Roller Grill divider

• US 8,844,431 B2
• Filed: 06/08/2012
• Issued: 09/30/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/2012
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: ADCO Products Incorporated (Republic Services Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: ADCO Products Incorporated (Republic Services Incorporated)
• Inventors: Davis, Raymond E., Hampton, Clifton Glenn
• Primary Examiner(s): Yuen, Henry
• Assistant Examiner(s): STAPLETON, ERIC S
• Application Number:
  US13/492,626
• Publication Number:
  US 20130327227A1
• Time in Patent Office: 844 Days
• Field of Search: 993/39, 993/93, 994/02, 994/22, 994/23, 994/41, 994/26, 994/43.R, 994/43.C, 994/48, 994/49, 220/529, 220/533, 220/543, 220/544, 220/546
• US Class Current: 99/441
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 37/0676 electrically heated

Abstract

A roller grill divider assembly includes a frame adapted to rest upon on a roller grill and one or more dividers securable to the frame. The roller grill includes multiple tubes having outer surfaces adapted to transfer heat to a pre-cooked food product. The one or more dividers are in contact with the multiple tubes and are adapted to adjust along a length of the frame to multiple positions such that the pre-cooked food product is substantially prevented from passing beneath the one or more dividers.

Claims

1. A device, comprising:

a frame supported on a roller grill that comprises rails and a plurality of tubes having outer surfaces that transfer heat to a pre-cooked food product, each tube configured to fully rotate to rotate the pre-cooked food product 360 degrees while the pre-cooked food product is in contact with the tube; and

one or more dividers securable to the frame, each of the one or more dividers comprising;

two opposing engagement members arranged such that one of the two engagement members is disposed at each end of the divider to engage a notch in one of the rails, the engagement members adjustable along a length of the frame to a plurality of positions such that the pre-cooked food product is substantially prevented from passing beneath the one or more dividers, at least one of the two engagement members comprising a base and a flange that extends from the base to form an aperture sized and formed to engage the notch, the base comprising a pin that extends therethrough to form a pivot;

a rigid partition member; and

a flexible member secured to a bottom edge of the partition member,

wherein the one or more dividers are supported by the rails, and a compression spring is at least partially enclosed in, and engaged by, a cutout at an end portion of each of the dividers to extend within a round recess formed within each of the engagement members, the compression spring biased to exert a force on the base such that each of the engagement members exerts a frictional force on each of the rails, and each of the engagement members pivots about each pin relative to the end portion of each of the partition members.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the roller grill further comprises a housing structure coupled through bearings to the plurality of tubes.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein the frame rests upon one or more of the bearings.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the engagement members of a particular divider of the one or more dividers are pivotable with respect to a longitudinal body of the particular divider.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein each flexible member is removably secured to the bottom edge of the partition member and in contact with the plurality of tubes.

6. The device of claim 5, wherein each flexible member comprises a food sanitary graded material.

7. The device of claim 1, further comprising a display securable to a divider of the one or more dividers, the display providing printed content and being movable to a multiple number of positions along a length of the divider.

8. A roller grill, comprising:

a housing structure that supports the roller grill;

a plurality of tubes disposed between opposed portions of the housing structure and having outer surfaces that transfer heat to a pre-cooked food product, each tube configured to fully rotate to rotate the pre-cooked food product 360 degrees while the pre-cooked food product is in contact with the tube; and

a roller grill divider assembly comprising;

a frame that comprises rails and is supported by at least one of the housing structure or the plurality of tubes; and

a divider securable to the frame and extending across a width of the frame that is orthogonal to a length of the plurality of tubes that extend lengthwise between the opposed portions of the housing structure, and adjustable to two or more positions along a length of the frame, the divider comprising;

a rigid partition member,

a flexible member secured to a bottom edge of the partition member, and

two opposing engagement members to engage notches of the rails, the engagement members arranged such that one of the two engagement members is disposed at each end of the divider, at least one of the two engagement members comprising a base and a flange that extends from the base to form an aperture sized and formed to engage one of the notches, the base comprising a pin that extends therethrough to form a pivot,

wherein the divider is supported by each of the rails, and a compression spring is at least partially enclosed in, and engaged by, a cutout at an end portion of the divider to extend within a round recess formed within each of the engagement members, the compression spring biased to exert a force on each of the bases such that each of the engagement members exerts a frictional force on each of the rails, and each of the engagement members pivots about each of the pins relative to the end portion of the partition member.

9. The roller grill of claim 8, wherein each of the plurality of tubes is coupled to the housing structure through bearings.

10. The roller grill of claim 9, wherein the frame rests upon one or more of the bearings without contact with the housing structure.

11. The roller grill of claim 8, wherein each engagement member engages each notch at least at one of a distal end or proximal end of the divider.

12. The roller grill of claim 8, wherein each of the engagement members of the divider is pivotable with respect to a lengthwise dimension of the divider.

13. The roller grill of claim 8, wherein the divider is adjustable to two or more positions along the rails.

14. The roller grill of claim 8, wherein the flexible member comprises a removable flexible member that contacts the plurality of tubes.

15. The roller grill of claim 8, further comprising a display coupled to the divider, the display adjustable to a plurality of positions along a length of the divider.

16. A roller grill divider assembly, comprising:

a support structure comprising frame members and tabs that rest on a roller grill adjacent a plurality of roller grill heating tubes of the roller grill, each heating tube configured to fully rotate to rotate the pre-cooked food product 360 degrees while the pre-cooked food product is in contact with the heating tube; and

one or more partition members securable to the support structure that extend transverse to a lengthwise dimension of the plurality of roller grill heating tubes, each of the one or more partition members adjustable to a plurality of positions along a length of the support structure, each partition member comprising;

a rigid portion,

a flexible member secured to a bottom edge of the rigid portion, and

two opposing engagement members arranged such that one of the two engagement members is disposed at each end of the partition member, at least one of the two engagement members comprises a base and a flange that extends from the base to form an aperture sized and formed to engage one of the notches, the base comprising a pin that extends therethrough to form a pivot,

wherein the one or more partition members are supported by the frame members, each of the frame members comprising a plurality of notches, the engagement members engaging the notches, and a compression spring is at least partially enclosed in, and engaged by, a cutout at an end portion of the partition member to extend within a round recess formed within each of the engagement members, the compression spring biased to exert a force on each of the bases such that each of the engagement members exerts a frictional force on the frame member, and each of the engagement members pivots about each of the pins relative to the end portion of the partition member.

17. The roller grill divider assembly of claim 16, wherein the support structure rests upon one or more bearings mounted on the plurality of roller grill heating tubes.

18. The roller grill divider assembly of claim 16, wherein the engagement members of the one or more partition members are pivotable with respect to a longitudinal body of the one or more partition members.

19. The roller grill divider assembly of claim 16, wherein each flexible member contacts the plurality of roller grill heating tubes, and each flexible member is removable from the partition member.

20. The roller grill divider assembly of claim 16, further comprising a display panel securable to a particular partition member, the display panel adjustable to a plurality of positions along a length of the particular partition member.