Abstract:
The present invention is a grill having a novelty aspect achieved by the application of themed coating to at least a portion of an upper portion of the grill unit, wherein the upper portion includes an inner shell to limit the heat to which the outer shell is exposed to reduce the thermal characteristic to which the outer coating is exposed. In additional embodiments, the grill may be formed with features to enable transportability of the grill, such as where the grill is used for grilling purposes at sporting events.

Description:
PRIORITY INFORMATION  
       [0001]     The present application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/652,722, filed on Aug. 29, 2003. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     The present invention pertains to grills for cooking foods, and more particularly, to novelty grills, such as for use at sporting events.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0003]     Sporting events may include pre-game festivities that occur in parking lots. These festivities are frequently oriented towards a particular participant in the sporting event, such as a football team. Support for such a team is frequently demonstrated through the display of novelty items displaying the teams colors or logos.  
         [0004]     Another tradition of such festivities includes the preparation of barbecue-cooked food. Barbecue grills that are formed to display support for a participant may take the form of a symbol or logo associated with a team, or may more simply be coated with a teams colors. As the grill is typically used for cooking, any coatings used to produce the logos or coloration associated with a team must be able to withstand the temperatures to which the coating may be exposed when the grill is in use. Additional requirements associated with such coatings include the necessity for the coating to be rugged enough to withstand the wear and tear associated with usage of the grill, especially where the grill is implemented in a fashion such as to be portable, such as when engaged to the trailer hitch received of a vehicle.  
         [0005]     The upper surfaces of the grill may typically be the surfaces upon which such team colors or orientation may be desired to be placed, such as where the upper portion of the grill is shaped to resemble a football helmet. As heat created by a heating element within the grill (such as burning charcoal briquettes or a natural gas or propane burner) is transferred to the upper portion of the grill, as a result of conduction through the environment within the grill, as well as through radiant transfer from the combustion itself, the upper surfaces of the grill tend to become quite heated. Although the outer surface of the upper portion is exposed to ambient air, the coatings applied to create an insulative layer, such that the temperature of the substrate to which the coating has been applied is actually somewhat insulated from the ambient air.  
         [0006]     Typical coatings may undergo adverse transformations when certain temperatures/thresholds associated with the coating are achieved. The adverse transformations may include color changes, or embrittlement of the coating. The ability to increase the temperature threshold at which such transformations occur may be accomplished, however may also come at an increased cost. Where the coatings are intended for ornamentation purposes, the ability to duplicate specific colors, over smaller scale productions, limits the ability to achieve cost economies associated with the development of specific high temperature suitable coatings associated with a particular team color. Accordingly, the ability to reduce the temperature of the upper surfaces may provide benefits with regard to the required temperature response characteristics of the selected coatings, thus reducing the overall cost of the novelty grill.  
         [0007]     Although the present invention may be beneficially used for novelty grills used for festivities at sporting events, the utility of the present invention is not limited to such particular grills.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0008]     The present invention is a barbecue grill, which utilizes a double wall in at least the upper portion of the grill in order to reduce the temperature of the outer surface of the upper portion of the grill, such that coatings applied to the upper surface are exposed to a reduced thermal characteristic.  
         [0009]     In a simple embodiment, the present invention is embodied in a novelty grill having a coated exterior. The grill may include a lower portion having a heating member and a food support surface, and an upper portion, wherein the upper portion is engageable over the lower portion. The upper portion may have an outer shell and an inner shell and a vent, with the inner shell being displaced from the outer shell and flowably connected to the vent, with the positioning of the inner shell and the outer shell forming a chamber between the inner shell and the outer shell to reduce the heat transferred to the outer shell, wherein the outer portion is at least partially coated to provide a novelty aspect to the grill. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES  
       [0010]      FIG. 1  illustrates an isometric view of a barbecue grill according to the present invention, showing the grill as having an aesthetic form associated with a sport.  
         [0011]      FIG. 2  illustrates a side view of the barbecue grill of  FIG. 1 .  
         [0012]      FIG. 3  illustrates a side view in cross-section of a barbecue grill according to the present invention, showing the inner wall of the upper shell of the barbecue grill.  
         [0013]      FIG. 4  illustrates a side view in cross section of a barbecue grill according to the present invention, in which the upper portion has been rotated to provide access to the cooking chamber of the grill.  
         [0014]      FIG. 5  illustrates a side view in cross section of a barbecue grill according to the present invention, in which the upper portion is hinged at its periphery.  
         [0015]      FIG. 6  illustrates a side view in cross section of a barbecue grill according to the embodiment shown in  FIG. 5 , in which the upper portion has been rotated to provide access to the cooking chamber of the grill. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0016]     The present invention is a continuation in part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/652,722, the contents of which are incorporated herein in their entirety by reference thereto.  
         [0017]     The present invention relates to barbecue grills to which coatings are to be applied, such as for novelty or ornamental grills for use at tail-gate parties at sporting events. Accordingly, the present grill may provide benefits both as a result of being transportable, as well as by having a lowered temperature constraint for coatings applied to the upper surfaces. The reduced temperature constraints may allow less temperature resistant, more rugged coatings to be used on the upper portion, within cost requirements, thus allowing the grill design to be better tailored for the transportable novelty grill configuration.  
         [0018]     As shown in the Figures, wherein like numbers represent like elements, the barbecue grill  100  of the present invention may be formed by an upper portion  102  and a lower portion  104 . The lower portion  104  may be affixed to a stand  106 , such that the grill  100  is held above the ground. The stand  106  may be designed to enhance the portability of the grill  100 , such as by being adapted for engagement to a trailer hitch on a vehicle. The stand may have three legs  108 ,  110 ,  112  for stabilizing the grill  100  on the stand  106 . One leg  108  may be adapted to be engaged to a trailer hitch receiver on a vehicle (not shown). The second  110  and third  112  legs may be positioned in an orientation non-perpendicular from the first leg  108 , such that stability of the assembly is enhanced when the center of gravity of the grill  100  is approximately over the vertical element  114  of the stand  106 .  
         [0019]     Provisions may be provided on one stabilizing leg ( 110  or  112 ) for attachment of a fuel source  116  for the grill  100 , such as a propane or natural gas tank. The fuel source  116  is preferably removable from the stand  106 , such that the fuel supply  116  may be removed from the stand  106  while the grill  100  is being transported. Placement of the fuel source  116  on one of the stabilizing legs ( 110  or  112 ) may be used to position the fuel supply  116  off center from the bottom of the grill  100 , such that the presence of a drip hole (not shown in  FIG. 1 ) at the lowest point of the lower portion  104  would not result in drips dropping onto the fuel source  116  itself. A variation on the embodiment of  FIG. 1  is shown in  FIG. 2 , showing use of an adjustable height vertical element  202 . The use of an adjustable height vertical element may assist in positioning the receiver portion  204  of the first leg  108  into a receiver hitch (not shown).  
         [0020]     As shown in  FIG. 3 , the lower portion of the grill may have a heating member  302 , such as a natural gas or propane burner, as well as a surface  304  for placement of foods to be cooked above the heating member  302 . The heating member  302  may alternately be a solids combustion structure, such as a shelf for charcoal briquettes or pieces of wood. Alternately, the heating member may include structure for supporting jellied fuel containers.  
         [0021]     The lower portion  104  of the grill  100  may include a drip hole  306  for allowing grease or other fluids to drain from the bottom portion  104 . The drip hole may be sufficiently large to allow air flow to the heating member  302  to support any combustion occurring at the heating member  302 . Where a gaseous fuel is used for the heating member  302 , the lower portion  104  may further comprise a control panel  308  for the heating member  302 .  
         [0022]     The upper portion  102  may preferably have an outer shell  310 , formed to provide an aesthetic display associated with a theme for the grill, onto which coatings  312  to accomplish the aesthetic function are applied. The upper portion  102  may additionally have an inner shell  314 , acting as a barrier between the heating element  302  lower portion  104  and at least a portion of the upper shell  102 . As the heating member  302  produces heat to cook food, the heat may be contained within the cooking chamber  316  of the grill  100 . Heated gases typically rise, such that they enter the upper portion  102  of the grill  100 . The heated gases, which may include combustion byproducts, moisture from foods being cooked, and smoke from the food being cooked, may be allowed to exit from the upper portion of the grill through a vent  318 . The vent  318  may typically take the form of a hole or set of holes in the uppermost extent  320  of the upper portion  102 , and may further include some form of a shutter  322  which allows the open cross-sectional area of the vent  318  to be varied, such that the air flow through the vent  318  can be controlled by a user of the grill. One typical form of a shutter  318  includes holes in a pattern which matches the pattern of the holes in the uppermost extent of the upper portion  102 , where the holes in the shutter  322  are mounted in a rotatable plate, such that rotation of the plate allows the overlap of the holes of the shutter with regard to the holes in the uppermost extent of the upper portion to be varied.  
         [0023]     The inner shell  314  of the upper portion  102  may be formed such that it acts as a chimney over the cooking surface  304  of the lower portion  104 , and conducts heated gases along a path  324  away from the outer shell  310  of the upper portion  102 . The form of the inner shell  314  may be dependant upon the method used to provide access to the cooking chamber formed by the upper portion  102  and the lower portions  104  of the grill  100 .  
         [0024]     As shown in  FIG. 3 , the upper portion  102  of the grill  100  may be rotatable about an axis  326  extending through the center of the lower portion  104 . Such a connection allows at least some balancing of the weight of the upper portion  102  about the axis of rotation  326 , reducing the effort required to open the upper portion  102 . When a centrally located axis of rotation is used, however, care must be made to ensure that unintentional interference between the inner shell  314  and the lower portion  104  does not exist such that it would preclude the intended rotation of the upper portion relative to the lower portion. The volume in which the upper portion and inner shell in particular should not intrude is defined by a solid of rotation  328  having as its diameter the most distant point  330  of the lower portion  104  which is in the path of some part of the upper portion  102  and/or inner shell  314 . As shown in  FIG. 3 , where a hemispherical lower portion is implemented, the volume may be illustrated by the dashed circle  328 . As shown in  FIG. 4 , rotation of the upper portion about the axis  324  may be accomplished where no interference is created between the lower portion  104  and the upper portion.  
         [0025]     Returning to  FIG. 3 , the inner shell  314  may overlap the lower portion  104  to limit airflow between the inner shell  314  and the lower portion  104 , to limit the escape of hot gasses between the inner shell  314  and the lower portion  104 . The overlap may limit the escape of hot gases on the principal that hot gases rise, such that heated gases within the cooking chamber  316  will rise and exit through the vent, while cooler outside air may be pulled into the cooking chamber  316  through the gap  332  between the inner shell  314  and the lower portion  104 . The gap  332  may be minimized to limit this air flow if desired.  
         [0026]     Ports  334  may be provided in the outer shell  310  to allow the flow of air out from between the inner shell  314  and the outer shell  310 . The ports  334  may preferably be placed at an uppermost extent  320  of the outer shell  310 , such that heated gases may rise and exit from the ports  334 . A seal  336  may be placed between the inner shell  314  and the outer shell  310  of the upper portion to provide stability in positioning between the inner shell  314  and the outer shell  310 , however it is preferable to allow air flow between the inner shell  314  and outer shell when the inner shell  104  overlaps the lower portion, as the air flow may assist in cooling the outer shell  310 . In such a condition, air heated by contact with the outer surface  336  of the inner shell  314  would rise and exit through the ports  334 , thus pulling cooler air in through the lower gap  332  between the inner shell  314  and outer shell  310 .  
         [0027]     The inner shell  314  may further be provided with a temperature resistant coating  338  on the inner surface  340  of the inner shell  314 , such as a metallic-ceramic coating which provides both insulative and heat reflecting properties. As heat generated by the heating member  302  may be transferred through radiant heat from the member  302  itself, the use of a heat reflective coating may reduce the temperature of the inner shell  314 , reflecting the heat back into the cooking chamber  316 , and further may reduce the heat required to be provided by the heating member  302  or cooking. The use of a coating  338  having insulative properties may additionally reduce the heat transfer through the inner shell  314 , further reducing the temperature of the outer shell  310 .  
         [0028]     As shown in  FIG. 5 , the upper portion  102  may be affixed to the lower portion  104  through the use of a hinge  502  adjacent the perimeter  504  of the lower portion  104 , such that the shape of the inner shell  506  may be varied as dictated by production concerns, as opposed to first having to meet the non-interference associated with a centrally rotated upper portion. The shape of the inner shell  506  thus becomes unconstrained with regard to the volume of the lower portion  104 , and the inner shell  506  may take the form of a funnel, or other shape chosen for manufacturing concerns. Such an embodiment is further shown in  FIG. 6 , in which the upper portion  102  is shown in an open condition.  
         [0029]     The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential attributes of the invention. Accordingly, reference should be made to the appended claims, rather than the foregoing specification, as indicating the scope of the invention.