Abstract:
A grill for use especially in commercial kitchens includes at least one electric heating element and, directly above said heating element, at least one food-product holder these components jointly forming a grill platform and said food-product holder featuring nozzles through which steam and/or hot water and/or seasoning can be sprayed.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   (1) Field of the Invention 
   This invention relates to a grill unit for use especially in commercial kitchens. 
   (2) Description of Related Art 
   In commercial kitchens, food is typically grilled by the infrared or contact-heating method, whereby the food to be grilled is placed on a bottom-heated grate or plate, turned and ultimately seasoned by hand. The result may be a dry, overcooked and/or excessively seasoned product. Cleaning the grill grate or plate is a difficult chore. 
   BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   It is the objective of this invention to introduce improved grilling, seasoning and/or cleaning processes. 
   According to the invention this objective is achieved by means of the characterizing features specified in claim  1 . Advantageous design enhancements are described in the subclaims. 
   The grill unit for use especially in commercial kitchens incorporates at least one electric heating element and at least one food-product holder situated directly above that heating element, these components jointly forming a grilling platform, with the product holder featuring nozzles through which steam and/or hot water and/or (liquid) seasoning and/or cleaning agents can be sprayed. 
   The minimum of one heating element and the minimum of one food-product holder are housed in a cooking chamber which, by means of a horizontally hinged lid, can be closed off, specifically in air-tight fashion. The lid is preferably equipped with at least one electric heating element and, in particular, at least one cover element directly above the heating element, which components jointly form a grilling platform, while said cover element features nozzles through which steam and/or hot water and/or (liquid) seasoning and/or cleaning agents can be sprayed. 
   The heating element is preferably a radiating heating element, in particular an infrared heating element, or a contact heating element. The food-product holder and/or the cover element is constituted of a grate or a plate which latter, for one example, may be in the form of a protective or reflective component. The nozzles essentially point downward but may also point in other directions. The lid may be provided with a safety valve for exhausting the steam or barbecue smoke. 
   The unit is preferably equipped with a sensor that detects the thickness of the food product and/or the distance between the heating element and the surface of the food product, as well as a control device by means of which the output of the heating element can be adjusted as a function of said thickness or distance. 
   The heating elements, together with the food product holder and/or the cover element, can be swiveled around a horizontal pivot out of their horizontal position or tilted outward away from to the lid. 
   The grill unit is equipped with a feeder system for supplying the steam and/or the hot water and/or the (liquid) seasoning, said system preferably including a hot-water and/or steam generator whose input port connects to at least one water pipe and/or one water reservoir while its output port connects to at least one pump or a compressor. On the input side the hot-water and/or steam generator may include a spice container, specifically a spice cartridge. A metering dispenser may be installed between the hot-water and/or steam generator and the spice container. 
   The feeder system may also be designed to include a first device for the stationary accommodation of the food product, a second device for collecting the droppings falling and/or liquids dripping from the product during the grilling process, a third device for separating the efflux into liquids and solids, a fourth device for distributing the liquid content and/or seasoning and/or cooking aids over or into the food product, and a fifth device for controlling said collection and/or separation and/or distribution process. The first device preferably includes at least one grate and/or one pan with at least one drain for the efflux which drain is either permanently open or can be opened in controlled fashion. The second device specifically includes a collector from which the droppings are gravity-fed to the third device, preferably after collecting the efflux directly from the first device and/or at the bottom of the grill unit. That bottom may itself be designed to serve as the collector. The third device includes a strainer that receives the efflux from the second device, as well as a pan underneath the strainer for holding the liquid component. That pan can selectably receive the liquid component and/or the seasoning and/or the cooking aids such as, specifically, oil and/or steam. The fourth device preferably includes at least one spray system above the first device and/or a skewer that can be inserted in the product, both connecting to the third device via a pump and a conduit assembly. The spray system and/or the skewer connect to the conduit assembly in detachable, preferably plug-in fashion. 
   Specifically, the spray system is arched over the first device. Preferably, it includes a horizontal first hollow tube that can be connected to the conduit assembly and is intersected by several mutually spaced second hollow tubes that are provided with nozzles pointing in the direction of the first device, and is designed to receive the liquid component and/or the seasoning and/or oil. The skewer is preferably designed to accept steam and/or seasoning and is equipped with a temperature and/or moisture sensor. The conduit assembly is preferably situated next to and/or behind the rear wall or one of the side walls of the grill unit. The fifth device includes supply, control, storage and indicator elements. 
   The following will explain this invention in more detail by way of an implementation example with the aid of the attached illustrations in which— 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a cross-sectional view of the grill unit; 
       FIG. 2  is a detail illustration of the nozzles of the grill unit; 
       FIG. 3  is a longitudinal section view of the grill unit; 
       FIG. 4  is a front view of the grill unit; 
       FIG. 5  is a longitudinal side view of the grill unit; 
       FIG. 6  is a block diagram of a steam, hot-water and spice feeder system. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
   The grill unit  2  incorporates a cubic enclosure  4  whose front end is provided with a control panel  6  while a lid  10  hinged on its rear end makes contact with a section of the front end. In its horizontal position the lid  10  closes off a grill chamber  12 . Its pivot  14  extends parallel to the front and rear ends and perpendicular to the longitudinal sides of the enclosure  4 . In its closed position a downward-pointing forward section  10 ′ of the lid  10  is flush with a section of the front face of the enclosure  4  while a downward-pointing rearward section  10 ″ of the lid, also serving as the lid mount, is flush with a section of the rear-end face of the enclosure  4 . 
   The rear-end  8  of the lid supports a grilling platform  16  that can be tilted away from the open lid  10  in the direction of the grill chamber  12 . Its horizontal pivot  18  extends parallel to the pivot  14  of the lid  10 . 
   Halfway up inside the grill chamber  12  a grilling platform  20  is hinge-mounted on the rear end of the enclosure  4  while making contact with the front-end face of the enclosure  4 . Its horizontal pivot extends parallel to the pivots  14  and  18  of the lid  10  and of the grill platform  16 , respectively. 
   The length of the downward-pointing sections  10 ′ and/or  10 ″ of the lid  10  is so chosen that, when the lid  10  is open, the lower grill platform  20  is accessible at least from the front. However, the lid  10  could also be provided with downward-pointing lateral sections which, when the lid is open, would make the lower grill platform  20  accessible from the side as well. Finally, the lid  10  is also equipped with a steam valve  10 ′″. 
   The rear-end face of the enclosure  4  connects to a service area  28  that contains a seasoning and spray system  30  featuring a hot-water/steam generator  32  whose first intake port connects, via a solenoid valve  34 , to a water pipe  36  while its second intake port connects, via a metering dispenser  38  and a solenoid valve  40 , to a spice cartridge  42 . The outlet of the hot-water/steam generator  32  leads via a solenoid valve  44  and a pump or compressor  46  to another solenoid valve  48  whose first output port leads to the upper grill platform  16 , its second output port to the lower grill platform  20 . 
   Each of the grill platforms  16  and  20  is provided with a tubular heating element  50  whose heating tubes  52  are covered by the roof-shaped reflecting sections  54  of a reflector  56 . The underside of the ridge of the roof-shaped reflecting sections  54  incorporates nozzles  58  which, through the reflecting sections  54  or tubes extending through them, connect to the corresponding output ports of the solenoid valve  48 . 
   The grill platforms  16  and/or  20  are individually equipped with a sensor  60  that detects the thickness of the food product or the distance between the tubular heating element  50  and the surface of the food product and includes a control system, not illustrated, by means of which the output of the tubular heating element  50  can be adjusted as a function of the thickness or distance detected. 
   The mode of operation is as follows: 
   With the lid  10  open, the food product to be grilled is placed on the reflector  56  of the lower grill platform  20  or on a trivet supported by the latter or on a product holder above it. Next, the lid is closed and the control panel  6  is used to set the cooking temperature and time and to select the grilling aids such as steam, hot water and liquid seasoning. Thereupon, when activated or when “automatic mode” is selected, the control system, not illustrated, will start a corresponding grilling program that appropriately controls the tubular heating elements and switches the solenoid valves based on the values provided by the sensor  60  on the thickness of the food product or its distance from the tubular heating element  50 . Following the program thus established the spice and spray system  30  will now spray, through the nozzles  58  of the reflector  56 , steam and/or hot water mixed, where appropriate, with (liquid) seasoning, creating the desired climate in the grill chamber. When the lid  10  closes in air-tight fashion and features a safety valve  10 ′″, it is possible to substitute for pressure-free grilling a cooking process under (steam) pressure for instance at 0.5 or 1 bar. 
   When the lid  10  includes a grill platform  16 , the food product can be grilled from the top as well without having to be turned over. 
   Upon expiration of the grill time or if and when other parameters terminate the grilling process, the lid  10  can be opened, permitting the grilled product to be easily removed from the front. The product will be juicy and will have lost less weight. The reflective grates or plates  56  and the tubular heating elements  50  can be cleaned more easily. The cleaning process is further facilitated by tilting the grill platform  16  upward and the grill platform  20  downward. A “steaming only” mode after the cooking provides a semiautomatic cleaning operation. In the case of separate selector circuits it is possible to inject a detergent instead of the seasoning. 
   The grill unit for commercial kitchens according to the invention, by sensing the thickness of the food product, prevents for instance excessive browning and eliminates grill fumes, thus permitting more wholesome grilling and roasting. The process is faster by virtue of two-sided and pressure cooking.