U.S. patent application number 11/122828 was filed with the patent office on 2006-11-09 for chimney starter grill.
Invention is credited to Allan Alongi.
Application Number | 20060249139 11/122828 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 37392985 |
Filed Date | 2006-11-09 |
United States Patent
Application |
20060249139 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Alongi; Allan |
November 9, 2006 |
Chimney starter grill
Abstract
The invention is a cooking product for use with a chimney-type
charcoal starter. The product converts the chimney starter into a
high-temperature, rapid-airflow cooking device for cooking food.
The product stabilizes the chimney starter in an upright position
so that the chimney starter can be used more safely as a cooking
device. The product can be utilized with various chimney starters
having substantially different configurations.
Inventors: |
Alongi; Allan; (Clarendon
Hills, IL) |
Correspondence
Address: |
DAVID J. BREMER
4921 N. DAMEN AVENUE
CHICAGO
IL
60625
US
|
Family ID: |
37392985 |
Appl. No.: |
11/122828 |
Filed: |
May 5, 2005 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
126/30 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47J 37/079
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
126/030 |
International
Class: |
F24B 3/00 20060101
F24B003/00 |
Claims
1. A cooking product for use with a chimney starter, the chimney
starter having a hollow body, the hollow body having a bottom-side
air inlet, and a top-side gas exhaust, the hollow body having a
shape between the inlet and the exhaust that enables chimney-effect
air flow, the product comprising: a grill for supporting food
during cooking, the grill being positioned above and proximal to
the top-side gas exhaust so that in use the food is exposed to hot
gases exiting the exhaust; a stabilizer in use being fixedly
connected to the chimney starter; the stabilizer being detachable
and re-attachable to the chimney starter without modifying the
chimney starter; the stabilizer in use extending outwards from the
hollow body; the stabilizer in use comprising at least three
stabilizer contact points; the at least three stabilizer contact
points contacting a supporting surface beneath the chimney starter;
the at least three stabilizer contact points contacting the
supporting surface outside of the hollow body; the stabilizer
having a plurality of re-positionable connectors for connecting to
the chimney starter; and a first connector from the plurality of
re-positionable connectors being re-positionable with respect to a
second connector from the plurality of re-positionable
connectors.
2. A cooking product for use with a chimney starter, the chimney
starter having a hollow body, the hollow body having a bottom-side
air inlet, and a top-side gas exhaust, the hollow body having a
shape between the inlet and the exhaust that enables chimney-effect
air flow, the product comprising: a grill for supporting food
during cooking, the grill being positioned above and proximal to
the top-side gas exhaust so that in use the food is exposed to hot
gases exiting the exhaust; a stabilizer in use being fixedly
connected to the chimney starter; the stabilizer being detachable
and re-attachable to the chimney starter without modifying the
chimney starter; the stabilizer in use extending outwards from the
hollow body; the stabilizer in use comprising at least three
stabilizer contact points; the at least three stabilizer contact
points contacting a supporting surface beneath the chimney starter;
the at least three stabilizer contact points contacting the
supporting surface outside of the hollow body; the stabilizer
having a plurality of re-positionable connectors for connecting to
the chimney starter; a first connector from the plurality of
re-positionable connectors being re-positionable with respect to a
second connector from the plurality of re-positionable connectors;
and the stabilizer being an offset stabilizer.
3. The cooking product of claim 1 where the stabilizer further
comprises: a plurality of stabilizer components, any first
stabilizer component from the plurality of stabilizer components
being functionally interchangeable with any second stabilizer from
the plurality of stabilizer components; each stabilizer component
from the plurality of stabilizer components in use being fixedly
connected to the chimney starter; each stabilizer component from
the plurality of stabilizer components being detachable and
re-attachable to the chimney starter without modifying the chimney
starter; each stabilizer component having a re-positionable
connector for connecting to the chimney starter; and each connector
being re-positionable with respect to another connector.
4. The cooking product of claim 2 where the stabilizer further
comprises: a plurality of stabilizer components, any first
stabilizer component from the plurality of stabilizer components
being functionally interchangeable with any second stabilizer from
the plurality of stabilizer components; each stabilizer component
from the plurality of stabilizer components in use being fixedly
connected to the chimney starter; each stabilizer component from
the plurality of stabilizer components being detachable and
re-attachable to the chimney starter without modifying the chimney
starter; each stabilizer component having a re-positionable
connector for connecting to the chimney starter; and each connector
being re-positionable with respect to another connector.
5. A cooking product for use with a chimney starter, the chimney
starter having a hollow body, the hollow body having a bottom-side
air inlet, and a top-side gas exhaust, the hollow body having a
shape between the inlet and the exhaust that enables chimney-effect
air flow, the product comprising: a grill for supporting food
during cooking, the grill being positioned above and proximal to
the top-side gas exhaust so that in use the food is exposed to hot
gases exiting the exhaust; a stabilizer, the stabilizer comprising
at least three stabilizer components; each stabilizer component in
use being fixedly connected to the chimney starter; each stabilizer
component being detachable and re-attachable to the chimney starter
without modifying the chimney starter; each stabilizer component
having a stabilizer contact point, the stabilizer contact point in
use contacting the supporting surface beneath the chimney starter;
the stabilizer contact point in use contacting the supporting
surface outside of the hollow body; each stabilizer component
having a clip connector for connecting to the chimney starter; each
clip connector being re-positionable with respect to another clip
connector; each stabilizer component being adjustable height-wise
to enable leveling the chimney starter on the support surface; and
the stabilizer being an offset stabilizer.
Description
[0001] The invention is a cooking product for use with a
chimney-type charcoal starter, referred to hereafter as the chimney
starter. The product converts the chimney starter into a
high-temperature, rapid-airflow cooking device for cooking food.
The product stabilizes the chimney starter in an upright position
so that the chimney starter can be used more safely as a cooking
device. The product can be utilized with various chimney starters
having substantially different configurations.
[0002] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the product
connected to a chimney starter.
[0003] FIG. 2 is an exploded view of a stabilizer component.
[0004] FIG. 3 is a section view across line 3-3 of FIG. 1.
[0005] FIG. 4 is a cutaway view of a stabilizer component connected
to a chimney starter.
[0006] FIG. 5 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the product
connected to a chimney starter.
[0007] The chimney starter is a known device typically used for
igniting charcoal briquettes quickly so that the burning charcoal
briquettes can be used in conventional outdoor cooking devices to
cook food. The chimney starter uses chimney-effect airflow to
accelerate combustion of the briquettes. After igniting the
briquettes in the chimney starter, the briquettes are typically
removed from the chimney starter and deposited onto a barbecue or
other firebox and spread out to provide a large heating area used
for cooking. The chimney starter can be used to ignite various
fuels in addition to charcoal.
[0008] The chimney starter has a hollow body. The hollow body has a
bottom-side air inlet for admitting air needed for combustion, and
a top-side gas exhaust for exhausting hot gases produced by burning
the charcoal and other fuels inside the hollow body.
[0009] For example, in FIG. 1, the chimney starter 30 has a hollow
body 31; the hollow body 31 has a bottom-side air inlet 33, and a
top-side gas exhaust 32. The hollow body 31 also has radial air
inlets, such as the radial air inlet 34.
[0010] The hollow body is shaped, between the inlet and the
exhaust, so that it can generate chimney-effect airflow when
charcoal and other fuels are burned inside the hollow body.
[0011] Chimney-effect airflow refers to the tendency of heated air
and gas to rise in a duct or other substantially vertical passage,
such as in a chimney starter hollow body, due to its lower density
compared to the surrounding air or gas.
[0012] In the chimney starter, the burning charcoal inside the
hollow body heats the air inside the hollow body and generates
additional hot gases, causing the air and other gases to expand and
rise upwards towards the top-side exhaust.
[0013] Chimney-effect airflow can occur in the hollow body when the
hot gases rise from burning charcoal and the rising gases cause
cooler air to enter the inlet and move towards the burning
charcoal. The air from the inlet facilitates combustion of the
charcoal, and the expanding gases, burning charcoal, and inlet air
interact with the shape of the hollow body to produce a rapid flow
of hot gases passing out of the chimney starter through the
top-side gas exhaust.
[0014] The product is used with the chimney starter while charcoal
and other fuels are burning within the chimney starter. As
described above, the chimney starter produces a rapid flow of hot
gases exiting the top-side exhaust and the product facilitates
using the rapid flow of hot gases from the top-side exhaust as a
heat source for high-temperature cooking.
[0015] The product comprises a grill for supporting the food during
cooking. The grill in use is positioned above and proximal the
top-side exhaust so that the food is exposed to the flow of hot
gases.
[0016] The grill can be a porous metal structure, such as the grill
11 shown in FIG. 1. The grill 11 is formed from heavy-gauge wire.
The grill 11 allows the hot gases to pass through the grill and
heat the food on the grill. The grill 11 also allows fluids from
the cooking food to pass through and fall into the chimney
starter.
[0017] The grill can have various different configurations. For
example, the grill can comprise skewers that pierce the food and
that can be placed on top of the hollow body spanning the top-side
exhaust. Alternatively, the grill can be a scaffold-like structure
for suspending the food above the exhaust. Alternatively, the grill
can be a non-porous grill, such as a pan and a pot. Various other
grill configurations can provide the function of positioning the
food above the exhaust.
[0018] The product further comprises a stabilizer for stabilizing
the chimney starter while in use as a cooking device.
[0019] The stabilizer in use is fixedly connected to the chimney
starter so that the stabilizer supports and stabilizes the chimney
starter.
[0020] Chimney starters can be tall and slender so as to enhance
the chimney effect. As a result, chimney starters can be unstable
and easy to tip over from an upright position. Placing a grill and
food on top of the chimney starter can increase the tendency to tip
over by adding weight to the top of the chimney starter and by
overhanging a perimeter of the hollow body.
[0021] The stabilizer in use has at least three stabilizer contact
points that contact the supporting surface beneath the chimney
starter. The stabilizer contact points make the chimney starter
more stable against tipping by extending outwards from the chimney
starter and contacting the supporting surface outside of the hollow
body.
[0022] The stabilizer therefore can enable the chimney starter to
tilt further from the upright position before the chimney starter
tips over.
[0023] For example, in FIG. 1 and FIG. 3, the stabilizer contact
point 52 contacts the supporting surface 41 beneath the chimney
starter 30. The contact point 52 extends outwards from the chimney
starter 30 and provides additional stability.
[0024] The stabilizer can comprise a plurality of stabilizer
components. For example, the stabilizer 50 shown in FIG. 1 and FIG.
5 comprises a plurality of stabilizer components such as the
stabilizer component 51.
[0025] Each stabilizer component 51 from the plurality of
stabilizer components further comprises a clip connector 54 and a
leg 53. Each stabilizer component 51 has a stabilizer contact point
52. Other stabilizers can have stabilizer components having
different configurations from the stabizer component 51.
[0026] The stabilizer comprises a plurality of re-positionable
connectors. The re-positionable connectors enable the stabilizer to
connect to chimney starters with various configurations, for
example, to chimney starters with substantially different sizes and
substantially different shapes.
[0027] The re-positionable connectors are re-positionable with
respect to each other. For example, a first connector from the
plurality of connectors and a second connector from the plurality
of connectors can be positioned to connect to a chimney starter
having a configuration. The distance between the first connector
and the second connector can be changed, increasing and decreasing
as needed so that the first and second connectors can connect to a
different chimney starter having a different configuration.
[0028] Similarly, the position of the first connector with respect
to the second connector can be changed so that the first and second
connectors can connect to a different chimney starter having a
different configuration.
[0029] For example, the chimney starter 30 in FIG. 1 has a hollow
body 31 having the shape of a right, circular cylinder. The
stabilizer 50, comprising a plurality of stabilizer components such
as the component 51, connects to the chimney starter 30 via a
re-positionable connector, such as the clip connector 54. The clip
connector 54 clamps the hollow body 31 between the clip connector
54 and the stabilizer component leg 53.
[0030] The stabilizer 50 can be connected to a chimney starter with
a substantially different configuration from the chimney starter 30
by re-positioning the re-positionable connectors so that they
conform to the substantially different configuration.
[0031] Chimney starters can also vary configurations by having
different sizes. For example, a chimney starter having a hollow
body with shape of a circular cylinder with a different diameter
from the chimney starter 30 would have a different configuration
from chimney starter 30.
[0032] In FIG. 5, for example, the chimney starter 30A has a hollow
body 31A having the shape of a rectangular cylinder. The stabilizer
50 connects to the hollow body 31A via the connector clips of each
component of the plurality of stabilizer components.
[0033] Similarly, the grill can be positioned above the top-side
exhaust of a chimney starter having a configuration, then removed
and positioned above the top-side exhaust of a chimney starter
having a different configuration.
[0034] In FIG. 1, for example, the grill 11 is positioned above the
top-side exhaust 32 of the chimney starter 30. In FIG. 5, the grill
11 is positioned above the top-side exhaust 32A of the chimney
starter 30A, which has a different configuration from the chimney
starter 30.
[0035] The stabilizer can be detached and re-attached to the
chimney starter without modifying the chimney starter.
[0036] The chimney starter can be used to start charcoal by
detaching the stabilizer and removing the grill. The chimney
starter can be used for high-temperature cooking by re-attaching
the stabilizer and positioning the grill above the top-side
exhaust.
[0037] For example, the stabilizer 50 can be detached from the
chimney starter 30 by opening the clip connectors and releasing the
hollow body 31 from between the clip connectors and the legs. The
stabilizer 50 can be re-attached to the chimney starter 30 by
opening the clip connectors and clamping the hollow body between
the clip connectors and the legs.
[0038] The stabilizer component can be adjustable height-wise so
that the chimney starter can be made level when the support surface
is non-level and when the support surface is uneven.
[0039] For example, in FIG. 3, the hollow body 30 is shown in a
lowered position (solid lines) that is achieved by adjusting the
stabilizer component 51 upwards and also in a raised position
(phantom lines) that is achieved by adjusting the stabilizer
component 51 downwards.
[0040] The height-wise adjustable stabilizer component in use
further stabilizes the chimney starter by ensuring the maximum
number of stabilizer contact points are contacting the supporting
surface.
[0041] The stabilizer can be an offset stabilizer. The offset
stabilizer offsets the chimney starter from the supporting surface
to ensure the free flow of air to the bottom-side inlet.
[0042] Since airflow through the inlet is an important component
for combustion and for chimney-effect airflow, it is important that
the stabilizer allow air to freely enter the inlet.
[0043] The stabilizer 50 is an offset stabilizer. As seen in FIG.
3, the stabilizer 50 in use offsets the chimney starter from the
supporting surface 41, providing a gap between the supporting
surface 41 and the bottom-side inlet 33. The offset creates
additional space for air to enter the bottom-side inlet.
* * * * *