Portable combination cooking, grilling, cooling, warming and storage unit

A portable combination cooking and storage unit having:a housing having at top, a bottom, a front, a back and two sides, and at least one access door at the front;at least two stackable removable grilling trays containable within the housing;at least one removable storage tray containable within the housing;wherein each of the at least two removable grilling trays have at least one burner, a cooking grid proximate the at least one burner, and at least one burner control for controlling fuel to the at least one burner.

FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE

This disclosure relates to a portable combination cooking, grilling, cooling, warming and storage unit and method of using same.

BACKGROUND

Current portable cooking units lack the ability to allow for numerous cooking surfaces that may be individually regulated. Current units also lack the ability to allow for storage of food items in either a cold or warm/hot environment. Furthermore, current units lack the ability to house the numerous cooking surfaces in a single unit to allow for facile portability and storage. There is a need for a portable cooking, grilling, warming, cooling and storage unit.

SUMMARY

According to one aspect, there is provided a unitary portable combination cooking, grilling, warming, cooling and storage unit comprising:

a housing, preferably having a top, a bottom, a front, a back and two sides, and at least one access door, preferably at said front;

at least two stackable removable grilling trays containable within said housing, preferably said at least two stackable removable grilling trays are spaced apart a predetermined distance from each other when contained within said unit;

at least one removable storage tray containable within said housing, preferably said at least one removable storage tray is spaced apart a predetermined distance from said at least two stackable removable grilling trays when contained within said unit;

wherein each of said at least two removable grilling trays comprise at least one burner, a cooking grid proximate said at least one burner, said cooking grid for receiving items for at least one of cooking, grilling, warming, cooling, storage and combinations thereof, said cooking grid having a top surface and a bottom surface, preferably said cooking grid being removable, preferably said at least one burner being proximate the bottom of said cooking grid, and at least one burner control for controlling fuel to said at least one burner.

In a preferred embodiment, said unit further comprises at least one temperature gauge with a temperature indicator visible outside said unit for measuring internal temperature of said unit and communicating the internal temperature to a user. In another embodiment, said unit further comprises a moisture gauge for monitoring the moisture level in said unit. In yet another embodiment, said unit further comprises a timer for setting a predetermined period of time.

In yet another preferred embodiment, each of said at least two grilling trays further comprise a shield, preferably between said at least one burner and said cooking grid, preferably between said at least one burner and said bottom surface of said cooking grid, for reducing contact of food items and/or liquid with said at least one burner. Preferably said shield is for reducing flare ups during the cooking/grilling process.

In yet another preferred embodiment, said unit further comprises at least one rotisserie attachment to allow for rotisserie of at least one comestible item within said unit. Preferably said at least one rotisserie attachment comprises an attachment at one side of said unit and a complimentary attachment at another side of said unit, for receiving a rotisserie shaft and allowing for rotation of said rotisserie shaft.

Preferably, said unit further comprises at least one handle, preferably telescopic, for transporting said unit. More preferably said unit further comprises at least one wheel, preferably two wheels, more preferably four wheels proximate said bottom of said unit for transporting said unit along a surface.

In a preferred embodiment, said housing, each of said grilling trays, said cooking grid, said shield is made of a material preferably capable of withstanding up to 700 degrees Fahrenheit, more preferably selected from the group consisting of stainless steel, magnesium alloys, water hardened steel, chromoly 4130, copper, vanadium, nickel, tungsten, Ultrathin®, platinum, titanium, carbon steel brass, aluminum or other suitable materials, more preferably aluminum of grade 061, and combinations thereof.

Preferably, said unit further comprises a secondary access door, preferably at the front of said unit and proximate the bottom of said unit, for allowing access to the bottom of said unit and to said burner control of said at least one grilling tray, preferably when said unit is used as an oven.

Preferably, each of said at least two stackable removable grilling trays are separated a predetermined distance from each other and at least one storage tray is separated a predetermined distance from each of said at least two stackable removable grilling trays.

According to another aspect, there is provided the use of the unit described herein for cooking, keeping warm, storing and combinations thereof of at least one comestible inside said unit.

According to another aspect, there is provided the use of the unit described herein for cooling of at least one comestible inside said unit.

According to yet another aspect, there is provided a method of cooking an item in the unit described herein comprising:

Introducing one grilling tray into said unit proximate the bottom of said unit;

Introducing one storage tray into said unit and above said one grilling tray;

Introducing an item to be cooked proximate said storage tray;

Igniting said burner of said one grilling tray;

Optionally closing said access door;

Cooking said item a predetermined time; and optionally

Turning off said burner.

According to yet another aspect, there is provided a method of cooking a plurality of items on each of said at least two stackable removable grilling trays comprising:

Removing each of said at least two stackable grilling trays from said unit;

Placing each of said at least two stackable grilling trays on a surface;

Igniting at least one burner of each of said grilling trays allowing for cooking said items on said grilling trays.

According to yet another aspect, the unit may be manufactured by use of tinsmith, bending, stamping, water jet and other forms of metal forming/bending techniques as would be understood by a person of skill in the art.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The figures contained herein are protected under copyright by copyright holder Robert John Thorndyke.

Referring now toFIGS. 1 and 2, there is provided a portable combination cooking, grilling, warming, cooling and storage unit10in the shape of a box container (other shapes suitable to accommodate the following may also be used). The front20of the unit includes a first access door21and a second access door22. Access door21is hinged at one side of the unit10. Access door22is hinged at the bottom of the unit10. The first access door21is larger and located above the second access door22. Located on the front access door21is a temperature gauge23for measuring the internal temperature of the unit10, although the temperature gauge23may located at other areas of the unit. Also located on the front access door21is a locking mechanism30to ensure the unit10is secure when being transported. In this embodiment, the locking mechanism30is a latch type mechanism, however any suitable locking mechanism may be used herein.

Referring now toFIG. 2, both the first and second access doors21,22are open and an empty unit10is show. Inside the unit10are as series of spaced apart tray supports. In this embodiment the spaced apart tray supports are shelves40, although any suitable support may be used herein. On one side50of the unit10are three shelves40spaced apart from each other. One the opposing side60of the unit10are three shelves40spaced apart from each other to complement the shelves40of side50and to provide for either a grilling tray70and/or storage tray80and/or burner tray90to be substantially level when in the unit10. Each of the shelves40runs substantially the length of each side50and60. In this embodiment, each of the shelves40are “L” shaped but may be of any shape to accommodate the trays70,80and/or90. In this embodiment, the shelves40are secured in place along the inside walls of the unit by rivets but may also be secured in place by welding, spot welding and combinations thereof or the like as understood by a person skilled in the art. The spacing41between shelves40at each side50and60is such that it accommodates the facile insertion and removal of either a grilling tray70, storage tray80and/or burner tray90.

Referring now toFIGS. 3 and 4, there is provided an open view of the unit10depicting the grilling trays70and storage tray80in the unit10. InFIG. 3, the secondary access door22is in the closed position. InFIG. 4, the secondary access door22is in the opened position and the burner tray90is seen.

As can best be seen inFIG. 5, the storage tray80comprises a substantially square bottom81, two side walls82, a back wall83and a front wall84forming a chamber within the storage tray80. At the top end of each wall82,83,84there is a flange85running along the length of each wall, for strengthening the tray80. The front84of tray80includes a handle86and two hooks87saddling said handle86. The hooks87are used to wrap a portion of a fuel hose (not shown) when the trays70and80are in storage in the unit10. The storage tray80may be used to store food in the unit and when used in combination with a burner tray90, items in the storage tray80may be cooked and/or kept warm in the unit10. In practice, for keeping food warm, storage tray80is placed in the unit above burner tray90. Burner tray90is preferably placed at the inside bottom of the unit10. Access door21is kept closed during the cooking or warming process. Access door22may also be kept closed and when adjustment of temperature in the unit10is required, access door22may be opened to adjust the temperature of burner tray90. An alternative is to keep items in the unit cool and/or cold by placing ice in the storage tray80and placing the storage tray80on an upper shelf and placing food items to be kept cool/cold beneath storage tray80, preferably on the bottom of the unit10, although food items may be placed above the storage tray80. In either instance, both doors21,22may be kept closed and the unit10acts as a cooler for storage of food items.

Referring now toFIGS. 6 and 7, there is provided a grilling tray70. Grilling tray70comprises a bottom71, two side walls72, a back wall73and a front wall74, forming a chamber within the grilling tray70. At the top of the back wall73, two side walls72and front wall74, there is a flange75running along the length of each wall, for strengthening the tray70and concentrating heat in the chamber of the grilling tray70. The flange being less wide at the front wall74than the flange at the back wall73and two side walls72. The opening formed by the flange75allows for support of a removable cooking grid100. The cooking grid100is a mesh type grid to allow support of the item to be cooked and/or grilled while allowing heat to contact the item to be cooked. The cooking grid in this instance, is a perforated basket101with a flange102at the front and back of the basket101to allow for support of the basket101on the flange75at the front75and back73walls. The cooking grid100further comprises a shield110which runs along the bottom of said cooking grid100and is aligned to sit a predetermined distance above the burner120. In this embodiment, the shield110is rectangular in shape and is narrower than the cooking grid100such that the shield110reduces the likelihood of food particles and liquids, such as liquids produced during the cooking and/or grilling process from making contact with the burner120(which could result in flare ups) while allowing for heat to contact the item to be cooked. In this instance, the shield110is connected to the cooking grid100by a pair of screw connectors111each being proximate an opposite end of the shield110.

Referring now toFIG. 7, a burner120is seen in a grilling tray70with the cooking grid100removed. The burner120is a conventional gas burner used in cooking units and know to persons of ordinary skill in the art. When the cooking grid100is removed from said grilling tray70, the grilling tray70may be used as a heat source (or as a burner tray90or140) at the bottom of the unit10to keep items warm in the storage tray80when inserted above the grilling tray70. Given the shelves40are at various heights in the unit10, the user may select the appropriate level to place the grilling tray70to keep items warm.

Grilling tray70may also be used to store a griddle141(seeFIG. 8) when not in use. Griddle141is placed above the burner120and the cooking grid100is placed above the griddle141and the tray70is then placed inside the unit10for storage and transportation.

Referring now toFIG. 8, there is shown three grilling trays70side by side to allow for cooking various items simultaneously. The trays70are each connected to a fuel source71, such as a fuel tank, by fuel passageways72, such as appropriate hoses. In this manner, depending on the item being cooked, the user will adjust the individual burner control130to regulate the heat to each grilling tray70. If desired, the user can also use a side burner tray140(seeFIG. 10) to cook items in a pot or pan (not shown) or griddle141on a grilling tray70.

FIG. 9depicts the unit10with an optional telescopic spaced apart handle180connected to the back wall24of the unit10. The handle180has proximate the bottom181thereof a pair of wheels182to facilitate moving the unit10along a surface. The handle180and wheels182are made of a material that is light and also resistant to heat. The handle may be integral to the unit10or it may be removable to facilitate cleaning as well as storage of the unit10.

Although not shown in the Figures, the unit10may also be used as an ice box to keep items cold. In this instance, the used would place ice in the storage tray80and place the storage tray80containing the ice on a shelf above the items to be kept cold.

FIG. 11depicts a typical burner control130, which includes a burner handle140, a fuel inlet connection150and a fuel outlet connection160. Each connection150and160may be quick connects or any suitable connector as understood by a person skilled in the art.

FIG. 12depicts a perspective view of the unit10with a rotisserie shaft receiver170on each side wall50and60. This allows for receiving a rotisserie shaft (not shown) and using the unit10as a rotisserie oven. The receiver170also includes a bracket171to allow the unit10to receive a rotisserie motor (not shown).

The unit is preferably made of stainless steel, aluminum and other materials listed herein or combinations thereof such that structural integrity and safety of the unit10is not compromised

As many changes can be made to the preferred embodiment without departing from the scope thereof; it is intended that all matter contained herein be considered illustrative and not in a limiting sense.