Abstract:
A barbeque grill arrangement is provided having a grill unit removably mounted on a rack which attaches to an exterior vehicle wall to form a stable grill support solely by the vehicle connection. At least part of that connection can utilize a standard indoor/outdoor stove support bracket. The rack maintains all elements of the grill at least predetermined distance from the vehicle wall, sufficient to avoid heat-induced damage to the wall. The grill is connectable to the same fuel supply as is used by an interior stove. Grill heat is vented away from the vehicle. A cover stop is mounted within the cover hinge.

Description:
BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    The present invention relates generally to accessories for recreational vehicles, both motorized and towed, and more particularly to cooking accessories that are removably mounted to the exterior of the recreational vehicle.  
           [0002]    Recreational vehicles, including travel trailers, motor homes and the like, typically have facilities within them, such as stoves, for cooking food. The fuel for such stoves is often bottled fluid or gas, such as propane, which is stored in containers within the vehicle or stored on the exterior of the vehicle with fuel supply lines running to the stove location interior of the vehicle from the containers. Cooking on such stoves is in many ways similar to cooking on common residential gas stoves.  
           [0003]    Persons using recreational vehicles have also often used barbeque grills for cooking food outside the vehicle when camping or picnicking. Cooking food on a barbeque grill outside of the vehicle has certain advantages over cooking on the inside stove from the standpoint of safety (less risk of fire spreading to the vehicle), cleanliness (less contamination of the vehicle interior with food odors), comfort (less heating of the vehicle interior in warm weather use) and food taste (easier to apply certain smoked or grilled flavors). On the other hand, a barbeque grill is typically harder to clean, especially where charcoal fuel has been used. Such grills are commonly portable, light weight and free standing and, therefore, require careful attention to the actions of persons or pets in its vicinity to avoid inadvertent contact which could tip it over or cause burn injuries. Further, such grills typically produce a significantly greater amount of heat and possibly residual heat when cooking is completed, especially when using charcoal. Thus, the grills may need to be placed in a safe spot spaced away from the vehicle and areas of high activity, but further from the convenience of the vehicle dining and storage facilities. Further, prior barbeque grill use has often required the use of a second fuel supply, additional propane gas containers or bags of charcoal, for example.  
           [0004]    It has been suggested to offset some of the disadvantages of purely interior cooking facilities in recreational vehicles by making the stoves portable and adaptable for use inside or outside of the vehicle. Such indoor/outdoor stoves typically include a lightweight mounting frame, formed from plastic material, for example, that attaches either to an interior shelf or support recess, or to a bracket on an exterior wall of the vehicle. During exterior use, the stove is adjacent and cantilevered from that exterior wall, and a fuel supply line is attachable to the stove to connect it to the same fuel supply as used when the stove is on the interior of the vehicle. Such stoves in exterior use have the advantages of freeing up interior space, keeping the cooking heat and odors outside of the vehicle, and minimizing fuel supply sources while maintaining a convenient proximity to the vehicle dining and storage areas.  
           [0005]    Unfortunately, such stoves have not been able to provide the high temperatures and flavor enhancing capabilities of barbeque grills without at least including cumbersome, expensive and/or bulky modifications, shielding and accessory devices. Without such shielding, for example, the adjacent exterior wall of the vehicle can be damaged by the barbeque-like heat generated in normal grilling. Similarly, if an accessory cover, for example, were to be placed over the stove to simulate to heat retaining covers on barbeque grills, the cover would become significantly heated during use. If the cover is hinged to the stove to open away from users in order to safely support it in the manner of barbeque covers, the opened cover could be directly in contact or near contact with the vehicle exterior wall. The heat of the cover thus could cause substantial damage to that wall even after the stove has been turned off. If the cover is not connected to the stove, then another heat resistant support must be provide for it when removed from the stove. Likewise, the plastic mounting frame of many such prior stoves would itself not withstand the high temperatures of barbeque-like cooking. Creation of a more heat durable frame would entail greater expense, bulk and/or weight. In addition, since barbeque-like grilling often produces greater mess deposited onto the cooking equipment, such stoves would have to be designed to permit greater ease of cleaning and durability of components regularly in contact with users during cleaning. Finally, if such stoves are “bulked-up” to permit use as a grill, supplemental ground-engaging supports may be needed to ensure a stable cooking platform, and such supports could present a hazard to movement by persons and/or pets in the vicinity.  
           [0006]    Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide improved cooking facilities for use with recreational vehicles. Other objects include the use of a portable barbeque cooking device which is:  
           [0007]    a. inexpensive, lightweight and reliable over repeated use,  
           [0008]    b. removably attachable to the exterior of a vehicle and provides a stable cooking platform adjacent thereto without significant risk of damage to the vehicle,  
           [0009]    c. compact and easily installed and removed from the vehicle,  
           [0010]    d. easily cleaned and serviced, and  
           [0011]    e. able to utilize mounting component commonality with standard indoor/outdoor recreational vehicle stoves.  
           [0012]    These and other objects of the present invention are attained by the provision of a barbeque grill arrangement having a grill unit removably mounted on a rack which attaches to an exterior vehicle wall to form a stable grill support solely by the vehicle connection. At least part of that connection can utilize a standard indoor/outdoor stove support bracket. The rack maintains all elements of the grill at least predetermined distance from the vehicle wall, sufficient to avoid heat-induced damage to the wall. The grill is connectable to the same fuel supply as is used by an interior stove. Grill heat is vented away from the vehicle. A cover stop is mounted within the cover hinge.  
           [0013]    Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become readily apparent from the following drawings and detailed description of preferred embodiments. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0014]    [0014]FIG. 1 shows a top view of a barbeque grill arrangement incorporating the present invention.  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 2 shows a front view of the barbeque grill arrangement of FIG. 1.  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 3 shows a side view of the barbeque grill arrangement of FIG. 1.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0017]    A barbeque grill arrangement  10  according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIGS.  1  -  3 . This arrangement includes a grill unit  20  and a rack  50  mounted to exterior wall  15  of an exemplary vehicle, such as a truck camper, tent camper trailer, travel trailer, motor home or the like. This vehicle includes, for example, a conventional interior stove and an interior fuel supply for that stove. In preferred embodiments the vehicle stove is of the indoor/outdoor type and a conventional connection to the fuel supply is provided through wall  15  for the stove to connect to when in an outdoor use mode.  
         [0018]    Grill unit  20  includes a base portion  22  and a cover portion  24 . A pair of spaced apart hinges  26  is mounted at the rear of base portion  22  and cover portion  24  to allow those members to be pivotably movable with respect to each other. As shown in the figures, cover portion  24  is closed onto base portion  22  to create a cooking enclosure therebetween. It will be readily understood that cover portion  24  is pivotable about hinges  26  in the direction of arrow A to move rearwardly to an open position, allowing access to the interior of the grill unit for cooking. A handle  28  is preferably mounted to the front of cover portion  24  to facilitate the pivoting of opening and closing.  
         [0019]    While a variety of different fuel sources are contemplated by the present invention, it is preferred that gas fuel, such as propane, be employed. Accordingly, the interior of grill unit  10  includes a conventional flame spreader and food supporting wire grate, consistent with the nature of the fuel used in a given embodiment. Similarly, a conventional burner  30 , fuel valve regulator assembly  32  and control knob  34  are supplied to base portion  22 , consistent with the nature of the fuel used.  
         [0020]    Base portion  22  is formed with a peripheral ledge or flange  36 . Cover portion  24  is formed with a peripheral ledge or flange  38 . In preferred embodiments, flange  38  is formed to closely fit over flange  36  when cover portion  24  is closed upon base portion  22 . It is also preferable that hinges  26  are attached to base portion  22  at flange  36  and to cover portion  24  at flange  38 . Flange  36  is further preferably formed with a curved or shaped underportion  40 , at least along the front of base portion  22 .  
         [0021]    At least one hinge  26  can include, for example, a stop member or arm  42  to limit the reward pivotal movement of cover portion  24  when it is opened. Preferably, arm  42  is formed as a generally vertical extension against which cover portion  24  can rest in the fully opened position without falling back to a closed position. Arm  42  is preferably formed such that cover portion  24  is restricted from moving rearwardly toward wall  15  past a predetermined point, that point being determined by the limit of proximity to wall  15  which would risk significant damage to wall  15  from the heat of cover portion  24  during normal use. That distance can be readily determined by knowledge of the material from which wall  15  is constructed and the typical temperature of barbequing with a given fuel source.  
         [0022]    To aid in dissipation of grill heat away from wall  15 , vents  44  are provided in cover portion  24 . Vents  44  are preferably formed so as to direct heat downwardly, away from wall  15 , from the sides of cover portion  24 , and away from the typical user position at the front of grill unit  20 .  
         [0023]    Rack  50  is preferably formed as a frame to removably receive grill unit  10  and securely support it on the vehicle at a predetermined distance from wall  15 . That distance is also readily determined by reference to the material used to form wall  15  and the typical temperature of barbequing so as to avoid any significant risk of heat damage to wall  15 . In preferred embodiments, for example, where the fuel source is propane and the vehicle employs a vinyl or plastic exterior siding on wall  15 , the distance may be approximately the same as the width W of base portion  22 .  
         [0024]    Rack  50  includes a first portion  52  for receiving grill unit  10  and a second portion  54  for securely engaging wall  15 . In preferred embodiments, portions  52  and  54  are integrally formed from a single, bent tubular or shaped member  56 . Cross braces  58  and  60  are connected across the free ends of member  56  in portion  54 . Reinforcing struts  62  can be disposed at the vertical bends of member  56  to assist in shape retention and/or prevent downward migration of grill unit  10 . Cross braces  58  and  60  are formed to be matingly and removably received by vertically spaced brackets  64  and  66  that are, for example, permanently mounted onto wall  15 .  
         [0025]    In preferred embodiments, one of brackets  64  or  66 , and more likely bracket  64 , is formed as a conventional support bracket for an indoor/outdoor stove. Thus, the number of bracket fittings needed on the vehicle can be minimized. The other or supplemental of the brackets can also be conventionally formed, the objective being to allow rack  50  to be easily slid or turned into place on wall  15  and yet permit a minimum of movement, flex or “jiggling” to grill unit  10  as a result of use of the vehicle and/or the grill unit.  
         [0026]    To positively locate grill unit  10  within rack  50 , underportion  40  is, for example, shaped so as to matingly receive the forward portion  70  of member  56  and thereby restrict forward or rearward sliding of base portion  22 . In other embodiments, forward portion  70  of member  56  can closely engage the forward, lower portion of base member  22 , and a cross bar  68  can be connected to bridge member  56  immediately rearward of the back of base portion  22 .  
         [0027]    In use, rack  50  is, for example, first mounted to wall  15  via brackets  64  and  66 , then grill unit  10  is inserted into rack  50 , and then a conventional fuel supply line  72  is removably attached to a fuel source. Preferably, supply line  72  connects to the same interior fuel supply  76  as is used by the interior stove of the vehicle. Where the vehicle has an indoor/outdoor type stove, supply line  72  can connect to the same conventional fuel supply fittings  74  passing through wall  15  that the stove uses in its outdoor mode. After use, grill unit  10  can be removed from rack  50  for separate cleaning and/or storage.  
         [0028]    While the present invention has been described and illustrated above with respect to certain preferred embodiments, that is by way of illustration and example only, and not as a limitation of the scope of the invention. Those of ordinary skill in the art will now understand that numerous modifications can be made without departing from the present invention. For example, a principle advantage of the present invention is that the entire unit is supported by the vehicle, without ground engagement that may obstruct user movement. In embodiments where rack  50  and grill unit  10  are integrally formed in whole or part and not separable, struts  62  can be used to instead removably bridge from grill unit  10  directly to wall  15 . Alternatively, rack  50  can be hingedly fixed to wall  15  and only grill unit  10  removable for cleaning and/or storage. Thus, the spirit and scope of the present invention are limited only by the terms of the following claims.