Articulable heated cooking surface with fluid management and safety interlocks

A cooking plate having a cooking surface, in one embodiment, two folding legs and a drip tray. The legs include a recess and the tray includes a sloped land. When the legs are folded into a storage position, the tray is prevented from sliding by the interlock between the land and recess. In a second embodiment, the legs including a tilting/lifting member which is pivotally moveable from a planar position on the leg member surface to a lifting position with a portion of the lifting member being longer than the height of the folding legs. The lifting member portion rests against the folding leg in an over-center splayed angle abutting the folding let to create a stable lifting leg.

FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE

The present invention cooking implements, more particularly a heated portable cooking surface, such as a planar griddle.

BACKGROUND

Cooking appliances, particularly self-contained electrically heated cooking surfaces, commonly referred to as electric griddles, or grills have been in use for some time. Examples in the prior art are: U.S. Design No. D436,796 and U.S. Pat. No. 3,003,410. The typical construction of a planar griddle is a flat cooking surface and legs or a base to maintain the heated element above a table or other work surface.

Because such cooking surfaces are often used for cooking meats or other products which generate fluids, most often oils, during cooking, it is desirable to remove the fluids during the cooking process to minimize spatter. Since the cook surface is very hot, it is safer to constantly remove during the cooking process instead of at the end, there is a need to provide flow control for the fluids, to direct them to a safe reservoir.

After usage, it is beneficial to be able to fold the unit for compact storage.

Each of these requirements and the combination of hem create challenges in providing a unitary compact and safe structure.

The present disclosure addresses each of these challenges in a synergistic way.

BRIEF SUMMARY

To assist the reader in preparing to digest the detailed description and claims below, a short summary has been provided. It is far from complete and only provides a glimpse of the invention concepts. It is not intended to define the scope of the invention. The claims perform that function.

The present disclosure shows a stand-alone, typically electric, cook surface which has supporting legs, which are foldable to create a compact device for storage. There is also disclosed a lifting mechanism which allows the cook surface to be operated at an angle to ensure that cooking oils will be constantly drained away during cooking. A reservoir may be provided within the device itself to collect such oils. The reservoir may be removable to allow disposal of the collected oils, but it may also include an interlock to keep it safely within the unit when the lifting legs are folded way for storage so that no parts of the device will fall out.

There is also disclosed a cooktop having any or all of the following elements: a cooking surface having a top surface, an underside and having front, rear, left and right edges; a left and right support leg being connected to said left and right edges respectively and being moveable between an upright in-use position and a folded under storage position, at least one of said legs being hingeably connected to an edge such that when moved between said in-use and folded under positions its distal edge scribes an arc; a tray having left and right sides and being slideably attached to said underside; said tray including at least one protruding land extending away from said tray in the direction of one of the edges; said land having a distal apex then sloping away therefrom toward the tray; at least one of said legs being foldable under said cooking surface toward said tray; said at least one leg having a recess sized to receive and engage at least said distal end of said land when said tray is in said storage position and said leg is in its folded under position; wherein said distal end of said land is received within and confined by said recess when said at least one leg is rotated through said arc into said folded under position, thereby substantially immobilizing said tray from removal when said distal end of said land is received in said recess.

There is also disclosed a cooktop wherein said land follows a slope generally equal to the arc of the distal end of the at least one leg.

There is also disclosed a cooktop wherein said land follows a curved slop from said apex to the tray.

There is also disclosed a cooktop wherein both legs include a land and wherein said lands engage said tray on both sides thereof.

There is also disclosed a cooktop wherein said tray includes horizontal flanges on left and rights sides and wherein the underside of said cooking surface includes recesses for receiving said flanges.

There is also disclosed a cooktop having any or all of the following elements: a generally planar cooking surface having a top surface, an underside and having front, rear, left and right edges; a left and right support leg members having front and rear legs of predetermined height and a leg surface joining the two legs, said members being connected to said left and right edges respectively; at least one of leg surfaces including a tilting structure for elevating one edge of the cooking surface; said tilting structure including any or all of the following elements: an aperture in said leg surface proximate said rear edge; a lifting arm having a pivot point defining first and second portions of said lifting arm, said arm being sized to fit within said aperture and rotatable between a storage position and a lifting position; said storage position defined as said lifting arm being generally coplanar with said leg surface and said lifting position being where the second portion is generally proximate the rear leg; said first portion of said lifting arm having an extension tab which extends beyond said leg surface when said leg surface is in storage position; said second portion being longer that said predetermined height, so that when said second portion is in a tilting position, it is proximate said rear leg, it raises the cooking surface off its rear leg and onto said second portion; so that the cooking surface is thereby tilted.

There is also disclosed a cooktop wherein said second portion abuts said rear leg when in said tilting position.

There is also disclosed a cooktop wherein said second portion is non-orthogonal to the cooking surface when in said tilting position.

There is also disclosed a cooktop wherein said second portion is in an oblique splayed angle when in said tilting position.

There is also disclosed a cooktop wherein said second portion is splayed when in said tilting position.

There is also disclosed a cooktop wherein said lifting arm is securing into is storage position by lands extending from said tilting surface.

There is also disclosed a method of securing a tilting cooking surface of a cooktop having a pair of legs members on the edges of a cooking surface, the leg members having front and rear legs and having a pivoting tilting member capable of moving from a storage position to a lifting position, comprising any or all of the following steps in any order: configuring the rear legs so that they are splayed; configuring the range of rotation of said lifting member so that when it is said lifting member is in the lifting position, it abuts said splayed legs thereby providing a secure stop for the pivoting motion of the tilting member.

There is also disclosed a method further including a drip tray slideably engaged with an underside of the cooking surface and further including any or all of the following steps in any order: configuring the tray to engage a portion of leg members when in their storage position so that said tray may not be removed from the cooking surface when the leg members are in said storage position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The following description and associated drawings are intended to give the reader a detailed view of one or more embodiments of the concepts of the invention. The scope of the invention is however defined by the claims and equivalents of the elements within the claims.

FIG. 1illustrates a top view of the portable cooktop10, also referred to as a griddle. It is preferably electrically heated, but other options are possible. The cooking surface12is preferably planar and may be recessed as shown with a raised lip16surrounding its periphery as a barrier to the flow of oils or other cooking fluids, or alternatively, lip16may itself be a recess which channels such fluids away from the cooking surface12. In either case, a drain port18is preferably provided proximate an edge of the cooking surface. In this case, the preferred edge is the front-most and the port opens into a drip tray40(FIG. 2) which will be described later. If instead of a lip16, there is a fluid channel, then the drain would be in that channel. The drain could also be located in a corner of the cooking surface if one only one of the leg lifts (described later) is used. The preferred shape of the lip or channel16adjacent the drain is concave or otherwise formed to drain toward the port.

The cooking surface is bounded by left and right edges22,24and front and rear edges26,28. A pair of leg units30,32are hingeably attached to the left and right edges and provide support for the cooking surface by raising it above a working surface because of the heat generated.

FIG. 2illustrates the bottom of the cooktop. An electric heating element36is attached to the underside44of the cooking surface. An electrical connector port38may be provided with a further electrical supply cable and thermostat as known in the art.

A drip tray40is slideably affixed to the underside44by the engagement of a set of left and right orthogonally extending lands or projections50. (SeeFIG. 15for a perspective but alsoFIGS. 12-13). The tray provides a catch for fluids which accumulate on the cooking surface. By removing the fluids, they are removed so that they don't overheat or smoke. It also makes the cooking process more healthful. Tray40is retained in a gap formed between underside44and a pair of left and right retainer bars48which are removably affixed to the underside but spaced apart therefrom. The bars and underside define a receiving rail sized to receive said lands and maintain the tray slideable and just under the cooking surface. The front portion of the bars may be curved downwardly to afford easy insertion of the projections. The bars may also include waves or orthogonal projections/ridges along its length to provide some resistance to rapid removal of the tray. Other mechanisms to prevent the tray from slipping out may be provided in addition to the interlock system discussed herein.

As seen inFIG. 3, tray40has a pair of flanges52extending orthogonally from the left and right edges of the tray (or generally in parallel with the front face of the tray). These are used in conjunction with interlock between the tray and folding legs30,32. Flanges52preferably include a sculpted distal peripheral edge54. This edge preferably follows an arcuate path from a distal most point and sloping downwardly toward the left and right edges of the tray, respectively. The slope may be a straight line linear edge or a convex edge. The arcuate is preferred because it allows the folding leg which has a recessed area therein, to receive the flanges without interference until both the tray and legs are in their storage positions with the front face of the tray being generally coplanar with a portion of the legs.

FIGS. 21-26 and 36a, b, c, d, e, illustrate the interlock between the legs and tray. InFIG. 25it can be seen in close up that leg32rotates on its hinges to a storage position adjacent to the bottom of the cooking surface (FIG. 22shows the storage position). To get into that position and secure tray40, the projection52with sloped edge54must not engage legs30/32when folding. Rather, legs30/32include a recess sized to receive projection52and the leading edge54is formed to scribe an arc which will engage recess/receiver60in the leg without contacting any part of the leg during its rotation into storage position. By use of this sloping shape, the distal end of edge54can be nearly, but not touching, the leg during the parking from use to storage position. This can provide fit between the parked leg and tray with a minimum of gap space62.

Legs30,32, which are mirror images of each other, include hinges70(FIG. 7) which have molded hinge pins72, formed in the legs themselves, or they may be attached elements. Pin72are received troughs80(FIG. 32) and then the troughs cover at least partially covered by removable plates74(FIG. 35) which hold the pins in the trough.

FIGS. 32-35show leg30,32having a front foot84and a rear foot86. Joining the front and rear feet is a bridging portion88. In the face of portion88adjacent the rear foot is a rectangular aperture90which receives a lift/tilt lever92which, when operated lifts the cooking surface of its rear feet86and thereby raises the cooking surface12. This allows cooking oils etc. to flow into port18and the drip tray40. A close up of the tilt lever is shown also inFIG. 17.

Tilt lever92pivots from its storage position (FIG. 32) to lifting position (FIG. 31), on pivot points96on both longitudinal sidewalls. The pivot points96are received within like recesses in like sidewalls of aperture90. The tilt lever92has a roughened surface tab98proximal rear leg86. It is to provide a gripping surface to depress or lift the tab to move the distal portion102from storage to lift position.FIGS. 29, 30 and 31show the tilt/lift lever in various positions. In most cases the user will operate both levers to lift the rear of the cooking surface.

As shown inFIG. 17, tilt lever92has a wall106and a shelf108on its bottom side. The placement of these elements in conjunction with the inner underside wall110in the rear foot86determine the splay and tilt angle of the cooking surface. A preferred angle is sufficient to drain oils but not cause cooking foods to slide off. The preferred tilt angles are approximately 3.5, 4, 4.5 4.6. 5, 5.5, 6, 6.5 degrees, as well as greater than or less than each of these angles.

When in its storage position, as shown inFIG. 6, tilt levers92are held in place by flexible projection arms110(FIG. 30) which resiliently extend into the aperture in the leg. The arms have ribs112which are located just below the lever when in storage position and must be deflected away to allow the lever to rotate to tilt position. This prevents the levers from switching position accidentally.

A method of lifting a cooking surface is also disclosure which uses the structures above to lift the rear edge of the cooking surface.

A method securing a tray or drawer under a cooking surface which uses the structures described above involving engagement of a flange in either a rotatable leg or the tray which engages a receiving slot in the other of a tray or leg when the leg is moved to a storage position as shown in the figures.

The above description and its applications as set forth herein is illustrative and is not intended to limit the scope of the invention. Variations and modifications of the embodiments disclosed herein are possible and practical alternatives to and equivalents of the various elements of the embodiments would be understood to those of ordinary skill in the art upon study of this patent document. These and other variations and modifications of the embodiments disclosed herein may be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention.