COLLAPSIBLE COOKING DEVICE

• US 20120204852A1
• Filed: 04/26/2012
• Published: 08/16/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/25/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: BOUCHER, PAUL MICHAEL
• Original Assignee: BOUCHER, PAUL MICHAEL
• Inventors: BOUCHER, PAUL MICHAEL
• Granted Patent: US 9,657,950 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 126/30
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 37/0763 Small-size, portable barbecues
• CPC Class Codes: F24C 1/16 with special adaptation for travelling, e.g. collapsible

Abstract

A fire-resistant collapsible enclosure can include three or more sidewalls coupled with a cross plate internal to the enclosure. A top portion of the enclosure can include a non-linear edge configured to be an airflow outlet, or a bottom portion of the enclosure can include a non-linear edge configured to be an airflow outlet. The fire-resistant collapsible enclosure can be configured for use as an oven, a stove, or a smoker. In an example, two or more of the fire-resistant collapsible enclosures can be used together, such as where one enclosure is configured as a heat source and a second enclosure is configured as a smoker. In an example, the cross plate can include a throttle to control airflow through the enclosure.

Claims

1. A collapsible portable stove comprising:

a first and a second pair of substantially rectangular side plates, one of the side plates including a port extending from an edge of the side plate toward an opposite edge of the side plate;

a slot in each side plate of the first pair, the slot extending from an edge of each plate toward an opposite edge of each respective plate;

a mating feature in each side plate of the first and second pairs, the mating feature disposed near a side edge portion of each plate, and a second mating feature disposed near an opposite side edge portion of each respective plate; and

a substantially plate-like cross member;

wherein the cross member is disposed in the slot in each side plate of the first pair;

wherein each pair of side plates is matingly engaged with the other pair of side plates using the mating features; and

wherein the side plates and the cross member are collapsible and stackable into a substantially flat configuration.

2. The collapsible portable stove of claim 1, further comprising:

multiple substantially plate-like cross members; and

multiple, substantially parallel slots in each side plate of the first pair, the multiple slots extending from an edge of each plate toward an opposite edge of each respective plate;

wherein the multiple cross members are disposed in the multiple slots.

3. The collapsible portable stove of claim 2, wherein two of the side plates include a port that extends from an edge of a respective plate toward an opposite edge of the respective plate, wherein the port is configured as an air vent or fuel access area.

4. A heating apparatus, comprising:

a fire-resistant collapsible enclosure comprising;

substantially vertical sidewalls;

a bottom support portion of a sidewall of the enclosure, the bottom support portion including a non-linear edge configured to be an airflow inlet;

a top support portion of a sidewall of the enclosure, the top support portion including an airflow outlet; and

a first cross plate coupled with the substantially vertical sidewalls at an intermediate location between the top and bottom support portions;

wherein the airflow inlet and the airflow outlet are in fluid communication and are configured to control airflow through the enclosure.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the top support portion of the sidewall of the enclosure includes a non-linear edge configured to be the airflow outlet.

6. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein one of the substantially vertical sidewalls includes the bottom support portion or the top support portion.

7. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the substantially vertical sidewalls comprise three substantially rectangular planar side plates.

8. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein each of the three substantially rectangular planar side plates has opposing first and second side portions at substantially vertical side edges;

wherein each of the three substantially planar side plates includes a first coupling feature disposed in the first side portion and a second coupling feature disposed in the second side portion;

wherein the first coupling feature of a first one of the three side plates is configured to mechanically couple with a corresponding second coupling feature of an adjoining one of the three side plates; and

wherein the first coupling feature of the first one of the three side plates and the second coupling feature of the adjoining one of the three side plates are configured to be engaged and secured when the side plates are laterally shifted relative to one another.

9. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein a first one of the substantially vertical sidewalls includes a locking feature and a second one of the substantially vertical sidewalls includes a slot configured to receive the locking feature, and wherein the locking feature and the slot are configured to lockingly engage when the first and second substantially vertical sidewalls are laterally shifted relative to each other.

10. The apparatus of claim 4, further comprising a second cross plate coupled with the substantially vertical sidewalls at a location that is nearer the top support than the first cross plate.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the second cross plate is configured to engage with an edge of the top support portion, and wherein the top support portion includes an extension configured to be received in a mating feature that is disposed along an edge of the second cross plate.

12. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the first cross plate or the second cross plate comprises a food-safe surface, and wherein the sidewalls, the first cross plate, and the second cross plate comprise a material that is dimensionally and oxidatively stable over multiple heating and cooling cycles, wherein a heating and cooling cycle includes a temperature change from about zero degrees Celsius to at least about 500 degrees Celsius over a period of several seconds.

13. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein a total mass of the sidewalls, first cross plate, and second cross plate, is less than about 2.5 pounds.

14. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein each of the first cross plate and the second cross plate comprises multiple cutouts such that the first cross plate and the second cross plate each comprise about 30 percent open area.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, further comprising a throttle plate, the throttle plate comprising multiple cutouts corresponding to the cutouts of the first cross plate, wherein the throttle plate is movably engaged with the first cross plate along corresponding planar faces such that a total open area of a combination of the throttle plate and the first cross plate is continuously variable between a substantially open configuration and a substantially closed configuration.

16. The apparatus of claim 4, further comprising a cross member supported by the top support portion.

17. The apparatus of claim 4, further comprising a smoker box configured to be mechanically coupled to the top support portion.

18. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the substantially vertical side plates include:

first and second substantially rectangular planar male side plates, each of the male side plates including a male coupling feature disposed adjacent each of two opposing side edges; and

first and second substantially rectangular planar female side plates, each of the female side plates including a female coupling feature disposed adjacent each of two opposing side edges;

wherein the male and female coupling features are configured to correspondingly engage.

19. A fire-resistant collapsible stove assembly, comprising:

a pair of substantially rectangular planar male side plates, and a pair of substantially rectangular planar female side plates, wherein each of the side plates comprises;

a bottom portion with a substantially horizontal non-linear bottom edge;

a top portion with a substantially horizontal non-linear top edge; and

first and second side portions with substantially vertical side edges;

wherein the first and second side portions of each of the male side plates include a male coupling feature, and the first and second side portions of each of the female side plates include a female coupling feature; and

wherein the male and female coupling features are configured to correspondingly engage; and

wherein the fire-resistant collapsible stove assembly includes one of a throttle plate assembly or a fire grate, the throttle plate assembly or the fire grate having extensions on opposite ends of the throttle plate assembly or fire grate, the extensions configured to engage with slots formed in one of the pair of male side plates or the pair of female side plates, and the slots are located intermediately between the top and bottom edges of the pair of side plates.

20. The fire-resistant collapsible stove assembly of claim 19, further comprising one of (1) a substantially planar top grate configured to be mechanically coupled with two of the side plates;

(2) a cross member supported by the top edges of two of the side plates;

or (3) a substantially planar top pan configured to be mechanically coupled with two of the side plates.