Abstract:
A foil cooking enclosure for containing foodstuffs while grilling or cooking comprising a hinged access door for loading and unloading the enclosure. The enclosure is constructed using semi-rigid end portions comprising wire frames which are covered with a metallic foil sheet and filled to obtain structural integrity. Said end portions are interconnected by a collapsible pleated sheet for compact packaging and storage. A lower surface of the enclosure comprises a perforated base structure for draining fluid runoff in a manner which inhibits flare ups and return of noxious vapors into the foodstuffs upon contact with a grill flame or a cooking surface.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     The present invention was first described in and claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/431,184 filed on Jan. 10, 2011, the entire disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates generally to cooking foil, and in particular, to a cooking foils enclosure. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Cooking food in a manner which drains the unwanted and unhealthy fat away from the food is a practice commonly utilized. Carcinogenic smoke emitted from burning the fat during grilling, broiling, or other cooking processes is a common outcome to cooking in this manner. Various ways to deal with carcinogenic smoke during cooking are known and various ways to deal with draining unwanted fat are known. 
     Various attempts have been made to provide cooking enclosures. Examples of these attempts can be seen by reference to several U.S. patents. U.S. Pat. No. 4,958,618, issued in the name of Davidson, describes a portable cooking apparatus. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 4,969,449, issued in the name of Levin, describes a disposable foil grill. 
     U.S. Patent No. 2008/0,056,624, issued in the name of Chudley, describes a sealable bag for cooking upon a heating appliance. 
     While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives, each of these references suffer from one (1) or more disadvantages. Many such devices are only suited for draining fat from foods. Others are only suited to protect the food from carcinogens. Accordingly, there exists a need for cooking enclosure without the disadvantages as described above. The development of the present invention substantially departs from the conventional solutions and in doing so fulfills this need. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The inventor has recognized the aforementioned inherent problems and lack in the art and observed that there is a need for a cooking enclosure. 
     Accordingly, it is an object of the present embodiments of the invention to solve at least one (1) of these problems. The inventor has addressed this need by developing cooking enclosure which drains the fat from the food and also limits absorption from the carcinogenic smoke. 
     To achieve the above objectives, it is an object of the present invention to provide a cooking enclosure. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide the cooking enclosure with an enclosure having an interior space to receive foodstuffs and to retain heat. 
     Yet still another object of the present invention is to provide the enclosure with a base, a wall structure, a front archway, a rear panel, and a door. 
     Yet still another object of the present invention is to provide the door with a means to be inserted within a lip portion for support when in a closed position. 
     Yet still another object of the present invention is to provide the door with a door notch which engages a door latch for closure. 
     Yet still another object of the present invention is to provide the base with a plurality of drainage apertures which allow fat to drain and inhibit carcinogens. 
     Yet still another object of the present invention is to provide the base and wall structure with a plurality of wall folds lines and base fold lines. 
     Yet still another object of the present invention is to provide a method of utilizing the device that provides a unique means of expanding the enclosure, separating the front archway and rear panel portions, 
     Further objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a consideration of the drawings and ensuing description, placing the cooking enclosure on a cooking appliance or surface, opening the door to place foodstuffs within the cooking enclosure. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The advantages and features of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following more detailed description and claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like elements are identified with like symbols, and in which: 
         FIG. 1  depicts a perspective view of a protective cooking device  10 , according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  depicts a longitudinal section view of the protective cooking device  10  taken along section line A-A (see  FIG. 1 ), according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; and, 
         FIG. 3  is an isolated view of wire frame portions  27  of the protective cooking device  10 , according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTIVE KEY 
     
         
         
           
               10  protective cooking device 
               20  enclosure 
               21  interior space 
               22  front archway 
               23  rear panel 
               24  lip 
               25  wall structure 
               26  door latch 
               27  wire frame 
               28   a  wall fold 
               28   b  base fold 
               30  base 
               32  drainage aperture 
               40  door 
               42  door notch 
               44  grip 
               50  filler material 
               52  hinging edge feature 
               60  foodstuff 
               65  cooking surface 
           
         
       
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     The best mode for carrying out the invention is presented in terms of its preferred embodiment, herein depicted within  FIGS. 1 through 3 . However, the invention is not limited to the described embodiment and a person skilled in the art will appreciate that many other embodiments of the invention are possible without deviating from the basic concept of the invention, and that any such work around will also fall under scope of this invention. It is envisioned that other styles and configurations of the present invention can be easily incorporated into the teachings of the present invention, and only one particular configuration shall be shown and described for purposes of clarity and disclosure and not by way of limitation of scope. 
     The terms “a” and “an” herein do not denote a limitation of quantity, but rather denote the presence of at least one of the referenced items. 
     The present invention describes a protective cooking device (herein described as the “device”)  10 , which provides a metallic foil grilling enclosure  20  which protects meats and other foodstuffs  60  from absorbing carcinogenic smoke emitted from burning fat during grilling, broiling, or other cooking processes while allowing said fat to drain away from said foodstuffs  60 . 
     Referring now to  FIG. 1 , a perspective view of the device  10 , according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, is disclosed. The device  10  is preferably intended for grilling or broiling meats or other foodstuffs  60 . The device  10  includes an enclosure  20  defining an interior space  21  for receiving said foodstuffs  60  and retaining heat provided by a subjacent cooking surface  65  or appliance. The enclosure  20  provides a closed structure comprising a base  30 , an upwardly arching wall structure  25 , an open front archway  22 , a solid rear panel  23 , and a door  40 . The enclosure  20  is envisioned to comprise approximate dimensions of twelve (12) inches in width, ten (10) inches in depth, and ten (10) inches in height; however, it is understood that the device  10  may be introduced in a variety of sizes based upon particular foodstuffs  60  to be cooked, and as such should not be interpreted as a limiting factor of the device  10 . 
     The door  40  comprises a flat arched-shape structure corresponding to an inner perimeter opening of the front archway  22 , thereby enabling snug insertion within a lip portion  24  of said front archway portion  22  to support and secure the door  40 . The base  30  provides spacing between the foodstuffs  60  and the cooking surface  65  while allowing fat and other liquids to drain from the foodstuffs  60  during a cooking process via a plurality of drainage apertures  32 . The enclosure  20  includes an elongated arch-shaped profile and is preferably constructed of a semi-flexible aluminum foil material which provides efficient thermal conduction and a safe cooking container. The enclosure  20  includes an open front archway  22  along an end portion and an opposing solid rear panel  23 . 
     The enclosure  20  preferably comprises an assembly of aluminum panels and wire frame portions  27  being assembled using common metal joining processes such as, but not limited to: various welding processes, adhesives, soldering, crimping, and the like, to form a unitary structure. Bottom edge portions of the previously mentioned wall structure  25  are affixed to respective outer edges of the base  30 . The open front archway  22  and rear panel  23  portions are constructed using a rigid internal metal wire frame  27  being covered over by an aluminum foil material (see  FIG. 3 ). Furthermore, said front archway  22  and rear panel  23  portions are interconnected via attachment to respective edge portions of the wall structure  25 . The front archway  22  further includes a lip  24  which protrudes inwardly perpendicularly from the interior perimeter of the front archway  22  in order to support and prevent the door  40  from moving into an interior space  21  of the enclosure  20 . 
     The front archway  22  comprises a door latch  26  at a top center location along an inner edge. The door latch  26  includes a convex protruding portion that allows a user to secure the door  40  within the front archway  22  by engaging said door latch  26  with a corresponding door notch portion  42  of said door  40 . The door notch  42  comprises a corresponding concave profile which is retained within the latch  26  via a friction fit. 
     The base  30  and wall structure  25  portions comprise a plurality of aligned wall fold lines  28   a  and base fold lines  28   b , respectively. The fold lines  28   a ,  28   b  allow the enclosure  20  to pivot and fold compactly inward, thereby selectively expanding and contracting the interior space  21  of the enclosure  20 . 
     The base  30  of the device  10  includes a rectangular structure which supports the wall structure  25  and provides a spacing means between the interior space  21  of the device  10  and the cooking surface  65 . The base  30  has a length and width corresponding to the bottom perimeter edges of said wall structure  25  being affixed along respective perimeter edges. The base  30  is constructed using semi-rigid aluminum panels formed around an inner filler material  50  and is capable of supporting approximately twenty pounds ( 201   b ) of foodstuffs  60  (see  FIG. 2 ). 
     Referring now to  FIG. 2 , a longitudinal section view of the device  10  taken along section line A-A, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, is disclosed. The base  30  comprises a box-like structure preferably constructed of semi-rigid aluminum foil panels forming an interior volume containing a filler material  50 . Said base  30  further comprises a plurality of drainage apertures  32  arranged in an equally-spaced manner along top and bottom surfaces. Each drainage aperture  32  is approximately one millimeter (1 mm) in diameter and arranged in a square matrix pattern with said drainage apertures  32  being approximately five millimeters (5 mm) center-to-center. The drainage apertures  32  are to be sized and spaced so as to provide effective drainage of fat particles and liquids away from the foodstuffs  60  during the cooking process. The base  30  allows said fat and drained liquids to flow out of the device  10  while inhibiting smoke from rising upward into the interior space of the device  10 , possibly causing contact with, and/or absorption of, said smoke into said foodstuffs  60 . Said filler material  50  provides drainage downwardly through the base  30  as well as internal structural integrity to support loading of the foodstuffs  60 . Said filler material  50  is envisioned to comprise materials such as, but not limited to: roll-bonded clad metal, sintered metal, densely spun aluminum wire, or the like. 
     The fold line portions  28   a ,  28   b  of the base  30  and wall structure  25  portions are arranged in an equally-spaced and parallel manner extending in a lateral direction. Each fold line  28   a ,  28   b  allows the enclosure  20  to pivot and fold compactly inward along creases arranged in an alternating pattern such that the body  20  can be collapsed in an “accordion” manner for purposes of compact packaging and storage. The base fold lines  28   b  are spaced evenly along the length of the base  30  such that they are aligned with corresponding wall fold lines  28   a.    
     The front archway  22  and rear panel  23  portions comprise semi-rigid structures comprising internal wire frame portions  27  positioned within corner portions and covered with aluminum foil panels. Said front archway  22  and rear panel  23  also contain a filler material  50  in a similar manner as the aforementioned base  30 . 
     The door  40  provides similar construction as the front archway  22  and rear panel  23  portions comprising a metal wire frame  27  surrounded by aluminum foil panels and containing a filler material  50 . Closing the door  40  isolates an interior space  21  of the enclosure  20 , thereby preventing unwanted convective cooling of the interior space  21  during cooking. The door  40  further comprises an “L”-shaped protruding grip  44  at a top front edge which provides a means for a user to open the door  40  as desired. The respective foil coverings of the door  40  and front archway  24  are connected along bottom edges forming an integral hinging edge feature  52 , thereby securing said door  40  to the enclosure  20 . 
     Referring now to  FIG. 3 , an isolated view of wire frame portions  27  of the device  10 , according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, is disclosed. The open front archway  22  and rear panel  23  portions are constructed using a rigid internal metal wire frame  27  comprising parallel lengths of rigid wire being subsequently covered over using an aluminum foil material (see  FIG. 1 ). 
     It is envisioned that other styles and configurations of the present invention can be easily incorporated into the teachings of the present invention, and only one particular configuration shall be shown and described for purposes of clarity and disclosure and not by way of limitation of scope. 
     The preferred embodiment of the present invention can be utilized by the common user in a simple and effortless manner with little or no training. After initial purchase or acquisition of the device  10 , it would be installed as indicated in  FIG. 1 . 
     The method of preparing the device  10  for use may be achieved by performing the following steps: procuring a model of the device  10  having desired overall dimensions and corresponding inner space  21  based upon an anticipated foodstuff  60  to be cooked; expanding the pre-collapsed enclosure  20  by grasping the front archway  22  and rear panel  23  portions using two (2) hands; separating said front archway  22  and rear panel  23  portions in an “accordion-style” manner to obtain a desired expanded inner space  21 ; placing the device  10  upon a cooking surface  65  or within a cooking appliance; and, opening the door  40  to receive the foodstuffs  60 . The device  10  is now ready to be utilized to cook said foodstuffs  60 . 
     The method of utilizing the device  10  to cook foodstuffs  60  may be achieved by performing the following steps: inserting foodstuffs  60  through the front archway  24 ; placing said foodstuff  60  upon the base portion  30 ; closing the door  40  by engaging the door latch  26  and door notch  42  portions; initiating a heat source portion of the cooking surface  65 ; allowing said fat and liquids produced from the foodstuffs  60  during the cooking process to drain downwardly through the drainage apertures  32  and away from said foodstuffs  60 ; isolating said foodstuffs  60  from smoke emitting from a subjacent cooking surface  65  such as a grill; allowing a period of time for the foodstuffs  60  to cook; opening the door  40  using the grip  44 ; and, removing said foodstuffs  60  from the device  10  for normal consumption. 
     Containment of the foodstuffs  60  within the enclosure  20  during the cooking process protects meats and other foodstuffs  60  from absorbing carcinogenic smoke emitted from burning fat within a grill, broiler, or other cooking device, while allowing said fat to drain away from said foodstuffs  60 . 
     The device  10  is intended to provide various benefits to a user over existing methods of cooking foodstuffs  60  on a cooking surface  65  such as a grill. The device  10  is collapsible for compact packaging and storage. The device  10  is readily accessible and sealable using the door  40 . The device  10  can be utilized on any horizontal cooking surface. The device  10  provides drainage of fat and other liquids while preventing carcinogenic smoke from contacting foodstuffs  60  during cooking. 
     The foregoing descriptions of specific embodiments of the present invention have been presented for purposes of illustration and description. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention and method of use to the precise forms disclosed. Obviously many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching. The embodiment was chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and its practical application, and to thereby enable others skilled in the art to best utilize the invention and various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. It is understood that various omissions or substitutions of equivalents are contemplated as circumstance may suggest or render expedient, but is intended to cover the application or implementation without departing from the spirit or scope of the claims of the present invention.