Patent Document

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention pertains generally to cleaning brushes and scrapers for culinary applications. More particularly in a preferred embodiment, the invention relates to a barbecue (BBQ) grill scraper and brush with splatter guard protection. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     Hand-held cleaning brushes and scrapers for removing charred residue from a grated or barred cooking surface have been known in the art. One such example was proposed by Daw and was awarded patent protection in 2000, and entitled “Combination Barbecue Grill Brush And Mitt,” U.S. Pat. No. 6,125,493. This solution provides a typical brush and scraper and further aims to protect a users hand from a potentially hot grill. For this reason a heat resistant mitt is configured to a handle of the brush/scraper. 
     One issue that is not addressed by Daw is that of containing splatter that has tendency to direct backward toward a grill user and may permanently stain clothes. Rothman on the other hand, U.S. Des. Pat. No. D546,066, presumably includes a feature addressing this concern. However this solution (Rothman) is applicable for a rotary grill brush and a solution applicable to a planar grill brush would be configured entirely differently. Notably, some grill brush manufacturers and users may not prefer the Rothman solution since it would be more expensive and have more moving parts than a comparable planar brush. 
     Present inventors have also previously addressed the splatter problem in a planar barbecue brush with U.S. Des. Pat. No. D653,037. Nonetheless, the present solution provides at least the following advantages of the prior art: the solution is able to be configured to existing brushes; the solution provides better range of splatter protection; a handle is provided for the guard portion (separate from a brush handle); an opaque configuration is provided as an improvement over a transparent design; and additional features as detailed and disclosed herein. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention specifically addresses and alleviates the above mentioned deficiencies associated with the prior art. More particularly, the present invention, in a first aspect comprises an improved splatter guard configured to be coupled to a grill brush, for example a barbeque grill brush but not limited thereto. In this aspect, the grill brush has a brush portion, a handle portion and a scraper portion, the splatter guard comprising: a main cover portion having a forward and a rear end, the rear end having a raised hood forming an opening, the opening for passing the handle portion therethrough; and a raised tab for grasping and positioning the improved splatter guard. 
     The improved splatter guard configured to be coupled to a barbeque grill brush herein is additionally characterized wherein the main cover portion further comprises a hollow shape further being a frustum of a pyramid for covering the brush portion. The improved splatter guard of the present invention is additionally characterized wherein the raised hood further comprises a riser portion that is triangular in shape and provides an angle to the handle portion substantially equal an angle of the handle portion as coupled to the brush portion. Also, the hood has a raised hood main portion at said angle to the handle portion. Also the raised hood portion is provided a trapezoidal in shape as to ergonomically fit the brush handle portion. 
     As stated, the present invention is configured to be coupled to a barbeque grill brush; or alternatively the brush and spatter guard are configured permanently together. The tab portion herein is additionally characterized as comprising a pie wedged shape affixed to both the splatter guard main portion and the raised hood main portion; and an angle substantially equal to said angle to the handle portion. Alternatively, it is more correct to say that the pie wedge has an angle 180 degree minus the handle angle, because this “angle” is more clearly visible. 
     The improved splatter guard herein further comprises a slot at the main portion forward end to receive a scraper. The improved splatter guard configured to be coupled to a barbeque grill herein is additionally characterized wherein the rear end has a riser portion forming the opening further comprising a rear guard providing splatter protection in a reverse cleaning direction while continuing to allow the brush handle portion therethrough. 
     Still further, the splatter guard configured to be coupled to a barbeque grill brush in this aspect has a hinge to allow the rear guard to open for removal and passage of the brush handle portion. Also in this aspect, the rear guard has a plastic living hinge to allow the rear guard to open for removal and passage of the brush handle portion. As an alternative to having a door embodiment comprising a living hinge, first and second flaps are instead provided for securing to an inside of the rear main portion. The flaps further have a tab for assisting removal and passage of the brush handle portion. 
     The invention can be better visualized by turning now to the following drawings wherein like elements are referenced by like numerals. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The novel features of this invention, as well as the invention itself, both as to its structure and its operation, will be best understood from the accompanying drawings, taken in conjunction with the accompanying description, in which similar reference characters refer to similar parts, and in which: 
         FIG. 1  is an elevated perspective view of a first preferred embodiment of the present invention configured to a barbecue cleaning brush; 
         FIG. 2  is an additional perspective view the first preferred embodiment with the cleaning brush removed and with an addition of a rear guard; 
         FIG. 3  is a front view thereof; 
         FIG. 4  is a profile view thereof; 
         FIG. 5A  is a bottom view of the first preferred embodiment; 
         FIG. 5B  is an additional bottom view with the rear guard embodiment; 
         FIG. 6A  is a rear view of the first preferred embodiment; 
         FIG. 6B  is an additional rear view with the rear guard embodiment; 
         FIG. 7  is a bottom view of the first preferred embodiment with the brush tool removed; and 
         FIG. 8  is an additional bottom view with yet another rear guard embodiment. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     With reference initially to  FIG. 1 , a grill cleaning tool (brush) splatter guard  10 ,  20  of the present invention is configured over an existing brush  90 . At the distal (front) end, the invention  10  has a slot  28  (as also shown in  FIG. 7 ) to accommodate a scraper portion  92  of the BBQ brush through said slot  28 . The splatter guard  20  has a main portion  21  covering a top of the brush portion  93  of the grill tool  90 . A lateral guard  22  provides lateral splatter protection while a rear opening  26  is necessary to assist coupling and uncoupling of the brush tool  90  to the splatter guard  20 . In one embodiment, the coupling is accomplished with permanent magnets  33  on an underside of the main portion  21  with corresponding ferromagnetic material. In another embodiment, the splatter guard  20  is permanently affixed to a BBQ grill brush  90 . 
     It is additionally contemplated that the splatter guard  20  is comprised of opaque material. As stated, the splatter guard  20  is optimally designed to eliminate grease and residue splatter when cleaning a grill that might permanently soil clothes and generally cause a mess. It should be noted that a forward guard  27  ( FIG. 3 ), rear guard  23 ,  24 ,  30  (and  40  alternative embodiment shown in  FIG. 6A ) are providing protection in multiple directions. 
     With regard to  FIG. 2 , the main cover portion has a forward and rear end, wherein the rear end has a raised hood  25  forming the rear opening  26 . A raised tab  29  for grasping and positioning the improved splatter guard  20  is additionally provided. Close inspection reveals that the tab  29  has a pie wedge shape and is affixed to both the splatter guard  20  main portion  21  and raised hood main portion  25 . Also, the tab  29  has an angle  99  with respect to the raised hood  25  that also corresponds to an angle that the brush  90  handle  91  is affixed to the brush portion  93 . Similarly, the raised hood  25  has a riser portion  24  with a similar angle  99 . Angular relationships  99  are also clearly shown in a profile view by  FIG. 4 . 
     Also regarding  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2  together, the hood riser portion  24  has a triangular shape cooperating with the trapezoidal shape of the hood main portion  25  to ergonomically configure to a grill brush  90 . Additionally, the guard main portion  21  together with the lateral guard  22  form a frustum of a pyramid being hollow for covering the brush portion  93 . 
     Additionally as seen in  FIG. 2 , the rear opening  26  a rear guard  30  is further configured to the rear opening  26  providing splatter protection in a reverse cleaning direction while continuing to allow the brush handle portion  91  therethrough. In a preferred embodiment a hinge  31  is provided to pivotally allow the rear guard  30  to open for removal and passage of the brush handle portion  91 . In yet another preferred embodiment, the splatter guard  20  is comprised of heat resistant plastic, realized by injection molding; and further said hinge  31  can therefore be a living hinge  31  having relatively thin plastic flanked by relatively thicker plastic. 
       FIG. 3  provides an additional view from a front of the preferred device  10 . In this illustration, the forward guard  27  is most clearly visible.  FIG. 4  provides a profile view most clearly showing angular  99  relationships between elements  24 ,  29 , and  91 .  FIG. 5A  and  FIG. 5B  provides perspective views from an underneath vantage point showing the first rear guard  30  embodiment. 
       FIG. 6A  and  FIG. 6B  illustrate a second preferred rear guard  40  embodiment next to the first  30 . Similarly,  FIG. 7  provides a perspective view of first rear guard  30  with hinge  31 . While  FIG. 8  provides a similar view of the second preferred rear guard. Therein, the improved splatter guard  20  rear guard  40  includes first  42  and second flaps  43  for securing to an inside of the rear main portion  23 ; and a tab  41  for assisting removal and passage of the brush handle portion  91 . 
     Many alterations and modifications may be made by those having ordinary skill in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Therefore, it must be understood that the illustrated embodiments have been set forth only for the purposes of example and that it should not be taken as limiting the invention as defined by the following claims. For example, notwithstanding the fact that the elements of a claim are set forth below in a certain combination, it must be expressly understood that the invention includes other combinations of fewer, more or different elements, which are disclosed above even when not initially claimed in such combinations. 
     Insubstantial changes from the claimed subject matter as viewed by a person with ordinary skill in the art, now known or later devised, are expressly contemplated as being equivalently within the scope of the claims. Therefore, obvious substitutions now or later known to one with ordinary skill in the art are defined to be within the scope of the defined elements. 
     While the particular BBQ Grill Brush Splatter Guard as herein shown and disclosed in detail is fully capable of obtaining the objects and providing the advantages herein before stated, it is to be understood that it is merely illustrative of the presently preferred embodiments of the invention and that no limitations are intended to the details of construction or design herein shown other than as described in the appended claims.

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