Abstract:
A selectively assembleable and disassembleable grilling device for preparing food comprises a set of substantially flat plates coupled together by a retaining assembly extending between a pair of the flat plates. The plates fit together to form an enclosure and include a pair of sidewalls, each having an aperture. A tubular member is insertable through the apertures and has retaining means at both ends thereof so as to hold the set of plates together and thereby form the enclosure.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     Not applicable. 
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
     Not applicable. 
     REFERENCE TO SEQUENCE LISTING, A TABLE, OR A COMPUTER PROGRAM LISTING COMPACT DISK APPENDIX 
     Not applicable. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The following invention relates to a collapsible and selectively assembleable and dissassembleable grilling device for preparing food. 
     Outdoor barbecue grills are commonly used by outdoorsmen, including hunters, fishermen and campers, to cook and prepare food. Barbecue grills are also commonly used in the home during warm weather months. Such grills exist in all sizes and shapes from small portable grilling devices to large commercial scale grills used by catering services and the like. There are two problems that have long been associated with outdoor barbecue grills. The first of these is that the barbecue grill is a large, bulky metal structure which takes up considerable space. While space is not a significant problem for home or backyard barbecue grills, it may become a significant problem for hunters, campers and fishermen who must move from place to place and who must pack cooking utensils and devices into small areas. The problem can be the same for catering services whose grills are massive and require large trucks for transport. 
     A second problem with such devices is that, through use and over time, barbecue grills become exceedingly greasy and dirty. There is no simple and adequate way to clean a barbecue grill. Even small grills are too large to be cleaned in a conventional kitchen sink. Moreover, because of the shape of the grill, any type of cleaning is awkward at best and is not easily accomplished. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A grilling device for preparing food comprises a set of selectively detachable substantially flat plate members which include a pair of sidewall members, a pair of interior baffle members and a top plate member. A connecting member is slidably disposed within apertures formed oppositely in the pair of sidewall members and has retaining members situated at each end of the connecting member which thereby holds the set of plate members operatively together to form a free-standing outdoor barbecue grill. 
     The grill has a single set of connectors which dispenses with the need for small attaching parts such as nuts, bolts and screws and relies instead upon a single, large nut which acts as a retaining member interacting with two plate members to hold the assembly together. The barbecue grill is thus easily assembled and disassembled and the pieces that make up the assembly are substantially flat and may fit into a conventional dishwasher for cleaning. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the fully assembled grilling device of the present invention. 
     FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the grilling device of FIG. 1 showing it in a disassembled state. 
     FIG. 3 is a cutaway end view taken along line  3 — 3  of FIG.  1 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring to FIG. 1, a selectively assembleable and disassembleable grilling device  10  includes a pair of flat sidewall plates  12  and  14  and a top cover plate  16 . Interior baffle plates  18  and  20  (best shown in FIG. 2) join together to form a V-shaped trough  22  (refer to FIG.  3 ). A gridiron  24  is supported by the interior baffle plates which have vertical end portions  18   a  and  20   a  respectively, and angled portions  18   b  and  20   b  respectively. The geometry of the portions  18   a ,  18   b ,  20   a  and  20   b  supports the gridiron  24  in a level position. 
     As shown in FIG. 2, the grilling device  10  can be disassembled and upon disassembly comprises a set of five substantially flat metal plates and a gridiron. The entire assembly is held together by a burner tube  26 . The burner tube  26  is a conventional propane or butane gas burner tube which has a series of holes  28  that allow the gas to escape and upon ignition function as burner jets. The burner tube  26  is adapted to be fitted with a valve (not shown) which couples to a conventional source of gas under pressure such as a butane bottle (not shown). 
     The burner tube  26  is inserted through an aperture  30  in side plate  12 . One end of the burner tube  26  supports a large nut  32 . The other end of the burner tube  26  has threads  34 . When the threaded end  34  is inserted through the aperture  36  in side plate  14 , it is secured with a large nut  38  to hold the assembly together. 
     The interior baffle plates  18  and  20  include tabs  40   a ,  40   b  and  42   a ,  42   b , respectively. The side plates  12  and  14  respectively include oversized holes or slots  44   a  and  44   b  on side plate  12  and  46   a  and  46   b  on side plate  14  which mate with the tabs on baffle plates  18  and  20 . The holes are oversized to make it easier to join the side plates and baffle plates loosely together. 
     As shown best in FIGS. 2 and 3, the interior baffle plate  18  includes a lower flange  48 . The flange  48  is tilted downward from each end of the interior baffle plate  18  towards a small gap  50  in the center of the plate. In addition, the interior baffle plate  18  includes a pair of slots  52   a  and  52   b.    
     Interior baffle plate  20  is slightly shorter in length than baffle plate  18 , and includes tabs  54   a  and  54   b  which are sized and shaped to mate with slots  52   a  and  52   b  in interior baffle plate  18 . 
     The top portion of interior baffle plate  18  has a pair of vertically oriented tabs  56   a  and  56   b . The top plate  16  includes a pair of corresponding slots  58   a  and  58   b  which mate with tabs  56   a  and  56   b.    
     The barbecue grill of the instant invention is easily assembled and disassembled for cleaning. All of the plate members  12 ,  14 ,  16 ,  18  and  20  are substantially flat and in a portable version of the invention may be sized to fit conveniently within a conventional dishwasher. Thus, although the top plate member  16  has flanges at either end, these may be dimensioned to permit this piece to fit within a dishwasher as well. The flanges on the interior baffle plates  18  and  20  are likewise sized so that these members may rest in a dishwasher much like dinner plates. The grill may be made in any size, however, and even though pieces in a larger version may not fit a dishwasher, the grill when broken down is more easily transported or stored. 
     In order to assemble the grill between cleanings, all that is necessary is to form the interior baffle plates into a V-shape by inserting the tabs  54   a  and  54   b  into the slots  52   a  and  52   b . Next, the tabs on interior baffle plate members  18  and  20  which comprise tabs  42   a  and  42   b  and  40   a  and  40   b  are inserted into holes  46   a  and  46   b  on end plate  14  and holes  44   a  and  44   b  on end plate  12  respectively. The assembly will then be loosely held together. The burner tube  26  is then inserted through aperture  30  in the end plate  12  until the nut  32 , which acts as a retaining member, rests flush against the side wall plate  12 . At the same time, the threaded portion  34  of the burner tube  26  is inserted through aperture  36  in sidewall plate  14 . The nut  38  is then tightened on the threads  34  to firmly secure the assembly. Next, the top plate  16  is dropped onto the upstanding tabs  56   a  and  56   b  of interior baffle plate  18  so that these tabs are inserted into the slots  56   a  and  56   b . Finally, the gridiron  24  is fitted between the vertical flange portions  18   a  and  20   a . As assembled, the top plate  16  rotates freely to provide a cover as desired for the gridiron. The cover is raised and lowered by means of a conventional handle  17 . 
     The assembly has been shown in the preferred embodiment as using the burner tube and associated nuts  32  and  38  as a retaining assembly which extends between the two sidewall members  12  and  14 . In actual practice however, all that is required is an elongate rod or member that extends between the side plates  12  and  14  or between the interior baffle plates  18  and  20 . This rod may exist in addition to the burner tube and may be used solely as a retaining assembly in the event that a different shape of burner tube is desired. Instead of oversized nuts, other retaining devices may be used as well. For example, the burner tube could employ a spring at the insertion end bearing against a retaining washer on the outside of the side plate and employ a clip or pin at the far end as a fastener. The assembly as used herein need have no particular form except that it is a unitary assembly extending between the two side wall plate members or between the two interior baffle plate members. More that one retaining assembly may be used if desired. 
     The flange  48  on interior baffle plate  18  is angled from both ends toward the center so as to form a drainage channel  49  for grease dripping below the burner tube. As shown in FIG. 3, the channel  49  is shielded from the heat of the burner tube by the interior baffle plate  20 . Thus, grease that may collect in the channel  49  before draining through slot  50  will not catch fire. A grease collection pan or the like (not shown) may be placed under the slot  50  so as to collect grease for later removal. 
     The V-shape formed by the joinder of the interior baffle plates  18  and  20  provides an efficient interior firebox which reflects and retains heat within the enclosure and provides for the efficient cooking of food. If desired however, other shapes for the interior baffle plates, which may be curved, rounded, or polygonal, may be used without departing from the spirit of the invention.