Patent Publication Number: US-2012042865-A1

Title: Cooking Fuel Preparation Container

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     The present application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/376,155 filed Aug. 23, 2010, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
    
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present application relates generally to cooking implements; in particular, the present application relates to a cooking fuel preparation device. 
     BACKGROUND 
     A variety of implements exist that assist in grilling and barbecue cooking Typically, these implements include tools for manipulating the food being cooked. For example, various grilling and barbecuing implements exist for preparing and moving food before or after it is barbecued (e.g., brushes, mops, tongs, spatulas, spits, rotisseries, etc.). 
     It is equally important to quality grilling or barbecue cooking (collectively referred to herein as “outdoor cooking”) to properly maintain cooking fuel. Specifically, maintaining a steady level of cooking fuel in a barbecue grill allows a cook to be able to rely on that barbecue grill to produce reliable temperatures, and avoid uneven heating. 
     Although generally a gas grill or direct electric range can produce a more even heat source, many barbecue chefs prefer to use solid fuels, such as charcoal or wood briquettes, wood chips, logs, or other flammable solid fuel source for direct or indirect radiant cooking, rather than a flammable gas (e.g., propane) or direct conduction (e.g., stovetop) cooking This is because many believe that such cooking techniques impart a superior flavor on the barbecued food. However, even in these circumstances, even heating is important. 
     In traditional outdoor cooking, maintaining a reliable set of coals for outdoor cooking can be difficult, primarily because in such circumstances, over time, the coals will extinguish as they are burned up. A barbecue chef could slowly add additional unlit coals to a barbecue grill to attempt to maintain an even grilling temperature, but adding unlit coals or wood to a hot grill can greatly affect the temperature at the cooking surface (which will cool rapidly when new fuel is added, and eventually heat up to a hotter-than-intended temperature if too much fuel is added). 
     For these and other reasons, additional implements focusing on providing evenly-burning cooking fuel for outdoor cooking are desired. 
     SUMMARY 
     In accordance with the following disclosure, the above and other issues are addressed by the following: 
     In a first aspect, a cooking fuel preparation device and method of use is disclosed. The device includes a metal enclosure having a bottom, a rear, left and right sides, an open front and an open top, the metal enclosure forming an interior. The device further includes a base attached to the metal enclosure, the base including at least one support, and one or more grate supports mounted to at least the left and right sides within the interior. The device also includes a substantially planar grate positioned on the one or more grate supports and having a plurality of apertures therethrough, the grate angled downwardly toward the rear of the metal enclosure and forming an upper cooking fuel preparation region and a lower ventilation region within the interior volume. 
     In a second aspect, a method of preparing cooking fuel using a cooking fuel preparation device is disclosed. The method includes placing cooking fuel onto a grate positioned within a metal enclosure, the metal enclosure having a bottom, a rear, left and right sides, an open front and an open top, the metal enclosure forming an interior, the grate separating the interior of the metal enclosure into an upper cooking fuel preparation region and a lower ventilation region. The method also includes facing the open front in an upwind direction and lighting the cooking fuel. The method further includes turning the metal enclosure to face the open front in an at least partially downwind direction, thereby controlling a supply of oxygen to the lit cooking fuel in the upper cooking fuel preparation region. 
     In a third aspect, a cooking fuel preparation device includes a metal enclosure having a bottom, a rear, left and right sides, an open front and an open top, the metal enclosure forming an interior. The device includes a base attached to the metal enclosure, the base including a stand tube and a base plate having a cylindrical support extending upward therefrom, and wherein the metal enclosure is pivotally attached to the stand tube by a second cylindrical support mounted to the bottom of the metal enclosure. The device further includes one or more grate supports mounted to at least the left and right sides within the interior. The device also includes a substantially planar grate positioned on the one or more grate supports and having a plurality of apertures therethrough, the grate angled downwardly toward the rear of the metal enclosure and forming an upper cooking fuel preparation region and a lower ventilation region within the interior volume, wherein the grate is angled within the interior of the metal enclosure such that a front edge of the grate is positioned between one inch and two inches above a rear edge of the grate, and at least one handle mounted to an exterior of the metal enclosure. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a front perspective view of a cooking fuel preparation device, according to a possible embodiment of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 2  is a front plan view of the cooking fuel preparation device of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is an exploded view of the cooking fuel preparation device of  FIG. 1  with the grate removed; 
         FIG. 4  is a side plan view of the cooking fuel preparation device of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 5  is a top plan view of a first grate useable in a cooling fuel preparation device, according to various embodiments of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 6  is a top plan view of a second grate useable in a cooling fuel preparation device, according to various embodiments of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 7  is a top plan view of a third grate useable in a cooling fuel preparation device, according to various embodiments of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 8  is a front perspective view of a cooking fuel preparation device, according to a second possible embodiment of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 9  is a rear perspective view of the cooking fuel preparation device of  FIG. 8 ; 
         FIG. 10  is a side perspective view of the cooking fuel preparation device of  FIG. 8 ; and 
         FIG. 11  is a dutch oven cooking table having a cooking fuel preparation device integrated therewith, according to a possible embodiment of the present disclosure. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The present disclosure relates generally to a cooking fuel preparation device. The device is configured to receive and easily maintain inflammation of cooking fuels typically used in outdoor cooking applications, including a variety of types and sizes of wood and charcoal fuels. The cooking fuels can be transferred to an outdoor cooking appliance, such as a barbecue grill or pit, as needed. 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 1-4 , a first cooking fuel preparation device  10  is shown. The cooking fuel preparation device  10  includes a metal enclosure  12  mounted to a base  14 . The metal enclosure  12  includes a bottom  16 , a rear  18 , and left and right sides  20 ,  22 , respectively. The metal enclosure  12  has an open front  13  and an open top  15 , and forms an interior  17 . 
     The metal enclosure can be constructed from any heat-resistant material, such as a steel plate, sheet metal, or other similar material. In one example embodiment, the bottom  16 , rear  18 , and left and right sides  20 ,  22  are constructed from 10 gauge steel plate (e.g., 0.1345 inch thick steel); however, other thicknesses of steel, and other metals, could be used as well. In certain embodiments, the metal enclosure  12  can also be coated with one or more heat-resistant or flame-resistant materials, such as a flame-resistant paint. Other coatings are possible as well. 
     The metal enclosure  12  can be any of a number of sizes. In certain embodiments, the metal enclosure  12  is approximately 14 inches wide by approximately 16 inches tall by approximately 18 inches deep. In still other embodiments, the metal enclosure  12  is approximately 9 inches wide by approximately 9 inches tall by approximately 12 inches deep. Other dimensions could be employed as well. 
     In the embodiment shown, within the interior  17 , a grate  24  is positioned on a plurality of grate supports  26 , which are mounted onto an interior side or one or more of the left and right sides  20 ,  22  and the rear  18  of the metal enclosure  12 . In the embodiment shown, the grate  24  is substantially planar, and includes a plurality of apertures  28  therethrough. 
     The grate  24  is preferably removable, and angled downwardly toward the rear  18  of the metal enclosure  12 , separating an upper region  30  and a lower region  32  of the interior  17 . In the embodiment shown, the grate supports  26  are angled (as best illustrated in  FIGS. 1 and 4 ) such that, when the grate  24  is installed in the metal enclosure  12 , a front edge of the grate sits approximately 1 to 2 inches higher within the metal enclosure than a rear edge of the grate. For example, in certain embodiments a front edge of the grate  24  can be positioned about 6 inches above the bottom  16  of the metal enclosure  12 , and a rear edge of the grate  24  can be positioned about 4 inches above the bottom of the metal enclosure. This results in an angle formed between the front and back of the grate of approximately 5 to 20 degrees; however, in other embodiments, other angles could be used as well. 
     The base  14  can take a number of forms, but generally includes one or more supports extending downwardly from the metal enclosure  12 . In the embodiment shown, the base  14  includes a pedestal formed from a base plate  34  and upwardly extending hollow cylinder  36 . The hollow cylinder  36  is sized to receive a cylindrical extension  38 , which can be inserted into the hollow cylinder  36 . A complementary hollow cylinder  40  is mounted to an external side of the bottom  16 , and also can receive the cylindrical extension  38 . 
     The base plate  34  is sized to prevent the cooking fuel preparation device  10  from overturning in high winds, therefore allowing the device to be used in a variety of outdoor cooking situations. In some embodiments, the base plate  34  can be up to or exceeding about 16 inches wide by about 24 inches long (deep). Other sizes can be used as well. Additional features, such as stakes or other mechanisms for securely maintaining the device  10  upright could be incorporated into the base plate  34  as well. 
     In certain embodiments, the cylindrical extension  38  is a telescoping extension, allowing a user to customize a height at which the metal enclosure  12  resides above the base plate  34 , and therefore above the ground. In some embodiments, the cylindrical extension  38  is a constant length of approximately 24 inches. 
     In use, a selected cooking fuel can be placed on the grate  24  within the metal enclosure  12  (i.e., within the upper region  30 ), and lit on fire. Various types of cooking fuel can be used, for example charcoal briquettes, wood logs, wood chips, fuel logs, or other natural or synthetic solid fuels. The cooking fuel is well ventilated because the open front  13  and lower region  32  cooperate to allow airflow below the cooking fuel, as well as above the cooking fuel (due at least in part to the open front  13  and open top  15 ). 
     When assembled, the metal enclosure  12  is horizontally rotatable relative to the base  14 , allowing a user to control a direction in which the open front  13  of the metal enclosure faces. This allows the metal enclosure  12  to be rotated to allow the open front  13  to face the wind, providing adequate ventilation to light the fuel. When the fuel is lit and ready, the metal enclosure  12  can be rotated such that the open side is facing away from the wind, thereby protecting the fuel from unnecessarily fast burning. 
     As the cooking fuel resting in the upper region  30  becomes ready (i.e., all briquettes or wood pieces are evenly lit), the user can insert a shovel or other tool through the open front  13  to collect a desired amount of the cooking fuel, to be transferred to a barbecue grill, pit barbecue, or other outdoor cooking arrangement. Preferably, the user will retain at least a small amount, or seed, of lit cooking fuel within the metal enclosure  12 , and add new unlit fuel to the upper region  30  to be lit by contact with that seed of lit cooking fuel (e.g., by rotating the metal enclosure such that the open front  13  faces an upwind direction and allowing for increased airflow within the interior  17  until lit, when it can be returned to a downwind orientation). In this manner, a user can repeatedly develop a supply of ready, lit cooking fuel that can be transferred to an outdoor cooking arrangement. Spent fuel, in the form of ash, will fall through the grate  24  into the lower region  32 , and can be shoveled or otherwise removed from the metal enclosure  12  as necessary or desired. 
     Optionally one or more handles  42  are installed onto the metal enclosure  12  to assist in carrying and moving the metal enclosure in use, and rotating the metal enclosure  12  relative to the base plate  34 . The metal hands  42  can be collapsible or stationarily mounted to the metal enclosure  12 . The metal enclosure  12 , grate  24 , base plate  34 , and cylindrical extension  38  are preferably capable of disassembly for convenience of travel. 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 5-7 , in certain embodiments, the cooking fuel preparation device  10  can include a plurality of grates which are selectively installed into the metal enclosure (e.g., one at a time), and are selected for use with a particular cooking fuel. Each of the illustrated grates have generally the same width and length, and therefore are interchangeable for use as the grate  24  within the metal enclosure  12  of  FIGS. 1-4 . The grates illustrated in  FIGS. 5-7  can have a variety of thicknesses, but in certain embodiments can be  10  gauge perforated steel plate having apertures extending therethrough. 
       FIG. 5  illustrates a first grate  524  having relatively small apertures  528 , thereby adapted for use with small briquettes or other types of granular fuel.  FIG. 6  illustrates a second possible grate  624  having larger apertures  628 , for example for use with larger briquettes or wood logs used as cooking fuel.  FIG. 7  illustrates a third example grate  724  having elongated apertures  728 . Other shapes and sizes of apertures can be used as well (e.g., including a wire grate or other arrangement), depending upon the desired cooking fuel to be used in the cooking fuel preparation device  10 . 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 8-10 , a second example embodiment of a cooking fuel preparation device  100  is shown. The cooking fuel preparation device  100   
     Generally, the cooking fuel preparation device  100  is designed for lower volumes of cooking fuel as compared to the device  10  of  FIGS. 1-4 , and is therefore adapted toward smaller-scale outdoor cooking, such as at a home in a backyard grilling scenario. 
     The cooking fuel preparation device  100  includes a metal enclosure  112  and a base  114 . The metal enclosure  112  includes a bottom  116 , a rear  118 , and left and right sides  120 ,  122 , respectively. The metal enclosure  112  has an open front  113  and an open top  115 , and forms an interior  117 . The cooking fuel preparation device  100  can be made from analogous materials as the device  10  of  FIGS. 1-4 . 
     Although the metal enclosure  112  can take any of a number of sizes, it preferably can be at the lower end of the range of sizes indicated above, for example approximately 9 inches wide, 9 inches tall, and 12 inches deep. Other dimensions could be employed as well. 
     Also analogously to device  10  above, a grate  124  is positioned on a plurality of grate supports  126 , and can include apertures  128  therethrough in any configuration as analogous to those in device  10 . The grate  124  is preferably substantially planar and removable, and angled downwardly toward the rear  118  of the metal enclosure  112 , analogously to device  10 . The grate supports  126  are angled (as best illustrated in  FIG. 10 ) such that, when the grate  124  is installed in the metal enclosure  112 , a front edge of the grate sits approximately  1  to  2  inches higher within the metal enclosure than a rear edge of the grate. In an example embodiment, the front edge is 3½ inches above the bottom  116  of the metal enclosure  112 , and the rear edge is 2 ½ inches above the bottom  116 . Other arrangements are possible as well. 
     As compared to device  10  above, in the embodiment of  FIGS. 8-10  the base  114  is formed from a plurality of legs  134  and a rear support plate  136 , which optionally is formed integrally with the rear  118  of the metal enclosure  112 . A handle  142  is mounted on the rear  118  of the metal enclosure, and can be used to manually readjust the position of the device  100  relative to the wind as necessary to maintain optimum lighting conditions for cooking fuel within the interior  117 . The device  100  is used analogously to device  10  of  FIGS. 1-4 , but is not rotatable relative to the base, and therefore must be manually readjusted on the surface upon which it stands. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 11 , a dutch oven cooking table  200  is illustrated having a cooking fuel preparation device  210  integrated therewith, according to a possible embodiment of the present disclosure. In various embodiments, the cooking fuel preparation device  210  generally has analogous dimensions and features as cooking device  10  of  FIGS. 1-4 , but is mounted to a tabletop  212  on which a dutch oven can be placed. The tabletop  212  is supported by a plurality of table legs  214 , and includes a ledge  216  extending upwardly substantially around a perimeter of the tabletop to retain cooking fuel (e.g. charcoal briquettes) on the table. The tabletop  212  can be any of a number of sizes. In the embodiment shown, the tabletop  212  is approximately 18 inches square (not including area taken by the cooking fuel preparation device  210 ), and the ledge is approximately 2 ½ inches high. These dimensions can vary widely depending upon the particular application to which the table is directed. Although in the embodiment shown the table legs  214  are approximately 23 inches long (with an optional support bar shown at approximately 8 inches high along the legs), different heights could be used as well. Optionally, an opening  218  in the perimeter proximate to an open front  220  of the cooking fuel preparation device  210  allows simple transfer of cooking fuel between the device  210  and the tabletop  212  for use. 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 1-11  overall, it can be seen that, in use, the cooking fuel preparation devices of the present disclosure provide a number of advantages. For example, the cooking fuel preparation devices described herein are capable of receiving various types of fuels (wood and charcoal). Additionally, the cooking fuel preparation devices described herein can be used to retain a fuel “seed” such that an individual grilling outdoors can prepare a large amount of fuel for use, transfer that fuel to grilling equipment, and then add additional fuel to a set of existing lit seed fuel items, allowing for reuse of the cooking fuel preparation device without requiring re-lighting of the fuel in the metal enclosure. This avoids unnecessary, repeated use of paper or liquid starter materials which can have a detrimental effect on cooking outcomes (i.e., flavor). Other advantages of the cooking fuel preparation devices described herein exist as well. 
     The above specification, examples and data provide a complete description of the manufacture and use of the composition of the invention. Since many embodiments of the invention can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, the invention resides in the claims hereinafter appended.