Radiant baffle assembly for gas-fired cooker
First Claim
1. A radiant baffle assembly for a cooking unit, said cooking unit including food support means for supporting food within a cooking zone, and fuel burner means having a burner element extending horizontally adjacent to a side of the cooking zone, said baffle assembly comprising:
- baffle means for transferring into said side of the cooking zone thermal energy generated by combustion of a fuel discharged from said burner element, said baffle means comprising a surface positioned to radiate a substantial portion of said thermal energy into said side of the cooking zone, and an upper portion extending upwardly relative to said burner element and transversely toward said side of the cooking zone to direct into said side of the cooking zone hot combustion gases flowing upward from the combustion of said fuel; and
,means for mounting said baffle means relative to said burner element so that said baffle means receives said thermal energy from the combustion of said fuel;
said mounting means comprising a rear member rearward of said burner element, an upper member extending forward of said burner element, and connecting means extending between and interconnecting said rear member and said upper member;
a lower segment of said baffle means being secured to said rear member and an upper segment of said baffle means being secured to a forward part of said upper member; and
the upper portion of said baffle means being supported between said lower segment and said upper segment such that said upper portion is free to thermally expand and contract relative to said connecting means.
5 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A radiant baffle assembly for gas-fired outdoor grills wherein food mounted on a spit in a cooking zone is cooked from the side by a vertically extending baffle structure which is heated to radiant temperatures by its contact with combustion gases and radiant energy provided by burning gaseous fuel from a horizontal gas burner. A forwardly facing surface of the baffle structure radiates heat transversely toward a side of the cooking zone, while an upper portion of this surface directs rising combustion gases transversely toward the same side of the cooking zone. The baffle structure may include a baffle member having ridges and grooves in a lower portion for enhancing heating of the baffle structure and its radiation of heat energy.
-
Citations
29 Claims
-
1. A radiant baffle assembly for a cooking unit, said cooking unit including food support means for supporting food within a cooking zone, and fuel burner means having a burner element extending horizontally adjacent to a side of the cooking zone, said baffle assembly comprising:
-
baffle means for transferring into said side of the cooking zone thermal energy generated by combustion of a fuel discharged from said burner element, said baffle means comprising a surface positioned to radiate a substantial portion of said thermal energy into said side of the cooking zone, and an upper portion extending upwardly relative to said burner element and transversely toward said side of the cooking zone to direct into said side of the cooking zone hot combustion gases flowing upward from the combustion of said fuel; and
,means for mounting said baffle means relative to said burner element so that said baffle means receives said thermal energy from the combustion of said fuel;
said mounting means comprising a rear member rearward of said burner element, an upper member extending forward of said burner element, and connecting means extending between and interconnecting said rear member and said upper member;
a lower segment of said baffle means being secured to said rear member and an upper segment of said baffle means being secured to a forward part of said upper member; and
the upper portion of said baffle means being supported between said lower segment and said upper segment such that said upper portion is free to thermally expand and contract relative to said connecting means. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
-
-
26. A radiant baffle assembly for a cooking unit, said cooking unit including food support means for supporting food within a cooking zone, and fuel burner means having a burner element extending horizontally adjacent to a side of the cooking zone, said baffle assembly comprising:
-
baffle means for transferring into said side of the cooking zone thermal energy generated by combustion of a fuel discharged from said burner element, said baffle means comprising a surface positioned to radiate a substantial portion of said thermal energy into said side of the cooking zone, and an upper portion extending upwardly relative to said burner element and transversely toward said side of the cooking zone to direct into said side of the cooking zone hot combustion gases flowing upward from the combustion of said fuel; means for mounting said baffle means relative to said burner element so that said baffle means receives said thermal energy from the combustion of said fuel; support means for supporting a container for holding woodchips in spaced relation over at lest a portion of said baffle means; and
,means for conveying a portion of the hot combustion gases from combustion of said fuel to said container to provide thermal energy for burning woodchips held in said container to generate smoke for flavoring food supported by said food support means. - View Dependent Claims (27)
-
-
28. A radiant baffle assembly for a cooking unit, said cooking unit including food support means for supporting food within a cooking zone, and fuel burner means having a burner element extending horizontally adjacent to a side of the cooking zone, said baffle assembly comprising:
-
baffle means for transferring into said side of the cooking zone thermal energy generated by combustion of a fuel discharged from said burner element, said baffle means comprising a baffle member having an upper portion and a lower portion and providing a surface positioned to radiate a substantial portion of said thermal energy into said side of the cooking zone; and
,means for mounting said baffle member relative to said burner element so that said baffle member receives said thermal energy from the combustion of said fuel; said upper portion extending upwardly relative to said burner element and transversely toward said side of the cooking zone to direct into said side of the cooking zone hot combustion gases flowing upward from the combustion of said fuel; said lower portion comprising a corrugated heat radiating surface formed by a plurality of horizontally extending ridges each connected to another by a horizontally extending groove; said mounting means comprising a rear member, an upper member, and connecting means extending between and interconnecting said rear member and said upper member; and a lower segment of said baffle member being secured to said rear member and an upper segment of said baffle member being secured to said upper member such that both the upper portion and the lower portion of said baffle member are free to thermally expand and contract relative to said connecting means. - View Dependent Claims (29)
-
Specification