Abstract:
Embodiments of a griddle system, device, and method configured to manage unwanted food byproducts. The griddle system includes a griddle having an upper side and an underside. The upper side includes a flat cooking surface and a splash guard, the flat cooking surface having a rectangular shape extending to a rear end, a front end, a left end and a right end. The splash guard extends along a periphery of the upper side of the griddle, the upper side including a trough. The trough extends laterally from the rear end of the cooking surface and extends longitudinally along a length of the rear end of the cooking surface such that the trough defines an elongated through hole therein.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/331,666, filed May 4, 2016, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
     
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0002]    The present invention relates generally to gas heated cooking stations with a griddle and, more specifically, the present invention relates to managing grease and food byproduct with the griddle of the cooking station. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    Barbequing has become a popular and pervasive tradition in much of the world. A barbeque grill is a device for cooking food by applying heat directly below a grill. There are several varieties of grills but most fall into one of two categories, either gas fueled or charcoal. Gas fueled grills typically use propane or natural gas as a fuel source, with the gas flame either cooking the food directly or heating grilling elements which in turn radiate the heat necessary to cook the food. Grilling has become a popular method of cooking food due to the unique flavors and texture imparted to the food during the grilling process. 
         [0004]    A griddle is a cooking device consisting of a broad flat surface that can be heated using a variety of means and is used in both residential and commercial applications for a variety of cooking operations. The griddle is most commonly a flat metal plate composed of cast or wrought iron, aluminum or carbon steel. Griddles are commonly heated directly or indirectly by open flame or electrical elements. Using a griddle placed directly on a barbeque grill or over flame burners has also become popular when cooking foods not as well suited for cooking directly on a grill over an open flame. 
         [0005]    One concern with griddle cooking is the grease and byproduct build-up that inevitably occurs. Some griddles include a drain system to manage the grease either on the side or front of the griddle. Such locations keep the grease and byproduct in areas relative to the griddle and cook station that are viewable and in the region where the user is cooking, which is unsightly and still provides the potential for grease to spill and build-up over the front side of the cooking station. Further, this grease build-up will often spread to the user&#39;s clothing. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    The present invention is directed to devices, systems, and methods of a griddle system configured to manage unwanted food byproducts. The griddle system includes a griddle having an upper side and an underside. The upper side includes a flat cooking surface, a splash guard, and a trough. The cooking surface includes a rectangular shape extending to a rear end, a front end, a left end and a right end. The splash guard extends along a periphery of the upper side of the griddle. The trough extends laterally from the rear end of the cooking surface and extends longitudinally along a length of the rear end of the cooking surface such that the trough defines an elongated through hole therein. 
         [0007]    In one embodiment, the splash guard defines an elongated slot extending through the splash guard such that the elongated slot is positioned directly above the elongated through hole. In a further embodiment, the elongated slot is sized to receive a cooking utensil therethrough for scraping the cooking utensil against a portion of the splash guard defining the elongated slot. 
         [0008]    In another embodiment, the griddle system further includes a grease container. The grease container includes a container portion and a latching portion, the latching portion configured to latch onto the splash guard so that the container portion is positioned below the elongated through hole. In a further embodiment, the latching portion includes a latch and an extension, the latch configured to couple to the splash guard and the extension extending from the latch to the container portion, the extension defining a window therein such that the extension is configured to be positioned along a back side of the back splash with the window positioned around the elongated through hole. 
         [0009]    In another embodiment, the griddle system further includes a grease container configured to be removably coupled to the griddle such that a container portion of the grease container is positioned below the elongated through hole. In still another embodiment, the griddle system further includes at least two height adjusting members coupled to an underside of the griddle, the at least two height adjusting members configured to modify a slope of the flat cooking surface. 
         [0010]    In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, a cooking station configured to manage unwanted food byproduct is provided. The cooking station includes a frame and a griddle. The frame includes a front side, a rear side, a left side and a right side each extending between a lower portion and an upper portion. Such frame includes multiple heating elements coupled to the frame. The griddle is configured to be supported by the upper portion of the frame. The griddle includes an upper side and an underside, the upper side including a flat cooking surface, a splash guard, and a trough. The flat cooking surface includes a rectangular shape extending to a rear end, a front end, a left end and a right end. The splash guard extends along a periphery of the upper side of the griddle. The trough extends laterally from the rear end of the cooking surface and extends longitudinally along a length of the rear end of the cooking surface such that the trough defines an elongated through hole therein. 
         [0011]    In one embodiment, the splash guard defines an elongated slot extending through the splash guard, the elongated slot positioned directly above the elongated through hole. In a further embodiment, the elongated slot is sized to receive a cooking utensil therethrough for scraping the cooking utensil against a portion of the splash guard defining the elongated slot. 
         [0012]    In another embodiment, the cooking station further includes a grease container, the grease container including a container portion and a latching portion, the latching portion configured to latch onto the splash guard so that the container portion is positioned below the elongated through hole. In a further embodiment, the latching portion includes a latch and an extension, the latch configured to couple to the splash guard and he extension extending from the latch to the container portion, the extension defining a window therein such that the extension is configured to be positioned along a back side of the back splash with the window positioned around the elongated through hole. 
         [0013]    In another embodiment, the cooking station further includes a grease container configured to be removably coupled to the griddle such that a container portion of the grease container is positioned below the elongated through hole. In another embodiment, the cooking station further includes at least two height adjusting legs coupled to an underside of the griddle, the at least two height adjusting legs configured to modify a slope of the flat cooking surface. 
         [0014]    In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, a method for managing grease at a cooking station is provided. The method includes: supporting a griddle on an upper portion of a frame of a cooking station with heating elements coupled thereto, the griddle having a flat cooking surface with a splash guard extending along a periphery of the griddle; and draining grease from cooked food on the cooking surface to a trough extending longitudinally only along a rear end of the cooking surface such that the grease moves along the trough and then through a through hole defined in trough. 
         [0015]    In one embodiment, the method further includes depositing the grease in a grease container coupled to the griddle and positioned below the through hole defined in the trough. In another embodiment, the step of depositing the grease in the grease container includes positioning the grease container with a latch portion and a container portion such that the latch portion hangs on the splash guard above the through hole and such that the latch portion extends with a window defined therein that surrounds the through hole with the container portion suspended below the through hole. In a further embodiment, the method includes scraping a cooking utensil on the splash guard by inserting the cooking utensil through an elongated slot defined in the splash guard such that the elongated slot is positioned above the through hole defined in the trough and such that the elongated slot is surrounded by the window defined in the latch portion of the grease container. In another embodiment, the step of depositing the grease includes depositing the grease in the grease container that is removably coupled to the splash guard. In another embodiment, the step of draining grease includes providing the griddle with at least two height adjusting legs extending from an underside of the griddle, the height adjusting legs for modifying a slope of the flat cooking surface of the griddle. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0016]    The foregoing and other advantages of the invention will become apparent upon reading the following detailed description and upon reference to the drawings in which: 
           [0017]      FIG. 1  is a perspective front view of a griddle, according to one embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0018]      FIG. 1A  is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the trough taken along section line A-A of  FIG. 1 , depicting a through hole and elongated slot and base plate under the through hole, according to another embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0019]      FIG. 2  is a perspective rear view of the griddle, according to another embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0020]      FIG. 3  is a perspective rear view of the griddle with a grease container coupled to the griddle, according to another embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0021]      FIG. 4  is a rear view of the griddle with the grease container, according to another embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0022]      FIG. 5  is a perspective bottom-rear view of the griddle, according to another embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0023]      FIG. 6  is a perspective bottom-front view of the griddle, according to another embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0024]      FIG. 7  is a perspective view of a cooking station with the griddle, according to another embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0025]      FIG. 8  is a front view of the griddle with the grease container, according to another embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0026]      FIG. 9  is a right side view of the griddle with the grease container, according to another embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0027]      FIG. 10  is a left side view of the griddle with the grease container, according to another embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0028]      FIG. 11  is a top view of the griddle with the grease container, according to another embodiment of the present invention; and 
           [0029]      FIG. 12  is a bottom view of the griddle with the grease container, according to another embodiment of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0030]    Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , respective front and rear perspective views of a griddle  10  are provided. The griddle  10  may be sized and configured to be supported by an upper portion of a cooking station  100  ( FIG. 7 ), such as an outdoor cooking station with gas flame burners. Such griddle  10  may be employed with various components to manage grease and to keep the user substantially clean of such grease. In various embodiments of the present invention, components employed to manage grease while cooking on the griddle  10  may include a splash guard  12 , a rear extending trough  14  with a through hole  16 , an elongated slot  18 , a grease container  20  ( FIG. 3 ), and height adjusting legs  22 , each of which will be described in further detail herein. 
         [0031]    The griddle  10  may include an upper side  24  and an underside  26  or bottom with a periphery defining a rear side  28 , a front side  30 , a left side  32  and a right side  34 . The upper side  24  of the griddle  10  may include a flat cooking surface  36  that may be elongated and rectangular shaped to define a longitudinal axis  38 . The flat cooking surface  36  may extend between a rear end  40  and a front end  42  and between a left end  44  and a right end  46  to define the flat cooking surface  36 . The upper side  24  of the griddle  10  may also include the splash guard  12  and the trough  14 . 
         [0032]    The splash guard  12  of the griddle  10  may extend upward from the upper side  24  of the griddle  10  and along at least a portion of the periphery of the griddle  10 . In one embodiment, the splash guard  12  may extend continuously along the periphery of the griddle  10 . For example, the griddle  10  may include a rear splash guard  48 , a front splash guard  50 , a left splash guard  52 , and a right splash guard  54  each extending along the corresponding rear side  28 , front side  30 , left side  32  and right side  34 , respectively, of the periphery of the griddle  10 . The splash guard  12  may be sized and configured to block hot spattering grease from out-side the periphery of the griddle  10  as well as act as a barrier to prevent grease from spilling over the griddle  10  and to the burners below the griddle  10 . 
         [0033]    The front splash guard  50  may be elongated to extend along an entire length of the front end  42  of the cooking surface  36 . Further, the front splash guard  50  may extend upward a front guard height  56 . The rear splash guard  48  may extend along an entire length of the trough  14  and further rearward and adjacent to the rear end  40  of the cooking surface  36  with a rear guard height  58 . The rear guard height  58  may be higher than the front guard height  56 . The left and right splash guards  52 ,  54  may include similar profiles extending between first and second ends  60 ,  62  thereof, the first end  60  of each of the left and right splash guards  52 ,  54  coupled to opposite ends of the rear splash guard  48  and the second end  62  of each of the left and right splash guards  52 ,  54  coupled to opposite ends of the front splash guard  50 . The first end  60  of each of the left and right splash guard  52 ,  54  may be higher than the second end  62  of each of the left and right splash guard  52 ,  54  such that the left and right splash guard  52 ,  54  may taper or slope in height toward the second end  62 . With this arrangement, the second end  62  of the left and right splash guard  52 ,  54  may be similar in height to the front splash guard  50  and the first end  60  may be similar in height to the rear splash guard  48  such that the upper periphery of the splash guards  12  provides a substantially continuous transition between the ends of each of the splash guards  12 . As described, the front splash guard  50  may be smaller in height than the rear splash guard  58  so that the user can effectively cook along the front side  30  of the griddle  10  without being impeded by the front splash guard  50 . 
         [0034]    With respect to  FIGS. 1, 1A, and 2 , as previously set forth, the griddle  10  may include a trough  14  sized and configured to receive grease or other food byproduct. The trough  14  may be elongated and extend longitudinally and parallel with the longitudinal axis  38  and may extend below and along the rear end  40  of the cooking surface  36  or, in other words, further rear than the cooking surface  36 . The trough  14  may extend laterally from the cooking surface  36  at a downward angle  68  directly depending from the rear end  40  of the cooking surface  36  to a bottom trough surface  64  and then extend upward so as to transition into the rear splash guard  48 . In one embodiment, the griddle  10  includes a single trough extending only along the rear end  40  of the cooking surface  36  such that there are no other troughs extending along the length of the front end  42 , left end  44  and right end  46  of the cooking surface  36 . In another embodiment, the trough  14  extends an entire length corresponding with the rear end  40  of the cooking surface  36 . With this arrangement, the trough  14  extending along the rear end  40  of the cooking surface  36  allows for the user to push away the grease or unwanted food byproduct toward and off the rear end  40  of the cooking surface  36 , and not forward or to the sides so that front and side portions of the cooking surface  36  and cooking station are more likely to be properly maintained and clean from unwanted grease. 
         [0035]    Further, in another embodiment, the trough  14  may include a through hole  16  defined therein that may be sized and configured for receiving and feeding the grease or food byproduct from the trough  14  and through the through hole  16 . In one embodiment, the through hole  16  may be elongated and may extend through a portion of the bottom trough surface  64 . In another embodiment, the through hole  16  may be centered and aligned along the trough  14  and be positioned at a mid-point or mid-portion, relative to a length, of the trough  14 . In another embodiment, the through hole  16  may be positioned along other locations along the trough  14 , such as at one end of the trough  14 . 
         [0036]    In another embodiment, the through hole  16  may include a base plate  66  or under extension on which grease may funnel onto and over to deposit grease and food byproduct into a grease container  20  ( FIG. 3 ), discussed in further detail herein. The base plate  66  may be coupled to and extend under the trough  14  and under the through hole  16 . The base plate  66  may be positioned at an angle similar to the downward angle  68  of the trough  14  and may extend further rearward than the rear splash guard  48 . The base plate  66  may also include upstanding side extensions  70  on both sides of the base plate  66  so as to appropriately act as a funnel for grease and food byproduct. With this arrangement, the base plate  66  positioned adjacent to the through hole  16  may further assist grease and food byproduct to be appropriately removed from the cooking surface  36  and griddle  10 . Further, by positioning the trough  14  and through hole  16  at the rear of the griddle  10 , the unsightly grease and food byproduct move out of view of the user. 
         [0037]    In another embodiment, the rear splash guard  48  may include an elongated slot  18  defined therein. The elongated slot  18  may be sized and configured to facilitate the user to insert a cooking utensil (not shown), such as a spatula, within the elongated slot  18  for scrapping the spatula along either a top edge and/or a bottom edge of the elongated slot  18 . The elongated slot  18  may be positioned directly above the through hole  16 . In one embodiment, the elongated slot  18  may include an elongated length similar to a length of the through hole  16 . With this arrangement, the elongated slot  18  may be positioned directly above the through hole  16  so that grease and food byproduct deposited from both the elongated slot and the through hole will ultimately fall downward to the grease container  20  ( FIG. 3 ). 
         [0038]    Now with reference to  FIGS. 3 and 4 , the before-mentioned grease container  20  will be described in association with the griddle  10 . The grease container  20  may be removably coupled to the griddle  10 . The grease container  20  may include a container portion  72  and a latch portion  74 . The latch portion  74  may include a free end  76  (see  FIG. 7 ) sized and configured to couple directly to a top edge  78  of the rear splash guard  48 . The latch portion  74  may include an extension  80  extending between the free end  76  and the container portion  72 , the extension defining a window  82  or opening therein. In one embodiment, the window  82  may be sized and configured to be positioned to extend at least partially around the through hole  16 . In another embodiment, the window  82  may be sized to be positioned to extend at least partially around the through hole  16  and the elongated slot  18 . In another embodiment, a bottom edge surface  84  of the window may be positioned under the base plate  66  such that the base plate  66  may maintain the grease container  20  from becoming off-set laterally relative to the through hole  16 . In this manner, the window  82  defined in the extension  80  may be positioned against a back side  86  of the rear splash guard  48  so that grease and food byproduct passing through the through hole  16  (and the elongated slot  18 ) also passes through the window  82 , the window also acting to align and maintain the grease container  20  relative to the through holes  16 ,  18  with the base plate  66  positioned along a bottom portion of the window  82 . In other words, the base plate  66  extending through the window  82  cooperates to block the grease container  20  from moving laterally along the rear splash guard  58  so as to maintain alignment of the grease container relative to the through hole  16 . 
         [0039]    In another embodiment, the extension  80 , below the window  82 , may extend inward at an angle (toward the griddle) with an angled extension  88  until terminating and coupling to the container portion  72 . In this manner, the container portion  72  may be in-set or at an in-set position relative to the rear back splash  48  to ensure grease and food byproduct is appropriately deposited in the container portion  72  of the grease container  20 . With this arrangement, the grease container  20  may cooperate with the profile of the rear back splash  48  as well as the through hole  16  and elongated slot  18  to appropriately dispose of grease and food byproduct. Such grease container  20  may readily be removed and cleaned-out and readily replaced while also being out of sight relative to a person&#39;s view while cooking. 
         [0040]    With reference to  FIGS. 5 and 6 , respective rear and front bottom perspective views of the underside  26  of the griddle  10  are depicted. The underside  26  of the griddle  10  may include one or more stabilizers  90 . For example, the one or more stabilizers  90  may be positioned along a length of the griddle  10  to extend along a middle portion of the underside  26  of the griddle  10 . Other one or more stabilizers  90  may also be positioned along the underside  26 , such as along or adjacent the front side  30 , of the griddle portion  10 . The one or more stabilizers  90  may be positioned along the underside  26  to stabilize the griddle  10  and substantially prevent potential warping of the griddle  10  due to over-heating. 
         [0041]    In one embodiment, the underside  26  of the griddle  10  may include at least two height adjusting members  22  or legs. For example, the griddle  10  may include four height adjusting members  22 , two adjacent a front side  30  and two adjacent a rear side  28  of the underside  26  of the griddle  10 , such as adjacent corners of the underside  26  of the griddle  10 . In one embodiment, the height adjusting members  22  may extend directly from the underside  26  of the griddle  10 . In another embodiment, the height adjusting members  22  may extend adjacent to the underside  26 , such as along one or more sides of the griddle  10 . In another embodiment, there may be two height adjusting members  22  for raising and lowering one side of the griddle  10 . 
         [0042]    Such height adjusting members  22  may be employed by a user to modify a slope of the cooking surface  36  ( FIG. 1 ) of the griddle  10 . For example, the height adjusting members  22  may be adjusted so that the two height adjusting members  22  that are closer to the front side  30  may be adjusted to extend longer than the two height adjusting members  22  that are closer to the rear side  28  of the griddle  10 . Such adjustment may provide a slight slope of the cooking surface  36  toward the rear side  28  of the griddle  10  to more readily drain grease and food byproduct to the trough  14 . In this manner, the slope of the cooking surface  36  of the griddle  10  may be modified to facilitate more effectively draining unwanted grease from the cooking surface  36  of the griddle  10 . Similarly, depending on the food being cooked and if a user desires, the height adjusting members  22  may be modified so the cooking surface  36  is substantially level or slopes slightly toward the front side  30  of the griddle  10 . 
         [0043]    In one embodiment, the height adjusting members  22  may be adjusted with a tool (not shown) or the like. For example, the height adjusting members  22  may include a threaded member  94  and a threaded bolt  96  or the like, in which the bolt  96  may be turned with the tool to rotatably modify the height of the height adjusting members  22  or legs. With this arrangement, the height adjusting members  22  may be employed to manage grease run-off, in conjunction with other features of the griddle  10 , to more effectively dispose of unwanted grease and food byproduct. 
         [0044]    The griddle  10  may be manufactured from metallic materials, such as, carbon steel, cast iron, stainless steel, or aluminum, or various metal alloys, or composite layering of materials, or any other suitable cooking surface material known in the art, such as porcelain coated materials. In one embodiment, the metallic materials may be manufactured using cold rolled steel processes, or hot rolled steel techniques, or any other known manufacturing process, such as casting or stamping, as known in the art. The various plate components of the griddle  10  may include a thickness of 5-6 millimeters, but is not so limited, as such thickness of the various components of the griddle may range, for example, between 4-10 millimeters. Also, portions of the griddle  10 , such as the trough and splash guards may be formed by employing cutting and bending techniques from sheet or plate material to form the griddle  10  as well as forming portions to the griddle  10  with welding techniques, or employing any other known process or techniques to form the griddle  10 , as known by one of ordinary skill in the art. 
         [0045]    With respect to  FIG. 7 , a simplistic view of a cooking station  100  with the griddle  10  positioned thereon is depicted. The cooking station  100  may include a frame  102  that extends along a front side  104 , a rear side  106 , a left side  108  and a right side  110 , each of which may extend between a lower portion  112  and an upper portion  114 . The lower portion may include legs  116  with casters  118  such that the cooking station  100  may be portable. The upper portion  114  may include upper facing structure  120  to support the griddle  10 . The upper portion  114  may also include multiple heating elements  126  (shown with dashed lines), such as gas flame burners sized for propane or natural gas, positioned below the griddle  10  within the frame  102  and adjacent the upper portion  114  of the frame  102 , which may be controlled with burner knobs  122  and an igniter button  124 , for example, as known to one of ordinary skill in the art. The cooking station  100  may be any suitable cooking station that can effectively support the griddle  10 , as described herein, and further, the cooking station  100  may include the typical components for fueling the cooking station arranged and associated with the cooking station  100  to facilitate heating the griddle  10 , as known to one of ordinary skill in the art. 
         [0046]      FIGS. 8 through 12  show various views, not previously depicted, of the griddle  10  with the grease container  20  coupled thereto. As depicted in  FIGS. 8-10 , the grease container  20  extends below the griddle with a portion of the extension extending inward from the rear side of the griddle. As depicted in  FIGS. 11-12 , the before-described trough  14  extends longitudinally along the rear side of the griddle  10  with the grease container  20  centered along the trough  14 . 
         [0047]    While the invention may be susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments have been shown by way of example in the drawings and have been described in detail herein. Further, the structural features of any one embodiment disclosed herein may be combined or replaced by any one of the structural features of another embodiment set forth herein. However, it should be understood that the invention is not intended to be limited to the particular forms disclosed. Rather, the invention includes all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the following appended claims.