Wood-burning grill and grate positioning assembly for a wood-burning grill

Abstract

A wood-burning grill defining a vertical direction, a lateral direction, and a transverse direction includes a cabinet defining a charcoal support platform for supporting wood burning in a grilling process, a grate positioned above the charcoal support platform along the vertical direction and defining a cooking surface for containing food, and a grate positioning assembly mechanically coupling the grate to the cabinet. The grate positioning assembly includes a linkage arm system mechanically coupling the grate to the cabinet and a drive gear mechanically coupled to the linkage arm system and rotatable to move the grate between a raised position and a lowered position. In this way, the grate is rotatable between a raised position and a lowered position to facilitate easy charcoal management below the grate. A grate positioning assembly for a wood-burning grill is also provided.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of wood-burning grill technology, for example to a wood-burning grill and a grill grid positioning assembly for a wood-burning grill. Background Technology

[0002] Grilling is a form of cooking in which meat, vegetables, or other foods are placed near burning combustible material (such as wood or charcoal) to facilitate the cooking process. Traditional grills consist of an enclosed pan or pot that holds the charcoal and supports a cooking grill for holding the food to be cooked. However, traditional grills may have a cooking grill with a fixed vertical position or a grill that can only be moved between fixed positions while the grill is cooling. As a result, the food being cooked may often be placed too close to or too far from the charcoal layer or burning wood, leading to overcooking or undercooking, respectively.

[0003] Furthermore, once the wood or charcoal in a traditional grill has been completely consumed, it is often difficult to remove the hot grate and food to add more wood or charcoal. As a result, traditional grills must typically be loaded with enough wood or charcoal at the start of the cooking process to complete the entire cooking process before it is consumed. Some traditional wood-burning grills may include mechanisms for adding more wood fuel to the grill during cooking (e.g., through grate openings or passageways). However, because the grill grate is typically fixed in a vertical position, new wood or charcoal may have to be placed closer to the food on the grate and may burn hotter or emit unwanted volatile organic compounds (VOCs) upon initial ignition. As a result, food grilled when new wood or charcoal is added may be overcooked due to proximity to the flames or may have a spicy taste due to the additional VOCs or other wood byproducts from burning the wood.

[0004] Therefore, an improved wood-burning grill is needed. More specifically, a wood-burning grill would be particularly beneficial, having systems for adjusting the grate position to bring food closer to the charcoal bed, allowing the grill to be refilled with hot charcoal or wood fuel, and improving the overall cooking process. Summary of the Invention

[0005] Aspects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows, or may be apparent from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention.

[0006] In one exemplary embodiment, a wood-burning grill is provided, defining a vertical, a lateral, and a transverse direction, comprising: a housing defining a charcoal support platform for supporting wood burning during grilling; a grate positioned above the charcoal support platform along the vertical direction and defining a cooking surface for receiving food; and a grate positioning assembly mechanically connecting the grate to the housing; wherein the grate positioning assembly includes: a linkage arm system mechanically connecting the grate to the housing; and a drive gear mechanically connected to the linkage arm system and rotatable to move the grate between a raised position and a lowered position.

[0007] In another exemplary embodiment, a grate positioning assembly for a wood-burning grill is provided, the grill including a housing defining a charcoal support platform and a grate positioned above the charcoal support platform, the grate positioning assembly including: a drive arm rotatably coupled to the housing and the grate; a drive gear mechanically coupled to the drive arm such that rotating the drive gear causes the drive arm to rotate, thereby moving the grate between a raised position and a lowered position; and a support arm rotatably mounted to the housing and the grate for maintaining the grate in a generally horizontal orientation while the grate moves between the raised and lowered positions.

[0008] The wood-burning grill and the grate positioning assembly for the wood-burning grill provided in this embodiment mechanically connect the grate to the housing of the wood-burning grill. The drive gear is mechanically connected to the linkage arm system and is rotatable so that the grate can move between a raised position and a lowered position, facilitating easy charcoal management below the grate.

[0009] These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the invention will be better understood by referring to the following description and the appended claims. The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention. Attached Figure Description

[0010] The complete and practicable disclosure of the invention, including its best mode, is set forth in the description with reference to the accompanying drawings for those skilled in the art.

[0011] Figure 1 A front perspective view of a wood-burning grill according to an exemplary embodiment of this subject is provided;

[0012] Figure 2 Exemplary embodiments based on this topic are provided. Figure 1 A perspective view of an exemplary wood-burning grill;

[0013] Figure 3Exemplary embodiments based on this topic are provided. Figure 1 A perspective view of an exemplary wood-burning grill, wherein the cover is removed to expose components of the grate positioning assembly;

[0014] Figure 4 Exemplary embodiments based on this topic are provided. Figure 3 A perspective view of an exemplary furnace grate positioning assembly;

[0015] Figure 5 Exemplary embodiments based on this topic are provided. Figure 3 A perspective view of an exemplary furnace grate positioning assembly;

[0016] Figure 6 Exemplary embodiments based on this topic are provided. Figure 3 A perspective view of an exemplary furnace grate positioning assembly;

[0017] Figure 7 Exemplary embodiments based on this topic are provided. Figure 3 A side view of an exemplary grate positioning assembly.

[0018] The repeated use of reference numerals in this specification and drawings is intended to indicate the same or similar features or elements of the invention. Detailed Implementation

[0019] Reference will now be made in detail to embodiments of the invention, one or more of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Each example is provided to explain the invention and not to limit it. In fact, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made to the invention without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention. For example, features shown or described as part of one embodiment may be used with another embodiment to produce yet another embodiment. Therefore, the invention is intended to cover these modifications and variations that fall within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.

[0020] As used herein, the terms “first,” “second,” and “third” are used interchangeably to distinguish one component from another and are not intended to indicate the location or importance of the individual components. The terms “upstream” and “downstream” refer to the relative flow direction of fluid flow within a fluid path. For example, “upstream” refers to the direction of fluid outflow, while “downstream” refers to the direction of fluid inflow. The terms “includes” and “including” are intended to be inclusive in a manner similar to the term “comprising.” Similarly, the term “or” is generally intended to be inclusive (i.e., “A or B” is intended to mean “A or B or both”).

[0021] The approximate language used throughout this specification and claims is intended to modify any quantitative representation that may vary without altering its underlying function. Therefore, a value modified by one or more terms, such as “about,” “approximately,” and “roughly,” is not limited to the specified precise value. In at least some cases, approximate language may correspond to the precision of the instrument used to measure the value. For example, approximate language may refer to a value within a 10% limit.

[0022] Turn to the attached diagram. Figures 1 to 3 Various perspective views of a wood-burning grill 100 according to exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure are provided. The wood-burning grill 100 generally defines a vertical direction V, a lateral direction L, and a transverse direction T, each direction being perpendicular to each other, thereby generally defining an orthogonal coordinate system. The wood-burning grill 100 may include a chassis or housing 102 extending along the vertical direction V between a top portion 104 and a bottom portion 106, along the lateral direction L between a left portion 108 and a right portion 110, and along the transverse direction T between a front portion 112 and a rear portion 114.

[0023] The housing 102 can be positioned on a caster or wheel 120. Figure 3 For example, to facilitate the movement of the wood-burning grill 100. Furthermore, the housing 102 of the wood-burning grill 100 may define one or more lower storage compartments 122. Storage compartments 122 may be used to store cooking utensils, pots, pans, grill tools, or any other suitable items. According to the illustrated embodiment, storage compartments 122 may be used to store wood 124, such as timber or wood blocks, which may be periodically added to the combustion chamber (described below) to facilitate the grilling process. While this disclosure illustrates and describes the use of wood 124 for combustion to facilitate the cooking process, it should be understood that any other suitable type or size of combustible material may be used. For example, wood blocks, sawdust, sawdust pellets, or any other suitable material may be used.

[0024] As shown in the figure, the housing 102 may further define a charcoal support platform 126 located near the top 104 of the housing 102. As will be described in more detail below, the charcoal support platform 126 is generally configured to support charcoal, wood embers, or other wood fuels (generally referred to herein as charcoal or coal 128, see below). Figure 2 and Figure 6This facilitates the cooking process. As used herein, the terms "charcoal," "charcoal," etc., are generally intended to refer to any combustible source or byproduct that facilitates the cooking of one or more items. For example, according to an exemplary embodiment, charcoal 128 refers to wood and / or wood byproducts, such as embers or other heated or burned wood products, that have been burned away from or separated from one or more burning wood materials (e.g., wood 124). It is worth noting that charcoal 128 can burn more cleanly than wood because most of the volatile organic carbon (VOCs) are burned away from wood 124.

[0025] According to the illustrated embodiment, the charcoal support platform 126 may be positioned at the top of the housing 102 and may be defined or covered by an insulating material 130. For example, according to the illustrated embodiment, the insulating material 130 is refractory brick 132. Specifically, the refractory brick 132 is positioned at the top 104 of the housing 102 to define a flat surface for supporting the charcoal 128 (e.g., the charcoal support platform 126). Additionally, according to the illustrated embodiment, the charcoal support platform 126 is slightly recessed from the top 104 of the housing 102, and the sides (e.g., the left side 108 and the right side 110) and the back (e.g., the rear 114) may be raised to partially define a charcoal chamber for retaining heat, blocking wind, etc.

[0026] As used herein, the terms insulating material, refractory brick, etc., are generally intended to refer to any material that is appropriately rigid and capable of withstanding the high temperatures of burning charcoal. In this respect, for example, refractory bricks can be one or more blocks of ceramic material positioned adjacent to each other to form a layer of charcoal. These refractory bricks are capable of withstanding very high temperatures and can also be insulating or have relatively low thermal conductivity, so that the heat energy from charcoal 128 is not wasted through refractory brick 132 but is concentrated on the food being cooked.

[0027] According to the illustrated embodiment, the housing 102 may further define a second storage compartment, which may also serve as a heating compartment 134. In this respect, the heating compartment 134 is an open compartment defined within the housing 102, located between the storage compartment 122 and the charcoal support platform 126. Notably, residual heat from the charcoal 128 can heat the heating compartment 134. According to exemplary embodiments of this subject matter, the heating compartment 134 may also be surrounded or defined by refractory bricks 132, such that cooked food can be positioned within the heating compartment 134 to maintain its warmth while completing the remaining cooking process.

[0028] As in Figure 4As best shown, the wood-burning grill 100 may also include a combustion chamber 136 positioned near the charcoal support platform 126. Typically, the combustion chamber 136 is configured to contain wood 124 that is ignited and burned to form charcoal 128. More specifically, according to the illustrated embodiment, the combustion chamber 136 includes a support grate 138 that is bent to form a groove for receiving the wood 124. Furthermore, the support grate 138 may include one or more openings 140 for allowing the charcoal 128 to burn off the wood 124 and fall onto the charcoal support platform 126. Once the charcoal 128 is on the charcoal support platform 126, it can be moved forward and spread out (e.g., using a coal bed or other tool) to facilitate the cooking process.

[0029] As shown in the figure, the wood-burning grill 100 may also include one or more cooking grates 142 positioned vertically V above the charcoal support platform 126 and defining a cooking surface 144 for supporting food (not shown) during cooking or grilling. It is noteworthy that, as briefly described above, the vertical position of the grates 142 relative to the charcoal 128 is important in determining how the food is cooked. In this respect, if the grates 142 are too close to the charcoal 128, the food may burn or cook too quickly. Conversely, if the grates 142 are too far from the charcoal 128, the food may remain uncooked or cook slowly. Therefore, several aspects of this subject matter relate to a system for adjusting the vertical position of the grates 142 relative to the charcoal support platform 126.

[0030] Specifically, it is now also referenced Figures 4 to 7 The wood-burning grill may include a grate positioning assembly 150, which mechanically connects the grate 140 to the housing 102 or another structure of the wood-burning grill 100 and is generally configured to position the grate 140 in a raised position (e.g., Figure 3 As shown, on the left) and the lowered position (e.g., as shown on the right) Figure 3 As shown, the grate positioning assembly 150 can move between the raised and lowered positions. Specifically, the grate positioning assembly 150 can be configured to move the grate 142 to any suitable position between the raised and lowered positions, which can be a vertical movement within the range of 6 inches, 12 inches, 24 inches, or greater. Although an exemplary grate positioning system 150 is described below to explain various aspects of the subject matter, it should be understood that the scope of this disclosure is not limited to the described embodiments. In practice, variations and modifications can be made to the grate positioning assembly 150 while remaining within the scope of this subject matter.

[0031] Typically, the grate positioning assembly 150 includes a linkage arm system 152 that mechanically connects the grate 142 to the housing 102. Furthermore, a drive gear 154 may be operatively coupled to the linkage arm system 152 and may be rotatable to move the grate 142 between a raised position and a lowered position. It should be understood that, according to the exemplary embodiment, any suitable linkage arm system that mechanically connects the grate 142 to the housing 102 can be used. However, according to the illustrated embodiment, the linkage arm system 152 includes one or more four-bar linkages 156. More specifically, a system using four-bar linkages 156 is used to support each grate 142. In this respect, the illustrated embodiment includes two grate 142 positioned laterally side-by-side, with a total of four four-bar linkages 156 supporting the grate 142. In this respect, each grate 142 may be supported on each of its sides 158 by one four-bar linkage 156. An exemplary four-bar linkage 156 will now be described, but changes and modifications can be made to the four-bar linkage 156 while remaining within the scope of this topic.

[0032] Specifically, as shown in the figure, the four-bar linkage 156 includes a drive arm 160 mechanically coupled to a drive gear 154, such that the drive arm 160 rotates together with the drive gear 154. Additionally, the four-bar linkage 156 includes a support arm 162 rotatably mounted to the housing 102 and the grate 142 for maintaining the grate 142 in a generally horizontal orientation (e.g., defined by the lateral direction L and the transverse direction T) while moving the grate 142 between a raised position and a lowered position. Therefore, as shown in the figure, the “four bars” of the four-bar linkage 156 may include the drive arm 160, the support arm 162, a grate section extending between the pivot points where the drive arm 160 and the support arm 162 engage the grate 142, and a section of the housing 102 extending between the opposite ends of the drive arm 160 and the support arm 162, or some other support structure coupled to the housing 102.

[0033] According to the illustrated embodiment, to facilitate independent movement of the two grate 142s, the grate positioning assembly 150 may include a central support 164, which is mounted to the rear 114 of the housing 102 at its center point in the lateral direction L. The central support 164 may be configured to rotatably support the drive arms 160 and support arms 162 of the two innermost four-bar linkages 156. Notably, all drive arms 160 and support arms 162 are illustrated as being mounted near the rear 114 of the housing 102, such that the grate 142 cantilevered over the charcoal support platform 126. This positioning facilitates easy charcoal management below the grate 142.

[0034] As in Figure 5 and Figure 6As best illustrated, drive gear 154 can be coupled to drive arm 160 of four-bar linkage 156 using drive rod 170, which extends generally in the lateral direction L to rotatably connect drive arm 160 of each four-bar linkage 156 supporting a single grate 142. In this way, the four-bar linkages 156 on each side of the grate 142 can rotate uniformly, for example, to maintain the horizontal orientation of the grate 142. At this point, drive gear 154 can be rotatably mounted to housing 102 such that drive gear 154 rotates about the lateral direction L and is directly coupled to drive rod 170. Therefore, when... Figure 7 As shown in the observation, rotating the drive gear 154 clockwise raises the grate 142, thereby increasing the distance between the charcoal support platform 126 and the cooking surface 144. In contrast, rotating the drive gear 154 counterclockwise lowers the grate 142, thereby decreasing the distance between the charcoal support platform 126 and the cooking surface 144.

[0035] It is worth noting that the drive gear 154 is located near the rear 114 of the housing 102. As a result, a user standing at the front 112 of the wood-burning grill 100 can more easily access or control the drive gear 154. According to an exemplary embodiment of this subject matter, the grate positioning assembly 150 also includes a handwheel 172, which is rotatably mounted to the front 112 of the housing 102. The handwheel 172 can be connected to the drive gear 154 via a rotating shaft 174 and a worm gear 176. As shown, the handwheel 172 and the rotating shaft 174 are generally aligned with and rotate about the lateral direction T. More specifically, the rotating shaft 174 can extend between the handwheel 172 and the drive gear 154, while the worm gear 176 mechanically connects the rotating shaft 174 to the drive gear 154, such that rotating the handwheel 172 rotates the drive gear 154 to raise and lower the grate 142. It is worth noting that the worm gear 176 can typically be configured as a self-locking gear, such that the worm gear 176 and the drive gear 154 rotate only when the handwheel 172 initiates this rotation. Therefore, when the user removes their hand from the handwheel 172, the grate 142 can remain in a fixed vertical position. It should be understood that the housing 102 may include a cover 178, which is typically positioned above the working parts of the grate positioning assembly 150, for example... Figure 2 The position shown (and in Figure 3 (Removed from the center). In this way, when the cover 178 is positioned on the housing 102, the grate positioning assembly 150 can be hidden except for the handwheel 172.

[0036] According to an exemplary embodiment, the grate positioning assembly 150 may further include features for mitigating the mechanical forces required to raise the grate 142. In this regard, for example, the grate positioning assembly 150 may include an elastic element 180 mechanically coupled to the drive gear 154 and configured (e.g., as shown in the image) Figure 7 The drive gear 154 is biased toward a raised position by causing it to rotate clockwise. More specifically, according to the illustrated embodiment, the elastic element 180 is a mechanical spring 182 that extends generally along the lateral direction T from the front portion 112 of the housing 102 to the lower side 184 of the drive gear 154. It should be understood that other orientations of the elastic element 180 are possible and within the scope of this subject matter. For example, the elastic element 180 may be a torsion spring positioned about the drive gear 154 or drive rod 170, a mechanical spring extending between the top of the drive gear 154 and the rear portion 114 of the housing 102, etc.

[0037] This written description uses examples to disclose the invention, including the best mode, and also enables any person skilled in the art to practice the invention, including making and using any device or system and performing any incorporated methods. The patentable scope of the invention is defined by the claims, but may include other examples that would occur to a person skilled in the art. Such other examples are intended to be within the scope of the claims if they include structural elements that are not different from the literal language of the claims, or if they include equivalent structural elements that are not substantially different from the literal language of the claims.

Claims

1. A wood-burning grill, characterized in that, The wood-burning grill defines the vertical, lateral, and transverse directions, including: The enclosure is specifically designed to support a charcoal support platform for burning wood during grilling. A grate, positioned along the vertical direction above the charcoal support platform and defining a cooking surface for containing food; and A grate positioning assembly mechanically connects the grate to the housing; wherein the grate positioning assembly includes: a linkage arm system mechanically connecting the grate to the housing; and a drive gear mechanically connected to the linkage arm system and rotatable to move the grate between a raised position and a lowered position; the linkage arm system includes: a drive arm mechanically connected to the drive gear, such that the drive arm rotates together with the drive gear; and a support arm rotatably mounted to the housing and the grate for positioning the grate in the raised position relative to the housing. The grate is maintained in a generally horizontal orientation while the movement between positions is reduced; the grate, the drive arm, the support arm, and the housing define a first four-bar linkage for supporting a first side of the grate; the wood-burning grill further includes a second four-bar linkage spaced apart from the first four-bar linkage along the lateral direction for supporting a second side of the grate; the grate positioning assembly further includes a drive rod extending along the lateral direction to rotatably connect the drive arm of the first four-bar linkage and the drive arm of the second four-bar linkage.

2. The wood-burning grill according to claim 1, characterized in that, The drive gear is directly connected to the drive rod and is rotatable about the lateral direction.

3. The wood-burning grill according to claim 1, characterized in that, The drive arm and the support arm are rotatably mounted near the rear of the housing, such that the grate is suspended above the carbon support platform.

4. The wood-burning grill according to claim 1, characterized in that, The grate is a first grate and the grate positioning system is a first grate positioning system; the wood-burning grill also includes: The second grate, which is located above the charcoal support platform along the vertical direction; and The second grate positioning assembly mechanically connects the second grate to the housing and is configured to move the second grate between a raised position and a lowered position.

5. The wood-burning grill according to claim 4, characterized in that, The grate positioning assembly also includes: A central support member, which is installed in the housing, is used to rotatably support the respective drive arm and support arm of the first grate positioning system and the second grate positioning system.

6. The wood-burning grill according to claim 1, characterized in that, The grate positioning assembly also includes: A handwheel, which is rotatably mounted to the housing; A rotating shaft extending between the handwheel and the drive gear; and A worm gear mechanically connects the rotating shaft to the drive gear, such that rotating the handwheel causes the drive gear to rotate to raise and lower the grate.

7. The wood-burning grill according to claim 6, characterized in that, The worm gear is configured to be self-locking, such that the worm gear and the drive gear rotate only when the handwheel is rotated.

8. The wood-burning grill according to claim 6, characterized in that, The housing includes a cover for concealing the grate positioning assembly so that only the handwheel is exposed.

9. The wood-burning grill according to claim 1, characterized in that, The grate positioning assembly also includes: An elastic element is mechanically coupled to the drive gear and configured to bias the drive gear toward the raised position.

10. The wood-burning grill according to claim 9, characterized in that, The elastic element includes a mechanical spring extending between the front of the housing and the lower side of the drive gear.

11. The wood-burning grill according to claim 1, characterized in that, Also includes: A combustion chamber, located near the charcoal support platform, is configured to contain wood for burning to form cooking charcoal.

12. The wood-burning grill according to claim 11, characterized in that, The wood fuel includes wood blocks or timber, and the cooking charcoal is the embers formed by burning the wood blocks or timber.

13. The wood-burning grill according to claim 11, characterized in that, The combustion chamber includes a supporting grate that defines a groove having a plurality of cavities to allow the cooking charcoal to fall from the combustion chamber onto the charcoal support platform.

14. The wood-burning grill according to claim 1, characterized in that, An insulation layer is positioned on the top of the housing to define the carbon support platform.

15. The wood-burning grill according to claim 14, characterized in that, The insulation material layer includes refractory bricks.

16. A grate positioning assembly for a wood-burning grill, characterized in that, Applied to a wood-burning grill as described in any one of claims 1 to 15, the wood-burning grill comprising a housing defining a charcoal support platform and a grate positioned above the charcoal support platform, the grate positioning assembly comprising: A drive arm, which is rotatably connected to the housing and the grate; A drive gear, mechanically coupled to the drive arm, causes rotation of the drive gear to rotate the drive arm, thereby moving the grate between a raised position and a lowered position; and A support arm, rotatably mounted to the housing and the grate, is used to maintain the grate in a generally horizontal orientation while the grate moves between the raised and lowered positions.

17. The grate positioning assembly according to claim 16, characterized in that, Also includes: A handwheel, which is rotatably mounted to the housing; A rotating shaft that extends between the handwheel and the drive gear; as well as A worm gear mechanically connects the rotating shaft to the drive gear, such that rotating the handwheel causes the drive gear to rotate to raise and lower the grate.

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