Detachable Grill Grate Rods With Integrated Fat Drainage

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional grill grates face issues with fat dripping into the hearth, leading to unwanted combustion and harmful vapors, and existing solutions for fat drainage are either inefficient or complicated to handle and clean.

Innovation Solution

A grill grate design with detachable rods featuring one-piece fat drainage channels inclined horizontally and alternating heights, which ensures fat is collected in the channels and prevents it from reaching the hearth, while allowing for easy assembly, disassembly, and cleaning.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If fat drain channels are arranged below the grill grate rods, then fat collection is improved, but the spatial arrangement does not ensure complete fat collection

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefat collection efficiencyVSAvoidspatial arrangement complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent transitions from horizontal arrangement of fat drain channels to a three-dimensional configuration where channels are arranged both horizontally and vertically. The alternating height design creates overlapping drainage paths in the vertical dimension, ensuring complete fat collection while maintaining simple spatial arrangement.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Reliability

If separate grill grate rods and fat drain channels are used, then fat drainage function is improved, but handling and cleaning becomes complicated

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefat drainage functionVSAvoidhandling and cleaning ease
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines the grill grate rod and fat drain channel into a single integrated component. The fat drain channel is formed as part of the rod structure itself, eliminating the need for separate components. This integration maintains effective fat drainage while greatly simplifying handling, cleaning, and maintenance operations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Stability of the object's composition

If grill grate rods are permanently attached to the frame, then structural stability is improved, but cleaning and maintenance become difficult

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestructural stabilityVSAvoidcleaning and maintenance ease
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSEase of repair

Solution Approach 1:

The patent divides the grill grate into separable components: the frame and the grill grate rods with integrated fat drain channels. The rods are detachably mounted on the frame, allowing them to be easily removed for cleaning and maintenance while maintaining structural stability during use. This segmentation enables independent cleaning of each component.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

4Reliability

If fat drain channels are arranged in a lower second level below grill grate bars, then fat drainage is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefat drainageVSAvoidmulti-level structure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs asymmetric design where alternating grill grate rods have different heights in the vertical direction. This creates an irregular, asymmetric pattern of fat drain channel positions that optimizes fat collection efficiency while avoiding the complexity of a regular multi-level structure. The asymmetric arrangement ensures overlapping drainage coverage without requiring multiple standardized levels.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #4Asymmetry

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 effectively prevents fat from dripping into the hearth, optimizes fat collection, and simplifies cleaning by allowing the grill grate rods and fat drain channels to be easily dismantled and reassembled, providing a safe and efficient grilling experience.

Implementation Method 1

at least the fat drainage channels are arranged inclined to the horizontal

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectGravity: Gravitation

Data Source

PatentEP2316315B1Barbecue grill
Publication Date: 2013.09.04 ULUSU CUNEYT
  • EP2316315B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2316315B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2316315B1 patent drawingFigure 3a~3b

AI summary

The grillage (10) has multiple grillage rods (18, 19) including longitudinal extension and detachably connected to a frame (12). A fat drain channel is integrated with two sides of the rods along the longitudinal extension. The channel is inclined with respect to a horizontal axis. The rods have different heights in a vertical direction with respect to a cross-sectional profile of the rods. The frame has multiple laterally opposite support elements on which the rods are supported.