Abstract:
A device for barbequing food, said device including: a cabinet for storing a power source; a burner connectable to said power source for cooking said food, and a means for steam cleaning said device.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     This application claims priority to Chinese Patent Application No. 200520118496.9, filed Sep. 9, 2005, commonly assigned, incorporated by reference herein for all purposes.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     The present invention relates to a barbecuing device.  
         [0003]     Any discussion of the prior art throughout the specification should in no way be considered as an admission that such prior art is widely known or forms part of common general knowledge in the field.  
         [0004]     Throughout this specification, the terms “barbeque”, “barbecuing”, and variants thereof mean a method of cooking food with the heat and hot gases of a fire, smoking wood, or hot coals and the like, and includes both indirect and direct methods of such cooking.  
         [0005]     Occidentals usually prefer to barbecue food with a gas barbecuing device, which is typically a movable cooking apparatus having a movable cabinet, which contains one or more gas tanks, and a gas-powered burner. The burner is located below an upper cover of the movable cabinet, and food is barbequed on a grill plate over the gas-powered burner. When such a gas-powered burner is used to barbecue meat foodstuffs, a significant amount of grease is produced. This excess grease adversely affects the sanitary condition of the food and has an unfavorable effect on the normal use of the gas-powered burner. It is also frequently difficult to remove this grease from the surfaces of the device. It is also inconvenient to use this gas barbequing device because some types of food need to be turned frequently by hand so as to be cooked uniformly.  
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0006]     It is an object of the present invention to overcome or ameliorate at least one of the disadvantages of the prior art, or to provide a useful alternative.  
         [0007]     An object of the present invention in at least one preferred form is to provide a barbequing device which provides a convenient means of cleaning the device, especially by removing grease. It is an object of the present invention in at least one preferred form to provide a barbequing device that automatically cooks food uniformly. An object of the present invention in at least one preferred form is to provide a barbecue device that provides automatic control over the temperature in the grill, fuel ignition, and safety measures of the device.  
         [0008]     The present invention provides a device for barbequing food, said device including: 
        a cabinet for storing a power source;     a burner connectable to said power source for cooking said food, and     a means for steam cleaning said device.        
 
         [0012]     Preferably, the steam cleaning means includes a steam generator and a device for delivering the steam fluidly connected to the steam generator. Preferably, the steam delivery device includes a discharge nozzle for discharging the steam and a trigger for actuating the steam delivery device. Preferably, the steam delivery device discharges pressurized steam to clean the outer surfaces of the burner and the barbequing device. Preferably, the steam delivery device is a steam blowgun.  
         [0013]     Preferably, the steam generator includes a steam boiler storable in the cabinet. Preferably, the steam generator is connectable to the power source.  
         [0014]     Preferably, the device includes a food grilling support for supporting one or more food grilling elements, wherein the food grilling elements are rotatable relative to the support to uniformly expose said food to the heat from said burner. Preferably, the food grilling support is arranged adjacent the burner. Preferably, the food grilling support includes holders for retaining the food grilling elements adjacent the burner, said holders being rotatable relative to the food grilling support. Preferably, the holders are rotationally driven by a transmission means.  
         [0015]     Preferably, the transmission means includes one or more transmission shafts drivable by a motor. Preferably, each transmission shaft includes a transmission coupling for rotating a respective holder. In one embodiment, the holders are integrally formed with the transmission couplings for receiving respective ends of the food grilling elements. Preferably, the holders are axially aligned bores formed in the transmission shafts. Preferably, the bores have a shape complementary to the ends of the food grilling elements to securely hold the food grilling elements so that the food grilling elements rotate with the transmission shafts.  
         [0016]     Preferably, the food grilling support includes a bracket for supporting an opposite end of each food grilling element, such that each food grilling element suspends food above the burner. Preferably, the bracket includes positioning means for securely holding the food grilling elements on the bracket. Preferably, the positioning means include notches in the bracket.  
         [0017]     Preferably, the food grilling elements are skewers for removably holding food. Preferably, the skewers are removably connectable to the holders. Preferably, the skewers include means for retaining the skewers to the holders.  
         [0018]     Preferably, the motor is an electric motor. Preferably, the electric motor is connected to an electrical power source. The electrical power source preferably includes a thermoelectric generator, solar cells, a steam driven generator or built-in fuel cells. Preferably, the electric power source is connectable to an accumulator by a charging circuit. Preferably, the electric motor is connected to the accumulator.  
         [0019]     Preferably, thermoelectric generators are provided on inner and outer surfaces of the device adjacent the burner to maximize the temperature differential between the inner and outer surfaces and increase the efficiency of the thermoelectric generators. In one embodiment, the thermoelectric generators are provided on the inner and outer surfaces of a cover of the cabinet.  
         [0020]     Preferably, solar cells are provided on the outer surfaces of the device. In one embodiment, the solar cells are provided at the rear and top of the device.  
         [0021]     Preferably, the device includes a control circuit for controlling the temperature in the burner, a gas-igniting circuit, and a safety-guarding circuit, and a steam controlling circuit, wherein said control circuit and said steam controlling circuit are connected to the power source and are equipped with control switches arranged on the device.  
         [0022]     Preferably, the burner includes a gas-powered jet burner. Preferably, the power source is a gas supply.  
         [0023]     Preferably, the cabinet is movable. Preferably, the cabinet includes wheels.  
         [0024]     A particularly preferred embodiment provides a barbeque device that is easily cleanable and provides an automated rotary grill for cooking food uniformly. In this embodiment of the barbecuing device of the present invention, steam cleaning of the barbecuing device is realized with the steam blowgun and food holding forks are rotationally driven by an electric motor to automatically grill food uniformly over the burner. At the same time, the temperature set-up in the grill, automatic firing, and flameout and gas leakage protection is achieved by a control circuit, which controls the temperature in the food grill area, a gas-igniting circuit and a safety-guarding circuit. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0025]     A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:  
         [0026]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view illustrating a barbecuing device of the present invention;  
         [0027]      FIG. 2  is an exploded perspective view of a rotational grill support, in the barbecuing device of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0028]      FIG. 3  is a schematic view of the gear transmission for the rotational grill support of  FIG. 2 ;  
         [0029]      FIG. 4  is a schematic view of an alternative gear transmission for the rotational grill support of  FIG. 2 ;  
         [0030]      FIG. 5  is a schematic drawing of a steam cleaning means used in the barbequing device of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0031]      FIG. 6  is a schematic drawing of the rotational grill support of  FIG. 2  in an operational state;  
         [0032]      FIG. 7  is a schematic drawing of a food-holding fork for use in the rotational grill support of  FIG. 2 ;  
         [0033]      FIG. 8  is a schematic drawing of a different type of food-holding fork for use in the rotational grill support of  FIG. 2 ;  
         [0034]      FIG. 9  is a perspective view of the barbequing device of  FIG. 1  illustrating the location of power sources;  
         [0035]      FIG. 10  is a rear perspective view of the barbequing device of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0036]      FIG. 11  is a schematic block diagram of the control circuit of the barbequing device of  FIG. 1 ; and  
         [0037]      FIG. 12  is a schematic block diagram of the safety mechanism used in the barbequing device of  FIG. 1 . 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0038]     The device of the present invention will be further discussed hereinafter with reference to a preferred embodiment when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings.  
         [0039]     As shown in  FIG. 1 , the device for barbequing food includes a housing or cabinet  1  and a gas tank  2  located inside the cabinet  1 . The cabinet includes mounted wheels so that the device is moveable, and thus portable for use in different locations. A gas-powered burner  3 , which is supplied with gas from the gas tank  2 , is mounted on the upper portion of the cabinet  1 . The device also includes a cover  4  and a corrugated plate  8  located adjacent the gas burner  3 . The corrugated plate  8  may be heated by the burner  3  or by another burner beneath the plate, to cook food. A rotational grill support  6  is provided at a position between the gas-powered burner  3  and the cover  4 . A control panel  7  controls operation of the barbecuing device  1 .  
         [0040]     As shown in  FIG. 1 , a steam cleaning means in the form of a steam blowgun  5  is stowed to one side of the cabinet  1 . A gas-type steam boiler (not shown) is stored within the cabinet  1 , and is connected to the steam blowgun  5  by a conduit  25 . As best shown in  FIG. 5 , the steam blowgun  5  includes a trigger  22  and a steam discharge nozzle  24 . The blowgun  5  discharges pressurized steam to easily and conveniently remove any contaminants, such as grease, from the outer surface of the burner  3 , plate  8 , or any other surface of the barbequing device to which grease may have adhered during the barbequing of food.  
         [0041]     The rotational grill support  6  includes a front casing  13  and a rear casing  13 , containing a transmission means for rotating a plurality of food grilling elements in the form of food-holding skewers or forks  26 . An electric gear motor  9  is connected to the rotational grill support  6  via the transmission means.  
         [0042]     As shown in FIGS.  2  to  4  and  6 , the transmission means includes two rows of transmission shafts  11 ,  11 ′ and transmission sprockets  10 ,  10 ′ securely fixed on the transmission shafts  11 ,  11 ′. A chain  15  is tensioned on the bottom row of transmission sprockets  10  and engages the top row of transmission sprockets  10 ′. A connection end  14 ′ of one transmission shaft  11  is coupled to an output shaft  14  of the gear motor  9 . In this manner, the transmission shaft  11  is connected to the motor  9  to subsequently drive the transmission sprockets  10 ,  10 ′ via the chain  15 . The transmission shafts  11 ,  11 ′ are formed with bores  12 ,  12 ′ that are axially aligned with the central longitudinal axes of their respective shafts  11 ,  11 ′. The bores  12 ,  12 ′ function as transmission couplings for directly receiving the ends of the food-holding forks  26  such that the forks  26  are removably coupled to the transmission shafts  11 , 11 ′. In an alternative embodiment, separate holders for the forks  26  can be provided for engagement with the bores  12 ,  12 ′, or the transmission shafts  11 ,  11 ′ directly.  
         [0043]     The front casing  13  and the casing  13 ′ of the grill support  6  also forms a gear case for the transmission gears of the transmission means. The casings  13 ,  13 ′ include through-holes corresponding to the relative positions of the transmission shafts  11 ,  11 ′ in the transmission means so that the transmission shafts  11 ,  11 ′ pass therethrough and form an integral shaft sleeve case. A set of transmission gears are mounted to the transmission shafts, with adjacent gears driven by intermediate gears. In the embodiment, gears  16 ,  17  and  18  are mounted to the transmission shafts  11 ,  11 ′ and constitute the gear transmission means for the rotational grill support  6 , as best shown in  FIG. 3 . In an alternative embodiment, the gears  16  to  18  are replaced by a worm  19 , and gears  20 ,  21  to form a worm-gear transmission means, as best shown in  FIG. 4 .  
         [0044]     The rotational grill support  6  can hold the forks  26  in a cantilevered manner. However, it is preferable that the forks  26  are supported at both ends, and a bracket  30  is provided opposite the case  13 ,  13 ′ for this purpose. The bracket  30  includes a series of indentations or notches  31  for locating respective ends of the food holding forks  26 .  
         [0045]     As shown in  FIG. 6 , each food-holding fork  26  is a straight, cylindrical rod that is releasably secured to the transmission shaft  11  at one end and is supported by the bracket  30  at its other end, such that it can rotate relative to the bracket  30  and the front case  13  above the gas burner  3 . In order to securely locate the food-holding fork  26 , a locking nut  28  is provided on the food-holding fork  26  to limit axial relative movement of the food-holding fork  26  to the bracket  30 . A handle  29  is also provided on each food-holding fork  26  to facilitate installation of the forks  26  onto the grill support  6 .  
         [0046]     The front end of a food-holding fork  26  includes a lug, which has a regular polygon or a spade-like shape. The bores  12 ,  12 ′ in the transmission shafts  11 ,  11 ′ are formed with a complementary shape and size to the lugs of the food-holding forks  26 , such that food-holding forks  26  fit snugly within the holes  12 ,  12 ′ and are securely retained therein. Thus, the transmission shafts  11 ,  11 ′ and the food-holding forks  26  are locked together and rotate as a single body, and enabling the uniform cooking of food skewered by the forks  26  over the burner  3 .  
         [0047]     The food-holding forks  26  may be directly inserted into food objects  27 , such as small meats. A steel cage  32  may be releasably secured to the food-holding forks  26  so that large and soft food, such as fish, may be placed within the cage  32  for barbequing. The space between the transmission shafts  11 ′ in the top row is relatively large, suitable for barbecuing large food pieces, whereas the space between the transmission shafts  11  in the bottom row is smaller, suitable for barbequing small food pieces.  
         [0048]     As shown in  FIG. 7 , the middle portion of a food-holding fork  26  may be configured to include a round roller  33  to increase the effective diameter of the food-holding fork  26 . This permits long foods  34 , such as hot-dog sausages, to be placed between two forks  26  and supported by their respective round rollers  33  for simultaneous rotation with the round rollers  33 .  
         [0049]     As shown in  FIG. 8 , two flexible arms  35  and  36  may be symmetrically fixed at either end of the food-holding fork  26 . The flexible arms  35  and  36  clamp large pieces of food, such as whole chickens, duck and other poultry, so that these foods can rotate together with the food-holding fork  26  for barbequing above the gas burner  3 .  
         [0050]     The barbecuing device according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention also uses a variety of electrical power sources, including a thermoelectric generator  37 ,  38 , solar cells  39 ,  40 ,  41 ,  42 , steam generator  43  and fuel cell  44 . One ore more of these electric power sources can be used as the energy source for the burner  3  and for driving the rotational grill support  6 . The solar cells, thermoelectric generator, steam generator and fuel cells may be easily employed in the device using conventional techniques. For example, and as shown in  FIG. 9 , several thermoelectric generators  37 ,  38  are arranged on the inner and outer surfaces of the cover  4  of the cabinet  1 . Since the cover  4  is in relatively close proximity to the gas burner  3 , the temperature differential is maximized between the inner and outer surfaces of the cover, thus increasing the efficiency of the thermoelectric generators  37 ,  38 . Solar cells  39 ,  40 ,  41  and  42  can be located on the outer surfaces of the device as an additional or alternative energy source, as best shown in  FIGS. 9 and 10 .  
         [0051]     These power sources are connected to an accumulator  45  through a charging circuit  46 , as best shown in  FIG. 11 . The accumulator is located inside the cabinet  1 , and a motor circuit  47  and a steam controlling circuit  48  are also connected to the accumulator  45  and the charging circuit  46  to access these power sources. The barbecuing device  1  is also provided with a control circuit  49  which controls the temperature in the grill, a gas igniting circuit and a safety-guarding circuit. The control circuit, gas igniting circuit and safety-guarding circuit are also connected to the power sources through the accumulator  45 .  
         [0052]      FIG. 12  shows a safety mechanism for the device, where a safety guard means (typically a circuit  50 ) monitors the temperature and pressure within the steam boiler  51  to ensure that the steam discharged from the steam blowgun  5  does not exceed preset levels of temperature and pressure when cleaning the device, protecting the user from harm and the device from damage.  
         [0053]     Thus, the preferred embodiment of the invention provides a barbecuing device where grease and other contaminants can be cleaned easily and very conveniently with the steam blowguns. Furthermore. The rotational grill support  6  provides an automated means for cooking food uniformly over the gas burner  3 .  
         [0054]     Electric power is used as the energy source for the whole device and the gas tank can be accommodated the cabinet, so the device is particularly suitable for mobile outdoor barbecues without being restricted by the availability of outdoor electric power.  
         [0055]     The above preferred embodiment has been described in an illustrative manner, and should be not understood as a limitation to the present invention. Any products identical or similar to the present invention in light of this invention fall within the scope of the present invention.