U.S. patent application number 11/784907 was filed with the patent office on 2007-11-22 for grill and griddle cleaning device.
This patent application is currently assigned to ACS Industries. Invention is credited to George Greenwood.
Application Number | 20070270088 11/784907 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 38712543 |
Filed Date | 2007-11-22 |
United States Patent
Application |
20070270088 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Greenwood; George |
November 22, 2007 |
Grill and griddle cleaning device
Abstract
A device for cleaning griddles and grills has a heat resistant
pad carried by a carriage, which in turn is manipulated by a motor
to move in an oscillating and/or planar agitating motion, analogous
to a hand-held motorized sander. A dispensing container with liquid
for shocking the grill is mounted on the device or provided
internally. A scraper can be attached to the device.
Inventors: |
Greenwood; George;
(Tiverton, RI) |
Correspondence
Address: |
BRADLEY N. RUBEN, PC
463 FIRST ST, SUITE 5A
HOBOKEN
NJ
07030
US
|
Assignee: |
ACS Industries
|
Family ID: |
38712543 |
Appl. No.: |
11/784907 |
Filed: |
April 10, 2007 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
60801268 |
May 18, 2006 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
451/73 ;
451/163 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B24B 23/04 20130101;
B24B 57/02 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
451/73 ;
451/163 |
International
Class: |
B24B 7/10 20060101
B24B007/10 |
Claims
1. A device for cleaning a cooking surface, comprising: an engine
in a housing; said engine connected to and having means to cause
essentially planar oscillation and/or agitation movement of a
carriage, the carriage having a mounting for releasably retaining a
pad, said pad being a temperature resistant pad suitable for
scouring a griddle.
2. The device of claim 1, wherein said carriage has a bottom
surface and said mounting is molded into said bottom surface.
3. The device of claim 3, wherein said pad comprises a non-woven
matrix and said mounting cooperates directly with the non-woven
matrix to releasably retain the pad on the carriage.
4. The device of claim 1, further comprising a scraper removably
mounted to the housing.
5. The device of claim 1, further comprising a liquid container
removably mounted to the housing and user-actuatable means for
dispensing liquid from the container.
6. The device of claim 5, further comprising a scraper.
7. The device of claim 6, wherein the scraper is removable.
8. The device of claim 1, provided as a kit further comprising a
plurality of pads, said pads having a least two different
characteristics.
9. The device of claim 8, further comprising a scraper.
10. The device of claim 9, further comprising a reservoir.
11. The device of claim 1, further comprising a reservoir within
the housing and user-actuatable means for dispensing liquid from
the container.
12. The device of claim 8, wherein the different characteristics
are the abrasiveness of the pads.
13. The device of claim 8, wherein the different characteristics
are the shapes of the pads.
14. The device of claim 1, wherein the pad has depending teeth.
15. The device of claim 14, wherein the teeth have wings.
16. The device of claim 1, wherein the surface is a griddle and the
pad is flat.
17. The device of claim 1, wherein the surface is a grill and the
pad has teeth.
18. The device of claim 1, wherein the surface is curved and the
pad is curved.
Description
[0001] This application is based on provisional application
60/801268, filed May 18, 2006.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] This invention relates to a motorized device with detachable
elements for cleaning a grill or griddle.
[0003] Grills and griddles are ubiquitous, from grills for barbeque
or Yakitori, to griddles found in diners and restaurants. A griddle
is a flat metal heated surface on which food is cooked directly,
whereas a grill has parallel bars on which the food lies and is
exposed to heat.
[0004] A griddle is usually cleaned with a hand-held scrubbing pad,
an abrasive screen, steel wool, and the like which may be provided
with a holder. In addition, a foamed glass brick (such as ACS brand
Scrubble grill bricks) can be used to scrape the griddle surface.
The griddle should be cleaned while hot, and the food material and
any sluff or swarf from the cleaning element is then removed.
During the day while the cooking surface is being used, a spatula
or special scraper is used to remove food bits to a trough on the
side and/or back for later removal. At the end of the day the
griddle is cleaned with a scouring device (such as the pad, screen,
or wool) mentioned above, sometimes using oil, club soda (seltzer),
or vinegar (acetic acid) to "shock" the grill. It takes elbow
grease to clean a griddle, and determination when it must be done
at the end of the day.
[0005] On the other hand, grills are typically cleaned using a
brush, especially one having wire bristles, and using a variety of
scrapers, often with semicircular openings contoured to match the
diameters and spacings of the bars of the grill.
[0006] In the area of home improvement, many hand tools have been
motorized and/or miniaturized to meet the demand for homeowners to
have their own power tools. More relevant to the present invention
are motorized hand-held sanders, which can be oscillating (e.g.,
U.S. Pat. No. 6,129,618 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,569,002), rotary (e.g.,
U.S. Pat. No. 4,467,565, including orbital motion), a drum or belt
sander (e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 6,475,075), or a vibrating apparatus
(e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 5,616,072).
[0007] The foregoing patents are all incorporated herein by
reference.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] In light of the foregoing, this invention combines the
benefits of a motorized hand-held sander with a scouring device to
provide a hand-held, motorized griddle cleaning device.
[0009] In summary, this invention provides a griddle cleaning
device having an engine in a housing connected to and having means
to cause essentially planar oscillation and/or agitation movement
of a carriage, the carriage having means for releasably retaining a
pad suitable for a griddle, and a pad. The pad can be either for
scouring or polishing. The engine is preferably an electric motor
having a rechargeable battery power supply. The top (non-working
surface) of the pad, the carriage, and/or the underside of the
housing preferably has a heat-insulating material. A scrapper can
also be attached to the device. The device can include liquid
reservoir for dispensing liquid onto the griddle. A vacuum conduit
can be provided to allow vacuuming of material removed from the
griddle.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0010] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the device.
[0011] FIG. 2 is a plan view of opposing mating surfaces of a pad
and a carriage.
[0012] FIG. 3 is a partial perspective view of the device with an
attached scraper.
[0013] FIGS. 4A and 4B and partial cross sections of a pad and
grill.
[0014] FIG. 5 is a rear perspective view of a device including a
reservoir for a shocking liquid.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PARTICULAR EMBODIMENTS
[0015] The present device is built on the engine of commercially
available and well-known motorized hand tools, such as the sanders
mentioned above. Those devices have an electric motor with
associated gearing, linkages, belts, and the like connecting with a
carriage to create a desired movement (such as oscillating, rotary,
orbital) in the carriage. In such devices, an abrasive material
(sandpaper or a pad) is attached to the carriage. In FIG. 1, the
housing 101 contains the engine, based on these commercially
apparatus, that drives the carriage 103 of the present device.
Attached to the carriage is a pad 105 having a working surface 107
that contacts the griddle. The preferred motion for the carriage is
rotary or combination rotary and orbtial, and/or random, although
any type of oscillatory motion and/or planar agitation can be
suitable imparted to the pad.
[0016] The power to the engine of those commercially available
sanders is either provided by a cord, which is not desired when
cleaning a heated surface, or rechargeable batteries. Often, the
batteries can be removed from the device and replaced or swapped
out to a battery charger. Otherwise, the batteries can be charged
by placing the device in a charging stand where an electrical
connection is made through a coupling from the charger to the
batteries, or the battery are charged electromagnetically without a
physical coupling.
[0017] The pad for the working surface is any suitable griddle
cleaning pad, made of a high temperature resistant material such as
metal, glass, or polymer, and if polymeric preferably having
abrasive particles attached to the polymer.
[0018] A metal pad can be made from wool or gimped wire (preferably
flat wire), typically stainless steel, copper, or brass.
[0019] A polymeric pad (such as sold under the Scotch-Brite mark by
3M Corp.) is typically a non-woven pad made from a material such as
nylon or another high temperature resistant polyamide or phenolic
resin. The fibers that have been used in non-woven abrasive
articles are formed from various polymers, including polyamides,
polyesters, polypropylene, polyethylene, and various
copolymers.
[0020] Suitable abrasive particles can be formed of flint, garnet,
aluminum oxide (alumina), diamond, silicon dioxide (silica),
silicon carbide, etc. Binders for binding the abrasive to the
fibers of the non-woven matrix commonly comprise one or more resins
such as phenolic, urea-formaldehyde, melamine-formaldehyde,
urethane, epoxy, and acrylic resins. Phenolic resins include those
of the phenol-aldehyde type. Abrasive non-woven constructions, such
as SCOTCH-BRITE brand products sold by 3M Company, St. Paul, Minn.,
are of a type requiring the use of solvent-coated cross-linked
urethanes in the prebond to provide the requisite elasticity and
protect nylon fibers of the web from attack by subsequently applied
phenolic make coats used for bonding of mineral abrasive into the
web.
[0021] Non-woven abrasive articles have been made by the following
generally known scheme. A "prebond" coating of a binder precursor
solution without abrasive particles, such as one or more of the
above-named resins, is coated on a fibrous web and cured by
exposure to heat and/or light in order to impart sufficient
strength to the non-woven web for further processing. The fiber web
may comprise continuous filaments (e.g., a spunbond fiber web)
and/or staple fibers that may be crimped and/or entangled with one
another. The fiber web may, optionally, be affixed (i.e., secured)
to a backing, for example, by needletacking, stitchbonding, and/or
adhesive bonding (e.g., using glue or a hot melt adhesive). Then, a
"make" coating based on a resinous organic binder is applied to the
web to secure fine abrasive grains throughout the lofty fibrous mat
and cured. Thereafter, a "size" coating of resinous binder material
and abrasive particles is applied, usually by spray-coating, over
the prebonded web to increase the abrasive characteristics of the
article, such as preventing the abrasive mineral from shelling.
Thereafter, the sizing is cured. The resins of the various prebond,
make, and size coatings can be the same or different, depending on
the various web and abrasive particle properties desired, and
preferably tolerant to high heat, such as polyamides, polyaramids,
phenolics, and polyesters. Exemplary fibers are disclosed in the
following U.S. patents, all of which are incorporated herein by
reference: U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,018,575; 5,591,239; 5,685,935;
5,681,361; 5,626,512; 6,302,930; 6,733,876; 6,948,873; and
6,979,713.
[0022] A glass working surface can be foamed glass, such as
described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,972,817, U.S. Pat. No. 5,821,184, and
U.S. Pat. No. 3,963,503, a glass pumice such as described in U.S.
Pat. No. 4,933,306, or the like (the disclosure of the foregoing
incorporated herein by reference). Foamed glass has long been used
for cleaning griddles and grills. Such products are typically made
in a thick sheet. To fabricate such a material into the working
surface pad for use with the present device, the thick sheet
preferably is first cut horizontally to make a thinner sheet of the
desired thickness, and thereafter the sheet is cut into pieces of
the desired geometry. A preferred thickness is about 0.75 inch.
Where the working surface is in the geometry of a regular
quadrilateral (e.g., square, rectangular, rhomboid, paralleogram),
the desired geometry can be make by constructing frame having a
grid made of tightly held wires and pressing the frame down into
the sheet so that the wires sever (break) the glass (similar to the
action of a cheese cutter). For a working surface in a geometry
other than a regular quadrilateral (or even for such shapes,
although less preferred), a cutter (like a large cookie cutter or a
cutter for making greeting cards) is forced into the glass sheet,
preferably also with a small oscillation and/or vibration.
Alternatively, a water jet can be used for cutting any shape. Once
the material is in the desired geometry, the pores are preferably
filled and a backing material is added to form a pad that can be
attached to and removed from the mechanized device of this
invention. The pores can be filled with a molten polymer or
solution of polymer that is cured and/or dried. For example, the
cut shapes are transported on a porous belt (such as a wire mesh or
screen) and the filler material applied to the upper surface with a
doctor blade. With a continuous surface sealing the open pores of
the foamed glass block or pumice, a backing material can be applied
directly to the filler before drying or curing of the sealing
layer, or the backing can be after first spraying an adhesive onto
the now-sealed surface. The pores can be filled and the backing
attached in a single operation, such as by spraying a sealant such
as a hot melt adhesive to both fill the open pores and provide a
surface onto which the backing can be attached. The backing is
preferably a felt or loop-like material effective for mechanically
engaging a corresponding hook-containing surface associated with
the device, and removable therefrom.
[0023] An existing type commercially available sander is readily
modified for this invention, especially for use on griddles by
interposing a high temperature resistant material, preferably
plastic, between the pad and the carriage. For example, the
carriage of such a device (the part corresponding to the carriage
of the present invention) can be replaced with one made from a heat
resistant phenolic resin and molded to provide a mounting for the
pad (as discussed below). Alternatively, a heat resistant, and
preferably heat insulting layer, can be attached directly to the
carriage of such a device. Still further, depending on the
thickness of the pad, a heat insulating layer can be applied to the
pad, or less preferably provided as an intermediate layer requiring
separate mounting to both the carriage (on one side) and the pad
(on the opposing side).
[0024] The pad can be removably attached to the carriage by any
means suitable for attaching a pad or sheet to a conventional
hand-held motorized sander. Opposing mechanically interlocking
portions, such as VELCRO brand hook and loop fasteners, can be
used, with (for example) the hook portions on the carriage
underside (the side facing the pad) and the loop portions on the
top side of the pad. The "loop" type material can be a felt,
non-woven, or woven, or combination thereof, so long as it can be
removably attached to the carriage. The carriage can be made of a
similar high-temperature resistant polymeric material, and can be
molded so that the bottom surface has mechanically engaging
fastener portions for cooperating with opposing portions on the pad
(or the pad itself). If the pad is made of fibers having a geometry
(e.g., diameter and spacing) suitable for use as the loop portion
of such a fastener, then no separate loop portion is needed on the
pad; the pad can be removably mounted directly onto the hook
portions molded into the carriage. A high temperature temporary or
pressure sensitive adhesive can also be used, since such adhesives
are relatively better at preventing shear movement between the
articles adhered. As another alternative, a connection plate can be
attached to the top surface of the pad, analogous to the felt or
backing adhered to the foamed glass as described above. In such an
embodiment the connection plate has openings for cooperating with
feet (e.g., spring pawls, or button connectors) provided on the
bottom of the carriage to attach the pad to the carriage, or the
plate can have the feet inserted into corresponding openings in the
carriage. A similar type of structure, wherein a portion on the top
of the pad and a portion of the carriage cooperate for a releasable
connection, such as a snap fit, can also be used. In yet another
embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4, a strip of cloth 201 can be
attached to the top of a pad (such as by sewing or welding a
polymeric cloth), and flaps 202 at the edges which overhang the pad
width. Each flap can be attached via a clip 203 (such as a spring
clip used to maintain a planar portion of sandpaper on a
conventional sander's carriage) on the upper side of the carriage,
such as in the gap 111 between the housing and the carriage. The
clips can also be provided instead on the frame, or the flaps can
be sufficiently long to connect to each other over the top of the
frame.
[0025] FIG. 3 shows a scraper 301 (preferably metal) having a blade
303 for scraping the griddle attached via an attachment portion 305
inserted into a slot 113 on the frame. The scraper length is
preferably such that when the device is level and in contact with
the griddle, the blade is above the griddle surface and thus does
not normally contact the surface when the device is energized. To
use the scraper, the device is tilted forward, so that the blade
contacts the griddle and the pad is essentially lifted from the
surface, so that even if the device is energized, preferably both
the scraper and the pad are not simultaneously contacting the
griddle surface.
[0026] The device preferably has a footprint that includes a toe
having an acute angle, shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 at the front end 115
of the device. This toe allows the user to clean in the corners of
the cooking surface.
[0027] While the present invention is described herein with
reference to griddles, it is suitable for use with a variety of
wares.
[0028] The pad can be made with grooves corresponding to the
dimensions and spacing of the bars of a grill. The pad can be made
with teeth depending between the bars. By choosing the proper
density of the pad, each tooth can be shaped like an inverted "T",
a depending tooth with extended wings, or back-to-back "C"s, as
shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B, where the wings are sufficiently flexible
to allow them to be forced below the bars 402, wherein the wings
403 enable the user to clean a large portion of the diameter of the
grill. For a curved surface, such as the inside of a pot or a wok,
the outer geometry of the pad can have a complementary shape to
facilitate scouring such a surface.
[0029] As with existing hand-held motorized sanders, the device can
be provided with a vacuum hole for attachment of a vacuum cleaner
(or wet-dry vacuum device, or similar apparatus). The device is
preferably sold with a set of pads having different characteristics
and uses, such as for polishing, buffing, and various levels of
abrading. These uses may generate debris, such as dust from
abrading, or be helped by removal of debris, such as when using a
buffing compound. A vacuum attachment enables removing such debris
immediately without having to worry about the debris traveling to
other food service areas of the kitchen.
[0030] A reservoir, or liquid container, for holding a shocking
liquid (as mentioned above) can be substituted for the scraper. The
reservoir has a dispensing port, such as a valve or sprayer
actuated by the user (analogous to the water sprayer on a clothes
iron), to dispense the liquid onto the griddle as desired. The
container has an attachment portion that engages the slot or a
cooperating portion on the frame. If positioned on or near the
front of the device, the reservoir can include a scraper portion,
and have a slot (or other port or receptacle) for detachably
receiving a scraper. The reservoir may be provided as a saddle,
sitting over the device, leaving the front slot open for the
optional scraper attachment. Alternatively, as with a
steam-generating clothes iron having a water reservoir, the
reservoir can be internal to the device. More preferably, the
reservoir is provided towards the rear end 117 of the device,
and/or has a spout which empties at or towards the rear end of the
device. As shown in FIG. 5, the reservoir 501 can be attached to
the rear portion of the device. As mentioned above, a conventional
motorized hand sander typically has a bore 503 in the rear for the
attachment of a vacuum cleaner hose.
[0031] Where a conventional sander is adapted for the present
invention, the reservoir is molded with a boss at the front end to
engage the bore. In combination with the cooperation of the boss
and the bore, where the rear portion of the device is irregularly
shaped and/or curvilinear or otherwise non-planar geometry,
intimate contact between the reservoir and the device will reduce
the tendency of the reservoir to rotate about the boss.
Alternatively, the housing can be molded with one or more bores,
notches, grooves, or the like, and the reservoir can be molded with
corresponding fingers or feet which engage the same to enable the
reservoir to be mounted to the device. The reservoir is preferably
made by molding (e.g., blow molding) a plastic material that can be
squeezed (such as polyethylene) so that the reservoir functions
essentially as a squeeze bottle. The underside of the reservoir is
provided with a nozzle 505, such as a spray nozzle, enabling the
reservoir to be squeezed to expel the shocking liquid therein, and
release of the pressure allows air to enter the reservoir through
the nozzle when the container expands back to its original shape.
It is preferred that the reservoir be supplied as a one-time use
device with a disposable cap covering the nozzle until use;
otherwise, the reservoir can be provided with an opening sealed by
a screw cap or pop cap in a top, side, or rear wall, or the nozzle
can be integral with a cap in the bottom side.
[0032] The boss has a side wall and an end wall that fits into the
bore. The end wall of the boss can be made flexible so that pushing
on the end wall decreases the volume of the reservoir and forces
fluid out the nozzle. The conventional sander can be modified to
include a linkage mechanism between a button or lever on the
housing of the device connecting to a diaphragm or other type of
pushing mechanism that presses on the end wall of the boss. In this
way, the user can dispense fluid from the reservoir merely by
pushing a button, or squeezing some portion of the housing or a
device thereon or attached thereto.
[0033] The foregoing description is meant to be illustrative and
not limiting. Various changes, modifications, and additions may
become apparent to the skilled artisan upon a perusal of this
specification, and such are meant to be within the scope and spirit
of the invention as defined by the claims.
* * * * *