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

"The present invention is a portable, collapsible cooking unit and utensil that can be easily moved and set up for cooking. It includes a slotted cooking member with a bottom housing unit for charcoal or wood pieces that fit beneath it. The cooking member can be lifted out of a metal frame using the utensil and connected to the frame with a removable bottom housing unit. The metal frame has an opening and the cooking member is suspended within it. The invention also includes a cover that can be used to secure the cooking member in place. The cover can be easily removed to access the cooking member. The cooking member can be interchanged with different cooking surfaces to allow for different types of food to be cooked. The invention allows for easy manipulation of the food on the cooking member with the same utensil and reduces the number of tools and utensils needed."

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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