopes of improving the culinary quality and/or the ease of the
cooking. For example, the following patents disclose various
apparatuses and methods of cooking food in a device.
[0004] U.S. Pat. No. 4,924,845 of Johnson relates to a solid fuel
cooker comprising upper and lower paraboloid-shaped members. The
inner surface of the upper member (cover) focuses both radiant
energy and convective heat around the item to be cooked situated in
the upper portion of the apparatus. The upper portion of the cooker
also includes a vent and a cap that serves both as a cover and as a
measuring device for lighter fluid. The lower member (receptacle)
houses the heating source. This invention provides means for
concentrating the flow of air in an upward motion through the vent
located at the top of the cooker.
[0005] U.S. Pat. No. 5,404,864 of Kent, Jr. relates to a portable
outdoor cooking system which includes a combustion tube that houses
an elongate fire chamber surrounding adjustable flaps which control
the tube's intake and outflow of air. Food is placed across the
upper opening of the tube for receiving the outflow of heat from
the tube.
[0006] U.S. Pat. No. 5,649,477 of Lingwood relates to an outdoor
cooking device comprising two or more heat sources located at the
bottom portion of the device, means for supporting the food to be
cooked above the heat sources, and a baffle between the food and
the heat source so as to prevent drippings from the food from
falling onto the heat source (thereby avoiding "flame-up").
[0007] U.S. Pat. No. 5,687,704 of Lerch, et al. relates to a
portable grill having upper and lower conical-shaped inverted
housings. The upper housing includes a grilling section supporting
a grate for supporting charcoal or other solid fuel. The lower
conical-shaped housing acts as a receptacle. The apertures are
positioned in such a way as to provide convective-type heat
transfer for cooking.
[0008] U.S. Pat. No. 5,752,497 of Combs, et al. relates to a
portable outdoor cooking assembly utilizing a flue and damper
mechanism.
[0009] U.S. Pat. No. 5,797,386 of Orr relates to a portable cooking
device containing an open top and a burner housing located at the
bottom portion of the device. A cooking grate is disposed on top of
the burner housing and can be adjusted for obtaining two different
cooking heights.
[0010] U.S. Pat. No. 3,823,174 of Andress relates to a portable
cooking device containing an L-shaped open body, the bottom portion
of which includes a grate for holding food, while the rear portion
contains a vertically arranged fire chamber.
[0011] U.S. Pat. No. 5,842,463 of Hall relates to a portable camp
stove having a fuel support grate positioned at the bottom of a
combustion-chamber. Fuel is added to the chamber from the top and
air is drawn into the chamber through a ring of intake
apertures.
[0012] U.S. Pat. No. 6,095,130 of Faraj relates to a grill having
horizontal shelves positioned along sidewalls for holding charcoal
vertically along the sides in order to surround the item being
cooked.
[0013] U.S. Pat. No. 6,138,661 of Cooper relates to a portable
cooking stove comprising a bowl-shaped grate and a supporting
column. The bowl is designed to hold burning wood or coal and
includes holes for allowing air to pass through the bottom of the
bowl to combust the coals. A cooking apparatus, such as a skillet,
can be rested on the upper edge of the bowl for cooking.
[0014] U.S. Pat. No. 6,213,006 of Reardon relates to an outdoor
portable grill containing a heat source at a bottom portion
thereof, a cooking grate at the top portion and a heat-funnel
positioned between the heat source and cooking grate.
[0015] U.S. Pat. No. 6,289,795 of McLemore, et al. relates to a
cooking apparatus having a base pan for the heating element, a main
body element located in the middle of the apparatus for containing
the food to be cooked, and a cover supported by the base pan.
[0016] The just-described patents disclose many different
cooker/grill arrangements. Each of the preceding arrangements has a
heat source, in some cases a flame, which is directly exposed to
the food. It can be appreciated that this type of direct-heat
cooking can cause the food to dry out, as well as risk
over-charring, flame-ups, or outright burning of the food. Moreover
when the food piece is in the same basic container as the fuel, the
container cannot be sealed as the fuel needs an open container to
allow for oxygen for burning of the fuel, which as discussed,
allows the food item to more quickly lose moisture and dry out.
[0017] Therefore, there yet is a need for a cooking apparatus and
system that allows for the cooking of food outdoors without the
flame or heat source being directly exposed to the food to be
cooked. It is to the provision of such an apparatus that the
present invention is primarily directed.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0018] Briefly described, in a preferred form the present invention
comprises a charcoal-fired cooker for cooking food. The cooker
includes a cook base and a removable cover mating therewith.
Together, the cook base and the removable cover define an interior
cooking chamber for cooking food. The cook base includes an
external heat source. The external heat source comprises a first
charcoal container for containing charcoal positioned near a lower
portion of the cook base. The removable cover includes another
external heat source, held in a second charcoal container for
containing charcoal.
[0019] So constructed, the charcoal-fired cooker cooks food in an
indirect manner effectively and quickly. In this regard, the food
is never directly exposed to the burning charcoal. Rather, the heat
from the charcoal heats up the cook base and the removable cover
from the outside. These heated parts then warm the air inside the
interior cooking chamber to cook the food. The inventor has found
this provides excellent results.
[0020] Preferably, the charcoal-fired cooker is shaped to be
substantially cylindrical, substantially dome-shaped, or
substantially egg-shaped. Also preferably, the cook base includes a
floor and a food support for supporting food above the floor. In
one form, the food support can be a vertically extending post. In
another form, the food support can be a horizontally extending
grate. Optionally, the cook base can include a removable drip pan
positioned atop the floor.
[0021] Optionally, the cooker can include a middle portion that
contains a grate or other means for supporting food pieces. The
middle portion is placed between the lower and the upper portions.
This arrangement facilitates the cooking of more than one type of
food pieces. For example, a turkey or chicken could be cooked in
the lower portion, and vegetables could be cooked or steamed in the
upper portion.
[0022] Another option would be the inclusion of a pan to hold
water, which assists in maintaining of the humidity level within
the chamber, which allows, in part, the steaming of food pieces and
helps to keep the food from drying out.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0023] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a food cooker in a first
preferred form of the invention.
[0024] FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the food
cooker of FIG. 1 with the top and bottom portions thereof
separated.
[0025] FIG. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the food
cooker of FIG. 1 showing expected heat flow patterns with the top
and bottom portions are mated.
[0026] FIG. 4 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a food cooker
in an alternate form of the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0027] In describing the embodiments of the present invention,
specific terminology is employed for the sake of clarity. However,
the invention is not intended to be limited to the specific
terminology so selected. Moreover, in the drawing figures like
reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the several
views.
[0028] Turning the reader's attention to FIG. 1, in a first
embodiment a charcoal-fired cooker 100 has a cook base 30 and a
cover 40. The cook base 30 has a side portion to which handles 32
are affixed. It can be preferable to fabricate handles 32 of
non-heat conducting, or minimally heat conducting, material to
lessen the risk of burns of the user.
[0029] Examples of such materials would be wood and plastic. The
cook base 30 preferably is attached to or placed in a fire ring 20.
It may be preferable to have fire ring 20 be a separate piece from
the cook base 30 to assist in ease of cleaning and parts
replacement. Also, it can be preferable to provide clips, sockets,
sliders or the like to removably mate the fire ring 20 to the cook
base 30.
[0030] An annular ledge 24 is fitted around the fire ring 20. The
annular ledge 24 should be designed to protect the area beneath the
food cooker 100 from the heat generated by the food cooker 100.
Design criteria for the annular ledge 24 can include appropriate
thickness, non-heat conducting or low heat conducting material, as
well as providing a lip around the edge of the ledge 24 to assist
in preventing the soot and ash and other materials from spilling
from the fire ring 20 and falling below the ledge 24. As with the
fire ring 20 being mated to the cook base 30, the fire ring 20 can
be attached or mated in a similar fashion to the ledge 24.
[0031] To assist in placement and transport, the handles 22 are
affixed to the ledge 24. As with handles 32, the handles 22 can be
made of non- or low-heat conducting material. Alternatively the
handles 22 may be attached to the fire ring 20. In the present
embodiment, the ledge 24 is a plate that covers the entire bottom
of the cook base 30 and the fire ring 30, thereby acting as a
floor. This can be preferable as it assists in providing heat
transfer through the underside of the cook base 30.
[0032] Support legs 26 are affixed to the bottom of the ledge 24.
Support legs 26 should provide sufficient clearance of the food
cooker 100 from the ground to reduce the risk of fire under and
around the food cooker 100. It is preferable to have at least three
legs for stability of the food cooker 100 as one skilled in the art
would appreciate that tipping of the food cooker 100 during use is
highly undesirable.
[0033] Charcoal fire 10a is placed inside of the fire ring 20,
which allows the charcoal fire 10a to be in contact with, or be
juxtaposed to the cook base 30. Other embodiments include utilizing
different combustible heat sources in place of charcoal, including
wood. Preferably, the location of the fire ring 20 and the charcoal
fire 10a on cook base 30 is near the bottom to facilitate heat
transfer to the ledge 24 or to the floor of the cook base 30.
[0034] Cover 40 is placed on, and preferably mated to, the top of
cook base 30. Cook base 30 and cover 40 should be mated as to
prevent communication between the fire, which is external to the
cooker 100, and the food, which is internal to the cooker 100. This
mating can be done with groves, latches, sliders, notches or
combinations thereof as well as with similar means. Cover 40 can
have handles 42 affixed to the side portions of the cover 40 to
allow for removal from the cook base 30 as well as for transport.
Cover 40 has a concave top 44 that provides for placement of the
charcoal fire 10b. In the present embodiment, upper ring 46 is
utilized to protect against the spillage of charcoal fire 10b. As
with the charcoal fire 10a, the alternatives to charcoal fire 10b
include utilizing different combustible heat sources in place of
charcoal, including wood. It should be noted that one or both of
the charcoal fire 10a-b could use alternative fuel sources.
[0035] Now turning to FIG. 2, the reader should direct his or her
attention to the depiction of the cross-sectional view of the food
cooker 100. Cover 40 is removed from the cook base 30. The inner
portion of the cook base 30 is placed ______ drip pan 34.
Substantially in the center of drip. pan 34, and substantially
perpendicular from the ledge 24 is placed post 36. Post 36 can
include fork(s) 38 that assists in holding the food item 200 above
drip pan 34. Food item 200 can be a turkey, chicken, roast or the
like. Alternatives to post 36 may include a grate, basket, skewer
or the like that would be substantially parallel to ledge 24. This
may include notches or other canaliculations, fillets, edges,
brackets or the like on the interior of the sides of the cook base
30 which will allow placement of grates, baskets, skewer or the
like which will act as an alternative food containment means.
[0036] As shown in FIG. 3, it is believed that the charcoal fire
10a results in creating first a heat flow 310 which would radiate
along the ledge 24 and up from the side walls of the cook base 30,
continuing upwards as heat flow 312. Conversely, the charcoal fire
10b has first heat flow 320 which flows along the concave top 44
and down the side walls of removable top 40, continuing downwards
as heat flow 322. The reader should note that while heat flows
310-322 are approximate and hypothetical in nature, a convection
flow is present in and around the food cooker 100. Heat flows
310-322 therefore provide sufficient heat to cook the food item 200
sufficiently, while assisting in the prevention of possible
"flare-ups" from grease dripping on the flame present in the
charcoal or other typical flareups commonly associated with the
burning of a food item in other food cookers.
[0037] As the mating of the cook base 30 and the removable top 40
preferably assists in preventing the escape of moisture from the
cooker 100, food item 200 will not likely dry out, as much as in
typical food cookers. Other embodiments of use would include the
placing of an appropriate amount of water in a drip pan to provide
higher moisture content in the inner portion of the food cooker
100. As concave top 44 is concave, the collection of the moisture
would be at the lowest point of the concave top 44 and then would
drip downward into drip pan 34. Drip pan 34 will therefore not only
collect the grease and fat drippings from the food item 200, but
also water falling from the concave top 44.
[0038] An alternative preferred embodiment of the food cooker 100
is shown in FIG. 4. FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view of the food
cooker 100, where lower middle portion 50 and upper middle portion
60 are mated, as shown, to cook bottom 30 and removable top 40
respectively, as well as to one another.
[0039] As shown, the lower middle portion 50 has handles 52 on the
exterior portion and bracket 54 on the interior portion. Basket 56
rests on the bracket 54. Food items 210 can be inside basket 56.
These may include carrots, potatoes, other vegetables and the like.
Alternatively, the food items 210 can hold fish, pork, or other
such food items. Basket 56 may then include a top portion that
would be placed on top of food item 210. The upper middle portion
60 also has handles 62 on the on the exterior portion and bracket
64 on the interior portion. Bracket 64 can be made larger so that
it is capable of holding in place skewer 66 so that food items 220
can be placed on it. Food items 220 can include cube meat, onions,
tomatoes, peppers and the like. Alternative to skewer 66 could be a
grate, grill or the like which would allow for placing food items
220 directly on top.
[0040] Splash guard 39 is placed on the post 36 over the food item
200. As discussed previously, moisture will likely collect and drip
from the concave top 44 near the center axis of the food cooker
100. This would lead to dripping on the food item 200. In the
present embodiment, slash guard 39 will direct the moisture,
typically essentially water to the outside of the drip pan and
collection in water collection 230. Conversely, the grease and fat
drippings from the food item 200 will collect in the grease
collection 202.
[0041] As discussed prior, during use of the food cooker 100 and
prior to lighting of charcoal 10a-b, it can be preferable to add
water to the water collection 230 to increase the moisture content
inside the food cooker 100.
[0042] Additionally, it can be preferable to provide appropriate
size slash guards in middle portions 50, 60.
[0043] When using the food cooker 100 it can be preferable to place
the food item 200 in cook base 30 along with any needed drip pan
34, post 36, forks 38 and slash guard 39. Also at this time, it is
a preferable time to add water to the water collection 230, if
desired. Alternative embodiments of the cook base 30 may include
utilizing baskets, grills, skewers, grates or the like.
[0044] One will then mate lower middle portion 50 with the cook
base 30. One would then place basket 56 of the bracket 54 and then
food item 210 in the basket 56. As mentioned, a splash guard and/or
top basket can be placed on the food item 210 and this point.
[0045] Then one will mate the upper middle portion 60 with the
lower middle portion 50, once again placing the skewer 66 (or one
of the previously discussed alternatives) onto the bracket 64. If
one uses the skewer 66, then the food items 220 should be skewered
on the skewer 66 just prior to the placement on the bracket 64.
When preparing the skewer 66 with the food items 220 it would
preferable to have the middle of the skewer 66 to not contain any
food items 220, as the skewers 66 will be typically laid in the
horizontal plane as each skewer 66 with a vertical rotation about
the center of one another to give an appearance similar to bicycle
spokes. As the skewers 66 will intersect substantially at the
center of each of skewer 66, it is preferable that no food item 220
is in the way. The removable top 40 is then mated to the upper
middle portion 60.
[0046] The charcoal fire 10a is created or placed in the fire ring
20 and the charcoal fire 10b is created or placed in the concave
top 44.
[0047] The food items 200-220 are then cooked the appropriate times
and then removed and enjoyed.
[0048] Finally, it will be understood that the preferred embodiment
has been disclosed by way of example, and that other modifications
may occur to those skilled in the art without departing from the
scope and spirit of the appended claims.
* * * * *