Patent Abstract:
A barbeque grill assembly ( 10 ) including a grill plate ( 12 ) and a cooking insert ( 14 ). The grill plate ( 12 ) has a substantially planar first cooking surface ( 26 ) with an opening ( 28 ) therein. The cooking insert ( 14 ) is adapted for releasable engagement with the opening ( 28 ) and has a substantially planar second cooking surface ( 42 ). The first cooking surface ( 26 ) and the second cooking surface ( 42 ) are non-parallel with respect to each other.

Full Description:
RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application claims priority to Australian Provisional Application No. 2007905189, filed on Sep. 21, 2007, said priority application being fully incorporated herein by reference. 
       FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention relates to a barbeque grill assembly, a barbeque grill plate and a barbeque kit. The invention has been primarily developed for use with a gas barbeque and will be described hereinafter with reference to this application, 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    Barbeques with grill plates that are inclined with respect to horizontal are known. Such grill plates generally include a recess or drain at their lower end. During cooking, fats and other fluids released from the food being cooked drain down the surface of the grill plate into the drain. This provides a healthier cooked food. However, such grill plates are unsuitable for cooking many relatively liquid foods, such as eggs or food cooked in a sauce or marinade, as these foods slide down the grill plate towards and into the drain. 
         [0004]    It is an object of the present invention to substantially overcome, or at least ameliorate, the above disadvantage. 
       OBJECT OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    It is the object of the present invention to substantially overcome or at least ameliorate one or more of the above disadvantages. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    Accordingly, in a first aspect, the present invention provides a barbeque grill assembly comprising: 
         [0007]    a grill plate with a substantially planar first cooking surface having an opening therein; and 
         [0008]    a cooking insert adapted for releasable engagement with the opening and having a substantially planar second cooking surface; 
         [0009]    wherein the first cooking surface and the second cooking surface are non-parallel with respect to each other. 
         [0010]    The first and second surfaces are preferably angled with respect to each other by about 2.5 degrees. The grill plate is preferably installed with the second cooking surface horizontal and the first cooking surface angled away from horizontal by about 2.5 degrees. The grill plate preferably includes a recess at or near one (lower) end, the recess adapted for connection to a drainage arrangement. The grill plate is preferably cast iron. 
         [0011]    The opening is preferably substantially circular and most preferably bounded by a plurality of inwardly directed cooking insert support flanges that are parallel to the second cooking surface. 
         [0012]    In one form, the cooking insert is preferably a cast iron grill tray with a peripheral edge angled outwardly and away from the second cooking surface. The edge preferably includes one or more handles therein. 
         [0013]    In another form, the cooking insert is preferably a ceramic pizza tray. The tray preferably includes one or more handles thereon. In a variation of this form, a cast iron grill tray is positioned in the opening and the ceramic pizza tray is positioned on the cast iron grill tray. In a further variation, a foil tray, preferably disposable, is positioned between the cast iron grill tray and the ceramic pizza tray, 
         [0014]    In yet another form, the cooking insert is preferably a circular stainless steel fluid or wood chip tray with a peripheral edge angled outwardly and away from the second cooking surface. In this form, the barbeque grill assembly further comprises a smoker/roaster rack having an array of rack bars that are parallel to the second cooking surface. 
         [0015]    In a yet further form, the cooking insert is preferably a stainless steel poultry tray with a peripheral edge angled outwardly and away from the second cooking surface and a central poultry support formation. 
         [0016]    In a second aspect, the present invention provides a barbeque grill plate comprising: 
         [0017]    a substantially planar first cooking surface having an opening therein; and 
         [0018]    one or more cooking insert support surfaces substantially adjacent the opening, wherein the cooking surface and the support surfaces are non-parallel with respect to each other. 
         [0019]    The cooking surface and the support surfaces are preferably angled with respect to each other by about 2.5 degrees. The grill plate is preferably installed with support surfaces horizontal and the cooking surface angled from horizontal by about 2.5 degrees. The grill plate preferably includes a recess at or near one end, the recess adapted for connection to a drainage arrangement. 
         [0020]    The opening is preferably substantially circular, and the support surfaces preferably form part of a plurality of inwardly directed support flanges that are inclined with respect to the cooking surface. 
         [0021]    In a third aspect, the present invention provides a barbeque kit comprising: 
         [0022]    a grill plate with a substantially planar first cooking surface having an opening therein; and 
         [0023]    a grill tray, a pizza tray, a fluid/wood chip tray and a poultry tray that are each adapted for releasable engagement with the opening and that each have a substantially planar second cooking surface, wherein the first cooking surface and the second cooking surface are non-parallel with respect to each other. 
         [0024]    The first cooking surface and the second cooking surface are preferably angled with respect to each other at about 2.5 degrees. The grill plate is preferably installed with the second cooking surface horizontal and the first cooking surface angled to horizontal by about 2.5 degrees. The grill plate preferably includes a recess at or near one end, the recess adapted for connection to a drainage arrangement. 
         [0025]    The opening is preferably substantially circular, and most preferably bounded by a plurality of inwardly directed cooking insert support flanges that are parallel to the second cooking surface. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0026]    Preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of examples only, with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein: 
           [0027]      FIG. 1  is an exploded perspective view of an embodiment of a grill plate, together with four embodiments of cooking inserts; 
           [0028]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the grill plate shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0029]      FIG. 3   a  is an exploded perspective view of the grill plate of  FIG. 1  with the grill tray insert shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0030]      FIG. 3   b  is an assembled perspective view of the components shown in  FIG. 3   a;    
           [0031]      FIG. 4   a  is a partial perspective view of the components shown in  FIG. 3   b;    
           [0032]      FIG. 4   b  is the side view of the components shown in  FIG. 4   a;    
           [0033]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the grill plate shown in  FIG. 1  in use with a wok; 
           [0034]      FIG. 6   a  is an exploded perspective view of the grill plate shown in  FIG. 1  and the marinating/smoking tray insert shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0035]      FIG. 6   b  is an assembled perspective view of the components shown in  FIG. 6   a  with hood removed; 
           [0036]      FIG. 6   c  is perspective view of the component showns in  FIG. 6   b  with the hood closed; 
           [0037]      FIG. 7   a  is a partial perspective view of the components shown in  FIG. 6   b;    
           [0038]      FIG. 7   b  is a side view of the components shown in  FIG. 7   a;    
           [0039]      FIG. 8   a  is an exploded perspective view of the grill plate shown in  FIG. 1  with the poultry tray insert shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0040]      FIG. 8   b  is an assembled view of the components shown in  FIG. 8   a  with a chicken positioned thereon; 
           [0041]      FIG. 9   a  is an exploded perspective view of the grill plate shown in  FIG. 1  with the pizza tray insert shown in  FIG. 1 ; and 
           [0042]      FIG. 9   b  is an underside perspective view of the pizza tray insert shown in  FIG. 1 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0043]      FIG. 1  shows a barbeque grill assembly, or kit of components,  10  suitable for use with a barbeque with one or more gas burners (not shown). The assembly  10  comprises a matte vitreous cast iron grill plate  12 , a matte vitreous cast iron grill tray insert  14 , a steel marinating/smoking tray insert  16 , a steel rack  18 , a steel poultry tray insert  20 , a stone pizza tray insert  22 . The barbeque also includes a hood  24  with an insulated handle  24   a  and a thermometer  24   b.    
         [0044]    As best shown in  FIG. 2 , the grill plate  12  has a substantially rectangular planar first cooking surface  26 , which has a generally circular opening  28  therein. The grill plate  12  also includes a recess  28 , with a drain opening  30 , extending substantially across its front edge. The recess  28  is angled downwardly towards the opening  30  and forms part of a fat/fluid drainage arrangement (not shown). The drainage arrangement is shown in the applicant&#39;s Australian Provisional Patent Application entitled: “Improvements in barbeques”, filed 17 Sep. 2007, the contents of which are incorporated herein by cross reference. 
         [0045]    The grill plate  12  also includes a pair of grooves  32  extending adjacent and along the sides of the grill plate  12 , which assist in locating feet  18   a  (see  FIG. 1 ) of the rack  18 . 
         [0046]    The opening  28  is bounded by three inwardly directed cooking insert support flanges  34  which are separated by arcuate gaps  36 . 
         [0047]      FIGS. 3   a  and  3   b  show the grill plate  12  with the grill tray insert  14  positioned within the opening  28 . The grill plate  14  includes three arcuate indentations  38  which locate it with respect to the opening  28 . The grill plate  14  also includes three handle portions  40  to assist in adding or removing the grill plate  14  from the grin plate  12 . The central or inner part of the grill plate  12  defines a planar second cooking surface  42 . 
         [0048]    As best shown in  FIGS. 5   a  and  5   b,  the grill plate&#39;s first cooking surface  26  is not parallel to the grill trays second cooking surface  42 . More particularly, in use, the second cooking surface  42  is substantially horizontal and the first cooking surface  26  is angled forwardly downwardly at about 2.5 degrees from horizontal. 
         [0049]    The differently angled cooking surfaces  26  and  42  are advantageous as they result in a barbeque grill plate in which the inclined first cooking surface  26  can be used to cook relatively solid foods (e.g. sausages and steaks) and the second horizontal cooking surface  42  can be used to cook relatively liquid foods (e.g. eggs and foods cooked in a sauce or marinade). Fat and other liquids released from the relatively solid foods cooked on the inclined first cooking surface  26  flow downwardly into the recess  28  for removal via the drainage arrangement. This provides a healthier cooked food. Food cooked on the second horizontal cooking surface  42  is prevented from running into the recess  28  and drainage arrangement. The cooking surfaces  26  and  42  can thus be used to cook differing types of food, simultaneously if required, using a single barbeque. 
         [0050]    The upper surfaces of the support flanges  34  are, in use, also horizontal. As a result, and as shown in  FIG. 6 , this allows the support flanges  34  to also act as a wok trivet. This allows food to be cooked on the inclined first cooking surface  26  and also within a wok  44 , simultaneously if required. 
         [0051]      FIGS. 6   a  to  7   b  show the grill plate  12  with the marinating/smoking tray insert  16  positioned within the opening  28 . The marinating/smoking tray insert  16 , and tray  18 , also each have a second horizontal cooking surface  42 . In this configuration, food can be cooked on the smoked (e.g. using woodchips) or steamed on the rack  18 . 
         [0052]      FIGS. 8   a  and  8   b  show the grill plate  12  with the poultry tray insert  20  positioned F within the opening  28 . The the poultry tray insert  20  also has a second horizontal cooking surface  42 . In this configuration, food can be cooked on the first cooking surface  26  and a chicken  46 , or other form of poultry, can be roasted on the poultry tray insert  20 , simultaneously if required. 
         [0053]      FIGS. 9   a  and  9   b  show the grill plate  12  with the pizza tray insert  22  positioned within the opening  28 . The pizza tray insert  22  also has a second horizontal cooking surface  42  and a pair of handles  48  for positioning the tray  22  with respect to the opening  28  in the grill tray  12 . A wire ring  50  is attached to the underside of the handles  48  that includes three arcuate portions  50   a  which locate the pizza tray insert  22  with respect to the flanges  34  and the gaps  36  surrounding the opening  28 . In this configuration, a pizza can be cooked on the pizza tray insert  22 . In a variation (not shown) of this configuration, the cast iron grill tray  14  is positioned in the opening  28  and the pizza tray  22  is positioned on the cast iron grill tray  14 . In a further variation (not shown), a disposable foil tray (e.g. holding woodchips) is positioned on the cast iron grill tray  14  beneath the ceramic pizza tray  22 . 
         [0054]    The barbeque grill assembly/kit  10  is thus able to easily and quickly accommodate many differing types of foods and/or cooking styles, in some cases simultaneously if required, without requiring multiple barbeques or other cooking devices. 
         [0055]    Although the invention has been described with reference to preferred embodiments, it will be appreciated by those persons skilled in the art, that the invention can be embodied in many other forms.

Technology Classification (CPC): 0