Outdoor cooking apparatus and enclosure for an outdoor cooking device

• US 6,745,673 B1
• Filed: 03/19/2003
• Issued: 06/08/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/19/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Julio N. Martinez
• Original Assignee: Julio N. Martinez
• Inventors: Martinez, Julio N.
• Primary Examiner(s): Simone, Timothy F.
• Application Number:
  US10/392,210
• Time in Patent Office: 447 Days
• Field of Search: 993/31, 993/39, 993/40, 993/41, 994/00, 994/01, 994/19--21, 994/27, 994/44--50, 994/81, 994/82, 126/25.R, 126/9.R, 126/41.R, 126/299.C, 126/369, 126/20, 219/400, 219/401-404, 219/385, 219/386, 219/440, 426/523, 426/466, 312/236
• US Class Current: 99/421.00H
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 37/0786 Accessories

Abstract

An outdoor cooking device including a base having a lid movably mounted thereto and disposable between an open configuration and a closed configuration. A main seal is provided along a main interface to permit the lid to substantially enclose an upper portion of the base when in the closed configuration so as to restrict access to the interior of the apparatus by the elements and/or various insects, small animals, as well as other pests and vermin. Additionally, the apparatus includes a plurality of ports as required for operation of the outdoor cooking apparatus, and a port seal assembly structured and disposed in sealing engagement with at least some of the plurality of ports, while the apparatus is not in use. The apparatus may also include a skirt and a skirt cover structured to substantially enclose a lower portion of the base, while the apparatus is not in use.

Claims

1. An outdoor cooking apparatus comprising:

a base having a lid movably mounted thereto,

said lid being disposable between an open configuration and a closed configuration,

a main seal disposed along a main interface between said base and said lid,

said closed configuration being at least partially defined by said lid disposed in a substantially enclosing relation to an upper portion of said base along said main seal,

a skirt disposed in an overlying relation to a lower portion of said base and interconnected thereto,

a skirt cover structured to engage said skirt and being disposable between an operable configuration and a storage configuration, and

said storage configuration is at least partially defined by said skirt and said skirt cover disposed in a substantially enclosing relation to said lower portion of said base.

2. An apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein said lid comprises a ventilation port.

3. An apparatus as recited in claim 2 further comprising a ventilation cover structured to operatively engage at least a portion of said lid and substantially seal said ventilation port while said apparatus is not in use.

4. An apparatus as recited in claim 3 wherein said lid is not disposable into said open configuration while said ventilation cover operatively engages said portion of said lid.

5. An apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein said lid comprises at least one rotisserie port to permit at least one end of a rotisserie rod to extend therethrough while said lid is disposed in said closed configuration.

6. An apparatus as recited in claim 5 further comprising a rotisserie cover structured to engage and substantially seal said rotisserie port while said apparatus is not in use.

7. An apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein said lid comprises an ignition port structured to permit insertion of a source of ignition therethrough to ignite an amount of fuel while said lid is disposed in said closed configuration.

8. An apparatus as recited in claim 7 further comprising an ignition cover structured to engage and substantially seal said ignition port while said apparatus is not in use.

9. An enclosure for an outdoor cooking device comprising:

a housing cooperatively engaging the outdoor cooking device,

said housing comprising at least one door disposable between an open position and a closed position,

a doorway seal disposed along a doorway interface between said housing and said door,

a housing cover structured to engage said housing and being disposable between an operable position and a storage position,

a housing seal disposed along a housing interface between said housing and said housing cover,

an adjustable support mechanism disposed within said housing and structured to support the outdoor cooking device in at least an operative orientation,

a lift mechanism interconnected to said adjustable support mechanism and structured to selectively raise and lower said adjustable support mechanism and the outdoor cooking device within said housing, and

the outdoor cooking device being substantially enclosed within said housing while said door is disposed in said closed position and said housing cover is disposed in said storage position.

10. An enclosure as recited in claim 9 wherein adjustable support mechanism is further structured to support the outdoor cooking device in a stored orientation.

11. An enclosure as recited in claim 9 wherein said lift mechanism is manually operated.

12. An enclosure as recited in claim 9 wherein said lift mechanism is hydraulically powered.

13. An enclosure as recited in claim 9 wherein said lift mechanism is electrically powered.

14. An enclosure as recited in claim 13 further comprising a power inlet port mounted to said housing and structured to engage at least a portion of an electric power supply line and said housing, and maintain a substantial seal through said housing.

15. An enclosure as recited in claim 9 comprising a plurality of doors, each of said plurality of doors being disposable between said open position and said closed position.

16. An outdoor cooking apparatus comprising:

a base having a lid movably mounted thereto,

said lid being disposable between an open configuration and a closed configuration,

a main seal disposed continuously along a main interface of said base and said lid,

said closed configuration being at least partially defined by said lid disposed in a substantially enclosing relation to an upper portion of said base along said main seal,

a plurality of ports formed in said apparatus in a communicating relation to an interior of said apparatus,

a port seal assembly structured and disposed in a sealing engagement with at least some of said plurality of ports, and

said main seal and said port seal assembly structured to restrict access to said interior of said apparatus while said lid is disposed in said closed configuration and said port seal assembly is disposed in said sealing engagement.

17. An apparatus as recited in claim 16 further comprising a skirt disposed in an overlying relation to at least a lower portion of said base.

18. An apparatus as recited in claim 17 comprising a skirt cover structured to engage said skirt and being disposable between an operable configuration and a storage configuration.

19. An apparatus as recited in claim 18 wherein said storage configuration is at least partially defined by said skirt and said skirt cover structured to further restrict access to said lower portion of said base while said skirt cover is disposed in said storage configuration.

20. An apparatus as recited in claim 16 wherein at least one of said ports comprises a ventilation port.

21. An apparatus as recited in claim 20 wherein said port seal assembly comprises a ventilation cover structured to engage and substantially seal said ventilation port while said apparatus is not in use.

22. An apparatus as recited in claim 21 wherein said lid is not disposable into said open configuration while said ventilation cover is disposed in said substantially sealing engagement with said ventilation port.

23. An apparatus as recited in claim 16 wherein at least one of said ports comprises a rotisserie port to permit at least one end of a rotisserie rod to extend therethrough while said lid is disposed in said closed configuration.

24. An apparatus as recited in claim 23 wherein said port seal assembly comprises at least one rotisserie cover structured to engage and substantially seal said rotisserie port while said apparatus is not in use.

25. An apparatus as recited in claim 16 wherein said plurality of ports comprise at least one pair of rotisserie ports to permit each end of a rotisserie rod to extend therethrough while said lid is disposed in said closed configuration.

26. An apparatus as recited in claim 25 wherein said port sealing assembly comprises a pair of rotisserie covers each structured to engage and substantially seal a different one of said pair of rotisserie ports while said apparatus is not in use.

27. An apparatus as recited in claim 16 wherein at least one of said ports comprises an ignition port structured to permit insertion of an ignition source therethrough to ignite a fuel supply while said lid is disposed in said closed configuration.

28. An apparatus as recited in claim 27 wherein said port sealing assembly comprises an ignition cover structured to engage and substantially seal said ignition port while said apparatus is not in use.

29. An outdoor cooking apparatus comprising:

a base having a lid movably interconnected thereto,

said lid being disposable between an open configuration and a closed configuration,

a main seal disposed along a main interface of said base and said lid,

said closed configuration being at least partially defined by said lid disposed in a substantially enclosing relation to an upper portion of said base along said main seal,

a plurality of ports formed in said apparatus in a communicating relation to an interior of said apparatus,

a port seal assembly structured and disposed in a sealing engagement with at least some of said plurality of ports,

said main seal and said port seal assembly structured to at least partially restrict access to said interior of said apparatus while said lid is disposed in said closed configuration and said port seal assembly is disposed in said sealing engagement,

a skirt disposed in an overlying relation to a lower portion of said base and interconnected thereto,

a control panel at least partially mounted to said skirt and structured to operatively engage and control an amount of heat generated by at least one heating element disposed within said base,

a skirt cover structured to engage said skirt and being disposable between an operable configuration and a storage configuration, and

said storage configuration is at least partially defined by said skirt and said skirt cover further restricting access to said lower portion of said base while said skirt cover is disposed in said storage configuration.

30. An apparatus as recited in claim 29 further comprising a control cover disposable between a locked orientation and an unlocked orientation relative to said control panel.

31. An apparatus as recited in claim 30 wherein said locked orientation is at least partially defined by said control cover disposed to substantially restrict access to said control panel.