Bench top grill assembly

• US 7,117,865 B2
• Filed: 03/05/2004
• Issued: 10/10/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/02/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lifetime Brands Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Lifetime Hoan Corporation
• Inventors: Krent, Adam, Siegel, Dan
• Primary Examiner(s): Basichas, Alfred
• Application Number:
  US10/794,978
• Publication Number:
  US 20040216733A1
• Time in Patent Office: 949 Days
• Field of Search: 431/326, 126/26, 126/43, 126/44, 126/50, 126/214.A, 126/215
• US Class Current: 126/26
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 36/26 Devices for warming vessels containing drinks or food, especially by means of burners Warming devices with a burner, e.g. using gasoline; Travelling cookers, e.g. using petroleum or gasoline with one burner

Abstract

The present invention provides a bench top grill assembly that includes a rigid continuous grill body, a grill grate removably covering an upper opening, and a fuel element receptacle or container removably positionable in the grill body through a lateral opening dimensioned to closely receive the container. A safety handle projects from the fuel element container through the lateral opening away from sides of the grill body so that the handle does not become heated during use and may be safely gripped. A support table with multiple dimensions, forks, and condiment dishes increase the convenience of the bench top grill assembly.

Claims

1. A bench top grill kit, comprising:

a generally rigid grill body element defining an interior region and a top opening generally above said interior region;

a heat source physically disconnected from said grill body and being freely movable relative thereto either positioned inside said grill body generally below said top opening or outside said grill body;

a grate in said grill body element, generally covering said top opening;

said grate being positioned above said heat source within a path of grilling heat rising upwardly from said heat source; and

a plurality of utensils for securing and holding a food product above said grate within said path of upwardly rising grilling heat, when said heat source is moved into an positioned within said grill body element below said top opening.

2. A bench top grill kit, according to claim 1, wherein:

said heat source includes a fuel container effective to contain an external fuel element while allowing a flame to escape through a flame opening proximate said grate during a grilling use.

3. A bench top grill kit, according to claim 2, further comprising:

a support table member supporting and thermally spacing said grill body element from a supporting work surface, thereby minimizing a heating of said work surface during said grilling use; and

said support table being at least one of a rotatable support table and a fixed support table.

4. A bench top grill kit, according to claim 3, further comprising:

at least one recess on a top surface of said support table member.

5. A bench top grill kit, according to claim 4, wherein:

said at least one recess shaped to receive at least one of said plurality of utensils, at least one food product, at least one food product container, and said grill body element, said at least one recess minimizing a shifting of said one relative to said top surface during said grilling use and a transport, whereby a convenience and a safety of said bench top grill kit is increased.

6. A bench top grill kit, according to claim 2, wherein:

said heat source includes a handle extending outwardly from said fuel container, whereby said handle minimizes an outwardly thermal transfer of said grilling heat to a tip region of said handle and enables a safe manipulation of said heat source during said grilling use.

7. A bench top grill kit, comprising:

a generally rigid grill body element defining an interior region and a top opening generally above said interior region;

a heat source physically disconnected from said grill body and being freely movable relative thereto either positioned inside said arill body generally below said top opening or outside said grill body;

means for securing said heat source generally centrally within a grill body element;

a grate in said grill body element;

said grate positioned above said heat source within a path of grilling heat rising upwardly from said heat source;

at least one utensil for securing and holding a food product above said grate within said path of upwardly rising grilling heat; and

a support table member disposed below said grid body and said heat source, said support table member elevating said grill body and heat source above a support work surface and thermally spacing said grill body element from the supporting work surface, thereby minimizing heating of the work surface during grilling use.

8. A bench top grill kit, according to claim 7, wherein:

said means for securing includes a said fuel container effective to contain an external fuel element while allowing a flame to escape through a flame opening proximate said grate when said fuel container is in said fuel container.

9. A bench top grill kit, according to claim 8, further comprising:

at least one recess on a top surface of said support table member; and

said at least one recess is shaped to receive at least one of said plurality of utensils, at least one food product, at least one condiment container, and said grill body element, said at least one recess minimizing a shifting of said one relative to said top surface during said grilling use and a transport, whereby a convenience and a safety of said bench top grill kit is increased.

10. A bench top grill assembly, comprising:

a generally rigid grill body element defining an interior region and a top opening generally above said interior region;

a heat source physically disconnected from said grill body and being freely movable relative thereto either positioned inside said grill body generally below said top opening or outside said grill body;

said grill body being a rigid body defining an inner region and a top opening;

at least a side opening in said grill body positioned between said top opening and said inner support means;

a grill grate;

said grill grate providing a divided access to said inner region of said grill body;

said grill grate removably positionable on said top opening and separable from said grill body during a use, whereby said top opening and said grill grate enable grilling over at least one of an open flame and a grated flame;

said fuel container operably capable of containing a fuel element while allowing a flame to escape through a flame opening proximate said top opening when said fuel container is in said inner support means; and

a support table member disposed below said grid body and said heat source, said support table member elevating said grill body and heat source above a support work surface and spacing said grill body from a supporting work surface, thereby minimizing a heating of said work surface during a use.

11. A bench top grill assembly, according to claim 10, further comprising:

a handle extending from said fuel container; and

said handle projecting through said side opening away from said grill body during said use, whereby said handle does not become heated and is easily grasped during a use to facilitate a safe operation of said bench top grill.

12. A bench top grill assembly, according to claim 11, wherein:

said handle includes one of a means for adjusting a fuel combustion rate in said fuel container during said use and a means for ending a fuel combustion after said use.

13. A bench top grill assembly, comprising:

a generally rigid grill body element defining an interior region and a top opening generally above said interior region;

a heat source physically disconnected from said grill body and being freely movable relative thereto either positioned inside said grill body generally below said top opening or outside said arill body;

said grill body being a rigid body substantially bounding an inner volume and defining a top opening;

at least one side of said grill body having a side opening;

a substantially planar grill grate;

said grill grate providing access to an inside of said grill housing;

said grill grate on said top opening and separable from said grill body during a use, whereby said top opening and said grill grate enable a grilling over at least one of an open flame and a grated flame;

a fuel container not connected to said grill body and being freely movable relative thereto and positionable below said top opening having an elongate handle connected to said fuel container for moving said fuel container when gripped by a user;

said side opening having a shape allowing said handle to project through said side opening and directed away from said grill body during use;

said fuel container operably capable of containing a fuel element while allowing a flame to project thermal energy toward at least said top opening; and

means for at least one of terminating a combustion of a fuel in said fuel container, adjusting a combustion rate of said fuel, and adjusting a flame opening in said fuel container, whereby said projecting handle remains cool allowing a user to grasp said handle and manipulate said means for at least one thereby increasing at least one of a grilling safety and a grilling convenience.

14. A bench top grill kit, comprising:

a generally rigid grill body element defining an interior region and a top opening generally above said interior region;

a heat source physically disconnected from said grill body and being freely movable relative thereto either positioned inside said grill body generally below said top opening or outside said grill body;

said grill body being a rigid continuous body substantially bounding an inner volume and defining at least a top opening;

means not connected to said grill body for producing thermal energy in said grill body and being freely movable relative to said grill body;

a grill grate on said top opening and separable from said grill body and enabling outwardly flow of said thermal energy from said means for producing through said top opening;

a support table disposed below said grid body and said heat source, said support table member elevating said arill body and heat source above a support work surface and spacing at least said grill body from an external work surface;

at least one recess on a top surface of said support table; and

said at least one recess shaped to receive at least one of said grill body, a grilling utensil, at least one condiment, and at least one condiment container, said at least one recess minimizing a shifting of said one relative to said top surface during said use and transport, whereby a convenience and a safety of said bench top grill kit is increased.

15. A bench top grill kit, according to claim 14, in combination with:

a generally cylindrical petroleum-based heating canister; and

said means for producing thermal energy containing said canister, whereby said canister enables a safe containment of said thermal energy during a use while said means for producing includes a means for grasping said means for producing distant from said heating canister, thereby enabling a user to safely control said canister during said use.

16. A bench top grill kit, comprising:

a generally rigid grill body element defining an interior region and a top opening generally above said interior region;

a heat source physically disconnected from said grill body and being freely movable relative thereto either positioned inside said grill body generally below said top opening or outside said grill body;

said grill body being a rigid continuous body substantially bounding an inner volume and defining at least a top opening opposite an inner bottom surface;

means for producing thermal energy in said grill body connected to said fuel container for moving said fuel container when aripped by a user;

a grill grate removably positioned on said grill body for enabling a divided outwardly flow of said thermal energy from said means for producing through said top opening;

a support table disposed below said grid body and said heat source, said support table member elevating said grill body and heat source above a support work surface and spacing at least said grill body from an external work surface;

a heating canister;

said means for producing thermal energy containing said canister and an elongate handle element, whereby said canister enables a safe upward direction of said thermal energy during use while said handle element provides a simple means for grasping and freely moving said means for producing prior to or after said use;

at least one recess on a top surface of said support table member; and

said at least one recess shaped to receive at least one of a grilling utensil, at least one condiment, at least one condiment container, and said grill body member, said at least one recess minimizing a shifting of said one relative to said top surface during said use and transport, whereby a convenience and a safety of said bench top grill kit is increased.

17. A bench top grill kit, comprising:

a generally rigid grill body element defining an interior region and a top opening generally above said interior region;

a heat source physically disconnected from said grill body and being freely movable relative thereto either positioned inside said grill body generally below said ton opening or outside said grill body;

said grill body being a rigid body effective to bound an inner volume and define at least a top opening;

means for producing thermal energy in said grill body not connected to said grill body and being freely movable relative to said grill body;

a grill grate on said top opening enabling a divided outwardly flow of said thermal energy from said means for producing through said top opening;

a support table disposed below said grid body and said heat source, said support table member elevating said grill body and heat source above a support work surface and spacing said grill body from an external work surface;

at least one recess on a top surface of said support table; and

said at least one recess shaped to positionably receive at least one of said grill body, at least one grilling utensil, at least one condiment, and at least one condiment container, whereby said at least one recess minimizes a shifting of said one relative to said top surface during said use and a transport and increasing a convenience and a safety of said bench top grill kit.

18. A bench top grill kit assembly, comprising:

a generally rigid grill body element defining an interior region and a top opening generally above said interior region;

a heat source physically disconnected from said grill body and being freely movable relative thereto either positioned inside said grill body generally below said top opening or outside said grill body;

a grill body being a rigid body bounding an inner volume and defining a top opening;

at least one a side opening in said grill body not connected to said grill body and being freely movable relative to said grill body;

a grill grate spanning said top opening and providing a divided access to an inside of said grill body;

a fuel container containing an external fuel element while allowing a flame to escape upwardly through a flame opening proximate said top opening during a use;

a support table member thermally spacing said grill body from a supporting work surface, thereby minimizing a heating of said work surface during use;

an elongate handle projecting from said fuel container and through said grill body in a direction away from said fuel container for enabling the gripping of said fuel container.