Portable, collapsible cooking unit and utensil

Abstract

A portable, collapsible cooking unit and utensil that is easy to use and that can be easily transported, disassembled and assembled and comprises a slotted cooking member with side walls, bottom wall and a rim around the upper periphery of the cooking member with at least one slot in the rim, a bottom housing unit for charcoal or wood pieces that fits beneath the cooking member, a metal frame with hinged legs with an opening large enough for the cooking member and bottom housing unit to be suspended within, and a utensil having connecting means on the posterior side of the utensil which corresponds in size to the slots in the rim of the cooking member. The connecting means on the posterior side of the utensil allows the user to lift the cooking member out of the metal frame by connecting the connecting means of the utensil into the slots in the rim of the cooking member and lifting the cooking member vertically out of the metal frame. The portable, collapsible cooking unit and utensil allows the user to quickly and easily manipulate the cooking member with the same utensil that is used for cooking thereby limiting the amount of utensils that are needed. The portable, collapsible cooking unit and utensil allows the user to use interchangeable fuel sources and interchangeable cooking members with any type of cooking surface that can be interchanged using the utensil with connecting means.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] The present invention relates to portable cooking units and utensils. [0003] 2. Description of the Related Art [0004] A drawback to current portable cooking units is that when the cooking unit is in use maneuvering the grilling unit is extremely difficult given its high temperature and may only be moved using either protective gear such as an oven mitt or other utensil not specifically equipped to handle the weight and shape of the grilling unit. [0005] It would be desirable to enable the user of such a cooking unit to handle the grilling unit without endangering himself or herself by permitting the grilling unit to be handled at a safe distance from the user. The user should also be able to quickly, easily and safely dispose of any burning elements, such as the charcoal or wood pieces, after grilling has ceased. And the entire cooking unit should preferably be portable and collapsible, allowing the user to transpor...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0009] The connecting means on the posterior side of the utensil allows the user to lift the cooking member out of the metal frame by connecting the connecting means of the utensil with the slots in the rim of the cooking member and lifting the cooking member vertically out of the metal frame. The top surface of the metal frame likewise has at least one notch in it that gives the connecting means of the utensil clearance as it connects with the rim of the cooking member thereby allowing the cooking member to be lifted out of the metal frame.

[0010] The portable, collapsible cooking unit may also contain a cover that comprises a top wall, side walls, a rim around the upper periphery of the cover with at least one embossment in the rim and a handle on the surface of the top wall of the cover. When the cover is in use, the rim of the cover lines up squarely with the rim of the cooking member allowing the embossment in the rim of the cover to pass through the slots in the rim of the cooking member causing the cover to be secured in place. The handle of the cover may be a simple U-shaped handle comprised of a strip of material with each end of the strip attached to the top surface of the top wall of the cover and the center of the strip parallel to the top surface of the cover. In order to remove the cover from the cooking unit, the user may use the utensil and connect the connecting means of the utensil to the handle and lift the cover vertically from the cooking unit.

[0013] Advantageously, the invention allows the user to use the same utensil for cooking, such as a spatula, as for lifting the cooking member out of the metal frame to allow the user to rotate the cooking member to various positions on the metal frame to take advantage of hot and cold spots created by the bottom housing unit that occur while grilling. Likewise, the user may remove the cooking member from the metal frame to prevent the food from burning. Thus, the user may use the same utensil for manipulating the food on the cooking member as for lifting the cooking member out of the metal frame, thereby limiting the amount of tools and utensils needed by the user. The utensil may be a spatula for flipping the food on the cooking member, a set of tongs for lifting the food from the cooking member, a knife for manipulating the food on the cooking member, a spoon or a brush for basting the food on the cooking member. Further, this invention allows the user to remove the cooking member when cooking has ceased for cleansing or storage of the cooking member and provides the user with a safe and easy means of handling the cooking member without the need of additional protective gear or utensils.

[0014] An objective of this invention is to allow the user to safely, quickly and easily dispose of the burning elements, such as the charcoal or wood pieces, after grilling has ceased. Preferably, the bottom housing unit may be a disposable lightweight metal container having a bottom and side walls that may be disposed of after each use. Once the user has finished grilling, the user may lift the bottom housing unit out of the metal frame and dispose of it.

[0015] Another objective of this invention is that the invention is portable and collapsible allowing the user to transport the portable, collapsible cooking unit with ease. Advantageously, the hinged legs of the metal frame fold completely under the metal frame to allow the metal frame, cooking member, and bottom housing unit to be transported with ease. Likewise, the perimeters of the cover, cooking member, bottom housing unit, and the metal frame fit concentrically within one another to allow the user to nest the cover within the cooking member and then nest the cover and cooking member and bottom housing unit into the folded metal frame thereby creating a portable unit that can be transported with ease.

[0016] Another objective of this invention is the ease and simplicity with which the cooking unit is set up. The user needs only to unfold the hinged legs out from under the metal frame to create a stand into which the bottom housing unit is suspended. The rim of the cooking member is then laid upon the top surface of the metal frame. The entire cooking unit is therefore assembled with a few easy and simplistic steps.

Problems solved by technology

A drawback to current portable cooking units is that when the cooking unit is in use maneuvering the grilling unit is extremely difficult given its high temperature and may only be moved using either protective gear such as an oven mitt or other utensil not specifically equipped to handle the weight and shape of the grilling unit.

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