Abstract:
A vertical grill assembly. The vertical grill assembly includes a housing having a base, a rear wall, opposing sidewalls, and a top panel defining an interior volume. A plurality of burners are disposed on the interior surface of each opposing sidewall. The vertical grill assembly further includes a grill rack assembly including a first grill rack hingedly secured to a second grill rack via a floating hinge. Food is securable between the first grill rack and second grill rack via a locking ring that holds the first and second grill racks together. The grill rack assembly is insertable into the interior volume and is supported therein via upper and lower rails disposed on upper and lower ends of the sidewalls. The vertical grill assembly allows food to be prepared quickly and efficiently due to the simultaneous application of heat to both sides of the food.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/198,810 filed on Jul. 30, 2015. The above identified patent application is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety to provide continuity of disclosure. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention relates to grill assemblies. More specifically, the present invention provides a vertical grill assembly having burners disposed in a vertical orientation on opposing sidewalls in order to apply heat to both sides of food simultaneously. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    Many individuals utilize grills to prepare food. Grilling cooks food by applying direct heat via an open flame. The open flame heats the interior of the grill, directly heats the food, and heats the grating on which the food rests. This allows food to be cooked more quickly than with indirect heating methods such as oven cooking. Grills are also utilized to cook food because they impart a distinct taste due to the food being in direct contact with an open flame. 
         [0004]    One drawback to traditional grills is that the heat source is typically applied from a single direction, such as a burner placed below a grill grate. In order to evenly cook food, a user must flip the food so that heat is applied to each side. This can be time consuming and may result in uneven cooking if each side of the food is facing the burner for a different amount of time. When the food is flipped and disturbed, the food is likely to fall apart or become less appetizing. Further, fat and other drippings often drip from the food onto the flame below the grate. This often causes flare-ups, which can potentially burn the food or even the user. 
         [0005]    Devices have been disclosed in the prior art that relate to grill assemblies. These include devices that have been patented and published in patent application publications. These devices generally relate to home and commercial grill assemblies, such as U.S. Pat. No. 8,490,614, U.S. Published Patent Application Number 2008/0289619, U.S. Pat. No. 4,055,677, U.S. Pat. No. 6,041,695, and U.S. Pat. No. 8,573,117. 
         [0006]    These prior art devices have several known drawbacks. These devices fail to allow a user to prepare food with heat sources directed at each side of the food. The prior art devices also fail to provide a vertical grill assembly having two racks wherein food is securable between each rack. Further, the prior art grill assemblies do not allow vertical orientation of food in order to allow excess drippings from the food to be drained. 
         [0007]    In light of the devices disclosed in the prior art, it is submitted that the present invention substantially diverges in design elements from the prior art and consequently it is clear that there is a need in the art for an improvement to existing grill assemblies. In this regard the present invention substantially fulfills these needs. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0008]    In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of grill assemblies now present in the prior art, the present invention provides a vertical grill assembly wherein the same can be utilized for providing convenience for the user when grilling food. The vertical grill assembly comprises a housing having a base, a rear wall, a pair of opposing sidewalls, and a top plate defining an interior volume. A plurality of burners are disposed on an interior surface of each opposing sidewall. A first pair of rails disposed on the interior surface of each opposing sidewall, wherein the each of the first pair of rails is parallel to one another. The vertical grill assembly further includes a grill rack assembly having a first rack and a second rack secured to one another at a first end via a floating hinge, and each having a handle extending from an opposing end. A locking ring is configured to receive each of the first grill rack handle and second grill rack handle in order to maintain the grill rack assembly in a closed configuration, with food secured between the first and second racks. The at least one pair of rails is configured to support the flanges of the grill rack within the interior volume of the housing. 
         [0009]    One object of the present invention is to provide a vertical grill assembly having all of the advantages and none of the disadvantages of prior art grill assemblies. 
         [0010]    Another object of the present invention is to provide a vertical grill assembly having a grill rack consisting of a first grill rack hingedly attached to a second grill rack, wherein food is securable between the first and second grill racks via a locking ring that holds the racks together. 
         [0011]    A further object of the present invention is to provide a vertical grill assembly configured to apply heat to two sides of an article of food, allowing the food to be prepared quickly and efficiently. 
         [0012]    Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0013]    Although the characteristic features of this invention will be particularly pointed out in the claims, the invention itself and manner in which it may be made and used may be better understood after a review of the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein like numeral annotations are provided throughout. 
           [0014]      FIG. 1  shows a perspective view of vertical grill assembly according to the present invention having the grill rack assembly partially inserted therein. 
           [0015]      FIG. 2  shows a cross-sectional view of the interior of a vertical grill assembly according to the present invention. 
           [0016]      FIG. 3  shows a side view of the grill rack assembly portion of a vertical grill assembly according to the present invention. 
           [0017]      FIG. 4  shows a perspective view of a vertical grill assembly according to the present invention having the grill rack assembly fully inserted therein. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0018]    Reference is made herein to the attached drawings. Like reference numerals are used throughout the drawings to depict like or similar elements of the vertical grill assembly. For the purposes of presenting a brief and clear description of the present invention, the preferred embodiment will be discussed as used for preparing foods by applying even heat to both sides at the same time. The figures are intended for representative purposes only and should not be considered to be limiting in any respect. 
         [0019]    Referring now to  FIG. 1 , there is shown a perspective view of a vertical grill assembly according to the present invention having the grill rack assembly partially inserted therein. The vertical grill assembly  11  includes a housing  12  having a pair of opposing sidewalls  13 , a rear wall (not visible), and a top panel  14 . A grill rack assembly comprising pair of grill racks  20  is insertable into the housing  12  through an open front portion thereof. Each grill rack portion  20  includes a plurality of rods  23  disposed parallel to one another extending from a first end of the grill rack to a second end of the grill rack. In use, food is supported between each of the grill racks  20  of the grill rack assembly. The grill racks  20  are held together via a locking ring  21  that is placed over a handle  22  that extends outwardly from first end of the grill racks  20 . 
         [0020]    A plurality of vents  15  are disposed on the top panel  14 . Each vent  15  includes multiple openings that allow smoke and steam from the interior of the housing  12  to escape during cooking. In the illustrated embodiment, the plurality of vents  15  are divided into two groups. A first group of vents is positioned toward a front end of the top panel  14  while the second group of vents is positioned toward the rear end of the top panel  14 . This particular distribution of the plurality of vents  15  allows for smoke and steam to escape from the interior of the housing  12  in a uniform fashion. 
         [0021]    Each of the grill racks  20  includes a pair of flanges  18  thereon. The flanges  18  are disposed on opposing sides of each grill rack  20 . The flanges  18  extend perpendicularly with respect to the rod  23  portion of each grill rack  20 . The grill racks  20  are secured to one another such that the flanges  18  from one grill rack  20  extends in a direction opposing the flanges  18  from the other grill rack  20 . 
         [0022]    The interior of the housing  12  includes a pair of upper rails  28  and a pair of lower rails  29 . The upper and lower rails  28 ,  29  are disposed on an interior portion of the opposing sidewalls  13 . When the grill rack assembly is inserted into the housing  12 , an uppermost flange of the pair of flanges  18  of each grill rack  20  is supported by the upper rail  28 . The lowermost flange of the pair of flanges  18  slides under the lower rail  29  when the grill racks  20  are situated within the housing  12 . This prevents excessive movement of the grill rack assembly when it is inserted into the housing  12 . The lower rails  29  prevent upward movement while the upper rails  28  prevent downward movement of the grill racks  20 . In an alternate embodiment, the lowermost flange rests on top of the lower rails  29 , providing additional space between the base of the housing  12  and the food therein for heated air to occupy. 
         [0023]    Referring now to  FIG. 2 , there is shown a cross-sectional view of the interior of a vertical grill assembly according to the present invention. A plurality of burners  25  are disposed on an inner side of the opposing sidewalls  13  of the housing  12 . The plurality of burners  25  may be disposed in a variety of configurations in order to provide different patterns of emitted flame, which can affect the speed and evenness of cooking. In the illustrated embodiment, the plurality of burners  25  are disposed in such a way that the individual burners are parallel to one another. The burners  25  emit flame therefrom, preferably in such a manner that a sheet of flame along the inner side of the sidewalls  13  is formed, allowing for even distribution of heat. 
         [0024]    The upper rails  28  are disposed on an upper end  26  of the interior housing  12 , while the lower rails  29  are disposed on a lower end  27  thereof. The upper rail  29  supports the flanges of the grill rack thereon, and the grill rack flange occupies an open upper portion  31  between the top panel  14  and the first rail  28 . The lower grill rack flange occupies an open lower portion  32  between the lower rail  29  and the base  33  of the housing  12 . The configuration of the upper and lower rails prevents upward and downward movement of the grill rack assembly when inserted in the housing of the vertical grill assembly. 
         [0025]    In the illustrated embodiment, the base  33  of the housing  12  comprises supports  30  thereon. The supports  30  are configured to support the housing  12  on a substantially horizontal surface such as a tabletop or rolling cart. The supports  30  may be composed of a non-slip material such as rubber in order to prevent accidental lateral movement of the housing  12 . In an alternate embodiment, the base  33  comprises castor wheels thereon. The castor wheels allow users to easily roll the vertical grill assembly to a different position without requiring the user to lift the vertical grill assembly. 
         [0026]    Referring now to  FIG. 3 , a side view of the grill rack portion of the vertical grilling assembly according to the present invention is shown. Each opposing grill rack  20  is connected at one end to a hinge housing  35 . One of the grill racks  20  is fixedly connected to a lower portion  26  of the hinge housing. The opposing grill rack  20  is attached to a sliding member disposed within a channel  37  of the hinge housing  35  in sliding engagement therewith, forming a floating hinge. The sliding member slides up and down along the channel, and the resting position of the sliding member is dependent on the thickness of the food placed between the grill racks  20 . 
         [0027]    A spring force is applied to the sliding member of the floating hinge, which may be accomplished by an integrated spring disposed therein. The spring force is applied in a direction from one grill rack  20  toward the opposing grill rack  20  in order to secure food therebetween. The spring bias causes pressure to be applied to either side of the food inserted between the grill racks  20 , while the locking ring closes the other end of the grill racks  20 . 
         [0028]    Referring now to  FIG. 4 , there is shown a perspective view of a vertical grill assembly according to the present invention having the grill rack assembly fully inserted therein. The vertical grill assembly further includes a gas line  41  connected to the plurality of burners at one end. An opposing end of the gas line  41  is connectable to an external fuel source (not shown) such as a propane tank. The illustrated embodiment of the invention utilizes propane gas as a fuel source; however, other suitable fuel sources may be contemplated. A control  42  is disposed on the housing of the vertical grill assembly. In an alternate embodiment, the control  42  may be disposed on a surface other than the housing such as a flat base surface or support stand. The control  42  is configured to adjust the output of the plurality of burners, which allows the user to control the temperature within the housing. The control  42  may include additional functions such as a mechanism for automatically lighting the plurality of burners. 
         [0029]    A pair of doors  17  close off the interior of the housing during cooking. Each of the pair of doors  17  has a cutout  16  configured to accept the handle  22  of the grill rack therethrough. Handles  43  are disposed on the doors  17  for easily opening and closing the same. The handles  43  preferably are formed from a heat resistant material in order to protect users from high temperatures. A locking mechanism, depicted herein as a latch  44 , is disposed on an upper end of the door  17  is configured to maintain the doors  17  in a closed position covering the open front portion of the housing. In alternate embodiments, other locking mechanisms may be utilized, such as a locking hinge, magnetic closure, or sliding latch. 
         [0030]    In operation, a user first places the food to be cooked between each of the grill racks and closes the grill racks toward one another. The user then secures the grill racks together at the handle end via the locking ring. The spring bias applied to the floating hinge at the opposing end of the grill racks allows the user to place foods of different thickness between the grill racks. After securing the food between the grill racks, the user inserts the grill racks into the housing, wherein the upper and lower rails secure the grill racks within the housing of the vertical grill assembly. 
         [0031]    Once the grill racks are secured within the housing, the user may then utilize the control to adjust the heat output of the burners. During cooking, the user may wish to rotate the grill racks one or more times to provide a more evenly cooked finished product. The user may open the door, remove the grill racks, rotate the grill racks  180  degrees about an axis in the same direction as the handle, and reinsert the grill racks into the housing. Since the grill racks are identical in shape, they may be supported by the upper and lower rails of the housing when in either the rotated or the original position. When rotated, each side of the food is exposed to a different side of the housing, and in turn to a different section of burners. Since each burner output may vary based on many factors, the user may wish to flip the grates according to user preference. In this way, the user may prepare food quickly by heating both sides simultaneously, and may also precisely control the cooking process by rotating and reinserting the grill racks if necessary. 
         [0032]    It is therefore submitted that the instant invention has been shown and described in what is considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiments. It is recognized, however, that departures may be made within the scope of the invention and that obvious modifications will occur to a person skilled in the art. With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by the present invention. 
         [0033]    Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.