Abstract:
A non-drip applicator that allows easy lubrication and seasoning of barbecue grilling grates or griddle cooking surfaces in an easy, fire safe, and efficient manner is described and claimed. The tool includes a body, an applicator, and, optionally, an irrigation system. The applicator may retain a supply of cooking oil therein, or cooking oil may be transferred to the applicator via the irrigation system. The application of pressure to the applicator by pressing it against the grill cooking elements causes cooking oil to be transferred from the applicator to the cooking elements. The applicator may be rotatably connected to the tool body, allowing the user to oil the grill by rolling the applicator along the grill cooking elements.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This patent application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/403,110 tiled on Sep. 11, 2010, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0003]    The present invention relates to a culinary tool, and, more particularly, the present invention relates to a tool that allows the user to quickly, safely, and easily apply oil to the cooking elements of a grill. 
         [0004]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0005]    Many people enjoy cooking on a grill, and prefer to eat food that has been cooked on a grill. Grills come in various forms, including propane gas grills, natural gas grills, and charcoal grills. One frequent problem with grilling is that food can stick to the grill cooking elements, such as grates or griddles. 
         [0006]    To prevent food from sticking, the grill cooking elements must be cleaned and oiled. Cleaning typically entails scraping the cooking elements with a wire brush. Oiling the cooking elements typically entails brushing the cooking elements with a rag made of cloth or paper that has been saturated with cooking oil. Oiling the grill also adds the attractive “grill marks” desired from barbecue grilling. The grill should be oiled while it is hot, shortly before the food is placed on the grill. This typically entails soaking a towel (paper or cloth) in cooking oil, then brushing the towel over the grill bars with a fork or tongs. 
         [0007]    Problems are inherent with this typical method of oiling the grill. For example, oil may drip from the saturated cloth onto the coals or flame(s), which can lead to a fire. The rag or towel used to apply the oil may also slip or fall through the grates and catch fire. Furthermore, using a towel or rag to transfer oil to the grill can result in wasting a significant amount of oil. 
         [0008]    Another known method of oiling a grill entails spraying them with non-stick cooking oil. The spray method disperses cooking oil with the assistance of aerosol. However, the problems discussed above also apply to this method. The spray technique causes the oil to flash off when spraying into the fire or coals. If sprayed on a cold grill, the concentration of oil is insufficient to stay adhered when the grill comes up to cooking temperature. The cooking oils being used are very limited to those that come in an aerosol can, and do not have the gourmet qualities associated with olive, corn, or canola. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0009]    The present invention is a culinary tool that solves the problems inherent with known methods of oiling a grill. The present invention is directed to a non-drip applicator that allows easy lubrication and seasoning of barbecue grilling grates or griddle cooking surfaces in an easy, fire safe, and efficient way. The invention includes an applicator tool that operates like a paint roller to efficiently roll, or a sponge pad that presses, oil onto the grilling grates or griddle surfaces. The system has either an integral lubrication well with associated feed lines, or the rolling or spreading pads are pre-oiled. The applicator element is easily replaceable. 
         [0010]    The tool includes an elongate body to which the applicator is attached. The tool may further include a handle, which may be a separate element or integral with the body. The applicator is formed of a fire retardant material and may be provided in a variety of forms. In a first form, the applicator has a porous structure that acts as a sponge to retain cooking oil therein. The applicator may contain a sleeve surrounding the porous material to provide an additional layer of fire resistance. Applying a compressive force to the sponge, such as by pressing it against the grates of a grill, causes the oil to be dispensed and transferred to the grates. The applicator preferably has a cylindrical shape and is rotatably connected to the tool body. In use, the user grasps the tool handle and presses the applicator to the cooking surface to be oiled. By moving the applicator along the cooking elements, the applicator is rotated and cooking oil can be applied to the cooking surface as desired. 
         [0011]    In another form, the applicator is not impregnated with oil. Rather, the tool includes an irrigation system that transfers cooking oil from a storage location to the applicator. The irrigation system includes a reservoir for retaining a volume of cooking oil. The reservoir preferably may be positioned within the tool handle. Tubing connects the reservoir and a dispensing outlet, which preferably is positioned adjacent the applicator. The user engages a trigger to transfer the oil from the reservoir, through the tubing, to the dispenser. 
         [0012]    Regardless of its form, the applicator preferably has a textured outer surface. The texture can take a variety of forms, such as spikes, knobs, protrusions, indentations, grooves, slots, or a mesh pattern. The textured surface creates surface tension in the cooking oil, causing it to adhere to the applicator. This further ensures that the cooking oil is retained within the applicator and is not discharged in an unwanted manner. The outer surface is flexible, and when it is deformed, such as by being pressed against the cooking surface of a grill, the deformation breaks the surface tension and allows the oil to be transferred from the applicator to the surface to be oiled. 
         [0013]    The applicator may be layered, preferably with a void formed between the lavers. Oil is retained within the void by surface tension and adhesion, and is transferred to the cooking surface when the applicator is deformed as described above. 
     
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0014]    The present invention is described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters reference like elements, and wherein: 
           [0015]      FIG. 1  shows an inventive tool of the present invention; 
           [0016]      FIG. 2  shows an exploded view of the tool of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0017]      FIGS. 3-5  show applicator elements of the tool of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0018]      FIG. 6  shows a spraying mechanism of the tool of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0019]      FIG. 7  shows an applicator element of the tool of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0020]      FIG. 8  shows an applicator element of the tool of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0021]      FIG. 9  shows a cross-sectional view through an applicator element of the tool of  FIG. 1 ; and 
           [0022]      FIG. 10  shows an applicator element of the tool of  FIG. 1 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0023]    The present invention relates to a tool that allows the user to quickly, safely, and easily apply oil to the cooking elements of a grill. The grilling accessory is used to apply oil to a hot grill for the purpose of keeping the cooking elements clean while providing a non-stick surface during grilling. 
         [0024]      FIG. 1  shows a preferred embodiment of the inventive tool  1 , and  FIG. 2  shows an exploded view thereof. The tool  1  includes an applicator element  10 , a body  20 , and a handle  30 . The applicator clement may be provided in various forms. One form includes a pad that has been pre-loaded with oil. Preferred oils for use with the instant invention include olive, corn, canola, sunflower, coconut, margarine, butter, vegetable, flax seed, peanut, safflower, and palm.  FIGS. 3 and 4  show cross-sectional views of pad-type applicator elements  10  of the tool  1 . The pad  10  of  FIG. 3  is cylindrical in shape, having a hole passing through its center about its longitudinal axis. This pad  10  formed of a fire retardant spongy or porous material, silicone being a preferred material. The material is able to withstand temperatures up to preferably approximately 350°, and more preferably up to approximately 600° F. for a duration approximately 15-20 seconds. This ensures that the tool  1  can be used safely to apply oil to hot grill cooking elements. 
         [0025]    The pad  10  of  FIG. 4  is similar in size and shape to that of  FIG. 3 , but this pad  10  further includes a fire retardant fabric sleeve  11  surrounding the silicone sponge. The sleeve  11  provides additional protection for the heat generated by the grill. 
         [0026]    The sponge is saturated with cooking oil. The user grasps the handle  30  and rolls the pad  10  along the grill cooking elements. Lateral movement of the handle  30  and body  20  is converted to rotational movement of the applicator  10  against the grill cooking elements, causing the impregnated oil to be transferred thereto. The user can control the rate of oil transfer by varying the amount of pressure that is applied to the pad  10  by the user&#39;s hand through the handle  30 , body  20 , and axle  12 . 
         [0027]    The applicator  10  is connected to the body  20  via an axle  12  and fasteners  14 , which may include washers and nuts. The applicator has a central hole passing through its longitudinal axis, through which the axle  12  is positioned. The axle  12  also extends through holes in connection plates  22  of the body  20 . Alternate attachment arrangements can be used. For example, the plates  22  may contain slots that extend from a central location radially outward to allow the axle  12  to slide into its operation position in a direction substantially perpendicular to its longitudinal axis. With this arrangement, the inner fasteners  14  can be replaced with flanges, reducing the number of components. It will be appreciated that only one connection plate  22  and set of fasteners  14  are shown in the partially cut away view of  FIG. 2 . Thus, the applicator  10  is retained to the body  20  but is freely rotatable about its longitudinal axis and axle  12 . A guard  24  may be provided on the body  20  to capture any backsplash that may occur during use. A cover  40  may be matingly coupled to the body  20 , such as by sliding over the connections plates  22 , to protect the applicator  10  when not in use. One or more rails  42  may be included to facilitate the cover-to-body connection. The rail  42  of the illustrated embodiment has an S shape that cooperates with corresponding rails on the guard  24  to retain the cover  40  in place about the applicator  10 . The cover  40  may be provided with a hook to allow the tool  1  to be hung on the grill or another location for storage. 
         [0028]    The surface of the pads  10  can be smooth as illustrated in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , or the surface can be textured.  FIG. 5  shows an example of such a textured surface. The surface of the pad  10  contains spikes that intermittently extend above the pad surface. Preferably, the spikes are densely packed on the pad surface. 
         [0029]    Instead of being impregnated with oil, another form in which the applicator  10  can be provided is a roller to which oil is supplied via an irrigation system. A supply of oil is provided in, for example, the handle  30 . As shown in  FIG. 2 , the handle  30  can be hollow and used to store and retain a reservoir or bottle of cooking oil. A trigger  32  is associated with the reservoir in known fashion to pump oil from the reservoir through the irrigation system. Preferably, the irrigation system may comprise one or more tubes that extend from the handle  30  along the body  20  to the applicator  10 . The tubes may be disposed on the underside of the body  20 . As shown in  FIG. 6 , one or more dispensing nozzles  26  may be provided on the underside of the guard  24 . The nozzle  26  is directed at the applicator  10  to coat it with oil. The user may depress the trigger  32  multiple times to apply the desired amount of oil to the applicator  10 . Moreover, the user can depress the trigger  32  to dispense oil while the tool  1  is in use over a hot grill. The oil is sprayed onto the applicator  10  and is thus not projected onto the coals or flames of the grill. 
         [0030]    An additional benefit of suspending the tool  1  from the hook when not in use is that the resulting posture of the tool  1 , as any oil in the irrigation system is gravity-biased toward the reservoir and away from the dispenser  26 . 
         [0031]    While a manual trigger  32  is shown in the illustrative example of  FIG. 2 , it may take various other forms, For example, the trigger  32  my be a pump that is activated by finger pressure, a finger and lever mechanism, a battery, a pressurized oil cartridge and switch, or by gravity with an open/close gate mechanism. 
         [0032]    The applicator  10  illustrated in  FIG. 6  is grooved.  FIGS. 7 and 8  show other possible applicator  10  design.  FIG. 7  shows an applicator  10  having knobs or spikes similar to the applicator  10  of  FIG. 5 , and  FIG. 8  shows an applicator  10  having a meshed surface. Such geometries, for any applicator  10  form, are designed to create surface tension between the oil and outer surface to loosely hold the oil in location. As the outer surface of the applicator  10  rolls over the grill surface and engages with the grill grates or skillet, the soft cylinder surface of the applicator  10  deflects. The cylinder and surface geometry (spikes or grooves), now being deformed, will break the surface tension between grilling oil and soft silicone cylinder. Oil is then distributed in uniform and metered amounts to the cooking surface. The parts of the applicator  10  that are not deflected will continue to hold oil, so as not to drip down onto the fire. A dimpled applicator  10  surface would also create this surface tension and is another preferred form. Ends of the applicator  10  may be provided with a rise to prevent oil from flowing over the edge. A preferred width for the rise is approximately 0.5 in. 
         [0033]      FIG. 9  shows a cross-sectional view through a preferred applicator  10 . This applicator  10  has a layered design, with a void  15  defined between the layers. The outer layer  16  is formed of a fire retardant material, and preferably has a meshed geometry, though other geometries as discussed above are also preferred. The inner layer  17  is formed of a material that is impermeable to oil, stainless steel being a preferred material. Oil is applied to the outer layer  16  via the dispensing nozzles  26 . The oil flows through the outer layer  16  and into the void  15  defined between the inner  17  and outer  16  layers. The oil is retained within the void  15  due to surface tension. In use, the outer layer  16 , being flexible, deforms when pressed against the grill cooking elements  50 . This is illustrated in  FIG. 10 . The areas of the outer layer  16  in contact with the cooking elements  50  deform into the void  15 , allowing oil to pass through the outer layer  16  to the cooking elements  50 . Those areas of the outer layer  16  not in contact with the grill cooking elements  50  remain undisturbed. The oil is thus retained within the void  15  away from the cooking elements  50 . 
         [0034]    Preferred dimensions for the applicator  10  include approximately 4 in. in length with a is diameter of approximately 1.5 in. A through hole having a diameter of approximately 0.5 in. is provided through the longitudinal axis so that the applicator  10  may be positioned about the axle  12 . Spikes, if present, preferably extend approximately 3 mm above the pad surface, have a thickness that tapers from approximately 2.35 mm at the base to approximately 1.1 mm at the tip, and are densely spaced at approximately 0.5 mm apart. These dimensions are large enough to allow the user to quickly apply oil to the grill white being small enough to ensure the tool  1  is not cumbersome. The body  20  preferably has a length of approximately 12 in. to approximately 18 in. to protect the user from the heat generated by the grill. Of course, other dimensions can be used without departing from the scope of the invention. 
         [0035]    The applicators  10  of  FIGS. 6 and 7  are shown as having a larger through hole diameter. This is to accommodate their placement on a wider axel  12 , or an intermediary part between the axel  12  and the applicator  10 . This minimizes the amount of fire-retardant material need to form the applicator  10 . Preferred dimensions for this type of applicator  10  include a thickness of approximately 0.1 in. and an outer diameter of approximately 1.75 in. 
         [0036]    The applicators  10  may be removed from the toot  1  and cleaned, such as by being run through a dishwasher. The applicators  10  may also be replaced periodically. 
         [0037]    While the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described above, it should be understood that they have been presented by way of example only, and not of limitation. It will be apparent to persons skilled in the relevant art that various changes in form and detail can be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. For example, while the invention has been described above as pertaining to an outdoor grill, it could be used in an indoor kitchen. The invention could also be used with pots and pans or an indoor griddle. Thus the present invention should not be limited by the above-described exemplary embodiments, but should be defined only in accordance with the following claims and their equivalents. Furthermore, while certain advantages of the invention have been described herein, it is to be understood that not necessarily all such advantages may be achieved in accordance with any particular embodiment of the invention. Thus, for example, those skilled in the art will recognize that the invention may be embodied or carried out in a manner that achieves or optimizes one advantage or group of advantages as taught herein without necessarily achieving other advantages as may be taught or suggested herein.