CHARCOAL BRIQUET AND PACKAGED CHARCOAL BRIQUET PRODUCT

• US 20110302831A1
• Filed: 04/29/2011
• Published: 12/15/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/07/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Creative Spark, LLC
• Original Assignee: Craig Saunders, James F. Meskill
• Inventors: Saunders, Craig, Meskill, James F.
• Granted Patent: US 9,131,803 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 44/550
• CPC Class Codes: A23L 5/15 using wave energy, irradiation, electrical means or magnetic fields, e.g. oven cooking or roasting using radiant dry heat
• CPC Class Codes: A23V 2002/00 Food compositions, function of food ingredients or processes for food or foodstuffs
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 37/079 Charcoal igniting devices
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 11/06 of a special shape
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 5/36 Shape
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 5/361 Briquettes
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 5/368 Shaped fuels bundled or contained in a bag or other container

Abstract

An improved charcoal briquet having combustion aiding surfaces is packaged in a compact boxed package. A charcoal briquet having improved burning characteristics and also improved shipping and retailing characteristics is thereby provided. An improved packaged charcoal product including a flat sided box adapted to hold randomly oriented briquets and be split open at its corners and at a lower portion for use in igniting the briquets and a grooved pillow shaped briquet are also disclosed.

Claims

1-28. -28. (canceled)

29. A charcoal briquet having a total surface area measurable in square inches and a total volume measurable in cubic inches, the ratio of said total surface area to said total volume comprising a value in a range between approximately 13.7 to approximately 2.16;

wherein said briquet further comprises at least one groove formed in at least one surface thereof.

30. The briquet of claim 29, further comprising an upper surface and a lower surface, and said at least one groove comprises a plurality of substantially parallel grooves extending across a majority of said upper surface;

and

wherein each of said grooves comprises a width and a depth, said width comprising a relationship to said depth.

31. The briquet of claim 30, wherein said relationship comprises said width being substantially equal to said depth over at least a portion of said groove.

32. The briquet of claim 30, wherein said briquet comprises dimensional axes, and said grooves provide an increased surface area to volume ratio for said briquet within a range of approximately 10% to approximately 26% relative to an ungrooved briquet having the same dimensional axes as said dimensional axes of said briquet.

33. The briquet of claim 29, further comprising an upper surface and a lower surface, and said at least one groove comprises a plurality of grooves disposed across said upper surface and lower surface, said plurality of grooves aiding combustion by providing air circulation around a periphery of said briquet, and between said briquet and at least another said briquet within a pile of briquets.

34. The briquet of claim 29, further comprising an upper surface and a lower surface, and said at least one groove comprises at least two grooves disposed on at least one of said upper surface and said lower surface, said at least two grooves extending substantially from one side of a periphery of said briquet to an opposing side of said periphery for aiding combustion by providing air circulation around and along a majority of said periphery and between said briquet and at least another said briquet within a pile of briquets.

35. The briquet of claim 29, further comprising an upper surface, a lower surface, and a periphery;

said periphery defining a plane whereby said upper surface and said lower surface are substantially symmetrical with respect thereto; and

,

said upper surface and said lower surface each having at least one groove extending respectively across said upper surface and said lower surface, said grooves having a depth thereby providing an increased surface area to volume ratio.

36. The briquet of claim 29, wherein:

said at least one groove comprises a first groove disposed on said upper surface and a second groove disposed on said lower surface respectively,

at least one of said grooves extending substantially from one side of a periphery of said briquet to an opposing side of said periphery; and

,

said upper surface and said lower surface are configured to allow close contact between said briquet and one or more adjacent briquets while said grooves provide air circulation around said periphery.

37. The briquet of claim 29, comprising a generally convex lower surface comprising multiple generally planar upwardly and outwardly extending lower side surfaces extending from a central portion to a periphery, and a generally convex upper surface comprising multiple generally planar downwardly and outwardly extending upper side surfaces extending from said briquet central portion to said periphery, said upper side surfaces and said lower side surfaces being generally parallel on each side.

38. The briquet of claim 29, wherein said briquet has four sides and a generally square periphery.

39. A plurality of substantially identical charcoal briquets sold as a packaged unit adapted for ignition in a home cooking appliance, said plurality of briquets achieving a cooking temperature of at least 1000 degrees within about fifteen minutes after ignition and holding at least said temperature for at least fifteen minutes thereafter;

wherein said briquets further each comprise a first surface, a second surface, and at least one groove formed in one surface thereof.

40. The briquets of claim 39, each of said briquets further comprising a total surface area measurable in square inches and a total volume measurable in cubic inches, the ratio of said total surface area to said total volume comprising a value in a range between approximately 13.7 to approximately 2.16.

41. The briquets of claim 39 said at least one groove comprises a plurality of substantially parallel grooves extending across a majority of said first surface;

and

wherein each of said grooves comprises a width and a depth, said width comprising a relationship to said depth.

42. The briquets of claim 39, said at least one groove comprising a plurality of grooves disposed across said first surface, said plurality of grooves aiding combustion by providing air circulation around a periphery of each of said briquets, and between a given briquet and at least another of said plurality of briquets.

43. The briquets of claim 39, further comprising a periphery;

said periphery defining a plane whereby said first surface and said second surface are substantially symmetrical with respect thereto; and

,

said first surface and said second surface each having at least one groove extending respectively thereacross, said grooves having a depth thereby providing an increased surface area to volume ratio.

44. A charcoal briquet having a total surface area measurable in square inches and a total volume measurable in cubic inches, the ratio of said total surface area to said total volume comprising a value in a range between approximately 13.7 to approximately 2.16;

wherein said briquet further comprises at least one means for enhancing the circulation of air around said briquet during combustion.

45. The briquet of claim 44, wherein said briquet is capable of achieving a cooking temperature of at least 1000 degrees within about fifteen minutes after ignition and holding at least said temperature for at least fifteen minutes thereafter when disposed relative to a plurality of other similar briquets and ignited.