U.S. patent application number 13/885147 was filed with the patent office on 2013-09-12 for consumable solid fuel package.
This patent application is currently assigned to The Coleman Company, Inc.. The applicant listed for this patent is Ricky J. Glazier, Charles R. Voge, Mitchell L. Wilgus. Invention is credited to Ricky J. Glazier, Charles R. Voge, Mitchell L. Wilgus.
Application Number | 20130232862 13/885147 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 46051535 |
Filed Date | 2013-09-12 |
United States Patent
Application |
20130232862 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Wilgus; Mitchell L. ; et
al. |
September 12, 2013 |
CONSUMABLE SOLID FUEL PACKAGE
Abstract
A combustible fuel package is provided for a grill which
comprises a generally tubular body defining a cavity therein, this
body made of a paper material or other non-hazardous combustible
material sufficient in strength to retain a solid fuel such as
charcoal briquettes within the cavity for a sufficient amount of
time to allow the solid fuel to burn to a sufficient degree for
cooking food before the paper body is fully consumed, the body
having a plurality of vertically oriented elongated apertures
spaced around the exterior of the body.
Inventors: |
Wilgus; Mitchell L.;
(Andover, KS) ; Glazier; Ricky J.; (Cheney,
KS) ; Voge; Charles R.; (Argonia, KS) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Wilgus; Mitchell L.
Glazier; Ricky J.
Voge; Charles R. |
Andover
Cheney
Argonia |
KS
KS
KS |
US
US
US |
|
|
Assignee: |
The Coleman Company, Inc.
Wichita
KS
|
Family ID: |
46051535 |
Appl. No.: |
13/885147 |
Filed: |
November 9, 2011 |
PCT Filed: |
November 9, 2011 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/US11/59970 |
371 Date: |
May 13, 2013 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
61413205 |
Nov 12, 2010 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
44/522 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F23B 60/00 20130101;
A47J 37/0768 20130101; F23K 2203/103 20130101; F23L 1/00 20130101;
C10L 5/368 20130101; F23K 1/00 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
44/522 |
International
Class: |
C10L 5/36 20060101
C10L005/36 |
Claims
1. A solid fuel package, comprising: a body formed of combustible
material comprising at least one wall having a height and defining
an interior space therein, said interior space having a first open
end and a second open end distal from said first open end; a cover
attached to said second open end further enclosing and defining
said interior space; an amount of combustible solid fuel located
inside said interior space and supported by said bottom cover; and
a venting system.
2. The package of claim 1, wherein the venting system comprises a
plurality of elongated, substantially vertically oriented apertures
spaced apart from each other around the exterior of said body.
3. The package of claim 2, wherein each of the plurality of
elongated, substantially vertically oriented apertures are spaced
approximately between 2.5 and 3 inches apart from the next closest
one of the plurality of apertures.
4. The package of claim 3, wherein each of the plurality of
apertures measures approximately 0.25 inches in width.
5. The package of claim 3, wherein each of the plurality of
apertures is spaced approximately 0.25 inches from the first open
end.
6. The package of claim 5, wherein the plurality of apertures
numbers at least 4.
7. The package of claim 5, wherein the plurality of apertures
numbers at least 7.
8. The package of claim 2, wherein the area subsumed by the
plurality of apertures is approximately 4 to 10% of the area of the
body.
9. The package of claim 1, wherein the body is generally tubular in
shape.
10. The package of claim 1, further comprising a lid removably
attached to said first open end.
11. The package of claim 3, wherein the body is generally tubular
in shape.
12. The package of claim 3, further comprising a lid removably
attached to said first open end.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention is directed to a combustible heat
source, and more specifically to a solid fuel package that controls
a continuous burning of charcoal or other solid fuel and wherein
the package is fully consumed by the flames.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Outdoor cooking is a popular recreational activity enjoyed
by many while camping or day tripping, picnicking, tail gating at a
sports event, or even in one's own back yard. While gas powered or
electric grills may be used in one's own back yard or even while
tail gating, a number of people prefer to use charcoal grills for
cooking and/or grilling their meals whether at home, in a parking
lot, at a campsite or other remote location for added flavor to the
food, aroma, and for the experience. When grilling, it is
preferable to be able to quickly and easily prepare the charcoal
for cooking. It is also preferable to have easy clean up after food
preparation is done--particularly if the cooking is done away from
one's home.
[0003] Charcoal briquettes are commonly used to provide the heat
necessary for cooking and/or grilling food on a grill. Conventional
charcoal briquettes are typically provided in a large bag from
which a smaller amount must be taken and placed in the grill for
use. The briquettes are quite messy and as such, it is desirable to
minimize the physical handling of the briquettes. It is common to
use conventionally available metal chimneys into which a portion of
a charcoal briquette bag is poured and ignited. A flammable liquid
such a lighter fluid or the like may also be used to assist
ignition of the briquettes. Once the charcoal briquettes are
ignited and have burned to a sufficient degree, the chimney is
turned over and the briquettes are poured into the grill and spread
out for use. When using such a metal chimney, however, the user
must bring along the metal chimney, bring along a full bag of
charcoal (usually 20 pounds), pour the messy charcoal briquettes
into the metal chimney, pour out the hot coals, find a safe place
to put the hot metal chimney once the coals are poured out, bring
back the unused bag of charcoal and bring back the now dirty metal
chimney. What is needed is a single-use, fully consumable chimney
that is pre-loaded with the desired amount of charcoal
briquettes.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0004] The following presents a simplified summary of some
embodiments of the invention in order to provide a basic
understanding of the invention. This summary is not an extensive
overview of the invention. It is not intended to identify
key/critical elements of the invention or to delineate the scope of
the invention. Its sole purpose is to present some embodiments of
the invention in a simplified form as a prelude to the more
detailed description that is presented later. In accordance with
one embodiment, a solid fuel package is provided comprising a body
formed of combustible material comprising at least one wall having
a height and defining an interior space therein, said interior
space having a first open end and a second open end distal from
said first open end, a cover attached to said second open end
further enclosing and defining said interior space, an amount of
combustible solid fuel located inside said interior space and
supported by said bottom cover, and a venting system, wherein the
venting system comprises a plurality of elongated, substantially
vertically oriented apertures spaced apart from each other around
the exterior of said body.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0005] A more complete understanding of the present invention, and
the attendant advantages and features thereof, will be more readily
understood by reference to the following detailed description when
considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings
wherein:
[0006] FIG. 1 is a side perspective of a fuel igniter package
incorporating an embodiment of the present invention;
[0007] FIG. 2 is a front view of the package of FIG. 1;
[0008] FIG. 3 is a rear view of the package of FIG. 1;
[0009] FIG. 4 is a side perspective view of the package of FIG. 1
further depicting a top lid;
[0010] FIG. 5 is a side view of the package of FIG. 1;
[0011] FIG. 6 is a top view of the package of FIG. 1;
[0012] FIG. 7 is a bottom view of the package of FIG. 1;
[0013] FIG. 8 is a cut-away view of the bottom side portion of the
package of FIG. 1, taken along line 8-8 of FIG. 5; and
[0014] FIG. 9 is a cut-away view of the package of FIG. 1 depicting
the solid fuel contained therein.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0015] In the following description, various embodiments of the
present invention will be described. For purposes of explanation,
specific configurations and details are set forth in order to
provide a thorough understanding of the embodiments. However, it
will also be apparent to one skilled in the art that the present
invention may be practiced without the specific details.
Furthermore, well-known features may be omitted or simplified in
order not to obscure the embodiment being described.
[0016] Referring now to the drawing figures in which like reference
designators refer to like elements, there is shown in FIGS. 1 and 9
a fuel package 10 for a fuel source 12. Fuel package 10 includes a
body 11 having side wall 14, a bottom cover 20 and a venting system
22. Body 11 preferably comprises a tubular shape formed by side
wall 14 that defines a compartment 13 having an interior space.
Body 11 has a diameter P.sub.D, a length P.sub.L, a base end 16 and
a top end 18 distal from the base end 16. The diameter is generally
the same at the base end 16 and the top end 18. The compartment is
large enough to store a predetermined quantity of charcoal
briquettes or other solid fuel. Although a round tubular shape is
the preferred cross-sectional shape for body 11, non-round tubular
shapes such as triangular, square, pentagonal, hexagonal, octagonal
and the like are also within the scope of the present invention. It
is also within the scope of the present invention for body 11 to be
formed of more than one side wall, rather than have a continuous
tubular construction, wherein the plurality of side walls are
connected to form a structure defining a compartment therein.
[0017] Body 11 is made of paper material, such as cardboard,
paperboard, wound paper, pulp paper or the like, or other
combustible material known in the industry. The preferred material
is also preferably fire-resistant to a degree sufficient to allow
body 11 to maintain its structure while the solid fuel 12 burns to
a desired degree sufficient for grilling/cooking food, at which
point body 11 will be consumed and collapse, leaving the solid fuel
12 ready for use in grilling.
[0018] As shown in FIG. 8, side wall 14 preferably comprises a
bottom lip 21 located at the base end 16 of body 11. Bottom lip 21
folds under toward the interior of compartment 13 to provide a
double layer of body 11 for additional thickness and strength at
base end 16.
[0019] As can be seen in FIGS. 6-8, body 11 further comprises a
bottom cover 20 for supporting the solid fuel 12 within the
interior compartment 13 defined by side wall 14 and bottom cover
20. Bottom cover 20 is made of the same material as body 11 and is
preferably paper in nature or an alternative combustible material.
Bottom cover 20 is attached to base end 16 of body 11 by any of
numerous methods commonly used in the industry. Preferably, bottom
cover 20 comprises a flange 23 located along the exterior edge
which is located in between the two layers of body 11 formed by
bottom lip 21. Such methods of attachment include but are not
limited to friction fit, adhesive attachment, stitching or any
method whereby the attachment material is fully consumed during the
burning of the body 11 and the solid fuel 12.
[0020] During the manufacture of fuel package 10, once the body 11
is fully constructed, including the bottom cover 20, a
pre-determined amount of charcoal briquettes or other solid fuel
12, such as wood pellets, combustible compressed material pellets
or other known solid fuels, is deposited into the compartment
13.
[0021] Venting system 22 provides the necessary oxygen to the solid
fuel 12 for ignition and burning. Venting system 22 comprises a
plurality of substantially parallel, elongated venting apertures 24
arranged vertically around the exterior of side wall 14. Apertures
24 each comprise a top end 26 located on the end nearest the top
end 18 of body 11 and a bottom end 28 located on the end nearest
the base end 16 of body 11. Each aperture 24 further comprises a
width V.sub.W and a length V.sub.L.
[0022] For strength of the body 11 and ability of the body 11 to
resist combustion long enough for the solid fuel 12 to reach the
desired state for grilling, it has been found preferable for
apertures 24 to be located approximately 2 to 3.5 inches apart from
each other, and more preferably approximately 2.5 to 3 inches apart
from each other, although other distances are acceptable. As such,
as the diameter of body P.sub.D increases, additional apertures 24
may be added to provide adequate ventilation for the ignition of
the solid fuel 12, while still maintaining the necessary structural
integrity of the body 11 to support the solid fuel 12 and retain
sufficient structure for the time necessary for the solid fuel 12
to reach the desired state for grilling. By way of example only, a
body 11 having a diameter P.sub.D of 4 inches would preferably
comprise approximately 4 venting apertures 24. By way of further
example, a body 11 having a diameter P.sub.D of 6 inches would
preferably comprise approximately 7 venting apertures 24.
[0023] It has been found that the venting aperture 24 area is
preferably approximately 4 to 12% of the non-vented body 11 surface
area and more preferably 7 to 8%. A preferred venting aperture
width V.sub.W is approximately 0.2 to 0.3 inches, and more
preferably 0.25 inches, but could vary depending on the
combustibility of the material used for body 11, which may in turn
depend on the specific type of material as well as the thickness of
the material. A preferred venting aperture length V.sub.L is
approximately 0.5 inches less than the height of side wall 14,
although the length could vary between 0.42 and 2 inches depending
on the type of paper used for the body 11 and could vary more
widely if materials other than paper were used. If the distance
between vent top end 26 and body top end 18 is too small, body 11
will collapse before the solid fuel 12 has reach the desired state
for grilling. Conversely, if the distance between vent top end 26
and body top end 18 is too large, body 11 will not collapse early
enough for use of the solid fuel 12 and/or full consumption of body
11. The distance provided between venting aperture 24 and the edge
of body 11 at body top end 18 is substantially equal to the
distance provided between venting aperture 24 and the edge of body
11 at body base end 16. As the combustibility of the material
increases, the overall size of the venting apertures in relation to
the overall surface area of body 11 would preferably decrease to
adjust for the increased speed of combustion and ensure that the
structure remained sufficiently intact until the solid fuel was at
the desired state.
[0024] The shape of the ends of venting apertures 24 may be curved,
squared, or other shapes capable of manufacture in the industry,
keeping in mind ease and feasibility of manufacture. The shape of
venting apertures 24 is preferably an elongated slit as shown in
FIGS. 1-3, for ease of manufacture. It is within the scope of the
present invention, however, for the shape of venting apertures 24
to be elliptical, oval, or other shapes, provided any increase in
venting aperture area is taken into account in determining the
appropriate number and size of apertures to include in body 11. It
is also within the scope of the present invention for the apertures
to comprise multiple shorter apertures in a single column as
opposed to a single, continuous aperture.
[0025] Optionally, side wall 14 at body top end 18 may comprise a
rolled lip (not shown) to provide additional structural and
additional surface area for attaching optional lid 30. An
embodiment of the present invention comprises a lid 30 covering
body top end 18 to assist in retaining solid fuel 12 within
compartment 13 during transport. Lid 30 may be made of plastic,
paper, or other material such as aluminum foil. Lid 30 may be
removably attached to body 11 by a friction fit, by adhesive (as
shown in FIG. 4) or by other means commonly known and used in the
packaging industry. Lid 30 may have a shape to match the shape of
the top end 18 of body or may include corners or a tab extending
past the edge of top end 18 to allow for easy removal.
[0026] In use, fuel package 10 is placed in a grilling unit in an
upright orientation with base end 16 on the bottom. The lid 30 is
removed either before placing package 10 in the grilling unit or
after. The solid fuel 12 is ignited by user with a match or lighter
through the top opening 19 located at top end 18. As the solid fuel
12 burns, the paper material of body 11 will also burn. The venting
apertures 24 allow for the desired air flow through the body 11. As
the solid fuel 12 and body 11 burn, the paper shell of body 11
burns down to the base end 16 and the sold fuel will collapse down
on itself forming a uniform pile. The solid fuel, preferably
charcoal briquettes, are ready for cooking when the paper body 11
is burned away. Although not necessary, a user could apply an
accelerant to the solid fuel. Once the user is done cooking, only
ash remains with no paper, metal or other refuse to discard.
[0027] Other variations are within the spirit of the present
invention. Thus, while the invention is susceptible to various
modifications and alternative constructions, a certain illustrated
embodiment thereof is shown in the drawings and has been described
above in detail. It should be understood, however, that there is no
intention to limit the invention to the specific form or forms
disclosed, but on the contrary, the intention is to cover all
modifications, alternative constructions, and equivalents falling
within the spirit and scope of the invention, as defined in the
appended claims.
[0028] All references, including publications, patent applications,
and patents, cited herein are hereby incorporated by reference to
the same extent as if each reference were individually and
specifically indicated to be incorporated by reference and were set
forth in its entirety herein.
[0029] The use of the terms "a" and "an" and "the" and similar
referents in the context of describing the invention (especially in
the context of the following claims) are to be construed to cover
both the singular and the plural, unless otherwise indicated herein
or clearly contradicted by context. The terms "comprising,"
"having," "including," and "containing" are to be construed as
open-ended terms (i.e., meaning "including, but not limited to,")
unless otherwise noted. The term "connected" is to be construed as
partly or wholly contained within, attached to, or joined together,
even if there is something intervening. Recitation of ranges of
values herein are merely intended to serve as a shorthand method of
referring individually to each separate value falling within the
range, unless otherwise indicated herein, and each separate value
is incorporated into the specification as if it were individually
recited herein. All methods described herein can be performed in
any suitable order unless otherwise indicated herein or otherwise
clearly contradicted by context. The use of any and all examples,
or exemplary language (e.g., "such as") provided herein, is
intended merely to better illuminate embodiments of the invention
and does not pose a limitation on the scope of the invention unless
otherwise claimed. No language in the specification should be
construed as indicating any non-claimed element as essential to the
practice of the invention.
[0030] Preferred embodiments of this invention are described
herein, including the best mode known to the inventors for carrying
out the invention. Variations of those preferred embodiments may
become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon reading
the foregoing description. The inventors expect skilled artisans to
employ such variations as appropriate, and the inventors intend for
the invention to be practiced otherwise than as specifically
described herein. Accordingly, this invention includes all
modifications and equivalents of the subject matter recited in the
claims appended hereto as permitted by applicable law. Moreover,
any combination of the above-described elements in all possible
variations thereof is encompassed by the invention unless otherwise
indicated herein or otherwise clearly contradicted by context.
* * * * *