RANGE EXHAUST CLEANING SYSTEM AND METHOD

• US 20110048397A1
• Filed: 11/11/2010
• Published: 03/03/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/10/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Restaurant Technologies Incorporated (Goldman Sachs Group Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Kellogg Bruns & Smeija LLC
• Inventors: Smieja, David Paul, Kellogg, David Alan, Bruns, Ryan Dietrich
• Granted Patent: US 8,316,839 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 126/16
• 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 a cooking range exhaust including a hood having a backsplash and a flue, the cleaning system comprising:

a fluid delivery system constructed for at least partial placement within the cooking range exhaust, the fluid delivery system including,

a non-rotating hood spray conduit constructed for placement within the hood and adjacent an interior surface of the backsplash, the hood spray conduit longitudinally traversing a substantial portion of the backsplash and comprising a plurality of fixed spray openings for directing a degreasing composition to substantially the entire interior surface of the backsplash; and

a pump system constructed for conveying the degreasing composition from a degreasing composition source and through the fluid delivery system.

2. The cleaning system of claim 1, wherein the fluid delivery system further comprises a non-rotating flue spray conduit constructed for placement within the flue and comprising a plurality of spray openings for directing the degreasing composition to substantially an entire interior surface of the flue.

3. The cleaning system of claim 2, wherein at least one of the spray openings of the flue spray conduit is configured to vertically spray the degreasing composition into a fan subsystem located vertically above a top end portion of the flue spray conduit.

4. The cleaning system of claim 2, wherein the fluid delivery system further comprises a first connection conduit connecting the hood spray conduit to the pump system along a first fluid path, and a second connection conduit connecting the flue spray conduit to the pump system along a second fluid path spaced from the first fluid path.

5. The cleaning system of claim 2, wherein the flue spray conduit connects to the hood spray conduit within the cooking range exhaust.

6. The cleaning system of claim 5, wherein the fluid delivery system further comprises a first connection conduit connecting the hood spray conduit and the flue spray conduit to the pump system.

7. The cleaning system of claim 1, further comprising a collection reservoir constructed to collect degreasing composition run-off from the cooking range exhaust.

8. The cleaning system of claim 1, wherein each of the fixed spray openings of the hood spray conduit comprise a non-rotary spray nozzle.

9. The cleaning system of claim 1, wherein the pump system is further constructed for conveying water from a water source and through the fluid delivery system.

10. The cleaning system of claim 9, wherein the pump system includes a pump configured to alternatively connect to the degreasing composition source and the water source.

11. The cleaning system of claim 1, further comprising at least one non-penetrable mounting clamp constructed to hold a portion of the fluid delivery system within the cooking range exhaust, the at least one non-penetrable mounting clamp terminating in one or more frictionally engaging feet.

12. The cleaning system of claim 11, wherein the at least one non-penetrable mounting clamp includes two opposed adjustable legs extending from opposite sides of a clamp body.

13. The cleaning system of claim 1, further comprising a user-interface integrated with the pump system allowing control and programming of the pump system, the user-interface including a memory storing a performance history of the pump system.

14. The cleaning system of claim 1 in combination with a fire prevention system integrated with the cooking range exhaust, and configured to detect and extinguish fires in the cooking range exhaust.

15. A self-cleaning and fire prevention exhaust system, comprising:

a cooking range exhaust comprising a hood having 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;

a first fluid delivery system mounted on the cooking range exhaust, the first fluid delivery system including a non-rotating hood spray conduit provided within the hood and comprising a plurality of fixed spray openings to deliver a degreasing composition to the backsplash;

a second fluid delivery system mounted on the cooking range exhaust, the second fluid delivery system including a plurality of spray openings to deliver fire-extinguishing water; and

a pump system constructed for conveying the degreasing composition from a degreasing composition source or water from a water source and through the first or second fluid delivery system.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the first fluid delivery system further comprises a flue spray conduit provided within the flue and comprising a plurality of spray openings provided to deliver the degreasing composition to an interior surface of the flue.

17. A method of cleaning a cooking range exhaust including a hood having a backsplash and a flue, the method comprising:

storing a degreasing composition;

pumping the degreasing composition to a fluid delivery system at least partially positioned in an area of the hood bounded by one or more exhaust filters and the backsplash; and

spraying the degreasing composition on the backsplash and an interior surface portion of the flue using fixed spray openings of the fluid delivery system.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein spraying the degreasing composition on the backsplash includes using a non-rotating hood spray conduit longitudinally traversing a substantial portion of the backsplash and comprising a plurality of fixed spray openings for directing the degreasing composition to substantially an entire interior surface of the backsplash.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein spraying the degreasing composition on the interior surface portion of the flue includes using a non-rotating flue spray conduit comprising a plurality of fixed spray openings for directing the degreasing composition to substantially an entire interior surface of the flue.

20. The method of claim 17, further comprising spraying the degreasing composition into a fan subsystem located vertically above a top end portion of the flue spray conduit.

21. The method of claim 17, further comprising rinsing the backsplash and the interior surface portion of the flue with water.

22. The method of claim 17, further comprising draining the degreasing composition from the cooking range exhaust using an opening in a drain tough.

23. The method of claim 17, further comprising programming a time for automatic pumping of the degreasing composition using a user-interface integrated with the pump system.

24. The method of claim 17, further comprising storing a record of the degreasing cycles performed within a time period.

25. The method of claim 17, further comprising positioning an exhaust filter below a flue opening to receive the degreasing composition run-off from the flue and convey the degreasing composition run-off to a drain trough, the exhaust filter extending at least ten inches beyond each side of the flue opening.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein positioning the exhaust filter below the flue opening includes using one or more markers located on the cooking range exhaust.

27. The method of claim 17, further comprising detecting and extinguishing fires in the cooking range exhaust using a fire prevention system integrated with the cooking range exhaust.