Abstract:
A method and apparatus for charcoal cooking of food utilizing a cook base and a removable cover mating with the cook base. The cooker has a substantially sealed interior cooking chamber for cooking food and an exterior portion with one charcoal heat source near the bottom of the cook base and another charcoal heat source on top of the removable cover, thereby separating the food and the fire.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION  
       [0001]     This application claims the priority benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/390,483, filed Jun. 21, 2002, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
     
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD  
       [0002]     The present invention relates generally to a cooking device, and more specifically to a charcoaled-fired cooking device wherein the food is cooked without direct exposure to the fire.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0003]     A multitude of outdoor cookers have been created, presumably in hopes of improving the culinary quality and/or the ease of the cooking. For example, the following patents disclose various apparatuses and methods of cooking food in a device.  
         [0004]     U.S. Pat. No. 4,924,845 of Johnson relates to a solid fuel cooker comprising upper and lower paraboloid-shaped members. The inner surface of the upper member (cover) focuses both radiant energy and convective heat around the item to be cooked situated in the upper portion of the apparatus. The upper portion of the cooker also includes a vent and a cap that serves both as a cover and as a measuring device for lighter fluid. The lower member (receptacle) houses the heating source. This invention provides means for concentrating the flow of air in an upward motion through the vent located at the top of the cooker.  
         [0005]     U.S. Pat. No. 5,404,864 of Kent, Jr. relates to a portable outdoor cooking system which includes a combustion tube that houses an elongate fire chamber surrounding adjustable flaps which control the tube&#39;s intake and outflow of air. Food is placed across the upper opening of the tube for receiving the outflow of heat from the tube.  
         [0006]     U.S. Pat. No. 5,649,477 of Lingwood relates to an outdoor cooking device comprising two or more heat sources located at the bottom portion of the device, means for supporting the food to be cooked above the heat sources, and a baffle between the food and the heat source so as to prevent drippings from the food from falling onto the heat source (thereby avoiding “flame-up”).  
         [0007]     U.S. Pat. No. 5,687,704 of Lerch, et al. relates to a portable grill having upper and lower conical-shaped inverted housings. The upper housing includes a grilling section supporting a grate for supporting charcoal or other solid fuel. The lower conical-shaped housing acts as a receptacle. The apertures are positioned in such a way as to provide convective-type heat transfer for cooking.  
         [0008]     U.S. Pat. No. 5,752,497 of Combs, et al. relates to a portable outdoor cooking assembly utilizing a flue and damper mechanism.  
         [0009]     U.S. Pat. No. 5,797,386 of Orr relates to a portable cooking device containing an open top and a burner housing located at the bottom portion of the device. A cooking grate is disposed on top of the burner housing and can be adjusted for obtaining two different cooking heights.  
         [0010]     U.S. Pat. No. 3,823,174 of Andress relates to a portable cooking device containing an L-shaped open body, the bottom portion of which includes a grate for holding food, while the rear portion contains a vertically arranged fire chamber.  
         [0011]     U.S. Pat. No. 5,842,463 of Hall relates to a portable camp stove having a fuel support grate positioned at the bottom of a combustion-chamber. Fuel is added to the chamber from the top and air is drawn into the chamber through a ring of intake apertures.  
         [0012]     U.S. Pat. No. 6,095,130 of Faraj relates to a grill having horizontal shelves positioned along sidewalls for holding charcoal vertically along the sides in order to surround the item being cooked.  
         [0013]     U.S. Pat. No. 6,138,661 of Cooper relates to a portable cooking stove comprising a bowl-shaped grate and a supporting column. The bowl is designed to hold burning wood or coal and includes holes for allowing air to pass through the bottom of the bowl to combust the coals. A cooking apparatus, such as a skillet, can be rested on the upper edge of the bowl for cooking.  
         [0014]     U.S. Pat. No. 6,213,006 of Reardon relates to an outdoor portable grill containing a heat source at a bottom portion thereof, a cooking grate at the top portion and a heat-funnel positioned between the heat source and cooking grate.  
         [0015]     U.S. Pat. No. 6,289,795 of McLemore, et al. relates to a cooking apparatus having a base pan fort he heating element, a main body element located in the middle of the apparatus for containing the food to be cooked, and a cover supported by the base pan.  
         [0016]     The just-described patents disclose many different cooker/grill arrangements. Each of the preceding arrangements has a heat source, in some cases a flame, which is directly exposed to the food. It can be appreciated that this type of direct-heat cooking can cause the food to dry out, as well as risk over-charring, flame-ups, or outright burning of the food. Moreover when the food piece is in the same basic container as the fuel, the container cannot be sealed as the fuel needs an open container to allow for oxygen for burning of the fuel, which as discussed, allows the food item to more quickly lose moisture and dry out.  
         [0017]     Therefore, there yet is a need for a cooking apparatus and system that allows for the cooking of food outdoors without the flame or heat source being directly exposed to the food to be cooked. It is to the provision of such an apparatus that the present invention is primarily directed.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0018]     Briefly described, in a preferred form the present invention comprises a charcoal-fired cooker for cooking food. The cooker includes a cook base and a removable cover mating therewith. Together, the cook base and the removable cover define an interior cooking chamber for cooking food. The cook base includes an external heat source. The external heat source comprises a first charcoal container for containing charcoal positioned near a lower portion of the cook base. The removable cover includes another external heat source, held in a second charcoal container for containing charcoal.  
         [0019]     So constructed, the charcoal-fired cooker cooks food in an indirect manner effectively and quickly. In this regard, the food is never directly exposed to the burning charcoal. Rather, the heat from the charcoal heats up the cook base and the removable cover from the outside. These heated parts then warm the air inside the interior cooking chamber to cook the food. The inventor has found this provides excellent results.  
         [0020]     Preferably, the charcoal-fired cooker is shaped to be substantially cylindrical, substantially dome-shaped, or substantially egg-shaped. Also preferably, the cook base includes a floor and a food support for supporting food above the floor. In one form, the food support can be a vertically extending post. In another form, the food support can be a horizontally extending grate. Optionally, the cook base can include a removable drip pan positioned atop the floor.  
         [0021]     Optionally, the cooker can include a middle portion that contains a grate or other means for supporting food pieces. The middle portion is placed between the lower and the upper portions. This arrangement facilitates the cooking of more than one type of food pieces. For example, a turkey or chicken could be cooked in the lower portion, and vegetables could be cooked or steamed in the upper portion.  
         [0022]     Another option would be the inclusion of a pan to hold water, which assists in maintaining of the humidity level within the chamber, which allows, in part, the steaming of food pieces and helps to keep the food from drying out. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0023]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a food cooker in a first preferred form of the invention.  
         [0024]      FIG. 2  is a schematic cross-sectional view of the food cooker of  FIG. 1  with the top and bottom portions thereof separated.  
         [0025]      FIG. 3  is a schematic cross-sectional view of the food cooker of  FIG. 1  showing expected heat flow patterns with the top and bottom portions are mated.  
         [0026]      FIG. 4  is a schematic cross-sectional view of a food cooker in an alternate form of the invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0027]     In describing the embodiments of the present invention, specific terminology is employed for the sake of clarity. However, the invention is not intended to be limited to the specific terminology so selected. Moreover, in the drawing figures like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views.  
         [0028]     Turning the reader&#39;s attention to  FIG. 1 , in a first embodiment a charcoal-fired cooker  100  has a cook base  30  and a cover  40 . The cook base  30  has a side portion to which handles  32  are affixed. It can be preferable to fabricate handles  32  of non-heat conducting, or minimally heat conducting, material to lessen the risk of burns of the user.  
         [0029]     Examples of such materials would be wood and plastic. The cook base  30  preferably is attached to or placed in a fire ring  20 . It may be preferable to have fire ring  20  be a separate piece from the cook base  30  to assist in ease of cleaning and parts replacement. Also, it can be preferable to provide clips, sockets, sliders or the like to removably mate the fire ring  20  to the cook base  30 .  
         [0030]     An annular ledge  24  is fitted around the fire ring  20 . The annular ledge  24  should be designed to protect the area beneath the food cooker  100  from the heat generated by the food cooker  100 . Design criteria for the annular ledge  24  can include appropriate thickness, non-heat conducting or low heat conducting material, as well as providing a lip around the edge of the ledge  24  to assist in preventing the soot and ash and other materials from spilling from the fire ring  20  and falling below the ledge  24 . As with the fire ring  20  being mated to the cook base  30 , the fire ring  20  can be attached or mated in a similar fashion to the ledge  24 .  
         [0031]     To assist in placement and transport, the handles  22  are affixed to the ledge  24 . As with handles  32 , the handles  22  can be made of non- or low-heat conducting material. Alternatively the handles  22  may be attached to the fire ring  20 . In the present embodiment, the ledge  24  is a plate that covers the entire bottom of the cook base  30  and the fire ring  30 , thereby acting as a floor. This can be preferable as it assists in providing heat transfer through the underside of the cook base  30 .  
         [0032]     Support legs  26  are affixed to the bottom of the ledge  24 . Support legs  26  should provide sufficient clearance of the food cooker  100  from the ground to reduce the risk of fire under and around the food cooker  100 . It is preferable to have at least three legs for stability of the food cooker  100  as one skilled in the art would appreciate that tipping of the food cooker  100  during use is highly undesirable.  
         [0033]     Charcoal fire  10   a  is placed inside of the fire ring  20 , which allows the charcoal fire  10   a  to be in contact with, or be juxtaposed to the cook base  30 . Other embodiments include utilizing different combustible heat sources in place of charcoal, including wood. Preferably, the location of the fire ring  20  and the charcoal fire  10   a  on cook base  30  is near the bottom to facilitate heat transfer to the ledge  24  or to the floor of the cook base  30 .  
         [0034]     Cover  40  is placed on, and preferably mated to, the top of cook base  30 . Cook base  30  and cover  40  should be mated as to prevent communication between the fire, which is external to the cooker  100 , and the food, which is internal to the cooker  100 . This mating can be done with groves, latches, sliders, notches or combinations thereof as well as with similar means. Cover  40  can have handles  42  affixed to the side portions of the cover  40  to allow for removal from the cook base  30  as well as for transport. Cover  40  has a concave top  44  that provides for placement of the charcoal fire  10   b.  In the present embodiment, upper ring  46  is utilized to protect against the spillage of charcoal fire  10   b.  As with the charcoal fire  10   a,  the alternatives to charcoal fire  10   b  include utilizing different combustible heat sources in place of charcoal, including wood. It should be noted that one or both of the charcoal fire  10   a - b  could use alternative fuel sources.  
         [0035]     Now turning to  FIG. 2 , the reader should direct his or her attention to the depiction of the cross-sectional view of the food cooker  100 . Cover  40  is removed from the cook base  30 . The inner portion of the cook base  30  is placed ______ drip pan  34 . Substantially in the center of drip pan  34 , and substantially perpendicular from the ledge  24  is placed post  36 . Post  36  can include fork(s)  38  that assists in holding the food item  200  above drip pan  34 . Food item  200  can be a turkey, chicken, roast or the like. Alternatives to post  36  may include a grate, basket, skewer or the like that would be substantially parallel to ledge  24 . This may include notches or other canaliculations, fillets, edges, brackets or the like on the interior of the sides of the cook base  30  which will allow placement of grates, baskets, skewer or the like which will act as an alternative food containment means.  
         [0036]     As shown in  FIG. 3 , it is believed that the charcoal fire  10   a  results in creating first a heat flow  310  which would radiate along the ledge  24  and up from the side walls of the cook base  30 , continuing upwards as heat flow  312 . Conversely, the charcoal fire  10   b  has first heat flow  320  which flows along the concave top  44  and down the side walls of removable top  40 , continuing downwards as heat flow  322 . The reader should note that while heat flows  310 - 322  are approximate and hypothetical in nature, a convection flow is present in and around the food cooker  100 . Heat flows  310 - 322  therefore provide sufficient heat to cook the food item  200  sufficiently, while assisting in the prevention of possible “flare-ups” from grease dripping on the flame present in the charcoal or other typical flare-ups commonly associated with the burning of a food item in other food cookers.  
         [0037]     As the mating of the cook base  30  and the removable top  40  preferably assists in preventing the escape of moisture from the cooker  100 , food item  200  will not likely dry out, as much as in typical food cookers. Other embodiments of use would include the placing of an appropriate amount of water in a drip pan to provide higher moisture content in the inner portion of the food cooker  100 . As concave top  44  is concave, the collection of the moisture would be at the lowest point of the concave top  44  and then would drip downward into drip pan  34 . Drip pan  34  will therefore not only collect the grease and fat drippings from the food item  200 , but also water falling from the concave top  44 .  
         [0038]     An alternative preferred embodiment of the food cooker  100  is shown in  FIG. 4 .  FIG. 4  is a cross sectional view of the food cooker  100 , where lower middle portion  50  and upper middle portion  60  are mated, as shown, to cook bottom  30  and removable top  40  respectively, as well as to one another.  
         [0039]     As shown, the lower middle portion  50  has handles  52  on the exterior portion and bracket  54  on the interior portion. Basket  56  rests on the bracket  54 . Food items  210  can be inside basket  56 . These may include carrots, potatoes, other vegetables and the like. Alternatively, the food items  210  can hold fish, pork, or other such food items. Basket  56  may then include a top portion that would be placed on top of food item  210 . The upper middle portion  60  also has handles  62  on the on the exterior portion and bracket  64  on the interior portion. Bracket  64  can be made larger so that it is capable of holding in place skewer  66  so that food items  220  can be placed on it. Food items  220  can include cube meat, onions, tomatoes, peppers and the like. Alternative to skewer  66  could be a grate, grill or the like which would allow for placing food items  220  directly on top.  
         [0040]     Splash guard  39  is placed on the post  36  over the food item  200 . As discussed previously, moisture will likely collect and drip from the concave top  44  near the center axis of the food cooker  100 . This would lead to dripping on the food item  200 . In the present embodiment, slash guard  39  will direct the moisture, typically essentially water to the outside of the drip pan and collection in water collection  230 . Conversely, the grease and fat drippings from the food item  200  will collect in the grease collection  202 .  
         [0041]     As discussed prior, during use of the food cooker  100  and prior to lighting of charcoal  10   a - b,  it can be preferable to add water to the water collection  230  to increase the moisture content inside the food cooker  100 .  
         [0042]     Additionally, it can be preferable to provide appropriate size slash guards in middle portions  50 ,  60 .  
         [0043]     When using the food cooker  100  it can be preferable to place the food item  200  in cook base  30  along with any needed drip pan  34 , post  36 , forks  38  and slash guard  39 . Also at this time, it is a preferable time to add water to the water collection  230 , if desired. Alternative embodiments of the cook base  30  may include utilizing baskets, grills, skewers, grates or the like.  
         [0044]     One will then mate lower middle portion  50  with the cook base  30 . One would then place basket  56  of the bracket  54  and then food item  210  in the basket  56 . As mentioned, a splash guard and/or top basket can be placed on the food item  210  and this point.  
         [0045]     Then one will mate the upper middle portion  60  with the lower middle portion  50 , once again placing the skewer  66  (or one of the previously discussed alternatives) onto the bracket  64 . If one uses the skewer  66 , then the food items  220  should be skewered on the skewer  66  just prior to the placement on the bracket  64 . When preparing the skewer  66  with the food items  220  it would preferable to have the middle of the skewer  66  to not contain any food items  220 , as the skewers  66  will be typically laid in the horizontal plane as each skewer  66  with a vertical rotation about the center of one another to give an appearance similar to bicycle spokes. As the skewers  66  will intersect substantially at the center of each of skewer  66 , it is preferable that no food item  220  is in the way. The removable top  40  is then mated to the upper middle portion  60 .  
         [0046]     The charcoal fire  10   a  is created or placed in the fire ring  20  and the charcoal fire  10   b  is created or placed in the concave top  44 .  
         [0047]     The food items  200 - 220  are then cooked the appropriate times and then removed and enjoyed.  
         [0048]     Finally, it will be understood that the preferred embodiment has been disclosed by way of example, and that other modifications may occur to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the appended claims.