U.S. patent application number 10/790354 was filed with the patent office on 2005-09-01 for cooking device with a warming compartment.
Invention is credited to Lin, Chia-Chun, Lin, Fang-Chuan, Liu, Ta-Chi.
Application Number | 20050189341 10/790354 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 34827574 |
Filed Date | 2005-09-01 |
United States Patent
Application |
20050189341 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Lin, Fang-Chuan ; et
al. |
September 1, 2005 |
COOKING DEVICE WITH A WARMING COMPARTMENT
Abstract
A cooking device includes a base plate, a cooking plate mounted
on and cooperating with the base plate to define a receiving space
therebetween and formed with at least a drain hole in fluid
communication with the receiving space, and a partition unit
mounted on the base plate within the receiving space and dividing
the receiving space into a warming compartment that is adapted to
receive food therein so as to warm the food during cooking, and an
oil compartment that is isolated from the warming compartment and
that is adapted to receive oil, which is formed on the cooking
plate as a result of cooking and which is drained through the drain
hole in the cooking plate.
Inventors: |
Lin, Fang-Chuan; (Tainan
City, TW) ; Liu, Ta-Chi; (Pan-Chiao City, TW)
; Lin, Chia-Chun; (Kaohsiung City, TW) |
Correspondence
Address: |
LADAS & PARRY LLP
224 SOUTH MICHIGAN AVENUE
SUITE 1600
CHICAGO
IL
60604
US
|
Family ID: |
34827574 |
Appl. No.: |
10/790354 |
Filed: |
March 1, 2004 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
219/450.1 ;
219/468.1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47J 37/0605 20130101;
A47J 37/0676 20130101; A47J 36/2483 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
219/450.1 ;
219/468.1 |
International
Class: |
H05B 003/70 |
Claims
1. A cooking device, comprising: a base plate; a cooking plate
mounted on and cooperating with said base plate to define a
receiving space therebetween and formed with at least a drain hole
in fluid communication with said receiving space; and a partition
unit mounted on said base plate within said receiving space and
dividing said receiving space into a warming compartment that is
adapted to receive food therein so as to warm the food during
cooking, and an oil compartment that is isolated from said warming
compartment and that is adapted to receive oil, which is formed on
said cooking plate as a result of cooking and which is drained
through said drain hole in said cooking platel wherein said
partition unit is drawable from said receiving space and includes a
food tray and an oil-receiving tray, each of which has a base wall
and a peripheral wall extending transversely from said base wall to
confine a respective one of said warming compartment and said oil
compartment; and wherein said food tray is formed with a handle
that extends outwardly of said receiving space therefrom.
2. (canceled)
3. The cooking device of claim 1, wherein said base plate is formed
with a retaining recess that receives fittingly said base wall of
said food tray.
4. (canceled)
5. The cooking device of claim 1, wherein said base wall of said
oil-receiving tray has a central portion that protrudes outwardly
and transversely therefrom, said base plate being formed with a
retaining recess that receives fittingly said central portion of
said base wall of said oil-receiving tray.
6. The cooking device of claim 5 wherein said oil-receiving tray is
formed with a handle that extends outwardly of said receiving space
therefrom.
7. (canceled)
8. (canceled)
9. The cooking device of claim 1, wherein said cooking plate has a
heating member embedded therein.
10. The cooking device of claim 1 wherein said cooking plate
defines a cooking surface and is formed with a plurality of ribs
that project from said cooking surface in said transverse
direction.
11. (canceled)
12. (canceled)
13. The cooking device of claim 1, wherein said base plate has two
opposite sides, each of which is formed with a shoulder, said base
wall of said food tray having two opposite sides, each of which is
formed with a step that is seated on said shoulder of a respective
one of said sides of said base plate.
14. The cooking device of claim 1, wherein said cooking plate
defines a cooking surface, said base plate being formed with a
stage that projects therefrom into said receiving space in a
transverse direction relative to said cooking surface and that
cooperates with said base plate to define a mounting recess
therebetween for receiving said base wall of said food tray, said
base wall of said oil-receiving tray having a bottom end that is
formed with a tray retaining recess, said stage having a top end
that is received fittingly in said tray retaining recess in said
bottom end of said base wall of said oil-receiving tray.
15. A cooking device, comprising: a base plate; a cooking plate
mounted on and cooperating with said base plate to define a
receiving space therebetween and formed with at least a drain hole
in fluid communication with said receiving space; and a partition
unit mounted on said base plate within said receiving space and
dividing said receiving space into a warming compartment that is
adapted to receive food therein so as to warm the food during
cooking, and an oil compartment that is isolated from said warming
compartment and that is adapted to receive oil, which is formed on
said cooking plate as a result of cooking and which is drained
through said drain hole in said cooking plate; wherein said cooking
plate defines a cooking surface, said cooking device further
comprising a stand including a plurality of posts, each of which is
connected to and extends from said base plate in a transverse
direction relative to said cooking surface, and each of which has a
top end face formed with a retaining groove, said cooking plate
having two opposite ends and two opposite lugs extending oppositely
and respectively from said ends, each of said lugs being formed
with a plurality of retaining protrusions that protrude therefrom
in said transverse direction and that extend into and that engage
said retaining grooves in the respective ones of said posts.
16. A cooking device, comprising: a base plate; a cooking plate
mounted on and cooperating with said base plate to define a
receiving space therebetween and formed with at least a drain hole
in fluid communication with said receiving space; and a partition
unit mounted on said base plate within said receiving space and
dividing said receiving space into a warming compartment that is
adapted to receive food therein so as to warm the food during
cooking, and an oil compartment that is isolated from said warming
compartment and that is adapted to receive oil, which is formed on
said cooking plate as a result of cooking and which is drained
through said drain hole in said cooking plate; wherein said cooking
plate defines a cooking surface, said base plate having two
opposite end walls that extend in a transverse direction relative
to said cooking surface, said cooking device further comprising a
stand including a plurality of posts that are connected to said
base plate and that extend in said transverse direction, and two
opposite U-shaped connecting bars, each of which interconnects an
adjacent pair of said posts and each of which defines an elongated
retaining trough, said end walls of said base plate extending into
and engaging respectively said troughs in said connecting bars.
17. A cooking device, comprising: a base plate; a cooking plate
mounted on and cooperating with said base plate to define a
receiving space therebetween and formed with at least a drain hole
in fluid communication with said receiving space; and a partition
unit mounted on said base plate within said receiving space and
dividing said receiving space into a warming compartment that is
adapted to receive food therein so as to warm the food during
cooking, and an oil compartment that is isolated from said warming
compartment and that is adapted to receive oil, which is formed on
said cooking plate as a result of cooking and which is drained
through said drain hole in said cooking plate; wherein said
receiving space defines a space height extending from said base
plate to said cooking plate, said peripheral wall of each of said
food tray and said oil-receiving tray having a top end, said base
wall of each of said food tray and oil-receiving tray having a
bottom end, each of said food tray and said oil-receiving tray
defining a tray height extending from said bottom end of said base
wall to said top end of said peripheral wall, said space height
being larger than said tray height so as to permit removal of said
food tray and said oil-receiving tray from said base plate; and
wherein said base plate is formed with a retaining recess that
receives fittingly said base wall of said food tray, said food tray
being formed with a handle that extends outwardly of said receiving
space, said handle being formed with a stopper that extends in said
transverse direction, that is disposed outwardly of said receiving
space, and that has a height larger than said space height of said
receiving space so as to prevent said handle from extending fully
and undesirably into said receiving space.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] This invention relates to a cooking device, more
particularly to a cooking device with a warming compartment that is
adapted to receive food which is to be kept warm therein.
[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0004] Conventional cooking devices, such as portable grill-type
cooking devices, normally include a base plate and a cooking plate
mounted on the base plate. The conventional cooking devices are
disadvantageous in that heat cannot be retained in the food after
they are cooked and are removed from the cooking plate, which
results in an adverse effect on the taste of the cooked food.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide
a cooking device with a warming compartment that is capable of
overcoming the aforesaid drawback of the prior art.
[0006] According to the present invention, there is provided a
cooking device that includes: a base plate; a cooking plate mounted
on and cooperating with the base plate to define a receiving space
therebetween and formed with at least a drain hole in fluid
communication with the receiving space; and a partition unit
mounted on the base plate within the receiving space and dividing
the receiving space into a warming compartment that is adapted to
receive food therein so as to warm the food during cooking, and an
oil compartment that is isolated from the warming compartment and
that is adapted to receive oil, which is formed on the cooking
plate as a result of cooking and which is drained through the drain
hole in the cooking plate.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0007] In drawings which illustrate embodiments of the
invention,
[0008] FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of the first
preferred embodiment of a cooking device according to the present
invention;
[0009] FIG. 2 is a top view of the first embodiment;
[0010] FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along lines III-III in FIG.
2;
[0011] FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along lines IV-VI in FIG.
2;
[0012] FIG. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view to illustrate how a
food tray is removed from a warming compartment in the cooking
device of the first embodiment;
[0013] FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of the second
preferred embodiment of the cooking device according to the present
invention;
[0014] FIG. 7 is a sectional view to illustrate how a food tray is
mounted on a base plate of the cooking device of the second
embodiment; and
[0015] FIG. 8 is a sectional view to illustrate how an
oil-receiving tray is mounted on the base plate of the cooking
device of the second embodiment.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0016] For the sake of brevity, like elements are denoted by the
same reference numerals throughout the disclosure.
[0017] FIGS. 1 to 5 illustrate the first preferred embodiment of a
cooking device according to the present invention. The cooking
device includes: a base plate 1; a cooking plate 2 mounted on and
cooperating with the base plate 1 to define a receiving space 20
(see FIG. 3) therebetween and formed with at least a drain hole 213
in fluid communication with the receiving space 20; and a partition
unit 100 (see FIG. 3) mounted on the base plate 1 within the
receiving space 20 and dividing a portion of the receiving space 20
into a warming compartment 313 that is adapted to receive food
therein so as to warm the food during cooking, and an oil
compartment 411 that is isolated from the warming compartment 313
and that is adapted to receive oil, which is formed on the cooking
plate 2 as a result of cooking and which is drained through the
drain hole 213 in the cooking plate 2.
[0018] In this embodiment, the partition unit 100 is drawable from
the receiving space 20, and includes at least a food tray 3 and an
oil-receiving tray 4, each of which has a base wall 311 (410) and a
peripheral wall 312 (412) extending transversely from the base wall
311 (410) to confine a respective one of the warming compartment
313 and the oil compartment 411.
[0019] The base plate 1 is formed with at least a first retaining
recess 123 that receives fittingly the base wall 311 of the food
tray 3, and a second retaining recess 124. The base wall 410 of the
oil-receiving tray 4 has a central portion 4101 that protrudes
outwardly and transversely therefrom and that is received fittingly
in the second retaining recess 124 in the base plate 1.
[0020] Each of the food tray 3 and the oil-receiving tray 4 is
formed with a handle 32 (42) that extends outwardly of the
receiving space 20 therefrom.
[0021] The cooking plate 2 defines a cooking surface 211. The base
plate 1 and the cooking plate 2 are supported by a stand 5 that
includes a plurality of posts 11, each of which is connected to and
extends from the base plate 1 in a transverse direction relative to
the cooking surface 211, and each of which has a top end face
formed with a retaining groove 113. The cooking plate 2 has two
opposite ends 210 and two opposite lugs 23 extending oppositely and
respectively from the ends 210. Each of the lugs 23 is formed with
a plurality of retaining protrusions 232 that protrude therefrom in
the transverse direction and that extend into and that engage the
retaining grooves 113 in the respective ones of the posts 11 so as
to be supported by the stand 5.
[0022] The base plate 1 has two opposite end walls 125 that extend
in a transverse direction relative to the cooking surface 211. The
stand 5 further includes two opposite U-shaped connecting bars 112,
each of which interconnects an adjacent pair of the posts 11 and
each of which defines an elongated retaining trough 117. The end
walls 125 of the base plate 1 extend into and engage respectively
the retaining troughs 117 in the connecting bars 112 so as to be
supported by the stand 5.
[0023] The receiving space 20 defines a space height (H.sub.S) (see
FIG. 5) extending from a top end face of the base plate 1 to a
bottom end face of the cooking plate 2. The peripheral wall 312
(412) of each of the food tray 3 and the oil-receiving tray 4 has a
top end. The base wall 311 (410) of each of the food tray 3 and the
oil-receiving tray 4 has a bottom end. Each of the food tray 3 and
the oil-receiving tray 4 defines a tray height (H.sub.T) extending
from the bottom end of the base wall 311 (410) to the top end of
the peripheral wall 312 (412). The space height (H.sub.S) is larger
than the tray height (H.sub.T) so as to permit removal of the food
tray 3 and the oil-receiving tray 4 from the base plate 1 (see FIG.
5).
[0024] The handle 32 of the food tray 3 is formed with a stopper
321 that extends in the transverse direction, that is disposed
outwardly of the receiving space 20, and that has a height
(H.sub.R) (see FIGS. 4 and 5) that is larger than the space height
(H.sub.S) of the receiving space 20 so as to prevent the handle 32
from extending fully and undesirably into the receiving space
20.
[0025] The cooking plate 2 has a heating member 22 embedded
therein. An electrical connector 24 is mounted on one of the lugs
23, and is electrically connected to the heating member 22. The
cooking surface 211 of the cooking plate 2 is formed with a
plurality of ribs 214 that project from the cooking surface 211 in
the transverse direction.
[0026] FIGS. 6 to 8 illustrate the second preferred embodiment of
the cooking device according to the present invention. The cooking
device of this embodiment is similar to the previous embodiment,
except that the base plate 1 has two opposite sides, each of which
is formed with a shoulder 127, that the base wall 311 of the food
tray 3 having two opposite sides, each of which is formed with a
step 315 that is seated on the shoulder 127 of a respective one of
the sides of the base plate 1, and that the base plate 1 is formed
with a stage 128 which extends between the sides of the base plate
1, which projects therefrom into the receiving space 20 in the
transverse direction and which cooperates with the base plate 1 to
define a mounting recess 121 therebetween for receiving fittingly
the base wall 311 of the food tray 3. The base wall 410 of the
oil-receiving tray 4 has a bottom end which is formed with a tray
retaining recess 4102 for receiving fittingly a top end of the
stage 128 of the base plate 1.
[0027] With the inclusion of the partition unit in the cooking
device of the present invention, the aforesaid drawback of the
prior art can be eliminated.
[0028] With the invention thus explained, it is apparent that
various modifications and variations can be made without departing
from the spirit of the present invention.
* * * * *