Grill grate having a collecting tray
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing grill grates with drip trays face challenges in stability and production cost due to the need for thicker materials to prevent bending and fat leakage, while maintaining effective heat conduction and smoke extraction.
Innovation Solution
The drip tray is designed with openings arranged in a herringbone pattern, allowing for thinner sheet metal construction and increased flexural rigidity, featuring hooks for secure attachment and grooves for micro-branding, along with connected channels for even fat distribution, enhancing stability and production efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If the sheet thickness of the drip tray is increased to prevent bending and ensure stability, then the stability and fat containment are improved, but the production costs increase significantly due to requirements for more stable tools and higher drive power of punching machines
Solution Approach 1:
The invention introduces curved reinforcement elements (arcs) into the drip tray structure. These curved elements provide structural reinforcement and prevent bending without requiring increased sheet thickness. The curvature geometry efficiently distributes mechanical stresses, achieving the same stabilizing effect as thicker material but with thinner, more cost-effective sheet metal.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention adds a third dimension to the drip tray design by incorporating raised edges and curved reinforcement elements that extend vertically from the tray base. This dimensional addition creates structural rigidity and fat containment barriers without increasing the horizontal footprint or requiring thicker base material, thereby reducing punching machine requirements while maintaining stability.
2Ease of manufacture
If the sheet thickness is reduced to lower production costs, then the manufacturing becomes more economical, but the drip tray becomes prone to bending and may fail to prevent fat from dripping into the embers
Solution Approach 1:
The curved reinforcement elements (arcs) provide structural support that prevents bending in thin sheet metal drip trays. These curved geometries act as stiffening ribs that maintain the tray's shape and integrity, ensuring that even thin material does not sag or deform under the weight of accumulated fat, thereby maintaining reliable fat containment.
Solution Approach 2:
The drip tray is segmented into multiple functional zones: the base tray for fat collection, raised edges for containment, and curved reinforcement elements for structural support. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function efficiently, with the curved elements specifically addressing the structural weakness of thin material while the base and edges handle fat containment.
3Ease of manufacture
If openings are arranged in a herringbone pattern to increase flexural rigidity and allow thinner sheet metal, then production costs are reduced and stability is improved, but the complexity of the opening arrangement increases
Solution Approach 1:
The herringbone pattern introduces a deliberate asymmetric arrangement of openings that follows a systematic angular progression. This asymmetric pattern is more complex than a simple grid but provides superior structural rigidity by distributing loads more effectively across the tray surface, allowing the use of thinner material and reducing production costs despite the increased pattern complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The opening arrangement uses systematic parameter variations (angular orientation, spacing, and grouping) to create the herringbone pattern. By controlling these parameters systematically, the complexity is managed and the pattern can be efficiently produced using standard punching machines with programmed sequences, balancing the increased geometric complexity with manufacturing efficiency.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The design ensures that fat does not drip into the embers, provides uniform heating, and allows for effective smoke extraction while reducing production costs and food sticking, enabling a stable and cost-effective grill grate system.
Implementation Method 1
a corresponding number of drip trays (2a) are formed adjacent to or between the (approx. fifty or sixty) openings (3), so that with a low overall height, considerable amounts of dripping grease can be accommodated
Implementation Method 2
at least several, preferably all drip pans of the drip tray are connected to each other with embossed grooves (2c), so that if there is local accumulation of fat on the food to be grilled (e.g. the fat edge of a steak), fat dripping from it can transfer to the neighboring drip pans as a result of surface tension
Implementation Method 3
For secure anchoring to the grill, the drip tray has several hooks pointing upwards, particularly on the outer edge of the drip tray. This allows the hooks to snap into place on the bar profiles of the grill grate (or on its surrounding frame) in a form-fitting manner.
Data Source
Figure 1~2
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AI summary
The aim of the invention is to produce a grill grate having a stable collecting tray (2) in an economical manner, wherein the collecting tray can be mounted directly below web profiles (1a) of the grill grate (1) and comprises a plurality of elongated openings (3) for the passage of heat, the apertures (3) being elevated towards the grill grate (1). In order to achieve said aim, it is proposed that the openings (3) are arranged in groups in the longitudinal orientation thereof and at an angle to one another, in particular in a herringbone pattern.