Abstract:
The present invention provides a grill brush for cleaning cooking grates of different types of cooking equipment, such as gas or charcoal-operated grillers and smokers. The grill brush includes a series of contoured metal bristles that easily contact top and side surfaces of the grill cooking grate to promote cleaning. The grill brush optionally includes a detachable cleaning section. Cleaning sections may be interchanged with different handles, and may optionally include other grilling tools or cleaners in a kit.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/539,124 entitled “Contoured Grill Brush,” filed Jan. 26, 2004, the entire disclosure of which is hereby expressly incorporated by reference herein. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     The present invention relates generally to cleaning utensils and, more particularly, to cleaning brushes for grills and grated cookware.  
         [0003]     Outdoor cooking is a favorite way of preparing meals. Family and friends often gather together for a backyard cookout, and may grill, smoke or barbeque the food. These grilling techniques are used with a variety of cooking equipment, and may be used indoors as well.  
         [0004]     In the past, charcoal grills were often used, as they are portable and inexpensive. More recently, many consumers have turned to gas or propane grills, which are reliable, easy to operate, and easier to clean than charcoal grills because there is no charcoal residue to dispose of. For both types of grills, food may be placed directly on the grill grate (or cooking grate). A result of the cooking process, no matter how skilled the chef, is that portions of the food, barbeque sauce or seasoning may stick or adhere to the grate.  
         [0005]     FIGS.  1 A-B illustrate a cooking grate  2  used with conventional grills. Individual grate members  4  are mounted to rails  6 . The grate members  4  are parallel to one another and are spaced apart. The size, shape, material, spacing etc. of the grate members  4  may vary depending upon the grill manufacturer and/or model of the grill. As seen in  FIG. 1B , the grate members  4  may be rounded. In a different configuration shown in  FIG. 1C , the grate members  4  may instead be rectangular, having a flat top surface and sidewalls that are parallel to each other. Alternatively, the grate members  4  may have other shapes, including the addition of lower surfaces adjacent to the sidewalls. Furthermore, the cooking grate  2  may be circular instead of rectangular.  
         [0006]     The conventional method of cleaning the cooking grate  2  is to scrape it clean with a grill brush. Known grill brushes typically have straight metal bristles bound to a long handle. However, as avid grillers are well aware, such grill brushes do not adequately clean the grill grate members  4  because the bristles are all substantially the same length and they cannot get into the recesses of the cooking grate  2 . In order to adequately clean the cooking grate, the user must apply a substantial amount of force to press the metal bristles into hard to reach areas. This can damage or deform the bristles, and can detract from the overall grilling experience. While deformed bristles may allow the griller to access some hard to reach areas, the deformed bristles often cause the grill brush to wear out quickly. Replacing the entire grill brush very often can become costly. Therefore, there is a need for an enhanced grill brush capable of adequately cleaning cooking grates. There is also a need for a grill brush that resists bristle deformation. Furthermore, there is also a need for a grill brush in which parts can be selectively replaced.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0007]     In accordance with one aspect of the invention, a grill brush is provided. The grill brush comprises a handle and a cleaning section. The cleaning section has a head connected to the handle and a brush attached to a first face of the head. The brush includes a plurality of bristles for contacting grate members on a cooking grate. The bristles are contoured so that a first portion of the bristles is operable to contact top surfaces of the grate members and a second portion of the bristles have rounded protrusions that are operable to contact side surfaces of the grate members. Preferably, the bristles are comprised of brass, and have rounded protrusions dimensioned so as to be insertable through spaces between adjacent grate members.  
         [0008]     In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, a grill brush for cleaning a cooking grate is provided. The grill brush comprises a handle and a cleaning section. The cleaning section has a head connected to the handle and a brush attached to a first face of the head. The brush has a plurality of bristles for contacting grate members on the cooking grate. The plurality of bristles is contoured so that a first portion of the bristles is operable to contact top surfaces of the grate members and a second portion of the bristles is operable to contact side surfaces of the grate members.  
         [0009]     In an alternative, the bristles comprise brass bristles having rounded protrusions that are so dimensioned as to be insertable through spaces between adjacent grate members. In another alternative, the bristles comprise metal bristles. In yet another alternative, the first portion of the bristles is of a first length and the second portion of the bristles is of a second length longer than the first portion. In this case, the second portion preferably comprises a plurality of rounded protrusions.  
         [0010]     In another alternative, the first and second portions are preferably formed of alternating bunches of the bristles. In a further alternative, the head of the cleaning section is curved. In this case, the first face of the head is preferably convexly curved. Here, a second face of the head remote from the first face preferably concavely curved. In another alternative the cleaning section is removably connected to the handle.  
         [0011]     In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, a method of fabricating a grill brush is provided. The method comprises fabricating a handle; forming a cleaning section having a head disposed thereon; attaching a plurality of bristles to a first face of the head; and shaping the bristles to provide a contoured cleaning surface in which a first portion of the bristles is operable to contact top surfaces of grate members on a cooking grate and a second portion of the bristles are operable to contact side surfaces of the grate members, wherein the first portion of the bristles is of a first length and the second portion of the bristles is of a second length longer than the first portion.  
         [0012]     In an alternative, shaping the bristles includes laser cutting the second portion of the bristles. In another alternative, shaping the bristles includes forming a plurality of rounded protrusions on the second portion. In a further alternative, the method further comprises removably attaching the cleaning section to the handle.  
         [0013]     In accordance with yet another embodiment of the present invention, a kit of grill cleaning components is provided. The kit comprises at least one handle and at least one cleaning section adapted to removably attach to the at least one handle. The cleaning section has a head connected to the handle and a brush attached to a first face of the head. The brush has a plurality of metal bristles for contacting grate members on a cooking grate. The plurality of metal bristles is contoured so that a first portion of the metal bristles is operable to contact top surfaces of the grate members and a second portion of the metal bristles is operable to contact side surfaces of the grate members. The first portion of the metal bristles is of a first length and the second portion of the metal bristles is of a second length longer than the first portion.  
         [0014]     In one alternative, the kit further includes at least one supplemental grilling component, which is selected from the group consisting of a basting brush, an elongated fork, a spatula, a knife, corn cob holders, tongs, a thermometer, and skewers. In this case, the kit may further include a non-stick cooking spray.  
         [0015]     In another alternative, the kit further includes a chemical cleaner. In this case, the chemical cleaner preferably comprises one or both of a degreaser or a metal polisher. The kit may optionally include a polishing cloth. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0016]     FIGS.  1 A-C illustrate a conventional cooking grate.  
         [0017]      FIG. 2  illustrates a top view of a contoured grill brush in accordance with aspects of the present invention.  
         [0018]      FIG. 3  illustrates a side view of a contoured grill brush in accordance with aspects of the present invention.  
         [0019]      FIG. 4  illustrates a front view of a contoured grill brush in accordance with aspects of the present invention.  
         [0020]      FIG. 5  illustrates a bottom view of a contoured grill brush in accordance with aspects of the present invention.  
         [0021]      FIG. 6  illustrates a bottom view of another contoured grill brush in accordance with aspects of the present invention.  
         [0022]      FIG. 7  illustrates a side view of a contoured grill brush of  FIG. 6 .  
         [0023]     FIGS.  8 ( a )-( b ) illustrate front views of contoured grill brushes in accordance with aspects of the present invention.  
         [0024]      FIG. 9  illustrates grilling tools for use with aspects of the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0025]     The aspects, features and advantages of the present invention will be appreciated when considered with reference to the following description of preferred embodiments and accompanying figures. In describing the preferred embodiments of the invention illustrated in the figures, specific terminology will be used for the sake of clarity. However, the invention is not intended to be limited to the specific terms so selected, and it is to be understood that each term selected includes all technical equivalents that operate in a similar manner to accomplish a similar purpose.  
         [0026]      FIGS. 2-5  illustrate a preferred embodiment of a contoured grill brush  10  in accordance with aspects of the present invention. As seen in  FIG. 2 , the grill brush  10  includes a handle  12  and a cleaning section  14 . The handle  12  is preferably wood, although other suitable materials include metal, plastic, or any combinations thereof. The handle  12  is desirably on the order of 13 inches long, although the length may vary depending on the type of grill and the size of the user. Thus, for most situations, the handle  12  preferably ranges between 8 and 20 inches long, although in some specialized configurations the handle  12  may be less than 8 inches or longer than 20 inches.  
         [0027]     As can be seen from  FIG. 2 , the handle  12  preferably has a width W P  at a proximal end  15  adjacent to the cleaning portion  14 . The width W P  is preferably substantially the same width as that of the cleaning portion  14 . The handle  12  desirably narrows to width W C  of about 1 inch at a central location  16  before widening slightly to a width W D  Of about 1.375 inches at a distal end  18  remote from the cleaning portion  14 . Alternatively, widths W C  and W D  are each less than about 4 inches. More preferably, the widths W C  and W D  may be substantially the same, for example 2 inches or less.  
         [0028]     As seen in the side view of  FIG. 3 , the handle  12  may have a thickness T P  at the proximal end  15  and a thickness T D  at the distal end  18 . The thickness T P  and the thickness T D  are each preferably less than 2 inches. More preferably, the handle  12  has a substantially constant thickness along its length from the proximal end  15  to the distal end  18 . Desirably, wooden and/or plastic handles are between about 0.5 inches to 1.5 inches thick along the length thereof. Metal handles are desirably between about 0.1 and 0.5 inches thick along the length thereof.  
         [0029]     The handle  12  may be straight, although it preferably includes a bend, curve, or angle at a point  26  near the central location  16 . The bend, curve or angle can provide additional leverage for the user as he or she cleans the grill. Furthermore, the bend, curve or angle helps to keep the griller&#39;s hands away from the heat of the grill. As with the handle length, the width and the thickness of the handle  12  may vary depending upon the user&#39;s needs, the materials used, etc. The handle  12  preferably includes a hole, protrusion or other structure  20  at or near the distal end  18  to allow the user to hang up or mount the grill brush  10  to the grill, etc. The distal end  18  may include a rounded, angled, tapered, or curved edge  22 . Sidewalls  24  may be flat, curved, or contoured.  
         [0030]     The cleaning section  14  is best illustrated in  FIGS. 3-5 . As seen in  FIG. 3 , the cleaning section  14  desirably includes a head  28  connected to the handle  12  and a brush section  30  attached to the head  28 . The cleaning section  14  may also include a scraper  34  of, e.g., metal. The cleaning section  14  has a width  36  and a length  38 , as seen in  FIG. 2 . The width  36  and the length  38  are both preferably on the order of four inches. Alternatively, the width  36  and/or the length  38  may vary, for instance, between 1 to 8 inches. Like the handle  12 , the cleaning section  14  may be formed of wood, metal, plastic or other materials. Preferably, the cleaning section  14  and the handle  12  comprise a one-piece unitary construction made from wood. Alternatively, the cleaning section  14  may be detachable from the handle  12 , as will be explained below.  
         [0031]     The brush section  30  is desirably composed of bristles  32 . The bristles  32  may be metal wire, preferably a metal alloy such as brass. Other materials may be used depending upon the needs of the user, the durability of the brush section  30 , and other factors. For example, if the cooking grate  2  is ceramic or ceramic coated, a material that is less abrasive than a metal wire may be used in order to avoid damaging the grate  2 , such as a rigid thermoplastic having a high melting temperature that exceeds the maximum cooking temperature of the grill. The rigid thermoplastic may be extruded or otherwise formed into the bristles  32 . Alternatively, other bristle configurations may be employed. For example, twisted-in wire or other brush-like fibers can be used. Additionally, substantially rigid and/or substantially non-deformable materials could also be employed in a non-bristle configuration, e.g., a rigid mesh, so long as the contoured brush shapes described in this disclosure are obtained.  
         [0032]     As seen in  FIG. 4 , the bristles  32  are preferably of varying lengths in order to provide an enhanced contact area and more effective cleaning when used with grill grates. Short bristles  40  are designed to contact the grill grate cooking surface. One or more groups of the short bristles  40  preferably have a group width  42 , which is desirably at least as wide as the grill grating top surfaces. In a preferred example, the group width  42  of the short bristles  40  is approximately 0.25 inches wide. By way of example only, two or more adjacent groups of short bristles  40  may collectively have the group width of 0.25 inches. Individual short bristles  40  have a height  62  relative to the surface of the head  28 . The height  62  is preferably on the order of between 0.25 and 0.75 inches. Alternatively, the height  62  may be between 0.1 and 1.5 inches. Preferably the short bristles  40  are substantially the same height.  
         [0033]     Groups of longer bristles  44  are provided to preferably extend past the top surfaces of the grill grating and reach down to clean the sidewalls and/or lower surfaces of the individual grate members  4 . The longer bristles  44  are preferably grouped and shaped to form rounded protrusions  46  having a height  48  (relative to the short bristles  40 ) and a width  50 . The rounded protrusions  46  are dimensioned so as to fit in between the grill grating top surfaces. In a preferred example, the width  50  of the protrusions  46  is on the order of 1 inch, and the height  48  is preferably on the order of 0.625 inches. In an alternative, the width  50  is at least about 0.25 inches and the height  48  is at least about 0.25 inches. In a further alternative, the width  50  is between about 0.1 and 0.5 inches and the height  48  is higher than the height  62  of the short bristles  40 . Each of the protrusions  46  is desirably substantially the same height. The spacing  52  between the peaks of the rounded protrusions  46  may be approximately the same as the width  50 . Alternatively, the spacing  52  is between 0.5 and 1.5 inches. As seen from the side view of  FIG. 3 , the longest bristles in the rounded protrusions  46  have an overall height  60 . Preferably, the overall height  60  is on the order of 1.375 inches, assuming the short bristles  40  have a height of 0.75 inches and the height  48  of the protrusions  46  is 0.625 inches. Alternatively, the overall height  60  may be at least 0.25 inches. Rows  54 ,  56  of bristles  32  are shown by dashed lines in  FIG. 5 . The rows  54  identify the short bristles  40 , and the rows  56  identify the longer bristles  44 . It should be understood that the rows  54 ,  56  may be composed of tens to hundreds of individual bristles  32 , which may include single-strand bristles, twisted-in wire, and/or other brush-like fibers. Multiple bristles  32  may be placed in groups within each row  54  or  56 .  
         [0034]     It should be understood that the dimensions of the brush section  30 , including the shape of the bristles  32 , may be varied depending upon the type of grill grate. The protrusions  46  need not be rounded. For example, the protrusions  46  may be rectangular to fit grill grates of the type seen in  FIG. 1C . Alternatively, other shapes and configurations may be employed. By way of example only, different sets of bristles may be made of different metals or of different materials. For instance, the short bristles  40  can be of one material and the protrusions  46  can be of another material. The materials may be selected based upon, e.g., the composition of the grill grate, the durability of the materials or the projected price point for the grill brush.  
         [0035]      FIGS. 6-7  illustrate an alternative embodiment of a contoured grill brush  110  in accordance with aspects of the present invention. The contoured grill brush  110  is similar to the grill brush  10 , and includes a handle  112  and a cleaning section  114 . The dimensions and materials described above with regard to the contoured grill brush  10  also apply to the contoured grill brush  110 .  
         [0036]     The handle  112  is preferably substantially straight, although it may be slightly curved along its length and/or include a bend or angle beginning at a point  126  near central location  116 . The bend or angle can provide additional leverage for the user as he or she cleans the grill. Furthermore, the bend, curve or angle helps to keep the griller&#39;s hands away from the heat of the grill. The handle  112  preferably includes a hole  120 , protrusion or other structure at or near distal end  118  to allow the user to hang up the grill brush  110 . The distal end  118  may include a rounded, angled, tapered, or curved edge  122 . Sidewalls  124  may be flat, curved, or contoured.  
         [0037]     As seen in  FIGS. 6-7 , the cleaning section  114  desirably includes a head  128  connected to the handle  112  and a brush section  130  attached to the head  128 . The cleaning section  114  may also include a scraper  134  of, e.g., metal or plastic. The width and the length of the cleaning section  114  are both preferably the same size, for example on the order of 4 inches, such as between 3.5 and 4.5 inches. Alternatively, the width and/or the length of the cleaning section  114  may vary, for instance, between 1 to 8 inches. The cleaning section  114  may be formed of wood, metal, plastic, etc. The head  128  of the cleaning section  114  and the handle  112  preferably comprise a one-piece unitary construction made from wood.  
         [0038]     Alternatively, the cleaning section  114  may be detachable from the handle  112 . In this case, the cleaning section  114  may be connected to the handle  112  by means of one or more fastening devices  170 . The fastening device(s)  170  may include a first portion that is part of the handle  112  and a second portion that is part of the cleaning section  114 . By way of example only, the cleaning section  114  may connect to the handle  112  via a threaded fastener, wherein one of the cleaning section  114  or the handle  112  includes a threaded bolt, and the other one of the cleaning section  114  or the handle  112  includes a receptacle adapted to threadedly receive the bolt. Alternatively, the cleaning section  114  may be connected to the handle  114  by screws, clasps, hasps or other fasteners.  
         [0039]     If the cleaning section  114  is detachable from the handle  112 , it becomes easy to replace the cleaning section  114  in the unlikely event that the bristles  132  become overly worn. The fastening device  170  makes it possible to have multiple cleaning sections  114  that can be used with the same handle. In this case, different cleaning sections  114  can be selected based upon the type of grill grate to be cleaned. It is also possible to have one or more different cleaning sections  114  that are interoperable with different handles  112 . In this case, handles of different lengths, widths, thickness, and/or materials may be chosen depending upon the configuration of the grill. For example, a barbeque restaurant may have a very large grill grate such as on the order of 4 feet by 4 feet or more. In this case, the griller could select a handle  112  that is at least 3 feet long in order to reach all areas of the grill grate.  
         [0040]     As with the brush section  30  of the grill brush  10 , the brush section  130  of the grill brush  110  desirably includes bristles  132 . The bristles  132  may be metal wire, preferably a metal alloy such as brass. Other materials may be used depending upon the needs of the user, the durability of the brush section  130 , etc. For example, if the cooking grate is ceramic or ceramic coated, a material that is less abrasive than a metal wire may be used in order to avoid damaging the grate, such as a rigid thermoplastic having a high melting temperature that exceeds the maximum temperature of the grill. The rigid thermoplastic may be extruded or otherwise formed into the bristles  132 . Alternatively, other bristle configurations may be employed. For example, twisted-in wire or other brush-like fibers can be used. Additionally, substantially rigid and/or substantially non-deformable materials could also be employed in a non-bristle configuration, e.g., a rigid mesh, so long as the contoured brush shapes described in this disclosure are obtained.  
         [0041]     As seen in  FIG. 7 , the bristles  132  are preferably of varying lengths in order to provide a contoured contact area and more effective cleaning when used on grill grates. Short bristles  140  are designed to contact the grill grate cooking surface. One or more groups or bunches  141  of the short bristles  140  preferably have a group width  151 , which is desirably as wide as the grill grating top surfaces. In a preferred example, the group width  151  of the short bristles  140  is approximately 0.25 inches wide. By way of example only, two bunches  141  may collectively have the group width  151  of 0.25 inches. As seen in  FIG. 8 ( a ), individual short bristles  140  in one of the bunches  141  may each have a height  162  relative to the surface of the head  128 . The height  162  is preferably on the order of between 0.25 and 0.75 inches. Alternatively, the height  162  may be between 0.1 and 1.5 inches.  
         [0042]     Longer bristles  144  are provided to preferably extend past the top surfaces of the grill grating and reach down to clean the sidewalls and/or lower surfaces of the individual grate members. The longer bristles  144  are preferably grouped in bunches  145  having a height  148  relative to the short bristles  140  and an overall height  160  relative to the surface of the head  128 . See  FIG. 8 ( a ). The longer bristles  144  in a single bunch  145  are preferably substantially the same height. As seen in  FIG. 7 , the bunches  141  and  145  are relatively compact at the base where they are connected to the head  128 . The tops of the bunches  141  and  145  remote from the head  128  may spread out more than near the base. By way of example only, the bunches  141  and/or the bunches  145  may have a thickness of between about 0.025 and 0.1 inches at the base, and may have a thickness of between about 0.0725 and 0.25 inches at the tops. Of course, it should be understood that tops of the bunches  141  and/or the tops of the bunches  145  may become spread out during use. However, as the contoured construction of the brush section  130  requires substantially less force to clean a grill grate than in a conventional design, the bristles  140  and  144  will not deform as readily as conventional bristle designs, and, hence, the grill brush  110  will be capable of use for an extended period of time.  
         [0043]      FIG. 8 ( a ) illustrates a front view of the brush section  130 . Spreading of the bristles in the bunches  141  and  145  is omitted for the sake of clarity. Preferably, the longer bristles  144  are dimensioned so as to fit in between the grill grating top surfaces. In an example, width  150  of one or more bunches  145  is preferably on the order of 1 inch, and the height  148  is preferably on the order of 0.625 inches. In an alternative, the width  150  is at least about 0.025 inches and the height  148  is at least about 0.25 inches. In a further alternative, the width  150  is between about 0.1 and 0.5 inches and the height  148  is higher than the height  162  of the short bristles  140 .  
         [0044]     The shorter bristles  140  are preferably dimensioned so as to contact the grill grating top surfaces. In an example, width  151  of one or more bunches  141  is preferably on the order of 1 inch, and the height  162  is preferably on the order of 0.25 inches. In an alternative, the width  151  is at least about 0.25 inches and the height  162  is at least about 0.125 inches. In a further alternative, the width  151  is between about 0.1 and 0.5 inches and the height  162  is at least 0.2 inches. The spacing between adjacent pairs of bunches  141 , between adjacent pairs of bunches  145 , or between adjacent bunches  141  and  145  is preferably on the order of 0.125 inches or less. More preferably, the spacing between adjacent bunches is between 0.1 and 0.25 inches. Alternatively, the spacing between the bunches  141  and the bunches  145  may be greater that the spacing between adjacent pairs of bunches  141  or adjacent pairs of bunches  145 .  
         [0045]     The bunches  141  of the short bristles  140  and the bunches  145  of the long bristles  144  are preferably formed in rows  154  and  156 , respectively. See  FIG. 6 . It should be understood that within each of the rows  154 ,  156  there may be tens to hundreds of individual bristles  132 , which may include single-strand bristles, twisted-in wire, and/or other brush-like fibers. Alternatively, the bunches  141  and/or the bunches  145  may be staggered or otherwise dispersed along the surface of the head  128 . Preferably, each of the bunches  141  or  145  comprises at least one bristle  132 . More preferably, each bunch  141  or  145  comprises between 10 to 50 bristles  132 . Of course, it should be understood that the exact number of bristles  132  within a given bunch  141  or  145  will depend upon the material and thickness of each individual bristle  132 , and upon the dimensions of the grill grate to be cleaned.  
         [0046]      FIG. 8 ( b ) illustrates a front view of an alternative brush section  130 ′. As in  FIG. 8 ( a ), spreading of the bristles is omitted for the sake of clarity. Here, bunches  145 ′ of longer bristles  144 ′ are preferably shaped to form rounded protrusions  146 . The rounded protrusions  146  are preferably formed as follows. The longer bristles  144 ′ may initially be of the same size, as in the embodiment in  FIG. 8 ( a ), and may be placed in bunches  145 ′ into the head  128  of the cleaning section  114 . The bunches  145 ′ may be formed before or after bunches  141 ′ of short bristles  140 ′ are formed, or all of the bunches  141 ′ and  145 ′ may be formed at the same time. Then the bunches  145 ′ may be laser cut or otherwise trimmed to achieve the shape of the rounded protrusions  146 . Alternatively, the bunches  141 ′ may also be laser cut/trimmed, and may optionally have a rounded shape. The bunches  141 ′ may be cut or trimmed at the same time as the bunches  145 ′. In another alternative, the bunches  145 ′ may be formed of individual bristles  144 ′ of varying height that are grouped together into the bunches  145 ′. However, in order to achieve mass production, laser cutting is preferred.  
         [0047]     Preferably, the longer bristles  144 ′ are dimensioned so as to fit in between the grill grating top surfaces. In an example, width  150 ′ of one or more bunches  145 ′ is preferably on the order of 1 inch, and the height  148 ′ is preferably on the order of 0.625 inches. In an alternative, the width  150 ′ is at least about 0.25 inches and height  148 ′ is at least about 0.25 inches. In a further alternative, the width  150 ′ is between about 0.1 and 0.5 inches and the height  148 ′ is higher than height  162 ′ of the short bristles  140 ′.  
         [0048]     Spacing  152  between peaks of the rounded protrusions  146  may be approximately the same as the width  150 ′. Alternatively, the spacing  152  is preferably between 0.5 and 1.5 inches. As shown in  FIG. 8 ( b ), there may be adjacent pairs of rounded protrusions  146 . As illustrated in the figure, in this case the spacing  152  may be determined between the approximate midpoints of two sets of non-adjacent protrusions. The longest bristles in the rounded protrusions  146  have an overall height  160 ′. Preferably, the overall height  160 ′ is on the order of 1.375 inches, assuming the short bristles  140 ′ have a height of 0.75 inches and the height  148 ′ of the protrusions  146  is 0.625 inches. Alternatively, the overall height  160 ′ may be at least 0.25 inches.  
         [0049]     Returning to  FIG. 7 , the head  128  may have a curve  172 . The head  128  is preferably curved on both the face where the bristles  132  are mounted, as well as the face remote from the bristles, where scraper  134  is mounted. The bristle face of the head  128  is preferably convex and the other face opposite the bristle face, which may include the scraper  134 , is preferably concave. The curvature of the head  128  may follow the curvature, if any, of the handle  112 . The curve  128  enables the user to easily scrape the grill grate with minimal force.  
         [0050]     Any contoured grill brushes in accordance with aspects of the present invention may be combined in kits or packages along with other grilling tools.  FIG. 9  illustrates several supplemental tools that may be combined with a contoured grill brush to provide a grill toolkit set. By way of example only, such tools may include a basting brush  200 , a multi-pronged fork  202 , a spatula  204 , a knife  206 , corn cob holders  208 , skewers  210 , tongs  212  and/or a thermometer  214 . The contoured grill brushes in accordance with aspects of the present invention may also be packed in kits along with cleaners, preferably chemical cleaners. Chemical cleaners may include degreasers and/or polishers. The polishers may be in liquid or paste form, and are preferably polishers for stainless steel or other metals. A polishing cloth may be included along with the polisher and/or degreaser. Kits may also include non-stick cooking sprays, such as PAM® brand no-stick cooking spay.  
         [0051]     The contoured grill brush configurations described above allows the various brush sections to clean the top surface, sidewalls and lower surfaces of the grill gratings at the same time. Unlike previous grill brush designs, the contoured grill brushes of the present invention allow the user to apply an easy back and forth motion in order to clean the grate members. The user does not have to apply extra force in order to make the bristles extend down into the spaces between the grate members. This prevents or otherwise minimizes deformation and/or other damage to the bristles which, in turn, extends the useful life of the grill brush. Even in the unlikely event that the bristles become excessively deformed, a removable cleaning section permits the user to easily replace the existing cleaning section with a new cleaning section. Thus, it can be seen that contoured configuration provides a substantial advantage over previous grill brush designs.  
         [0052]     Although the invention herein has been described with reference to particular embodiments, it is to be understood that these embodiments are merely illustrative of the principles and applications of the present invention. It is therefore to be understood that numerous modifications may be made to the illustrative embodiments and that other arrangements may be devised without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims. A feature described in one embodiment may be used with other features described in other embodiments.