Range exhaust cleaning system and method

• US 20070209655A1
• Filed: 03/10/2006
• Published: 09/13/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/10/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Restaurant Technologies Incorporated (Goldman Sachs Group Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Kellogg, Bruns & Smieja, LLC
• Inventors: Kellogg, David, Bruns, Ryan, Smieja, David
• Granted Patent: US 7,832,391 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 126/299.E
• CPC Class Codes: A62C 3/006 for kitchens or stoves
• CPC Class Codes: F24C 15/2057 using a cleaning liquid

Abstract

A cleaning system for a cooking range exhaust having a hood, a backsplash, and a flue for exhausting cooking effluent is disclosed. The cleaning system includes a fluid delivery system constructed for placement within the cooking range exhaust. The fluid delivery system includes a hood spray conduit constructed for placement within the hood and comprising spray openings for directing a degreasing composition to the backsplash. The fluid delivery system includes a flue spray conduit constructed for placement within the flue and comprising spray openings for directing the degreasing composition to an interior surface of the flue. The cleaning system includes a pump system constructed for conveying the degreasing composition from a degreasing composition source and through the fluid delivery system. The cleaning system includes a collection reservoir constructed to collect degreasing composition runoff from the cooking range exhaust. A method of cleaning a cooking range exhaust and a self-cleaning exhaust system are also disclosed.

Claims

1. A cleaning system for cleaning a cooking range exhaust having a hood, a backsplash, and a flue for exhausting cooking effluent, the cleaning system comprising:

(a) a fluid delivery system constructed for placement within the cooking range exhaust, the fluid delivery system including;

(i) a hood spray conduit constructed for placement within the hood and comprising spray openings for directing a degreasing composition to the backsplash;

(ii) a flue spray conduit constructed for placement within the flue and comprising spray openings for directing the degreasing composition to an interior surface of the flue;

(b) a pump system constructed for conveying the degreasing composition from a degreasing composition source and through the fluid delivery system; and

(c) a collection reservoir constructed to collect degreasing composition run off from the cooking range exhaust.

2. The cleaning system of claim 1 wherein:

(a) the fluid delivery system further comprises a first connection conduit connecting the hood spray conduit to the pump system and a second connection conduit connecting the flue spray conduit to the pump system.

3. The cleaning system of claim 1, wherein:

(a) the flue spray conduit connects to the hood spray conduit within the cooking range exhaust.

4. The cleaning system of claim 3, wherein:

(a) the fluid delivery system further comprises a first connection conduit connecting the hood spray conduit and the flue spray conduit to the pump system.

5. The cleaning system of claim 1, wherein:

(a) the spray openings comprise spray nozzles.

6. The cleaning system of claim 1, wherein:

(a) the flue spray conduit is constructed to extend into a fan subsystem of the exhaust.

7. The cleaning system of claim 6, wherein:

(a) at least one spray opening is oriented toward the fan subsystem.

8. The cleaning system of claim 1, wherein:

(a) the pump system is further constructed for conveying water from a water source and through the fluid delivery system.

9. The cleaning system of claim 8, wherein:

(a) the pump subsystem includes a pump configured to alternatively connect to the degreasing composition source and the water source.

10. The cleaning system of claim 1 further comprising:

(a) at least one mounting clamp constructed to hold the flue spray conduit within the flue.

11. The cleaning system of claim 10, wherein:

(a) the at least one mounting clamp includes two opposed adjustable legs that extend from opposite sides of the clamp body.

12. The cleaning system of claim 1 further comprising:

(a) a touch screen integrated with the pump system and configured to allow control and programming of the pump system.

13. A method of cleaning a cooking range exhaust having a hood, a backsplash, and a flue for exhausting cooking effluent, the method comprising:

spraying a degreasing composition on the backsplash and an interior surface of the flue, the degreasing composition stored at a degreasing composition source and sprayed by a pump system connected to a fluid delivery system; and

rinsing the backsplash and the interior surface of the flue with water, the water drawn from a water source by a pump system and sprayed via the fluid delivery system.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

(a) allowing the water and the degreasing composition to drain toward a collection reservoir.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

(a) waiting a predetermined time after spraying the degreasing composition before rinsing the backsplash and the interior surface of the flue.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein:

(a) the predetermined time is at least about three seconds.

17. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

(a) repeating the spraying and rinsing steps at a frequency of at least once a week.

18. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

(a) repeating the spraying and rinsing steps at a frequency of at least once a day.

19. The method of claim 13, wherein:

(a) the rinsing step comprises multiple rinse cycles.

20. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

(a) storing a record of the cleaning process in the pump system.

21. A self-cleaning exhaust system comprising:

(a) a cooking range exhaust comprising a hood, a backsplash, and a flue having a flue opening into the hood, wherein the hood is provided in proximity to a cooking area to recover cooking effluent when the cooking range exhaust is operated;

(b) a fluid delivery system mounted on the cooking range exhaust, the fluid delivery system including;

(i) a hood spray conduit provided within the hood and comprising spray openings provided to deliver a degreasing composition to the backsplash;

(ii) a flue spray conduit provided within the flue and including spray openings provided to deliver the degreasing composition to the interior surface of the flue;

(c) a pump system constructed for conveying the degreasing composition from a degreasing composition source and through the fluid delivery system; and

(d) a collection reservoir constructed to collect degreasing composition run off from the cooking range exhaust.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein:

(a) the pump system is further constructed for conveying water from a water source and through the fluid delivery system.

23. The system of claim 21, further comprising:

(a) at least one mounting clamp constructed to hold the flue spray conduit in the flue.

24. The system of claim 21, further comprising:

(a) a grease trough within the hood positioned to convey degreasing composition run off to the connection reservoir.

25. The system of claim 24, further comprising:

(a) an exhaust filter positioned below the flue opening to receive the degreasing composition run off from the flue and convey the degreasing composition run off to the grease trough.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein:

(a) the exhaust filter extends at least ten inches beyond each side of the flue opening.

27. The system of claim 21, further comprising:

(a) a fire prevention system integrated with the cooking range exhaust and configured to detect and extinguish fires in the cooking range exhaust.